Brantham Athletic FC play in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division in step 5 of English football whilst their women play in the Suffolk and Womens Girls League. As with many grassroots set-ups the club faces an ongoing challenge to find success in the now – without losing focus on the longer term goals and player pathways.This was particularly true in the case of the women’s section who have two senior teams but little below them in terms of future players.

The decision was made to review and relaunch the girls section to create a solid foundation on which the club could grow.

We provided a full review of local girls football provision alongside an assessment of the club’s current offering. From this we identified the need for a dedicated girls development officer and a drive to recruit additional coaches enabling casual coaching sessions that provide an introduction to girls football.

Our report also identified the perceived barriers to girls’ involvement and proved a useful tool in onboarding local business sponsors so that sessions can remain free of charge.