The Football Association has confirmed that 60 Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre [GETC] licences that have been allocated, with Sky Blues in the Community being one of them.
This will see the number of young female players engaged in FA programmes across the country rise from 1,722 to over 4,200 by the end of the 2023-24 season.
These numbers also present a 59% increase based on the actual number of FA programmes, going from 39 programmes to 60, enabling greater access for players across the country.
Thanks to funding from the Premier League, The FA recently unveiled plans to grow its existing talent programme for women’s football with the introduction of up to 70 Girls’ ETCs, aiming to sustain its future and provide a wider and more diverse talent pool for the game.
Our GETC will be aimed towards girls from school years 4 to 9. Launching on Friday 10th February, we will have 20 spaces available for each age group, allowing 60 places in total:
- U10 6.00-7.30pm (school year 4-5)
- U12 6.00-7.30 pm (school year 6 & 7)
Both age groups focusing on Core Technical Skills and Player Skill Capabilities, broken down into five 6-week programmes.
- U14 7.00-9.00 pm (school year 8 & 9)
Focusing on Core Match Skills with classroom based learning as well as practical sessions to enhance knowledge of the game.
Successful candidates will be part of a bespoke learning environment which will not take away from their current club structure.
Our launch will be held at our brand-new venue at President Kennedy School, CV6 4GL. It will initially be FREE of charge with the first two weeks being player assessments.
The Centres will be underpinned by five key areas:
- Better accessibility
- More inclusivity
- Reducing the impact of early selection
- More focused investment
- Providing more appropriate challenges
Earlier this year, the Premier League confirmed it will provide £1.75 million per annum for the next three years to support the new network of Girls’ ETCs.
Kay Cossington, The FA’s Head of Women’s Technical, said: “Our key aims are to provide greater access for more players whilst diversifying the talent pool, and I am delighted that the early signs show that we are well on track to achieve those aims.
“We are extremely excited to be working alongside such a diverse group of clubs and organisations, which will help us identify players for the future, including future England Lionesses.”
Premier League Chief Football Officer, Tony Scholes said: “The Premier League and our clubs are committed to developing football at all levels and it is important that girls across the country have greater opportunities to progress in the game.
“We are pleased to have provided the funding which will significantly enhance the pathways for young female footballers, and it is great to see the first licences allocated for the new Emerging Talent Centres.”
Licences were allocated on a regional basis allowing for greater geographical coverage, whilst providing greater accessibility for a larger pool of players.
To register your interest in our exciting new Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre launching this February, please complete the google form below.