Futsal festival for girls proves a big success in Dewsbury

GWL United CIC teamed up with England Futsal to deliver the festival at Dewsbury Sports Centre for girls ranging from U8s to U13s who live in Kirklees.

Part of the remit for the newly formed England Futsal organisation is to promote the game and encourage participation in the sport while allowing each individual the chance to reach their potential in the game.

Futsal is a football-based game played on a hard court like a basketball court, smaller than a football pitch, and mainly played indoors.

The Futsal tournament played in Dewsbury over two days provided a fantastic introductory experience for more than 160 local girls and has created the perfect launch pad for West Yorkshire’s first ‘girls only’ affiliated leagues, to be held on a weekly basis in Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Mirfield.

GWL United CIC applied for the funding made available through Futsal England and their support enabled families living within Kirklees the opportunity to attend the festival, experiencing Futsal for the first time with no cost implications.

The event saw many girls from Huddersfield and Dewsbury in attendance and also some from surrounding areas of West Yorkshire.

Kirklees Futsal will now be working alongside the West Riding County Football Association (WRCFA) to establish affiliated and sanctioned competition that best meets the needs of girls aged from U7s up to U16s and beyond.

They are looking for the competition to allow organic growth for the sport to flourish every season.

For anyone interested in Futsal training or games, they can get in touch with John Caven at [email protected]

John Caven, director of the community interest company GWL United, said: “This social enterprise is based in Huddersfield with a focus to provide and promote inclusion opportunities and participation initiatives for girls, women, and ladies of any age or circumstance living within Kirklees.

"The Dewsbury event was perfect for grassroots players to try out the fast paced and exciting world of Futsal.”

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