Enter girls’ football festival

Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus will host the festival on Sunday, 9th March, from 9.30am-3.30pm.

This first festival for 2014 will coincide with International Women’s Day, on 8th, March.

The event is organised with the support of Nottinghamshire County FA and Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, the host venue. The free programme, aimed at encouraging girls to participate in football, is open to all 5-16 year olds. Alongside the festival a small sided tournament will be taking place for U9, U10, U11 and U12 girls teams affiliated to Nottinghamshire County FA.

Participants are invited to contact [email protected] to register.

Participants will also have the chance to play with some of the stars of Women’s Football, as players of The FA WSL from Notts County Ladies, will be there to meet, chat and have a kick-about with the girls.

The FA Girls’ Football Festivals in association with Continental Tyres has gone from strength to strength, with 2013 attracting over 11,000 girls across the 33 events. Now a much anticipated fixture in the annual calendar for the Women’s and Girls’ game, the 2014 Festivals will once again visit over 25 locations around the country between March and September.

The programme is a joint initiative by The FA and Continental Tyres. It provides girls aged 5 – 16 with an exciting, interactive football experience for both those new to the game and regular players.

The format of The FA Girls’ Festival is fun and active, combining football, lifestyle and music. Each festival is led by FA approved coaches and will include sessions from the FA Skills team, skills and drills, interactive games, mini matches and the ContiWarmUp Programme - the newest endorsed coaching programme by The FA.

The interactive trailer will house trophies and digital stations to entertain girls during intervals and a range of innovative equipment including inflatable pitch, speed cage, target shoot, quick feet and batak boards will feature at each event. To add to the festival atmosphere, there will be giveaways,

as well as hair braiding and face painting. The FA WSL mascot Berry the Bear will also be in attendance.

Kelly Simmons, Director of the National Game and Women’s Football, said: “We are incredibly proud of the achievements of ‘The FA Girls’ Football Festivals in association with Continental Tyres’ over the last three years’. Our Festivals have clearly shown the enthusiasm there is across the country from young girls when they are offered the opportunity to participate in sport in general and football in particular.”

Laura Hardy, sponsorship manager at Continental Tyres, added: “The Festivals have grown year on year and have given tens of thousands of girls the chance to get involved. The day will be a fantastic showcase of women and girls football which we are really proud to continue to support.”