The purpose of The Scottish Football Partnership’s Growing the Game Award is to assist Scottish FA Quality Mark clubs add one new team to their playing membership. The funding provided assists with the start-up cost of a new team and is delivered in conjunction with the Regional Football Development staff. This ambitious pilot project aims to create 60 new Grassroots teams during the 2014/15 season.
Ayr United FA (South West)
U7 Girls
6 new players created
3 coaches
4 v 4 format of the game
Ayr United Football Academy Football Development Officer Shaun Ferrie said, “Since receiving the Growing the game funding we have been able to set up an U7’s girl’s football team. With the funds provided by the SFP AUFA was able to go in to schools in and around Ayr to deliver taster football sessions and invite the girls along to start a new team at an after school class. Through the programme we encouraged volunteers to come and join the set up and help take the team with the guidance of our current AUFA girl’s coaches. At the moment the girls take part in once a week training which takes place every Monday and runs all year round. The U7s also take part in festivals organised by the South West Region. At the moment we currently have 16 girls registered and 3 volunteer coaches that help run the team. The girls’ game is at a real high at the moment especially at the younger age group. One of the Academies main objectives is to include both boys and girls within our programme and having an U7s has been fantastic for us. AUFA now have a better looking pathway for girls which currently sits at U7s, U9s, U11s, U13s & U15 teams. The future is to develop these players right through the pathway and hopefully feed in to a future Ayr United Ladies team.”