The FA will bring its Girls’ Football Festival in association with Continental Tyres to participate in the ‘Girls Big Day Out’ at Crown Hills Community Centre in Leicester on Friday 28 March.
The event is organised with the support of Leicestershire & Rutland County FA and Crown Hills Community College.
Working with England Handball and Street Games, The FA will help to deliver a multi-sport opportunity for hundreds of young girls aged 14-18, from secondary schools and colleges across the region. Secondary schools and colleges are invited to contact marion.hayton@leicestershirefa.com to register.
The participants will get the chance to play with some of the stars of the women’s game as players from Birmingham City and Leicester City will be there to meet, chat and have a kickabout with the girls.
They will also be accompanied by Great Britain handball player Holly Lam-Moores, who represented Team GB at London 2012. And Charlotte Lade, one of the world’s leading professional football freestylers, will be demonstrating her football tricks and skills.
The Street Games ‘Us Girls’ programme will be supporting the event by offering access to health and wellbeing services and opportunities to receive free mini-beauty treatments.
The FA Girls’ Football Festivals have gone from strength to strength, with over 11,000 girls attending across the 33 events in 2013. Now a fixture in the women’s and girls’ calendar for, the 2014 festivals will once again visit over 30 locations around the country between March and September.
The Girls’ Big Day Out is a joint initiative between The FA and Continental Tyres, England Handball and Street Games, providing girls aged 14-18 with exciting, interactive football and handball experiences for both those new to the sports as well as regular players.
Kelly Simmons, FA Director of National Game and Women’s Football, said: "We are incredibly proud of the achievements of The FA Girls’ Football Festivals over the last three years and are delighted to be able to use them to support this marvellous initiative.
"Anything The FA can do to improve the wellbeing of young women through sport and activity we welcome. Our festivals have clearly shown the enthusiasm there is across the country from young girls when they are offered the opportunity to participate in sport in general and football in particular."
Guy Frobisher, Marketing Director at Continental Tyres, added: "We are really pleased to be joining the ‘Girls Big Day Out’.
"We are delighted to see the year on year growth of the Festivals and are confident that our presence will prove hugely popular with all the girls who attend."
The format of The FA Girls’ Festival is fun and active, combining football, lifestyle and music. Each festival is led by FA qualified coaches and includes skills and drills, interactive games, mini matches and the ContiWarmUp Programme - the newest endorsed coaching programme by The FA. In addition, female referee ambassadors will deliver practical referee workshops.
To find out about a Football Festival in your area visit www.TheFA.com/girlsfootball and www.contisoccerworld.co.uk
