 Overview:
The West Cork Schoolboys League Committee announced
the formation of the first ever SuperValu West
Cork Schoolgirls U16 League at a meeting in Dunmanway
recently.
During the Annual General Meeting at the end of
last season Clubs were asked by the WCSL Committee
to return with projected numbers of any schoolgirls
in their respective areas who might be interested
in taking part in a soccer league. Five West Cork
based clubs responded with enough Schoolgirls
at the U16 age grade to warrant the formation
of a new league. SuperValu have continued their
fantastic support of youth soccer in the West
Cork region by kindly agreeing to sponsor the
new U16 Schoolgirl’s league. SuperValu’s
sponsorship includes the addition of beautiful
glass ‘SuperValu Player of the Match’
awards to be presented at selected games throughout
the coming campaign.
Gerry Devine, Musgrave – SuperValu Regional
Manager for West Cork and Kerry, is delighted
to be associated with the new Schoolgirls League:
“SuperValu is absolutely delighted to
continue our promotion of activity for youths
throughout the West Cork region. Thanks to our
continued association with the West Cork Schoolboys
League, SuperValu are now the exclusive sponsor
of six different leagues covering boys and girls
age groups ranging from under12, under14 right
through to U16. On behalf of all our SuperValu
outlets in the West Cork region I want to wish
the WCSL every success with the first ever U16
Schoolgirls League”.
The West Cork (Junior) Ladies League has been
a huge success since its inception some years
ago. It is hoped that arrival of the new U16 Schoolgirls
league can build on the Ladies league popularity
and attract as many girls as possible to the game
of soccer. Interest in Women’s soccer is
developing apace throughout the country. The FAI’s
annual report and financial statements for 2007
reported the following:
“With over 15,500 women now playing
in close to 600 clubs, the women’s game
continues to prosper throughout the country. The
senior Women’s team continues to develop
and has now climbed to its highest FIFA international
ranking – 28th position in the world”.
The FAI in conjunction with the Women’s
Football Association of Ireland has also devised
the ‘Women’s Development Plan’
to operate in conjunction with the Association’s
Technical Development Plan.
The Women’s Development plan states:
“In Ireland, participation in women’s
football is growing and while much progress has
been made, there is a recognition that the sport’s
governing body, the Football Association of Ireland
and the affiliate which oversees the women’s
game the Women’s Football Association of
Ireland (WFAI) need to further their strategic
approach to the development of women’s football,
and increase the amount of investment in grassroots
football.”
What does the WFAI do?
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The WFAI look after, in total, 18 affiliated
leagues, approximately 550 teams and over 12,000
officially registered players.
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The WFAI has a National Club Competition Programme
which includes competitions at Senior (adult);
Intermediate (adult); Junior (adult) U18, U16
and U14 Level.
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The WFAI organises an annual inter-provincial
representative tournament – the Gaynor
Cup. The Gaynor Cup is Ireland’s most
prestigious girl’s competition and is
a key recruiting process for underage international
squads. Since its inauguration, the tournament
has been organised at both U16 and under18 age
groups.
Five clubs will be represented in the inaugural
West Cork Schoolgirls league and cup competitions
scheduled to begin on Saturday October the 4th.
Bunratty United, Drinagh Rangers, Lyre
Rovers, Clonakilty Town and Riverside Athletic
will take to the field in the SuperValu sponsored
U16 Schoolgirls league for the 2008-09 season.
The format of the league is similar to the existing
under12 and under14 Schoolboys leagues where clubs
will play one another twice - home and away -
and the side with the most points amassed at the
end of the campaign will be crowned SuperValu
U16 Schoolgirls League champions. A knockout cup
is also being organised for the first season and
the draw for the competition will take place at
Christmas along with the other West Cork Schoolboys
Cup draws.
WCSL Chairman Pat Lacey is hopeful the fledgling
Schoolgirls league can go from strength to strength
in the coming years:
“This is great news for soccer in the
West Cork region and I am hopeful the success
of this U16 league might possibly lead to a further
under12 league in the near future”. Mr.
Lacey also stated: “I think the new
Schoolgirls U16 league is a fantastic idea and
I am delighted and grateful that our main sponsors,
SuperValu, have come on board to sponsor the new
league as well”. The WCSL Chairman
also acknowledged the work carried out in recent
years in getting girls involved in soccer in the
West Cork region. “People like Mary
O’Driscoll from the Riverside Athletic club
have been putting in Trojan effort in getting
schoolgirls soccer off the ground. I sincerely
hope West Cork clubs will follow suit in the coming
years”.
It is hoped that the successful completion of
the inaugural SuperValu Schoolgirls U16 league
will encourage other West Cork clubs to sign up
for the next campaign and further expand the number
of girls actively playing soccer in the area.
Volunteers are also badly needed to help out with
the running of the various Schoolgirls teams.
Anyone interested in getting involved can contact
the WCSL through the feedback section on this
web site. Alternatively interested volunteers
can make contact with the Secretary of their local
soccer club.
You can follow all the U16 Schoolgirls League
action in both the Evening Echo and Southern Star
Newspapers with match reports, round-ups, fixtures
and results throughout the 2008-09 season.
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