Football club sets up four new girls’ teams within its ranks

Women’s football is one of the fastest growing sports in Wales, with participation increasing by 50% between 2016 and 2020.

To keep up with this trend, Treowen Stars Football Club set up four new girls’ teams within its ranks over the summer.

The club has set up Under-7s, u8s, u9s and u10s teams, which are all playing for the first time this season.

Andy Barham, coach and secretary of the club’s girls section, said: “The smiles on their faces and the enjoyment they get from football is massive.

“It’s the first season for our new age groups. We have 50 new players this year and it’s great to see the development of these age groups.

“One minute a girl can’t kick a ball and the next she looks as if she’s been playing for years.”

He added: “At u7, u8, u9 and u10 it’s all about development and making sure they enjoy playing football.

“I want to see more girls involved with playing football locally and hopefully going on to play at district level or maybe even Wales.”

The club recently received a donation from Pontllanfraith Rotary Club, which will go towards club-branded hoodies for all the girls in the u9 team.

Pontllanfraith Rotary Club

The rotary club’s fundraising efforts were hit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with fundraising events brought to a standstill.

However, with virus restrictions eased in Wales, the club is hoping to hold its usual fundraising events, such as the Businessmen’s Lunch and touring around the community with the sleigh over the Christmas period.

During lockdown, the group was able to extend its support far and wide, joining a microfinance scheme in September last year.

Through the scheme, 31 short-term loans have been made to people in 22 different countries across six continents.

Rotary club member Colin Lloyd explained the scheme aims to help impoverished people in less economically developed countries by giving them loans.

Mr Lloyd said: “Say a person in Bolivia wants to buy a cow to improve their lot in life, they can go to a loan agent who can give them access to this fund. No interest is expected to be paid on the loan but they are expected to pay it back.”

The rotary club has put in around £1,000 to the scheme, with the money that is repaid to them reinvested into the scheme.

“We are a charitable organisation and look to help people both at home and abroad.”