LET THE GIRLS PLAY! - Handbook girls soccer

The Girls' Football Handbook provides practical information for clubs that want to build up girls' teams or are concerned about equal opportunities for girls and boys in their teams, helping to open up the club to more girls. Clearly structured and concise, it addresses topics that are important to many girls playing soccer and that can also be implemented by any grassroots sports club.

Based on conversations with young players from four European clubs and the experience gained in building up (girls') youth teams, it helps to expand the range of opportunities for girls in grassroots sports and establish a sports culture where everyone feels welcome.

Background

The number of girls and women playing soccer [either] increased in recent years [or] is increasing from year to year, and media attention for top-level sport is also rising. Nevertheless, the situation in grassroots sports is anything but equal: very few countries have dedicated girls' leagues, and the number of girls' clubs in junior leagues is as small as the number of players registered with the associations. What is the reason for this? Certainly not due to a lack of interest, as four clubs from four European cities (Warsaw, Prague, Leipzig and Vienna) were able to impressively show us as part of the LET THE GIRLS PLAY project. Instead, girls still face barriers - obvious and very subtle ones. Lack of opportunities, sexist everyday language and a sports culture that does not give girls and women the same recognition as boys, as well as the still widespread claim that soccer is not for girls.

About the handbook

This handbook is intended to support clubs that would like to build girls' teams or are concerned about equal opportunities for girls and boys in their teams. It provides simple tips and tricks to make girls feel welcome and remain a sustainable part of your club.

Ultimately, values such as respect and equality are not just basic human rights, but something that benefits everyone: more diversity in the club brings more athletes, more satisfaction and identification with the club, social recognition and social participation makes children and young people happier people, and in the long term this can also lead to better performance.

The goal is to make it just as natural for girls who love soccer to join a soccer club as it is for boys who love soccer.

The handbook is available for download here (in German!):

Download

The handbook can be ordered in printed form free of charge by e-mail to fairplay [AT] vidc [DOT] org (please indicate shipping address and desired number of copies)

We wish you a lot of fun with many new players & all the best for your club!

More info on the project: www.fairplay.or.at/projekte/let-the-girls-play
#letthegirlsplay

LET THE GIRLS PLAY! A joint girls' soccer project by: AKS ZLY (WARSCHAU), ROTER STERN LEIPZIG (LEIPZIG), FC TORPEDO 03 GIRLS (WIEN), PRAGUE RAPTORS FC (PRAG) & FAIRPLAY – INITIATIVE FÜR VIELFALT UND ANTIDISKRIMINIERUNG

With the support of: Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sports (BMKOES) & co-financed by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.