Girls from Doncaster are being given the opportunity to participate in a unique football experience with a launch of new futsal training programme with origins from Latin-America.
Attributed to helping former World Player of the Year and FIFA World Cup winner, Ronaldinho develop his skills as a child, Futsal is a non-contact, small-sided indoor football game known for helping skill development, communication and team work.
Doncaster Rovers Belles, one of the most successful clubs in women's football with 6 FA Cup Trophies and 2 National Division Championships are bringing the game to Doncaster, in one of the regions only girls futsal training programmes, coached by FA/UEFA qualified Futsal & Belles Emerging Talent Centre coaches Ben Harness & Shannon Butler.
With the female football scene thriving thanks to the success of the England Lionesses’ and former Belles players like Mary Earps and Millie Bright, Doncaster Rovers Belles are laying the groundwork for the next generation of talent to shine by expanding their successful Wildcats training program to include Futsal.
The Wildcats training programme is open to girls aged between 6 and 12 and currently takes place on Monday evenings at the Eco-Power Stadium 5pm to 6pm. The programme is now being expanded to include Futsal on Sunday's 12pm to 1pm. Both sessions are open to girls of all abilities to participate in.
Chris Wood, Chief Executive of Doncaster Rovers Belles said
"Doncaster Rovers Belles have a proud history and many of our former players have gone on to represent the Lionesses and it's great to see the success they are having on an international stage.
This season we have been keen to invest in the future of female football and lay the groundwork for girls from the region to be able to play for the badge of the Belles.
At the start of this season it was looking unlikely that there would have been a senior developmental team, not only did we managed to save that team and keep the pathway for talented players graduating from our Emerging Talent Centre but we are now expanding those opportunities.
There is a real hope by the end of this season there can be teams in the academy at every age group from U8s to U11s in addition to the U12 to U16 age groups that already existed.
Sixty per cent of our last matchday squad came through the Belles youth teams and is important we keep providing the opportunities for girls from across the region to play for the Belles badge and maybe even the England one too.
As Belles First team player Phoebe Sneddon said in a recent interview, “if you’re a girl from Doncaster, you want to play for the Belles” and that resonates with our approach to this investment in the younger age groups.
But the growing academy wants to provide even more than this- We want to be known as a place where you can trust us with the development of your young players.
One of our spoken aims is to provide The best local coaches, coaching the best local talent.
The timing of the session is deliberate to allow girls to play and then if the Belles are playing at home the girls can go and watch the Belles play!
To learn more or to book onto the sessions then email gem@clubdoncaster.co.uk