New football tournament launched by Merseyside Police to inspire girls

Merseyside Police and the Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell are to mark International Women’s Day by announcing the launch of the ‘She Inspires’ football tournament.

Funded by the Chief Constable, the Police Commissioner, the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, and supported by Liverpool County FA, Liverpool FC Foundation and Everton in the Community, the initiative will offer girls across Merseyside the chance to train, compete, earn qualifications or progress on to further education via the Fowler Education Football Academy and Everton Community College.

Coaching sessions will likely begin in April, followed by the chance for participants to earn their own FA Introduction to Coaching Football certification and take part in a FA Referee Course.  The initiative will culminate in teams playing against one another in the final tournament in July, in the lead up to the women’s Euros 2022 which are being held in the UK.

The sessions will be run in areas where young women and girls could be at risk of being drawn into criminal activities, and where diversionary activities will have the most impact.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:

“I’m delighted that we are marking International Women’s Day by announcing the launch of our She Inspires football tournament.

“Football is a fantastic way to engage and inspire young people and this tournament is great gateway for us to reach a large number of girls and young women who are from areas where we know they may be exposed to crime. Our goal is to not only give them a fantastic sporting opportunity, but also to equip them with vital skills to help them in life, such as leadership, how to support their peers and work as a team.

“The theme for this year’s event is ‘breaking the bias’ and this tournament is just one example of our shared commitment to challenging gender stereotypes and building a more equal, progressive future where girls can thrive and succeed.”

Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said:

“I’m incredibly pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to the young women of Merseyside. We know how important it is for vulnerable young people to be able to take part in productive activities like sports that help to bolster physical wellbeing and build self-esteem.   To be able to tie that in to them getting qualifications which they could then potentially build a career around is fantastic. Wherever we can, we want to open doors for these girls to expand their horizons in directions that they might not have thought possible.”

Liverpool County F.A., Liverpool Foundation and Everton in the Community will be promoting the event via their existing footprint in our local communities and social media activity.

More information regarding venues, locations and opportunities will be published soon.