Girls United won the Tampox Tax grant allowing us to create a bespoke “Trailblazer” programmes - to support more female students within the school to play football - across 5 new venues in partnership with Fulham Football Club.
We interviewed Greer-Aylece, Girls United coach, on the partnership.
Give us an introduction to you - your name, job role interest and journey in football. My name is Greer-Aylece, Coach G to the people I coach, and G to many of my friends. Outside of Girls United, I work for a Disability Sports Charity as a Project Officer, as well as attempting to start up my own community organisation - focusing on sports, research and education to ensure and erase isolation and loneliness to many young people in our society.
My footballing journey started when I was 9 years old in London - I would play in the park religiously with other kids in our neighbourhood - eventually I joined a local team after being scouted - but that journey ended a year later after an incident with the coach. I had opportunities to try out with Arsenal academy, but my anxiety stopped me from realising that opportunity.
Where did you interest in female football come from? I have a keen interest in women’s football as I used to play as a young girl, and continue to play in my adulthood, as well as coach. I was surrounded by football for as long as I can remember, with my father, brothers and some cousins staunch Arsenal fans. This rubbed off on me and stayed with me!
I had many opportunities to take my ‘talents’ to the next level - but due to so many differing factors and a lack of positive female sporting role models at the time I wasn’t able to fulfill my goals. It’s been important to me for a very long time, to be able to advocate for, become a positive role model and build rapport with a vast array of different people and push for a seat at the table for many marginalised and minoritised young women, girls and non-binary people. Football and sports as a whole and in particular women’s football has always been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember and have always had the desire to pursue a career in sports and advocacy in whatever shape that came.
Why did you get involved with Girls United, working and volunteering in female football? I got involved with GU because I was at an impasse in my life for a while - I had my own personal goals, but wasn’t sure how to go about pursuing them. I wasn’t sure what path I was going to take in life, and I had recently left a job that was extremely hard work. I remembered that I had my FA Level 1 that I had gotten 2 years prior to joining GU and was just about to start my PT level 3, so I decided what better time to make use of my qualifications, and see whether I would be any good at it. And allow me to come out of my shell.
Girls United came at the right time for me - and gave me answers I had been searching for and inspiration to start believing in myself and my abilities a lot more. I had also at the same time started to coach for a women’s team in East London, which allowed me to harness my voice and help guide me to my initial goals.
What are your views on Girls United supporting females in the community and any particular project or programme you think goes beyond the football pitch? Since working with GU, both in a coaching capacity and with the launch of a collaborative Zine - I have seen the amount of work and effort that goes in to supporting the wider community. I have also seen first hand the support GU provides not only coaches but the players. It’s second to none, in my opinion. Whether that’s helping players gain volunteering experience or achieve levels in refereeing or even put together events to raise money but to also boost confidence. I have first hand felt the support and guidance on and off the pitch.
What are you excited about going forward and what is needed next? I’m excited to see the future developments of the squads, but also of the players and their individuality on and off the pitch. I am very excited to see what Girls United has in store for us next - I try to advocate for them and their mission at every moment I can. I truly believe in their platform and their ability to reach girls across the globe. I am glad I am able to be a part of such an incredible organization. What is needed next - I believe expansion and trying to reach a wider group of girls.
Do you think female football visibility is important? Why and who do you want to see more of from a visibility project view? I think visibility and representation in sport is incredibly important. It’s not only important but necessary. It is necessary so that the next generation can see they have opportunity and a place in an often male dominated structure! I would generally like to see more female coaches and players. I would also like to see more projects and initiatives from our coaches and players, like 14-year-old Club London player Lulu’s GU Goes the Mile campaign where she ran 24 miles in under 24 hours to raise £2,500 for a new Community Project.