Encouraging young girls to try football and finding future stars of the sport is the aim of a program that will begin in Nelson Bay this week.
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Chloe Shaw and Sarah Patmore, both 8, are just two enthusiastic footballers who have signed up for the ALDI MiniRoos Kick-Off For Girls program which Northern NSW Football will run in the Bay for eight weeks.
“Chloe and Sarah participated in the program in 2017 and thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the coaches,” Chloe’s mother, Maritne Shaw, said.
“For many of the girls in their under-9 team 2018 was their first time playing soccer after enjoying the program in 2017.”
Glen Eder, coordinator of the Nelson Bay summer program and president of the town’s football club, said many participants enjoyed the experience so much they signed up to continue playing.
“Women’s football has had a huge growth in the past 10 years and we want to continue that,” he said. “The MiniRoos program is a wonderful opportunity for young girls to experience football without the pressure of signing up for a full season.
“The girls learn skills and play the game but they also prove to themselves that they can do it, it isn’t just a game for boys and they have fun and make friends.”
Kayla Pisani from the Jets youth team and former ex-national player Vicki Haines have signed up to coach the Bay’s MiniRoos.
“All of our coaches have been specifically trained to deliver this program and are as passionate as we are about providing a welcoming, fun game-based learning environment,” Holly Ayton, NNSWF’s female participation officer, said.
The program has been developed in line with the game-sense philosophy of sports participation.
This approach to sports delivery emphasises a move away from traditional coach dominated sessions to those that are player-centred, using game-like situations and the imagination for play rather than technical drills.
Each session runs for 45-minutes a week for eight weeks and include building skills.
The program is split into two stages with a session for girls aged 4 to 7 and one for girls aged 8 to 9.
Ayton said the benefits of girls participating in the program included taking part in fun, football game-based sessions that build fundamental motor skills, non-competitive activities to improve confidence and self-esteem, low participant-to-coach ratio resulting in greater individual engagement and a chance to experience the football basics.
Merchandise packs are available for new participants including boot bag, shinpads and ball.
Additionally, each participant will receive a double pass to the Newcastle Jets doubleheader at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, December 8.
The Nelson Bay MiniRoos will train at Tomaree Sports Complex on Wednesdays 4.30pm to 5.15pm.
For more information go to: northernnswfootball.com.au