Session Spotlight: Mawsley Youth FC Wildcats

James tells us how this ever-growing group has evolved into a real community, whose players amaze him each week with their energy, enthusiasm and desire to learn.

Steadily growing over the last year, Mawsley Youth FC have been welcoming new Wildcats almost every week through schools and community outreach, with lunchtime tasters and sessions with local Brownies. It’s clearly an approach that’s worked, as the group is now at 36 (and counting). This isn’t without its challenges, though, as the coaches need to design sessions that balance between girls who have never played, and those who have some experience.

“We have to be clever about how we design the session for different abilities, like introducing optional elements, splitting into smaller groups and setting individual challenges to the level the players are at. Everyone gets the same overall Wildcats experience, but it’s tailored so everyone feels appropriately challenged and supported.”

Fostering support is incredibly important to James and the team: “We make a big deal out of welcoming new players from the moment they arrive, as we know it can be daunting joining a group where everyone knows each other. That’s why we have a ‘Wildcats Buddy’ system to help new players settle in quickly and we’ve seen lots of friendships created this way. Buddies are often inseparable by the end of the first session and can’t wait to come back the next week to see their new ‘best friend’ again!”

Session activities are designed to help girls build friendships, too. “We usually do a mix of activities including fun races, exercises, and small-sided games. By splitting into groups and rotating around each one, not only are they practicing different skills without even realising, they’re also getting a chance to meet and play with everyone, while gaining input from different coaches.”

Last season, Northants also became an early adopter of the new 3v3 format as part of FutureFit. Offered to all U7 and U8 players, for most of them it was the first time they had played against other clubs. “They were a bit tentative to start with, but their confidence soon grew and the progression we saw week on week was amazing, both on and off the field. By the end of the season the whole group had become a community — the coaches, players and all parents knew each other and it created a really positive and enjoyable environment for everyone.”

Going from nerves to confidence is a common trajectory for a Wildcat. Just making the first step to join a group and try something new takes real courage, but once they’re over that line, James shares how much impact these sessions truly have: “You see their personalities bursting out after two or three weeks, and what amazes me is their energy, enthusiasm and how supportive they are of each other. It just seems like a group of friends who happen to all love playing football. They’re the ones who create a positive environment and desire to learn — the coaches just facilitate that and add a bit of structure!”

“It’s important for us to remember that the one hour a week we provide can have such a profound impact. It’s great to help the players improve their skills but what we do is so much more important than that.”

It’s not just the girls who are growing either. James talks about how the biggest lesson he’s learnt is around ownership: “We really want the girls to feel like the sessions are theirs, and that the coaches are just there to make sure everyone is safe and included. Sometimes that means going with the flow and ditching your session plan!”

“We simply provide an environment where they feel safe, valued and supported, and they pretty much do the rest. The wins are different for different players. For some of them it’s about doing a skill in a 3v3 game that they’ve been practising, for others it’s having the courage to answer a question in a big group, or even volunteering to collect the bibs or footballs.”

So, what’s next for the Mawsley Wildcats? 

“Going forward we want to continue to grow the group and provide opportunities for more girls to play. We also want to use our Wildcats sessions to help grow the next generation of female coaches at the club. We’ve had seven or eight girls who currently play for Mawsley involved in supporting the Wildcats sessions, and ultimately we’d like to create a pathway to see many of them coaching their own teams and inspiring other younger girls to follow in their footsteps.”

To find out more about Mawsley Youth FC Wildcats click here.