Hear them roar. Pride at preparing future footballing Lionesses

Some of the Future Lionesses may now come from Northamptonshire thanks to the FA’s new, county-wide development programme for Elite female footballers and a successful 3 year license to run an ETC in the County.

The FA Emerging Talent Centre’s (ETC) were launched in July, with the aim to increase the number of young female players engaged in Football Association programmes across England by the end of the 2023-24 season.

Northamptonshire’s ETC is hosted by Northampton Town FC Community Trust in partnership with University of Northampton (UON) and supported by the Northamptonshire Football Association.

Female ETC players from across the County, will have access to the same top-level support and development opportunities as their male peers.

This will cover everything they need to help support them to reach their full potential in the game, with access to quality and experienced Northampton Town FC Community Trust coaches, state-of-the-art training facilities and the chance to learn and develop in the ETC programme in addition to playing grass roots football.

They will also have professional advice, testing and training at the University’s Waterside campus, thanks to the partnership between the skilled University staff and will be developed on the pitch thanks the coaching programme set out by the NTFC Community Trust coaching staff.

Thanks to the holistic approach to the player development encouraged by the ETC programme players will also be educated and supported off the pitch. Informed by up-to-the-minute, research and led by members of the UON Sports Science team, this will include sessions on sport psychology to help players develop resilience and deal with performing under pressure.

There will also be top tips about good nutrition, both for the player’s and their parents and guardians to foster greater understanding about the importance of good food.

Each ETC member will also have access to strength, conditioning and performance testing, pitch side injury support, and even the opportunity to receive further injury rehabilitation support in the University’s Sports Rehabilitation and Conditioning Clinic at Waterside, with injury advice and treatment plans.

The first group of players have been recruited through a trial period. Last week they were officially welcomed with their families to an induction event at UON’s Waterside campus, with talks about the programme and a tour of the UON facilities they’ll have access to.

Scott Bradley, Subject Lead for Science at University of Northampton, was on-hand to talk about the sport psychology side of UON support. He said: “The Lionesses’ triumph at the Women’s Euro’s this summer focused international attention on female football at a time when women’s sporting excellence is very much the norm rather than the exception.

“Now, the need is to ensure future generations of women’s football are supported from the grass roots up. The FA’s Emerging Talent Centre programme looks set to do just this, and we are very proud about our part in helping support the development of these budding Lionesses.”

Charlene Ward-Greef (Women & Girls Development Officer) from Northampton Town Football Club’s Community Trust, added: “We are so proud of the development of female football at NTFC CT.  We have more female footballers attending sessions and programmes across the trust and this has no doubt been inspired by not only the lionesses on a national level but also the Northampton Town FC Women.

“We aim to provide a place in football for females of all abilities across Northamptonshire, we are excited to be a vital part of the FA’s Talent Pathway with the ETC here in Northampton.”

Find out more about Northamptonshire’s Emerging Talent Centre.