‘Opportunities like this are perfect for girls to progress’ - Foundation supporting women and girls in football

Girls from two local schools came together at a Tottenham Hotspur Foundation session recently, as part of its ongoing provision to provide opportunities for women and girls across Haringey, Enfield and surrounding London boroughs.

The occasion at Douglas Eyre Sports Centre involved 36 girls from Eden Girls’ School, a Muslim faith-based secondary in Waltham Forest, and Gladesmore Community School, a coeducational secondary in Haringey.

Foundation staff were on hand to host football activities, matches and hand out Spurs goody bags, whilst there was also a Metropolitan Police workshop on reporting incidents and career pathways within the service.

Inaya, in Year 9 at Eden Girls, said: “I loved everything about this day, from how the two schools came together to train in different groups, helping us to make friends, to the goody bags and the police workshop. It was really fun and inspiring, a calm and fun environment in which we could play together without any issues. For us to enjoy this day with other good ballers was amazing – I’m going back to school to tell everyone all about it!”

Foundation coach Mary Tryphona explained how the world of football for women and girls has developed since she first got involved.

“When I was playing football back in the day, there weren’t any female coaches and there weren’t many female teams. To see the progression of the female pathway in girls’ football and in schools, it means a lot for me to be here today coaching the girls, making sure they enjoy their football and have fun.”

The girls were accompanied to Douglas Eyre by their PE teachers.

Miss Hampson, from Gladesmore Community, said: “To give the girls opportunities in this kind of environment at a grassroots and secondary level is perfect for them to progress.”

Miss Akintade, from Eden Girls, said: “Opportunities like this are a big thing because our students come from deprived and under-represented backgrounds, and being girls, sport isn’t seen as top-tier, but we have quite a few bright sports stars here. Sessions like this, along with what we’re trying to do at school, boost the girls’ confidence so that they’re thinking ‘Playing sport and football isn’t a bad thing, it’s part of who I am and I could go and play for a club’.”

Janna, in Year 9 at Eden Girls, said: “Today was really fun. We focused on dribbling, control, position, finding space, all the essential things you need if you want to get into football.”

Salma, in Year 8 at Eden Girls, added: “I loved how we got together in different teams at the end so that we got to know new people and I loved the group challenge we did during the police workshop.”

Meg, in Year 7 at Gladesmore Community, concluded: “It was good to meet the other girls and do the training with them.”

Another Foundation coach, Sydnee Geoghegan, recognises how being a female coach means being a role model to aspiring female footballers.

“Days like this are really good because not a lot of girls feel comfortable playing football around boys, so when it comes to having their own time, they’re a lot more open with it.

“As a female coach, it’s nice to see them interacting with each other and just being themselves. They also like the fact there are female coaches here. It helps them to be themselves because they’re not seeing all males and wondering ‘Can I do this?’”

The Foundation continues to deliver free sessions for girls and women to enjoy football across the community.

Our work in this area is supported by funders like the Premier League and Professional Footballer’s Association, administered through the Premier League Charitable Fund, helping football clubs to tackle inequality and respond to local challenges, supporting people and their communities to be more inclusive.

The Foundation also benefits from funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, among others.