“We are at a stage in the development of the women’s game where the structures are in place, and we know it can be a top sport for girls, Steve Parkin, the FA’s director, said. “At regional festivals in June we had over 15,000 girls playing for the first time – the interest is there, we just need to harness it. This campaign should help girls who want to play find out where to go and how to get involved.”
According to FA figures, the growth in girls’ soccer over the last eight years has been staggering. Currently, 55,000 girls play soccer compared with 57,000 who play netball. The FA says it is aiming to make soccer the biggest women’s sport by 2004.
The campaign, called Girls’ Football Get Involved, will come as a welcome relief to doctors. A survey published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine said girls were choosing to spend more time in front of the television and computers rather than taking part in sport at school.
The Football Association in the UK launched a £100,000 ($142,000/$163,000) campaign today to encourage more women to play soccer.
