The FA defines a School-Club Link as a process to assist a young person to move from participating in football in school to moving into football at an FA Charter Standard Club.
It is football’s commitment to the delivery of the Physical Education and School Sport Club Links strategy, which sets out to ensure that all children, whatever their circumstances or abilities, should be able to participate in and enjoy physical education and sport.
There are often just four easy steps to take to create a Link near you:
Step One: The Essex County FA, in partnership with a club, identifies a number of schools to target in and around the area where the club trains. The ECFA sends out letters to the schools offering FREE football ‘girls only’ taster sessions.
Step Two: An ECFA Female Community Coach delivers sessions in the identified schools whilst providing all the females taking part with information on how they can join a local team. Flyers are given out at every session detailing where the club trains, along with a start date for when the girls can begin training with them.
Step Three: The ECFA Female Community Coach works alongside club coaches for first eight weeks of the club-run training sessions to help with the transition from the school to the club. Children taking part in the first eight weeks will receive ECFA Goody Bags in the final week.
Step Four: After eight weeks, the ECFA’s involvement becomes more of a support role and club coaches continue to take the sessions forward. Clubs should aim towards affiliating their new girls’ team to the ECFA as well as a local league.
Wait, There’s More! Clubs receive a FREE equipment pack to help support their new team as well as additional funding towards the cost of coaching courses for volunteers as well as facility hire.
Below is a list of the current School-Club Links currently taking place around the County. For more information on Get Back Into sessions in Outer Essex, contact Emma Manning on (01245) 393076 or via E-Mail at emma.manning@essexfa.com. Alternatively, for Essex’s London Boroughs, get in touch with Sharon Brownlie on (01245) 393074 or sharon.brownlie@essexfa.com.
Colchester Town FC (Colchester)
Contact? Kim Farmer, (07914) 983179
Who? Girls in School Year 3 to 6 (Aged 7 to 11 years old)
When? Every Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30pm
Where? Boxted Lodgers FC, Cage Lane, Boxted
Lawford FC (Tendring)
Contact? Paul Barran, (07590) 062906 or paul@skislovakia.co.uk
Who? Girls in School Years 3 to 6 (Aged 7 to 11 years old)
When? Every Saturday from 10:30am to 12:00pm
Where? School Lane, Lawford, Manningtree, Essex, CO11 2JA
LOASS FC Girls Disability Sessions (Waltham Forest)
Contact? Steve Jones, (07815) 764808 or loass_secretary@hotmail.com
Who? All Ages
When? Every Saturday from 10:30am to 12:30pm
Where? Low Hall Sports Ground, South Access Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8AX
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