180 girls take part in third Open Day at Centenary Stadium

As part of its mission to develop the grassroots level in women’s football, the Malta FA Technical Centre’s Grassroots and Women’s Department, in collaboration with SportMalta and the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE), recently organised the third Open Day at the Centenary Stadium.  A total of 180 pupils from the schools of St Dorothy’s (Sliema), St Joan Antide and Tarxien Primary School took part in this Open Day. Malta FA and club coaches together with members of the Malta Women’s U-19 team supervised the proceedings on the day. Claire Casha, P.E. teacher at St Dorothy’s School, praised the level of organisation during the Open Day. “The event was very well organised,” Ms Casha told www.mfa.com.mt. “The girls enjoyed it, the venue was great and the staff were amazing. Our pupils were delighted when they were encouraged to join local clubs. That really made them feel appreciated.” Chloe Ann Ellul and Amy Busuttil, two of the Malta Under-19 players who acted as volunteers during the event, savoured the experience. “It was a positive experience, one that enhanced my understanding of how to deal with and teach younger children since I want to become a coach in the future,” Ms Ellul said. “I think this is also a good initiative to encourage more girls to play football.” Busuttil said: “These kind of events inspire more girls to participate in women’s football. It also helped us to gain more experience in coaching. It was quite a wonderful experience, both for us and for the children whose energy and enthusiasm made it even more enjoyable.” This initiative is reaping the desired rewards as it is attracting numerous girls who are not affiliated with local clubs. These events are in line with the Malta FA’s on-going efforts to generate more enthusiasm among girls aged between 6 and 11 years, while also encouraging them to enrol in local clubs in order to increase the participation figures at grassroots level. The MFA Technical Centre’s Grassroots and Women’s Department thanked the DQSE, SportMalta, participating schools, coaches, players and volunteers for their co-operation and enthusiastic participation in sharing their vision of developing women’s football at grassroots level and looks forward for next season’s Open Days. For further information on these events or any details related to Women’s Football, check out our official Facebook page, MFA Women’s Football or send an email to girlsfestivals@mfa.com.mt.