GIRLS RETAIN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE STATUS

Gillingham FC are delighted to announce that our Girls Centre of Excellence license has been renewed for the 2014/15 season

In April all current Centres of Excellence had to reapply for a new Licence for the 2014-15 season and we are pleased to announce that our application has been successful.

We will continue in an exclusive group of organisations across the country in the FA’s Centre of Excellence Programme, running age groups from U9s to U17s for talented female players.

Director of Girls and Women’s Football at Gillingham FC, Adam Lawrence, commented: “The 2013-14 season was a great success for our Girls Centre of Excellence with real improvements on the pitch, but perhaps more noticeably off the pitch where we had a number of positive staffing changes as well as a change of home venue. 

“These improvements, we are delighted to announce, have been rewarded with a renewed Centre Licence for the forthcoming 2014-15 season.

“Gillingham Football Club has become a leading example of Girls Football in Kent, and we are proud to run a successful and ever improving Centre of Excellence for girls and young women in the South East. 

“Excellent staff, coaches and those behind the scenes, enable us to offer talented female footballers a pathway to improve and reach their potential.  It is great news that we have the opportunity to continue this hard work going forward.”

Centre Manager, Henry Willard added: “It’s been an incredibly successful year at the Girls Centre of Excellence, with enormous strides made both on and off the field.

“We’ve seen girls from our three eldest age groups represent England either at training camps, international fixtures or Elite Performance Camps.

“We’ve moved to a fantastic new ground for our home fixtures, and we’ve got an absolutely superb group of talented, enthusiastic staff both in the coaching and sports therapy departments.

“It feels like one big family, and the great atmosphere and positive environment that we’ve set has transferred to all the girls throughout all the age groups, from the U9’s right through to the U17’s.

“Setting the perfect environment is crucial to aid the development of the hugely talented pool of girls we have at Gillingham, and we have seen an excellent rate of development this season that is credit to everyone who works so hard at the Centre of Excellence to give our girls the best possible opportunity to fulfil their potential."

Everyone at the club is looking forward to another successful season with the Centre.

The centre will be holding its trials for the new season in June, for full details please click here.

To find out more about our Girls Centre of Excellence please click here.