The Leeds United Foundation currently deliver sessions for young females to play football throughout the local community through the Wildcats programme, an initiative that has continued to grow and develop since its launch in 2018.

One of the locations they currently host weekly sessions in is Batley, where they have provided a platform for young girls in the local area to play football where previously they would not have had the opportunity to do so, due to a number of different reasons.

The sessions are run in partnership with Staincliffe FC which is a grassroots football club that in the past had no female football engagement, purely offering opportunities for males to play cricket or football. The venue is embedded in a BAME community that were looking for more opportunities for young girls with barriers making it difficult to provide any. Located in a deprived area, cost was the main barrier and therefore the club’s official charity have worked closely to help fully fund the sessions, removing the need for parents or guardians to pay for their children to attend.

The Leeds United Foundation have supplied a female coach to deliver all of the sessions that take place every Sunday morning, meaning there are no clashes with religious or cultural priorities. There are currently over 30 young females signed up to the programme and participating in the weekly sessions, improving their skills, developing their confidence levels and having fun.

As part of the Wildcats programme the West Riding County FA have provided the opportunity for females within the programme to gain their Level 1 in football coaching for free, therefore three ladies attached to the club are now gaining qualifications which will in turn help run the female set up within the foundation and make it sustainable over a long period of time.

The Staincliffe FC Wildcats sessions take place every Sunday morning from 10am to 11am, at the following venue:  

IMWS Al-Hikmah Centre
28 Track Road
Batley
West Yorkshire
WF17 7AA

If you would like more information on the Wildcats programme, including the various venues and dates the sessions are taking place, please contact Abigail.Lee@leedsunited.com.