Women’s football team launched

A sport coaching student at Glasgow Clyde College is donating her time to coach a recently formed women’s football team after students reported a lack of options for females playing the game in the city. 

Clyde’s Women's Football Team has been set-up after Sport Coaching student, Shani Moyo, came to the Active Campus Coordinator, Natalie Dott, in response to demand from women at the Langside Campus eager to join a women’s football team.

Women’s football in the UK has seen tremendous growth in the last year, largely driven by the ongoing success of the Lionesses and the sport getting higher viewership than ever before during the Paris Olympics and Women’s Super League which is currently taking place. 

There has been a  surge in amateur women’s football teams across the UK, nurturing potential future talent.  But whilst the number of English women’s teams have doubled, with over 12 thousand now registered, the surge in Scottish women’s amateur teams has been much slower. 

Glasgow Clyde College understands the importance of giving women the space to access sport and part of Natalie’s role is to identify how to break down the barriers that often stop women joining sport clubs such as cost and comfortability. 

This encouraged Natalie to establish the team and offer it free of charge, in the hope that it’ll bring students closer together with female friendships made at the club and improve their mental health through exercise. 

Launched at the Langside Campus just two weeks ago, the football club has been well received with 8 members and Natalie is already planning roll out across Glasgow Clyde College’s Anniesland and Cardonald campus. 

Natalie Dott, Active Campus Coordinator said: “When I started hearing chatter around the college of how inspired our female students were following a summer of televised women’s football events, I knew we had to provide a space for them to come together, learn football skills, but more importantly create female friendships and a sporting environment where they can feel comfortable. 

“Students telling me how much the weekly club has already helped their mental health is the only motivation I need to grow this club and roll it out across all of the Glasgow Clyde College campuses. 

“There are so many options for male sports clubs across Glasgow, and women deserve the same opportunities”.