Sport booming thanks to Lionesses’ successes

With the spotlight firmly back on women’s football as the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, BBC News went to visit one club in West Yorkshire to see how the game has grown in recent years.

It’s a Monday night in Ilkley and about 200 girls of primary school age have turned up to football training in the hope they get picked for Saturday’s first team.

Since the Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley last summer to be crowned champions of Europe, the number of girls wanting to play has grown exponentially.

In 2020-21 Ilkley Town AFC had just one under-11s team for girls, with players varying in age and ability.

Fast forward to September 2023 and there will be six teams in age groups ranging from seven to 11 – and a total of 302 women and girls registered with the club across 14 teams.

It’s not just the thirst to play games that keeps the girls showing up to this all-weather pitch in the shadow of the moors either.

For many, it’s the first time they’ve had chance to play a team sport and they love the camaraderie, energy and fun of the game, quite different to the dance and gymnastics classes they might traditionally stick to.

Dan Freeman, who coaches the under-9s and mentors all new coaches in the under-11 section, said there was an inclusivity within girls football which meant everyone who wanted to play was welcome.

“Our attitude, certainly in Ilkley, is that we will take everybody whatever your skill level,” he said.

“Whether you’re thrashing the ball in the top corner, or you can’t even kick a ball, we will take you on.”

The only thing that may hinder this is the size of the facilities available to them – and the time they get to use the pitch.

Dan admits: “The phenomenal growth of girls’ football is creating challenges around pitch space and facilities.

“Newly established girls’ teams are often having to make do with a smaller amount of pitch space when compared to equivalent boys’ teams.

“Investment in new facilities will be essential if girls’ football continues to grow at this pace.”

The report found that football has become the most played team sport for women and girls in England, with three million registered players and more than 12,000 registered teams.

Ruth Ormerod has two daughters who play and also coaches the under-7s.

“It’s a really impressive set up, the coaches put so much in,” she said. “It’s all voluntary, they train every Monday night, and organise for the girls to go into the local leagues.

“It shows how much it has grown now, we have every age group, and not just one team.

“I think the under-7s have nearly 30 girls, and they turn up when it’s torrential rain and sun, and they just absolutely love it.

“There might be a lot of cartwheeling in the under-7s – mixed in with the football – but it’s just brilliant.”

One of the players in the under-10 squad, Nancy, said the England team played a large part in her joy for the game.

She said: “I’ve loved playing football ever since the Lionesses won last summer. It’s become my favourite activity because I like being involved in team games with my friends, plus I have made some new ones.”

Teammate Harriet added: “The coaches always make it really fun. I also love watching England women on the TV”. Isla said, simply, it “lifts my spirits, every time I play”.

Claire Armstrong manages the women’s first team, and until recently was also in charge of the under-18s.

“It’s a great time for girls’ football, the standard is increasing as well. The standard of players that are coming through is incredibly high, there’s obviously some good work being done – it’s booming.”

She said more needs to be done to encourage women into coaching however, as she is still the only female manager in the West Yorkshire women’s league.

“It’s certainly still a man’s world,” she said.

Such is the growing success of the women’s game that Ilkley Town is also taking steps to keep the talent it nurtures, with chair Richard Giles setting up a Wharfedale Academy for the standout players of all age groups.

Former professional footballer John Francis – who played more than 200 matches for clubs including Burnley and Sheffield United – heads up the girls’ academy.

“The success of the Lionesses is a great thing for girls’ football, it has potentially shown that you can achieve what you want to do,” he said.

“To be going all over the world and beating the top teams like they have been doing, now that is something to be proud of.

“In England, it’s great to see that we have a successful ladies team as well as a men’s team. I’m trying to rearrange our game this Saturday because all our team want to be watching the match.”

Under-10s coach Pete Spiers said seeing the team grow is “hugely rewarding” but it also helps to see how the girls handle their wins and losses.

“A really positive aspect of girls’ football is building their resilience, both individually and as a team,” he said.

“It’s great when we win matches, but we inevitably lose matches too. When they’re first starting out, this can be hard for some players to process.

“For many girls, this is their very first experience of competitive sport. But, to their credit, they quickly learn how to deal with defeat and their heads rarely drop, during the games themselves.

“If we still have a squad of smiling faces after a 5-0 loss – through the wind and rain on a freezing Saturday morning in January – we know we’re doing something right.”