'They'll look at these players and think, that could be me one day'

SALLY HARDING spoke to local club coaches working at grassroots level with girls soccer teams about the positive ripple effects of the Ireland Women's historic victory over Scotland that has propelled them to the World Cup Finals next Summer

The Republic of Ireland women's heroic victory last week will have a long lasting impact on girl's football, that's according to local soccer clubs.

Vera Pauw's squad qualified for the 2023 World Cup after a hard fought 1-0 victory over Scotland at Hampden Park last Tuesday night.

Lauri Scott is a coach with Trim Celtic and a trailblazer in her own right being the first female boss of a male team.

"They'll look at these players and think that could be me one day, they are role models for sure.

"I don't think the sport would be as popular as it is if we didn't have female role models and that includes coaching too.

"We have an under 8s, two under 12s and under 16s girls teams at Trim Celtic.

"I started with the boys as my son wanted to play and I was actually the first women to coach a male side.

"When my daughter became interested, I started coaching her and her team.

"I have had 100 per cent backing from day one. They never looked at me as a female, they just looked at me as a coach.

Originally from California, Lauri grew up there playing football and only stopped playing at 50 due to an injury!

"It's so important for girls to get involved with team sports," she said.

"They do so much better in life, it gives them confidence, it's a social outlet and so good for well being."

Brian Matthews, chairperson of Balrath FC says the there is such excitement surrounding girls' soccer that the club got together to watch the women in action.

"There has been an explosion in the girl's game lately and this is just really giving them a pathway.

"We have eleven girls teams ranging in age from under 8s up to seniors in the club. They all went out to watch the match in O'Brien's, Johnstown Village last night. We had 70 people there last night all supporting Ireland.

"It's a big thing for our club. We are one of the few clubs in Ireland when we started in 2010 to have the word girls in our name. The official name of our club is Balrath Girls and Boys Football Club."

Brian says equality is paramount for the Balrath Club, he added:

"We wanted to be an all-inclusive game, at first we had to mix the teams, but we strove for the girls to have separate identity in the club and not to be treated second best to the boys.

"If you come down on a Thursday night, you'll see over 250 kids training in the local village park here in Kentstown Village. We don't have trials, we give everyone a chance.

"We play in the Metropolitan Girls League, one of the strongest leagues in the country. We strive for them to play at the strongest level that they can, always giving them a chance but we don't put them under pressure, we encourage all of the teams to play for enjoyment first and foremost.

"We are equal opportunity club here; we look after the girls as much as we look after the boys. Sometimes you find in schools is that the emphasis is on the boys' teams and the girls are a secondary thought, but we have never operated that way.

"The Irish Ladies team success will have a massive and positive effect on grass roots football for all girls playing every week."

Female players are signing up every week according to Derek Meehan who is head of the ladies/girls teams at Torro Utd and under 16 manager with Colm McDermott and Olivia Kealy.

"We started eight years ago and we can't believe how big is has become," said Derek. We started with five players eight years ago and now we have about 170 girls playing with us.

"We have a senior team, an under 16s, an under 14s, two under 12s, two mini under 10s, two mini under 8s and a mini stars team.

"We have girls from Kells, Rathkenny, Castletown, Carnaross, everywhere, who train in our girl's pitch in Powderly Park in Kilberry."

It is vital for Torro to support young girls who want to get involved with the club that is 50 years old this year according to the coach who said:

"It's really important to invest in the girl's teams every bit as much as the boys. My two daughters play and I see the enthusiasm among the teams. The girls were training together with the boys initially but then we started Torro Girls."

Young female players are inspired by those in the professional area says Derek. He added:

"We would bring our under 14s teams to Shelbourne and Ireland games, all the girls are mad to go to them, soccer is really important to them all. It is growing and growing.

"We had eight girls join us in the space of a week recently. Two of them are Spanish students who are over for a year!

"All of the grandparents and the mams and the dads come to watch all of the games, the crowds at girls football games are getting bigger and bigger."

Ireland's win will transcend to young girls for a long time to come according to Derek who says there is a great competitive spirit among teams.

"We were training the same night as the match and a lot of the girls were going home to watch it afterwards.

"Even when we were playing yesterday against Bohermeen, they have a great girls set up as well and we were talking about the goal Ireland scored and how she took her time and that's how it should be done and not to panic in front of the goal.

"There is an FAI Emerging Talent Programme that a lot of the girls are involved in, it's like a Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan soccer team they get picked for from under 12 to under 16 so there is an opportunity to go further in the sport too.

"At the cup final day in the MDL, there were brothers playing and sisters on other teams, it was brilliant, it was a great day for the club."