The most recent Active Lives Survey by Sport England found that the number of girls playing football in England has increased by over 100,000 since 2017. Which proves the number went up before The Lionesses Euro 2022 success was even taken into account.
The first survey in 2017-18 showed that 669,000 girls from those questioned were playing football; at the end of the latest academic year that figure has now risen to 777,000. This therefore shows an increase of over 108,000.
It also found that 98,000 more girls were classed as being active (i.e. doing 60 minutes or more of sport/physical activity per day) compared to pre-pandemic levels. It also found that secondary school girls are more active now compared to when the survey began five years ago.
PE teacher at the Q3 Academy Langley, Niamh Deasy said: “The uptake of girls wanting to play football at our school has been huge. And the opportunities for them to play locally have increased as well.
“We as a department are willing to play more female fixtures and there are more tournaments available for the girls too, which is tremendous. Their willingness to take part now after being inspired is huge and sets out a precedent for other sports to do the same.”
The Q3 Academies PE department whether, male or female, have pushed for more schools in the Midlands and surrounding areas to give girls the chance to play football too.
Deasy added: “I have definitely been one to contact schools to organise and arrange fixtures. Thankfully it is not a gender thing either and the male staff are willing to accommodate and push this too, which has been great. Everyone is so supportive of it now since the success of the Lionesses, so we all must continue to push the legacy.
“I think we need to continue to push it. Push fixtures, push extra-curricular and push the role models we expose students to. This will all help to increase the participation rates in female football and inspire life-long health.”
After The Lionesses victory this summer, it’s hoped by the squad that the number of girls playing football will increase even more over the next year or so.
Shortly after the tournament finished the squad dedicated one of their recent fixtures against the Czech Republic to ‘The Let Girls Play’ campaign.
The campaign encourages people to stand up and use their voice to help make a difference and address any inequality of football provision. Equal access to football is a cause the squad continue to passionately champion after they all collectively wrote an open letter following their Euros success asking Liz Truss (prime minister at the time) for reform to physical education and the provision of football in schools.
Deasy, who also plays football herself for local club Stourbridge FC said: “I think the fact 100,000 more girls are playing football is an amazing statistic for women’s football and women’s sport as a whole.
“To know the success of the Lionesses has instilled such a positive legacy is what it is all about.
“And of course the support we at Stourbridge have on match days from the younger girls has been great. To know we are inspiring them is very special. Even as far as younger boys teams coming down to the ground too – it shows you what a huge impact The Lionesses have had on the sport and the respect we are developing for each other across all age groups.”
Sporty AF 