Young girls across the Republic of Ireland are being encouraged to kickstart a lifelong love of football through a ground-breaking Playmakers football programme from UEFA and Disney.

Using Disney’s storytelling skill and inspired by academic research showing the positive role of storytelling in helping children take up sport, Playmakers aims to increase the proportion of girls meeting the World Health Organisation’s minimum standards for physical activity which currently stands at just 16 per cent according to data from the WHO.

Targeting 5-8-year-old girls not currently playing football, The FAI is joining 22 other UEFA national associations in committing to rolling out Playmakers through schools, clubs and local communities.

Unlike traditional football programmes, each of Playmaker’s ten initial training sessions follows the narrative of billion-dollar global box office smash hits like Disney’s Frozen II and Disney and Pixar’s Incredibles 2.

Equipped with footballs, bibs and cones, trained coaches encourage participants to play the roles of popular characters, such as Elastigirl and Elsa and Anna, bringing the films’ action scenes to life through movement, teamwork and their imagination.

“The growth in women’s and girls’ football in Ireland has been phenomenal in recent times and we are delighted to be part of this Playmakers initiative undertaken by UEFA and Disney,” said FAI CEO Jonathan Hill.

“This will be a major asset for us as we continue to foster that growth. We are delighted that this programme is aimed at girls aged 5-8 who have yet to play football as we are truly committed to offering that age group, and all girls, the opportunity to play our game in a fun and friendly environment.”

“The Incredibles initiative by Disney, with the support of UEFA, will offer our young girls the opportunity to enjoy top-class coaching with a story-led approach in a collaborative and non-competitive environment. We look forward to rolling out these Playmaker sessions in conjunction with UEFA and Disney across Ireland in 2021.”

Confidence

In its early sessions, Playmakers focuses on building girls’ confidence in their movement, encouraging creative thinking and communicating easily with their friends. Later sessions introduce girls to basic football skills, but the programme continues to put the emphasis on making sport fun.

“By using our much-loved characters and stories as a force for good, we can really make a difference and inspire families and children to be more active,” added Trish Long, Vice President and General Manager, The Walt Disney Company, Ireland.

“We are very proud that by partnering with UEFA on the first pan-European girl’s football programme and our partners in Ireland – the FAI – we will encourage more and more girls to get active, build their confidence and participate in playing football, all in an environment that has been specifically designed for them.”

Research

The play-based learning at the heart of Playmakers’ unique approach follows a literary review by Leeds’ Beckett University in England, which was commissioned by UEFA. The review assessed academic research into what motivates young girls to participate in sports, identifying best practice coaching methods to create a safe learning environment. Its findings put particular emphasis on the benefits of play-based education.

The programme is also the result of a knowledge-transfer partnership with the English Football Association (FA), who are currently running the “Shooting Stars” programme in partnership with Disney.

 

 

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