Halas Hawks are proud to announce that we are an “SSE Wildcats Centre”.
The Football Association and SSE have teamed up to launch a new initiative, SSE Wildcats, designed to inspire girls aged between 5-11 to be involved in the sport.
SSE Wildcats Girls’ Football Clubs will provide girls with regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised sessions in a fun and engaging environment created exclusively for girls.
The clubs will run from spring through to summer on a weekly basis with activities such as football-fitness sessions on offer for those bringing children too.
The initiative follows the launch The FA’s Gameplan for Growth, which outlined the target of doubling girls’ participation in the sport by 2020.
Each SSE Wildcats club will be run in conjunction with local County FAs and utilise qualified coaches and local facilities to offer girls a location nearby where they can get involved.
SSE Wildcats has been launched ahead of the Lionesses heading to the Netherlands for the UEFA Euro 2017 tournament in July.
England star Karen Carney has backed the SSE Wildcats to engage future Lionesses and get more girls active.
She said: “I attended a similar FA initiative as a child and that was when I first fell in love with football.
“Hopefully the girls attending the SSE Wildcats clubs will get the same enjoyment I did and stay involved in the game for years to come.”
Kelly Simmons, FA participation and development director, added: “SSE Wildcats is a great way for young girls around the country to get involved with the game at a crucial age.
“We know the sooner girls start to play and enjoy football, the more likely they are to stay involved as they grow up. These clubs provide a great resource across England’s County FAs so there’s an opportunity to play the game wherever you are.”
John Stewart, SSE’s director of human resources, said: “We’re delighted to support The FA in setting up these centres for 5-11 year old girls, where they can come together to discover new skills, make lifelong friends and ultimately have fun.
“At SSE we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of gender. We’re proud to support the SSE Women’s FA Cup; a competition which gives opportunities to clubs across the country no matter how big or small. And it’s why, together with The FA, we’ve created SSE Wildcats. After all, the game’s more beautiful when it’s open to all.”
Visit TheFA.com/ForGirls to find details of the nearest SSE Wildcats session.