At the end of March Arsenal LFC
helped kick-start girls football in Boreham Wood and Potters Bar
Primary schools by organising two 5-a-side School Festivals. On
Wednesday 21st March eight Boreham Wood schools enjoyed a 10 team
tournament and then on Monday 26th six Potters Bar schools competed
with 8 teams .
The Borehamwood Festival was hosted by Yavenh College and over 85
girls participated for their Monksmead, Kenilworth, St Teresas RC,
Cowley Hill, Saffron Green, Shenley and Clore Shalom schools. After
2 hours it was finally won by Monksmeads B Team after a tense
penalty shoot out against runners-up Kenilworth A in the
final.
Similar over 75 girls representing Wroxham, St Giles, Pope Paul,
Ladbrooke and Cranborne enjoyed the Potters Bar festival that was
hosted at Mount Grace School on 26th March. Although Wroxham A
where the eventually winners over turning St Giles in a close
fought final, the main focus for the festivals was on participation
and providing girls the opportunity to experience matches in a fun
environment.
Both festivals were the end result of a number of assembly visits,
followed up by taster coaching sessions for the schools provided by
Arsenal LFC since January, to help encourage and provide girls the
chance to improve their skills and get a taste of playing the
game.
ALFC Festival organiser Faye White said we have been doing a
number of visits to Hertsmere schools and the response and uptake
from teachers and the girls wanting to simply play the game has
been brilliant. Quite often in schools girls can only play matches
in boys teams so the festivals were aimed at giving them a chance
to play against other girls in a fun and organised environment, and
we have certainly seen some great little players with plenty of
enthusiasm for the game