The FAI and Fingal County Council have announced that the first Transition Year Football and Fitness course for girls will commence this August.
The course will mirror the successful course for boys which has been running since 2016 in Corduff Sports Centre. The course gives TY students an opportunity to sample full-time football training while also fulfilling their educational requirements and obtaining qualifications in coaching and fitness training.
25 Transition Year students will participate in the programme in the next academic year mixing their academic subjects with a range of football coaching courses and modules in Fitness Instruction, Media Skills and Personal Development, as well as football training and strength and conditioning work.
In addition, the participants will undertake an ITEC Fitness Instructors Course delivered by Litton Lane Fitness Training. They will also return to their local primary school one day a week to work with teachers in the delivery of physical education and gain valuable work experience.
“Fingal County Council was the first local authority to partner with the FAI back in 2005 and introduce co-funded Football Development Officers,” said Mayor Howard Mahoney.
“We progressed that to run the boys’ TY course, which started in 2016, which is an excellent example of the many benefits that have resulted from our long-running partnership.”
“Starting this girls’ TY course is a logical next step and it’s great to be announcing it in the same year that Ireland’s Women’s National Team will play at the World Cup finals for the first time.”
“We are delighted to launch the first Transition Year Football and Fitness course for girls as it aligns with the aims set out in the 2022-2025 FAI Strategy to continue the development of women and girls’ football and will help further strengthen the player pathway for girls,” added Eileen Gleeson, Head of Women’s and Girls Football.
“It is important that we continue to supply equal opportunities for women and girls and this course, which has been a great success for the boys, represents that. We look forward to working with Fingal County Council on making this course the best that it can be for the girls involved.”
The TY programme is jointly delivered by Fingal County Council’s Sports Office and the FAI and will be based at the Sport Ireland Campus and the FAI National Training Centre.
A recruitment process for two coaches is currently ongoing while scouting teams are identifying potential participants who will be invited to trials in early May.
The course will start at the same time as the 2023-24 academic year and will follow the post-primary school calendar.
