Girls’ Football Week may only last for seven days – but for Frankie Fielden it sparked an interest that will last a lifetime.
Eleven-year-old Frankie’s introduction to the game came at a Girls’ Football Week event in Southampton in 2015.
She loved it so much that she now plays every week, and has even prompted her mum to set up an all-girls’ team.
“We took Frankie to a session at Cantell School and she loved every minute of it,” explained Frankie’s mum, Kate.
“Frankie did ballet and tap dancing when she was younger, but when her brother started playing for Southbrook Warriors she enjoyed watching him.
“So she decided to stop dancing and try football. Frankie is a very girly girl so we were really surprised!
“Frankie started by training with girls four years older than her but this gave her a lot of confidence and she continued to train with Southampton Girls.
“She joined Southbrook FC in 2016 and her manager Clive Yeates loved how she got stuck in and never gave up. She’s a defender but about a month ago the team needed someone on the wing so Frankie stepped up – and she chipped the keeper for her first goal!
“All the players respect Frankie and always help and encourage her. Even though she is the only girl in the team, she is treated no different.
“Her first season went really well; she came away with the managers’ player of the year and parents’ player of the year award!”
Girls’ Football Week (23-29 April) is a national campaign aimed at raising the profile of female football and supporting The FA’s aim of doubling the number of women and girls playing the game by 2020.
It will encourage girls of all experience and ability to take part in football and use the sport as a fun and sociable way to stay active, as well as an opportunity to make new friends.
Over 60,000 girls took part in over 1,400 sessions delivered in schools, universities, colleges, clubs, community groups and other organisations across the country in 2017.
And there will be one new organisation taking part this year; Southbrook Titans, an all-girls team set up by Kate Fielden.
“This will be Southbrook’s first-ever girls’ team and we start training next week,” said Kate.
“As a family we are all now heavily involved in football. My husband David has passed his Level 1 coaching certificate and manages our son’s under-10s team, Southbrook Vikings.
“I’m coaching Frankie and her team and our youngest son is in his first season with Southbrook Pirates.
“Football has bought us together and some people say we really are a football family. We spend two evenings a week at training and our Sundays are spent at football, too.
“And as busy as we are organising training, travelling to and from matches and washing kit, we love it and wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Players: To take part in Girls’ Football Week visit TheFA.com/GirlsFootballWeek
Organisers: To host an event for Girls’ Football Week visit FAGirlsFootballWeek.com
