Do you know a future Lioness? If you can see it, she can be it.
#DiscoverMyTalent
Have you got an amazing young female player on your team? Has she got what it takes to grow from grassroots to greatness? Could she become a Lioness of the future?
Yes? Here’s your chance to refer a player and she could take her first step on the Women’s England Talent Pathway. The Referral Window is open from the 1 September to 30 September 2023 so now’s the perfect time to act. Last season we saw over 3500 unique referrals and a host of talent that we wouldn’t have discovered without your support.
We need coaches and clubs, volunteers, match officials, teachers or anyone else working with young players who see potential to put forward your players.
We’re looking for players who are eligible to represent England, who are born between 2006 and 2010, this could even include players who excel in other sports who may have transferable skills! We want to give them the opportunity to access our inclusive and accessible pathway and importantly they will continue to play in their existing environment, wherever that may be.
Our aim is to ensure we supply England teams with the quality, diversity and depth of players to enable England to win another major tournament. In pursuit of this ambition, we’re leaving no stone unturned when it comes to finding future talent across England.
So, it’s over to you. If you have a player in mind, all you need to do is refer her by filling in our Player Referral Form and we will do the rest.
Watch the ‘Future Lioness Characteristics’ videos below to gain more insight on what we are looking for and if you still want to refer a player then please click here to view the Player Referral Form.
The types of Playing Environments players are referred from
There are 11 regionalised Future Lionesses Goalkeeping Centres across England, 10 delivered by the FA Women’s High Performance Football Centres and an additional Centre delivered by West Riding County FA.
The Centres offer a specialised goalkeeping support programme to female goalkeepers with talent and potential, who play in a variety of different playing environments.
Girls attending a Future Lionesses Goalkeeping Centre can still register and play competitively for their club team, the centre simply provides an additional unique goalkeeping experience once a week.
Goalkeepers can be recommended or invited to attend the centre through a number of ways, including a referral through the FA Discover My Talent Programme, from regional FA Talent Technical Coaches (TTC), an FA Talent Reporter, club coaches, club officials, referees and others. In some cases, a selection process may also take place.
The Future Lionesses Goalkeeping Centre programme typically runs from September – May and provides one session per week lasting 1.5 hours (classroom and pitch).
The goalkeepers will develop their understanding of the England Goalkeeping DNA, receive 6 weekly feedback and will be provided with a ‘Player Learning Log’, whilst our coaches will have the opportunity to develop through mentorship, become part of a ‘Community of Goalkeeping Coaches’ and receive specific online CPD on a bi-monthly basis.
For more information about the Future Lionesses Goalkeeping Centres in your Region, please download our Centre Contacts document below:
We collectively recognise that ethnicity, social class and demographics should not be a barrier for success and that to ensure we have an accessible and inclusive entry into our Talent Pathway, the 53 Community Club Organisations who deliver on this programme can inspire and engage with girls playing in the heart of their local communities.
The EFL Trust Female Talent Inclusion programme aims to ensure that through existing activities delivered by each Club, female players with potential can be referred into our Talent Pathway and supported in their own environment.
To find out more about the EFL Talent Inclusion Programme and which clubs are involved please email nmeredith@efltrust.com
Girls playing in grassroots football have access to many different formats of the game, some for fun such as Wildcats and Squad Girls and others which are more competitive including those girls who play in competitive leagues with and against other girls and those who play with and against boys in Mixed Football.
Regardless of a girls playing environment, grassroots football provides us with a great opportunity to find hidden talent and we are working with our local County FA networks, through localised Clubs and Leagues, as well as recreational football providers to help us discover hidden talent. For more information about Girls Football please click here.
Our aim is to give every girl equal access to football in school by 2024 and in doing so, we increase the number of girls participating and playing the game. By giving more girls opportunities to play, we also give girls further opportunities to develop their skills and develop in environments that can support them both on and off the pitch. These are the types of players who could one day be a Future Lioness and whilst we know plenty of girls play football in grassroots, we also know that there is plenty of hidden talent that may only have the opportunity to play in school.
We’re searching for talented girls who love sport aged between 12 - 16, who could be part of the Future England Women’s Team. Do you know a pupil who loves to learn like Ella Toone? Stays on the ball like Chloe Kelly. Or is creative with the ball like Nikita Parris?
For more information about football in Education please click here.
Did you know The FA has a PARA Football Talent Pathway for Female players which progresses into PARA National Teams.
The following impairments are included within the PARA Talent Pathway;
Deaf - Outfield
Deaf - Goalkeeper
Visually Impaired (B1 - B3) - Outfield
Cerebral Palsy - Outfield or Goalkeeper
For more information about the Para Pathway click here.
Future Lionesses Talent ID Events
Our Women's England Talent ID Events are delivered both by the FA and a cohort of trusted partners and organisations who we have selected to help us unearth hidden talent across England.
Players who have been recommended to us via the referral process may be invited to attend one of these events and they are just one of the many ways we can consider a player.
Whichever type of event players are seen at, they are all considered in the same way, using our Future Lioness Characteristics to benchmark players.
Women's England Regional Talent Management Groups
For players who have been identified through our future Lionesses Talent ID activity, there will be a regional offer of support to provide best v best, stretch and challenge opportunities (inc v boys) to support top talent at focus age groups in region, enabling our pathway staff to have a greater knowledge of players in their regions and to prioritise individualised support for players.
Players will be individually invited into this group based on age and what we consider to be the right opportunity, for the right player at the right time.