LONDON FA
In November 2023, a collaboration began between GirlKeepers and the London FA (LDNFA). While the seeds were planted late in 2023, it wasn’t until early 2024, during a Goalkeeper CPD (Continuing Professional Development) session, that our vision truly started to take shape.
In February 2024, I attended the second-ever Goalkeeper CPD in London. As I stood among other passionate coaches, a question loomed large in my mind: "Where do we go from here?" I knew I didn’t want to be just any coach, I wanted to be a Goalkeeper coach. More importantly, I wanted to ensure that every goalkeeper, especially girls, had a fair shot at success. But success requires support. How can we discover the next Mary Earps if we aren’t providing young female goalkeepers with the resources and encouragement they need?
Imagine being a goalkeeper who shows up for weekly training, only to be told to stand in goal and simply try to stop shots. Or worse, to be used as target practice by the rest of the team. It’s disheartening, and it’s no way to foster passion or skill in the sport. I’ll never forget the moment a young goalkeeper, after 12 years of playing football, confessed that no one had ever taught her how to take a goal kick. That was the moment I knew things had to change.
In football, there are 20 outfield players and only 2 goalkeepers. It’s time to give those goalkeepers the recognition and training they deserve. I wanted to change the way we perceive and train goalkeepers, especially female goalkeepers.
This is where Amanda Lewis, the Football Development Manager and Women’s and Girls Lead at the London FA, stepped in. She understood my concerns and took it upon herself to find a solution to this significant issue. Shortly after our initial discussions, Amanda reached out with a proposal: together, we could offer specialised goalkeeper sessions to clubs affiliated with the London FA, particularly those with women’s and girls’ programs.
Since launching this initiative with the support of the London FA, we’ve seen a remarkable increase in female goalkeepers—our GirlKeepers, participating in these clubs. More and more girls are joining the sessions, feeling included, valued, and special. We believe in the power of change and support, and we are committed to giving these young athletes the opportunities they deserve.
For too long, female goalkeepers have lacked the support they need. Now is the time to change that. This journey would not have been possible without the unwavering support of Amanda Lewis and the London FA, who share our vision for change.
