COLUMN: Chesterfield Ladies right behind girls' football week

This week is girls' football week, a chance for girls to experience the game and have fun, writes Chesterfield Ladies FC player Leoni Everley.
Heritage High, Chesterfield Ladies FC and Chesterfield FC Community Trust have created a partnership where Heritage High students will be offered the opportunity to train with Chesterfield Ladies FC, with potential to trial and sign for their age group.Heritage High, Chesterfield Ladies FC and Chesterfield FC Community Trust have created a partnership where Heritage High students will be offered the opportunity to train with Chesterfield Ladies FC, with potential to trial and sign for their age group.
Heritage High, Chesterfield Ladies FC and Chesterfield FC Community Trust have created a partnership where Heritage High students will be offered the opportunity to train with Chesterfield Ladies FC, with potential to trial and sign for their age group.

Organisations and community projects will provide football opportunities for girls during a national week of action.

The FA have encouraged primary and secondary schools to put on sessions for girls which aim to increase participation.

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Chesterfield Community Trust is no exception to this, going into schools to promote the game.

Andrea Linacre, Lucy Bristow, Steph O’Brien and Keith Jackson all coach Chesterfield Ladies sides and coach female after school football for the Community Trust.

Through these links girls have gone from playing at school, to playing competitive football.

“When I started Tupton Hall I joined the girls’ football team,” says U14s player Emma Wilbourne.

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“Chesterfield Community Trust came along to some of our training sessions to coach us. They told me about Chesterfield Ladies so I went along and really enjoyed it, so I signed up.

“It is great fun, I’ve made lots of friends and they help me improve my skills as a player.”

However, there is a big gulf between male and female sporting participation, especially when girls hit their teenage years and shy away from exercise.

This can be a result of social pressures, relationships and part-time jobs.

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As part of girls’ football week, Andrea Linacre is taking control of PE lessons in secondary schools to help conquer this divide.

First team members of Chesterfield Ladies Fc are highly involved, making special appearances in girls’ football tournaments throughout the week.

The Chesterfield Community Trust are also promoting football through a Womens Only Soccercise which runs on Mondays between 7pm and 8pmn.

For the duration of October, the Trust has decided that all proceeds of the session will be donated to Cancer Research.

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If any players are interested in joining the club, we have sides Under 12, 13, 14, 15, 18 and our first team.

Do not hesitate to get in touch.

You can follow us on Twitter @ChesterfieldLFC or visit our website at www.chesterfieldladies.com