Walsall unveil new pitch as they expand
A Women’s football club is expanding the number of its junior teams to encourage younger players to play the national game.
Walsall Ladies is increasing its tally of junior teams, in a bid to attract more girls into playing football.
Walsall’s bid was given a boost with the opening of a new playing base – an all-weather playing pitch at West Walsall E-ACT Academy.
The club has called the site home for 10 years but they played a leading role in bringing about the new facility, which was welcomed by club chairman Brian Simpson.
Walsall Ladies FC, the women’s side to the men’s professional team who play in League One, has a number of teams from junior level up to the senior squad.
The first team will be playing in the Staffordshire Country Women’s League next season.
The club launched an FA-backed Wildcats Academy aimed at players four-to-11-year-old this month.
There are two junior sides, an under-12s and under-14s team, but the club wants to develop an under-eights, under-10s and under-15s side.
Chairman Simpson said: “Walsall Ladies are in the process of increasing the number of age groups and a junior academy to benefit the local community.
“We decided to have a major expansion of teams following funding we have received from the FA to start new sides.
“The club will train and play their homes games on the new 3G (artificial) facilities.”
The academy will focus on mini-soccer – which is played on smaller pitches with fewer players – for young players aged from five to six.
This will run alongside its Wildcats academy, under-8s and under-10s teams.
The club’s new junior sides will play in the Staffordshire Girls League. West Walsall E-ACT Academy received a grant to build the artificial grass pitch. It has replaced playing fields with an improved sporting facility, which will feature floodlights.
The school hopes it will benefit students and the community.
Simpson added: “It is a fantastic facility.”
Other football clubs will be invited to use the pitch. It is expected a further 19 teams will take advantage of the upgraded facility.
Bosses behind the project hope the 3G pitch will increase attendances by 229 per cent. The project was made possible by the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, delivered through the Football Foundation.
Anyone who is interested in joining the club can email walsallladiesfc@gmail.com or call Simpson on 07817 785690 for more information.
