Coventry City Ladies players from the past and present will be on hand to offer coaching tips to budding young stars this Friday at Allard Way.
Midfielders Helen Dermody and Nikki Miles will be joined by former player and current Reserve team Assistant Manager Jay Bradford, to share their knowledge and skills at the Girls Football Festival.
The popularity of last year’s event – which is hosted by the club – ensured that it would take place again this year, and it promises to be an educative and fun-filled day for the youngsters, as well as a potential tool to attracting young players to the club.
Last season, the Sky Blues clinched their second successive Birmingham FA County Cup, as well as finishing fifth in the FA Women’s Premier League, the highest-ever league finish in the club’s history.
The club pride themselves on their youth system, with captain Natasha Lynch, Jade Formaston, Ally Forbes and Leanne McKenna joining Dermody, Miles and Bradford, as all playing a vital role in the progress of the club in the last few years, after coming through the youth system at the club.
“We are holding another fun festival day because of the success of the last event,” explained midfielder Dermody, who is now entering her tenth season with the club. “Seeing over 50 girls playing football and enjoying themselves, was a great feeling for the coaches involved.
“The youth system is really important to Coventry City Ladies. It allows there to be a constant flow of players moving into the Reserves, and then into the first-team squads. We have already seen this happen in the past and particularly over the recent pre-season period.”
Three players from the club’s Under-18 squad were named on the bench in the recent pre-season friendly victory over Sheffield FC, whilst 15-year-old Libby Piggott came off the bench to make her first-team debut. All will be hoping to kick on and cement their place in the senior squad for the years to come.
Meanwhile Dermody and Miles will be hoping to kick their season off on a high on Sunday 25th August, when they host Lewes at the Ricoh Arena in the opening game of the 2013/14 FA Premier League Southern Division season.
The festival will take place at Copsewood Sports and Social Club, Allard Way on Friday 23rd August and is open for girls aged nine to 17 years old. Bookings are £8 per player.
To find out more information, please visit www.cclfc.co.uk or email: juniors@cclfc.co.uk