Girls’ football is thriving at Chase High School, Westcliff, with a growing commitment to offering students opportunities to engage with sport at the highest level.
As women’s football rises in the national media, Chase High School is dedicated to ensuring that girls across all year groups have ample opportunities to participate in the sport. Recently, a group of girls from the school took a trip to the Emirates Stadium to witness football played at its highest level. They joined a crowd of 56,000 people, experiencing the excitement of a women’s football match live.
PE teacher India Mayes commented, “The girls were able to witness a stadium filled with people, all there to watch a women’s football match, proving that football is not just for boys. The students saw the media presence, with players being interviewed after the game and pundits providing post-match analysis. Some girls even spotted themselves on TV when rewatching the game.”
Miss Mayes continued, “It was fantastic to see our new generation of female footballers being inspired by the elite level of play. This experience allowed them to see a clear pathway from grassroots to professional sport.”
In addition to this exciting experience, a group of Year 8 girls participated in the FA Girls Football Leadership Training, hosted by England Football Learning in partnership with Barclays Girls Football School Partnership. The course was designed to teach leadership qualities and equip the girls with the skills necessary to be role models and coaches for younger girls in the football community.
Miss Mayes explained, “The girls had the chance to create their own football-based activities and lead a group, using their newly acquired leadership skills. Through this course, they not only gained new skills in areas such as communication and organisation but also grew in confidence.”
With these exciting developments, Chase High School is committed to continuing to promote girls’ football and looks forward to offering more opportunities in the future.