Lusk United AFC and the Football Association of Ireland joined forces to coordinate and deliver a girls-only football programme for Transition Year students from local Secondary Schools.
Thirteen girls; from Lusk Community College, St. Joseph's Rush and Loreto Balbriggan, took part in this new and exciting project. Over the course of the week the girls completed the FAI Safeguarding Workshop and the FAI PDP 1 coaching course. They also received some first aid training with St. Johns Ambulance and had a workshop with Jigsaw North Fingal on mental health.
As part of the week, the girls were tasked with delivering football sessions to local primary schools, Lusk National School and Rusk and Lusk ETNS, hosting a schools blitz and also put together a three-year strategic plan for the development of women’s football in Lusk. Another exciting element to this project gave the girls the chance to showcase their progress to the wider public with an Instagram Takeover of the club’s Instagram account.
At the end of the week the girls were on the road to visit FAI HQ where they got a tour of the facilities and presented their vision for female football participation to the Head of Women’s Football at the FAI, Sue Ronan, National Coordinator for Women’s Football, David Lenane, and their team.
Peter Thompson, Football Development Officer for Lusk United, said; “After this Lusk United / FAI pilot project and watching the girls progression over the week, I have no doubt in my mind the game is in safe hands, not only the future of football in Lusk but in the women’s game in general. I was proud to be part of it.”
FAI Regional Development Officers Paul Keogh and Sharon Boyle delivered the programme and spoke very positively of the initiative; “The FAI were delighted to be involved in the recent pilot TY Leaders program. There was fantastic collaboration between Lusk United, the local schools and ourselves. Peter Thompson of Lusk United did a phenomenal job along with the parents and school Transition Year Liaison Officers to pull this program together.
"We just empowered the girls over the course of the week and the girls just blossomed with their knowledge, knowhow and efforts throughout the course of the program. The concept of the leaders program came from the club itself and the girls embraced all the challenges we threw at them. From coaching to gaining qualifications to designing their own Girls Strategic Plan to grow the girls game in Lusk it was mutually beneficial.”
Lusk United’s Chairperson, Ciaran Russell, added; “This was an excellent opportunity for the girls to take part in a new project and they grabbed that opportunity with both hands. I was truly blown away by their presentation to the FAI staff. This is a big step forward in the future development of women’s football at Lusk United and we as a club are committed to working with them and others to ensure some of their objectives can be met in the coming years.
The girls are a credit to both their families and schools and should be massively proud of themselves. This project would never have happened if it wasn’t for Peter who coordinated the whole initiative and the FAI’s Paul and Sharon for working with the club to deliver the week long programme.”
There is no doubt these girls will continue the work they have started and become champions in the development of women’s sport in Ireland into the future.
