06 September 2023 , 07:00
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As the dust settles on what was a captivating, yet heartbreaking, World Cup campaign for the Lionesses, there's a renewed desire to create a lasting legacy and transform the landscape of women's football in England.
Off the back of the Euros win last year, young girls up and down the country were inspired to pick up a football and give the sport a go for the first time. England's run to a World Cup final this summer, before they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Spain in the final last month, was another huge step towards inspiring the next generation.
However, one key issue that needs addressing at grassroots level isn't necessarily the number of young girls taking up the sport for the first time, but retaining their interest and ensuring they continue to play beyond their childhood. According to research from Starling Bank, nearly a third of girls who play football (30 per cent) stop playing by the time they reach their late teens. This is in comparison to one in ten boys (10 per cent).
While keeping at the sport she loved growing up was never an issue for a young Jill Scott, she was more than aware of those around her who stopped playing at a certain age. “For me it was a bit different that I absolutely fell in love with football," the former England star exclusively told the Mirror.
"There was nothing that was going to stop me from playing it. But, it’s been interesting to see that, although we’re trying to drive participation in girl’s football, it’s also sad to see the amount of girls that are dropping out. It’s three times the amount of boys dropping out.
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“I know as I got older there were a lot of girls that did drop out and participation numbers weren’t as high when I was younger. There’s a lot of pressures on young girls, especially with social media, to look a certain way.
"Maybe they think that playing sport doesn’t reflect how they should look because you’ve got to get sweaty, you’ve got to get muddy and go in for tackles and stuff like that. It’s important we keep them (young girls) playing. Not to force them to stay in the game, but use the opportunity to show them it’s good for mental health, getting outside and making friends.”
Jill Scott MBE, former Lioness and Starling Bank ambassadorThe research also found that a quarter of girls (27 per cent) hang up their boots due to pressures to do well at school, while others quit because of insecurities about their body image (14 per cent), being bullied for playing (8 per cent) and not seeing a clear career pathway into the sport (18 per cent). Scott, who is one of England's most decorated players having surpassed 150 caps during her playing days, believes creating a dialogue about the issues blocking young girls from playing is the first step to addressing the problem.
“Speaking about how they’re feeling is important," she continued. "Mental health is being tackled in sport a lot more, especially in football.
“If we can get young people speaking about why they drop out or what keeps them playing, to look at the positives as well. That feedback is so important for the next generation because if there’s problems that need solving, we can work together to tackle those issues. Young people need to be in an environment where they feel like they can speak out to try and improve things.”
A successful team on the pitch will continue to drive interest and participation off it. While it was a heartbreaking end to what was otherwise another memorable tournament for Sarina Wiegman's side, Scott believes the progress of the team is clear and she's backed them to keep succeeding under the current leadership.
She continued: “I think the fact people are expecting England to reach finals now shows how far we’ve come. I think back to 2007, I remember going to my first World Cup and we were just so happy to have made it to one.
"With every game, you get more people watching. For them to reach quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals - it just means you’re getting more people interested in the sport. I can’t remember the exact number of people that tuned in for the final, but I know there will have been girls watching for the first time thinking ‘I want to do that when I’m older’. Sometimes you have to see it in order to dream it and then achieve it.
Jill Scott MBE, former Lioness and Starling Bank ambassador"Once the dust settles we'll see what an achievement it was. You always think about what could have been when you reach a final, but to finish second in the world to a very good Spain team, I think they can definitely see it as an achievement.
"They can achieve anything under Sarina. She's an incredible person and a fantastic coach, what she's doing with the team, she's got everybody united. Everybody knows where they need to be, she leaves no stone unturned.
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"I'm excited, I think we'll see the Lionesses in finals over the next few years and hopefully with medals around their neck."
Following the Lionesses’ success at the UEFA Women’s EUROS 2022, and the launch of Starling Bank’s Kick On initiative earlier this year, alongside the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, Starling Bank has launched phase two of Kick On to help boost girls’ involvement in football. The bank is giving away £200,000 worth of kit, equipment and coaching vouchers to grassroots football clubs with girls or women’s teams through its partner Gift of Kit. One team will win a talk with Jill Scott MBE on how young girls can gain their football confidence and believe their worth on the pitch.