Memorandum submitted by Sue Lopez MBE
Women's football received the full support of
the FA in 1993 after being handicapped by a 50 year ban (from
1921-71) and receiving scant support when it was run by the Women's
FA (organising body from 1971-93). The game has benefited from
the FA input of resources and development initiatives. In particular,
compared with pre-1993 days, participation figures have grown
massively, especially at youth level, which was almost non existent
before, and the international team now receives unimagined support.
There is even a international talent identification
and development pathway now, with Centres of Excellence for girls
aged eight to 16 mostly licenced to men's professional clubs.
Some female coaches, too, have benefited by being "fast tracked"
through their FA coaching awards and now work with England international
teams, though most women's teams are led by male coaches and managers.
In 1993 the FA in some ways "bolted on"
women's football and 13 years on, development and governance need
a more modern approach and fresh ideas. Some of the issues which
need to be addressed to assist the modernising process and raise
standards in all areas are as follows:
1. GOVERNANCE
The significant power in the women's game essentially
remains with the top FA administrators. There is little representation
from females, especially those who have gained knowledge and experience
from playing and coaching the game at the highest level. Undoubtedly
there are still echoes of the pre-1971 days permeating the women's
game which can be best summed up by the feeling that it is a "man's
game and women are allowed to play under certain conditions, .
. . and women have to seek approval and support from the male
establishment for the continued development of the women's game".
(see Scraton S, foreword to Lopez S, 1996 Women on the Ball,
a guide to women's football).
Question: Why isn't the FA Women's Committee more
inclusive of former women players especially those with experience
in leadership roles in development and coaching?
Recommend:
Modernise governance of the game and introduce
fresh ideas and approaches to a development model more suited
to the modern women's game.
Involve in positions of genuine leadership and
power, former players and coaches with knowledge of player development
and coaching knowledge and insight into the particular nuances
of the women's game.
2. PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Pre-1993 there was little or no organised opportunity
for girls to play club or schools football. Subsequent FA investment
and English Schools FA involvement improved the situation (The
Theresa Bennett case in 1978 helped improve opportunities for
primary school aged girls to play football—see Bennett
v the FA in Women on the Ball op cit) but development is patchy
with variations in standards of coaching, training, and competition.
Much of the development is based on the boys/male model, which
can handicap girls because some girls have different developmental
needs than boys. Physically, socially and psychologically girls
can be different. Also, they tend to take fewer opportunities
to develop "game sense". Boys are likely to hone fundamental
movement and game skills in informal (playground) "street
games" and are more immersed in the traditional male "football
culture". Girls can also be disadvantaged because Primary
school sport often relies on outside football coaching which may
not have the necessary skills suitable for the development of
girls' sport.
As a result of the foregoing, the pool of elite
girls' talent is very small and some struggle to find teams who
can provide appropriate standards to develop further, which is
often why these girls prefer to play with boys of comparable standard
rather than with lower ability girls.
FA Centres of Excellence (52 across country)
identify and develop talent and usually provide more highly qualified
and experienced coaching than at girls' clubs, plus sports science
support. However, most Centre Directors and coaches are part-time
and need more and better professional development to meet the
needs of developing talented girls. Centres are mostly staffed
by men, but continuity is difficult to maintain because the higher
qualified male coaches often gravitate towards the more lucrative
male coaching arena.
Recommend:
Consider more funding for Centres of Excellence
to lay down the vital quality player, coach and sports science
development foundations:
Use Centres as Beacons of good practice for
the development of players, female coaches and officials (referees
officiate Centre matches to provide a less hostile training experience
for newly qualified referees) and as examples of good practice
to local clubs.
Develop a female coach mentoring system for
all Centres for newly qualified coaches.
Adopt LTAD principles for coaches at Centres
of Excellence and girls teams asap. (see sports coach UK Coaching
for Long Term Athlete (player) Development to improve participation
and performance in sport 2005) to provide optimal training, competition
and recovery going through the LTAD sports child centered development
framework, which is based on human growth and development and
teaching Fundamentals of movement applicable to all games.
Develop the girls' Academy system to continue
Centres' good practice at 16+ and to develop female players, coaches
and officials.
Consider allowing girls to play with boys at
both elite and grassroots level in a controlled, safe environment
to raise standards of play, as is the practice in other countries.
Schoolgirl football
Provide more support for Primary school teachers
to deliver the Fundamental movement skills (6-9 years) according
to LTAD principles and assist them with generic "invasion
game" skills in the Learning to Train phase (8-11). In this
way children develop movement literacy and "game sense",
to better enable participation in "multi sports" and
meaningful physical education which in turn provides a sounder
base for later specialisation in football or any other game.
3. ADULT CLUBS
AND FUNDING
Apart from a handful of women's teams, (currently
eg Arsenal, Charlton, Everton, Bristol Academy) the standard of
play is poor. The huge gap in playing standards and economic viability
between the top FA Premier League (FAPL) and the rest is too great—illustrated
by Arsenal outplaying fellow FAPL team Leeds in this season's
televised Cup Final, resulting in it being a poor advert for the
game.
Good attendances at "one off" highly
promoted internationals and cup finals cannot be replicated in
the FAPL and therefore cannot reflect potential reliable income
streams for clubs. There needs to be an acknowledgement that women's
football is not a realistic spectator sport and therefore marketing
it based along the lines of the top men's teams is flawed. In
fact, for many players the main priority is to play for fun and
recreation and there is little ambition to attain a high playing
standard. This is highlighted in a study in Scotland, and has
some parallels in England too. (see The "Pals", the
"professionals" and the "conformers": The
meaning of football in the lives of women footballers in Scotland;
Jessica MacBeth in The Bountiful Game? Football Identities
and Finances, University of Lancashire International Football
Institute, 2005). McBeth's study found there were sub cultures
within the football sub culture: mainly those who wanted to participate
for fun and to socialise and be with "pals" while another
group took playing very seriously and had a very "professional"
attitude and kept their social life separate rather than linked
as was evident from the "pals".
The unrealistic expectation that a lot of players
are good enough to be professional still prevails partly as a
result of the FA's proposal in 2000 that the game moves to professionalism.
In reality, players need to be encouraged to take more responsibility
for running their own teams as was the case pre-1993 when even
England players received only travelling expenses for international
matches.
Recommendations:
Develop a realistic Business plan for the FAPL
and other leagues not solely based solely on spectator nor sponsorship
income streams and investigate realistic partnerships with men's
clubs, and in particular community programmes.
Learn from the successful models (Arsenal, Charlton,
Bristol Academy, Doncaster Belles) and the unsuccessful "professional"
models (Fulham, Birmingham, Southampton Saints).
Devise and offer County FA workshops to help
players and clubs develop realistic budgets and business plans.
Encourage local boys and men's clubs to work
closer with women's teams, with incentives, in the same way Charter
Standard currently encourages boys clubs to take on girls' teams.
Until clubs can be financially viable, consider
north and south league only with top teams playing off to produce
a champion club.
19 June 2006
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