Plenty of positives from North East Parkies United's first tournament
There were plenty of positive signs for North East Parkies United in their first official tournament since founding in September 2024.
In the first of our monthly programme spotlights we are taking a closer look at Wildcats, the FA-funded programme aimed at engaging girls aged five to 11 in football.
Watch the video to find out more about the programme from coaches and participants:
Who it’s for: Girls aged 5-11
Where: Beacon of Light
When: Tuesdays and Fridays, 5-6pm
Price: £3 per session
Register: Online Booking
Foundation of Light Sports Development Officer, Katie Gibson, who leads on the delivery of Wildcats sessions, said: “It’s for girls that are just starting out in football, ages 5 to 11.
“It’s trying to hit them really early and develop them into loving the game of football.
“It’s really important to get them engaged and starting to play at the starting level of football and then we hope to push them on to other things.”
Wildcats can be a pathway to further Foundation of Light football programmes, with some previous participants progressing to our female player pathway and even the Emerging Talent Centre.
Paige, a seven-year-old participant of Wildcats, said: “At home I play some sessions with my brother and dad and I thought football is really cool, so I wanted to join.”
You can book to take part in Wildcats session through our online booking system: Click Here
There were plenty of positive signs for North East Parkies United in their first official tournament since founding in September 2024.
Foundation of Light’s Game of II Halves conference attracted over 200 people to join a discussion on the men’s mental health epidemic.
Foundation of Light are set to upskill grassroots coaches across Sunderland with our FREE Coaches Clinics.