By Owen Morgan
The number of women and girls playing football in Wales has hit a new high.
Participation levels have grown 50 per cent since 2016 and the FAW Trust says a record 8,600 women and girls are now signed up to football clubs in Wales.
The news comes as the FAW Trust gears up to expand its Huddle programme which was launched last year and for 5-12 year olds.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap and support the transition between school and club football.
Focussing on fun and friendship, around 450 girls took part in its sessions in 2019. With an expected 20 new sites coming on board in April, that figure is set to double.
As Wales prepare to face Estonia in a women’s friendly international in Wrexham on Friday, Caroline Spanton, Interim CEO of the FAW Trust, said: “Research tells us that girls are more likely to be less confident than boys when joining a sports club.
“So Huddle is designed to give girls the opportunity to develop their skills and their confidence in a fun and sociable environment with their friends.”
Spanton is also keen to stress the contribution of the football family across Wales in the growth of the game: “We’re really pleased with the progress to date and it is a huge testament to the work of coaches, clubs, volunteers, leagues and all our other partners who are providing more and more opportunities for women and girls every year.
“To reach our target, we know we need to do things differently which is why we are taking new approaches.”
A number of Wales’ women internationals have thrown their support behind the game.
Wales and Liverpool defender Rhiannon Roberts says: “The growth in the number of women and girls playing football is great news for the country.
“Not only will it help inspire players of the future at the elite level but it also helps improve the health and wellbeing of people in Wales.
“I recently visited Huddle events in Penrhyn Bay and Buckley and it was great seeing so many young girls enjoying playing football with their friends in such an inclusive and fun environment.”
As well as the Huddle initiative, the FAW Trust has several programmes in place in order to achieve the ambitious goal of 20,000 registered female players by 2024.
These include football session with Rainbows Brownies and Guides as well as a secondary school programme which will launch in June 2020.
Wales play Estonia at the Racecourse this Friday evening, kick off 7pm.