This weekend QPR will be showing their support for International Women’s Day (8th March 2014) by celebrating the growing success of the R’s female football programmes.
QPR Girls, QPR Ladies and QPR in the Community Trust’s girls coaching sessions lead the way as Rangers continue to inspire change on and off the pitch in W12 and beyond.
QPR Ladies alone has engaged with over 500 women since its formation in 2001.
The current crop are challenging for an immediate return to the FA Women’s Premier League following relegation in May 2013.
Managed by QPR in the Community Trust manager Martino Chevannes, Rangers sit second in the South East Women’s Combination League after tasting defeat just once this season.
“The rise of women’s football in recent years has been fantastic and the future of QPR Ladies is looking equally bright,” Tony Smith, Assistant Manager, told www.qprlfc.co.uk.
“We’ve adopted a more professional outlook, the infrastructure is in place behind the scenes and we’re reaping the rewards on the pitch.”
QPR in the Community Trust itself has been a big supporter of girls football since its inception. Ten years ago, the first QPR Girls football teams took to the turf and since then there’s been no turning back.
With a Development Squad from Under-9 through to Under-20, the Girls currently boast nine teams and over 80 players.
Ram Dole, QPR Girls coach, added: “We now have a great setup and a lot of girls are interested in playing football.
“We do a lot of work to attract girls into the game. Hopefully the women’s game continues to grow and the girls get to play at the highest level. That will give the younger girls and all of us a lot of encouragement, seeing the girls make it from grassroots into professional football.”
The Trust also supports girls football in the community through the Premier League 4 Sport (PL4S) programme, running weekly sessions for those aged 14-20 at venues across west London. This year the PL4S girls programme will engage around 200 players, some of which are already progressing into QPR Girls and FA programmes.
For the first time this season, the Trust have linked up with the FA’s Vauxhall Mash Up programme to deliver fun and social football for girls who have either dropped out of the game or on the verge of doing so. Girls aged 12-17 play a range of fun games, with the focus on enjoyment rather than excessive competition.
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
