At the end of March Arsenal LFC helped kick-start girlÂ’s football in Boreham Wood and Potters Bar Primary schools by organising two 5-a-side School Festivals. On Wednesday 21st March eight Boreham Wood schools enjoyed a 10 team tournament and then on Monday 26th six Potters Bar schools competed with 8 teams .
The Borehamwood Festival was hosted by Yavenh College and over 85 girls participated for their Monksmead, Kenilworth, St TeresaÂ’s RC, Cowley Hill, Saffron Green, Shenley and Clore Shalom schools. After 2 hours it was finally won by MonksmeadÂ’s B Team after a tense penalty shoot out against runners-up Kenilworth A in the final.
Similar over 75 girls representing Wroxham, St Giles, Pope Paul, Ladbrooke and Cranborne enjoyed the Potters Bar festival that was hosted at Mount Grace School on 26th March. Although Wroxham A where the eventually winners over turning St Giles in a close fought final, the main focus for the festivals was on participation and providing girls the opportunity to experience matches in a fun environment.
Both festivals were the end result of a number of assembly visits, followed up by taster coaching sessions for the schools provided by Arsenal LFC since January, to help encourage and provide girls the chance to improve their skills and get a taste of playing the game.
ALFC Festival organiser Faye White said “we have been doing a number of visits to Hertsmere schools and the response and uptake from teachers and the girls wanting to simply play the game has been brilliant. Quite often in schools girls can only play matches in boys teams so the festivals were aimed at giving them a chance to play against other girls in a fun and organised environment, and we have certainly seen some great little players with plenty of enthusiasm for the game”