Blackpool FC Community Trust striving to develop girls' game and future Lionesses

On the back of the England Lionesses' fantastic European Championships triumph, more girls than ever are excited to play and emulate their idols.

BFCCT’s female football provision has engaged with around 250 girls over the past eight months via a wide variety of sessions, including primary schools, FA Wildcats, structured coaching, Premier League Kicks, girls-only football camps and offering the area’s first girls’ district team.

The aim is to use the brand of Blackpool FC to engage with as many girls as possible and grow the girls’ game to benefit every grassroots club and the local leagues.

One of our biggest accomplishments was being granted a licence to run a Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre. We are one of only eight clubs in the North West to have been offered this prestigious programme, with elite training to help more girls progress on to the England Talent Pathway and into the England Lioness youth squads.

The programme is designed to be a central hub for talented players from Blackpool, Fylde and the surrounding areas and will work in partnership with grassroots clubs.

The Emerging Talent Centre will work alongside these clubs, schools and local coaches to identify players for this elite training experience.

All girls selected will be able to carry on training and playing with their grassroots clubs, while also having access to professional coaches at the Emerging Talent Centre.

The Trust plans to offer a comprehensive approach to player development, giving all these girls access to a high-quality training programme, strength and conditioning coaches, an on-site physiotherapist, goalkeeper-specific training, nutritional advice and health and wellbeing support.

This programme will be free to all girls attending, removing the financial burden often faced when trying to access elite training. Groups will be invited to play competitive games against other Emerging and Regional Talent Centre programmes.

Over 250 girls applied for Emerging Talent Centre trials with the Under-10, U12, U14 and U16 squads.

This has been reduced to 90 competing for places on the 30-week programme planned to start in January.

We have girls who play for a wide variety of local teams, showing how much talent is in this area.

The process will ensure that if any girl in Blackpool and Fylde has the talent to play for England Lionesses, no stone will be left unturned to find her and support her on her journey.

We are currently looking for a coach, goalkeeper coach, physiotherapist and a strength and conditioning coach to join our team supporting local girls through our Emerging Talent Centre.

If you would like more information on the Emerging Talent Centre, please email [email protected]