A whole new ball game

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Football Club are focusing on starting up a girls’ youth team, while Bedlay Community Football Club in Chryston are already training regularly.

Bedlay coach, Debbie Horn, said: “The younger you get them involved, the more likely they are to stay interested. Some of the girls try dancing and gymnastics and it’s just not for them.

“We’ve got some girls who actually go to dancing as well as football.”

She added that there’s growing support for girls’ football in the area and that it’s good for kids to give it a try, with their love of the game often coming as a surprise.

Based at Chryston High School, Bedlay Community Football Club have a team of 26 girls from the surrounding areas of Craigend, Moodiesburn, Chryston and Gartcosh.

The team was recently given the Quality Mark from the Scottish Football Association and they are now recognised as a club with ambition.

Meanwhile, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy manager, Stewart Maxwell, said: “We’re just focusing now on trying to get local girls involved with football.”

With football growing as a sport in general, particularly in America, the sport has seen a spark of interest from women wishing to play.

Maxwell says that it’s now possible for girls to make a career out of football which is a relatively new development within the last five years.

He explained: “So now girls have something they can strive to and can make a career out of coaching.

“It’s not just closed doors any more because women are as equally qualified to coach. Not just women’s teams but the men’s teams as well.

“Football keeps boys off the streets but it can also keep girls off the streets as well. Not just that, it keeps them off iPads and computers too.”

Bedlay Community Football Club train on Tuesday evenings and the first session is free to try. Find them on Facebook and twitter @bedlaycfc.

If you are interested in Kirkintilloch Rob Roy ladies team visit www.clubwebsite.co.uk/robroyladies for contact details.