What a fantastic way to finish the academic year! The final event was our Girl’s Football Celebration Festival. Over 200 hundred girls from Years 2- 6 made their way to Tooting and Mitcham United Football Club for a day focused on being active, having fun and celebrating girls in sport.
In the morning, the girls made their way around 14 different skill stations, playing a combination of Football, multi skills and team building games. One of the stations was led by Britain’s Got Talent contestant Kieran Lai – where the children enjoyed showing off their dance moves and quickly learning an exciting routine.
The afternoon saw the schools playing mini football matches against other teams. With no scores being recorded, the teams were able to enjoy playing without any added pressures. With this in mind, the teams showed unbelievable respect and encouragement towards each other which was in keeping with the atmosphere of the day. All the players showed excellent REFSPECT, with Merton Abbey and Malmesbury winning the overall award for the event.
We couldn’t have delivered the day and inspired our younger generation without the help of the AFC Wimbledon Foundation staff and trainee female coaches from their LeaDON programme along with female sports leaders from Harris Academy Morden and Melrose Secondary School.
We were also delighted to be joined by other local clubs, keen to support the grassroots opportunities for our local girls – AFC Wimbledon, Motspur Park, Westside and of course our very accommodating hosts, Tooting and Mitcham United FC. As part of our plans to increase girls’ participation in football in Merton, alongside the Surrey FA and LB Merton Borough of Sport teams, we are keen to work in collaboration with all our local football clubs.
The event also provided a great opportunity to introduce sports leaders and year 6 students to the new intro to football for girls after school sessions, planned at our Local Secondary School facilities Harris Academy Morden and Merton for year 7’s+ this September. These exciting new sessions are being funded by the Merton Borough of Sport Grant and hope to see more girls able to take part in free football in their local community with female role models delivering the activities.
The AFC Wimbledon Foundation gave out 25 free places to girls for their summer football camps and a free football for every school to take back with them. To add to the fun (not deterred by the sweltering conditions), Haydon the Womble even made a surprise appearance, with high fives all round.
All our participants seemed to have a great day and we really hope that lots of them are now inspired and confident to try out sessions within the community and at our local girls football clubs. The final moment of the day involved a huge cheer as we encouraged them to watch the Lionesses this Thursday as they take on Sweden in the Quarter finals of the 2025 Euros.
Today was a great example of how women and girls can inspire the younger generation and make football fun and engaging for girls that may have never taken part in sport out of school/PE before.
Many thanks to everyone that made today happen, including the school staff from Bond, Cranmer, Hatfeild, Malmesbury, Merton Abbey and SS Peter & Paul that brought so many girls along!