Lionesses and Minsterbelles inspire York girls football

At 11am, playing fields across York may be silent as families get together to cheer the biggest match of the England stars' careers being played 10,000 miles away in Australia.

A girls team in the north of the city will be shouting for the England players who have helped shape football as a living, breathing part of their everyday lives – and introduced them to new friends and important life skills.

Strensall Tigers FC runs four all-girl teams among its roster of 23 squads, where coaches and parents have identified that regular training, preparation and teamwork during games can reap rewards off the pitch.

York City Ladies Golden Boot holder gave some tips on making space on the pitch and communicating with each other (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Club secretary Vicky Parkinson, like so many dedicated parents who muck in, found herself in the role after putting her hand up for something else when her daughter joined the team.

She explained how playing has done wonders for her daughter’s confidence and providing another set of friends who are almost a family.

Most of the under-12s Tigresses team are not in education together and will be entering secondary school for the first time after the holidays.

There has been an 89% growth in teams entering the City of York Girls League over the last 3 seasons! 📈 #NorthRidingFootball #FIFAWWC #WomenInFootball pic.twitter.com/HGjqVrV2wI

— North Riding FA (@NorthRidingFA) July 23, 2023

Girls secretary and dad Tony Turner explained how seeing a team mate on that first day at big school in September, or even an opponent of another team, will be reassuring.

He said: “They’ve got girls they’ve played football with, but also against.

“These girls can go ‘I already know her – they’re my teammates, we look out for each other’.”

Tony’s daughter Olivia was one of the squad who received a special coaching session from Fliss Jones, a player with York City Ladies - the Minsterbelles - the night before England’s semi-final win against Australia.

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Having been a ballgirl at York City she was excited to meet Fliss and gain some coaching tips about improving her game.

Olivia is a midfielder and said Fliss was showing her some new skills to help her get past opponents.

Coaches, parents and players all benefited from the visit (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Fliss, 18, also a community coach with York City FC Foundation, was first introduced to football as a five-year-old with little choice but to return the ball kicked at her by her older brother.

She explained how as a player growing through the successes of the women’s national team through last year’s Euro 2022 and the march to Sunday’s world cup final have created the perfect springboard for the game.

She said: “It’s only going to go up from here, that’s the only way it can go.

“The world cup has shown that so many people are interested in it.

“People are going to invest more time into female football and a lot of research has gone into it these past few years as well.

“More people understand the female game, why it differs from the men’s in some aspects.

“There’s just going to be so many more opportunities for these girls that are here today, in five or 10 years to make more of it.

“Rather than it just be a hobby, they’re going to have so many opportunities to go far with it.”

Fliss said York City FC Foundation hopes to carry out more training and coaching sessions (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Members of the Under-12s squad have been glued to the games and picked out England stars captain Millie Bright for her strength on the pitch, Lucy Bronze and Chloe Kelly - and most had been to see York City Ladies as well as Women's Super League teams.

Fliss explained how part of her coaching to the girls on-the-field – communication, teamwork and being strong for each other - helps to balance the views from those who have a different perception on the viability of the female game.

She said: “I think it’s very important at a young age to stick together.

“One thing I’ve really liked about coming down to Strensall – the girls all support each other and that’s very important when it comes to people giving them a bit of backlash for playing female football.

“If they all support each other, one voice can’t outdo everyone else’s voice.”

Jonny Lea said his daughter Domino’s recent introduction to sessions at Strensall Tigresses were her first experience of organised football outside of school kickarounds.

He said: “There’s a common interest, something to talk about because it’s football.

“What happened in the Euros with the Lionesses last year, has had a massive influence.

“I played football as a kid. There were never girls teams like this.

“There was a girl on the team, occasionally and by the time you got to 11, it was unheard of.

“The club itself has been really supportive, right from the get go.

“They’ve been fantastic and you couldn’t ask for a nicer group of girls.”

Andy Luff is a coach and dad, who with his daughter Freya comes across from Dringhouses, on the other side of the city.

He explained how he’s witnessed first-hand that the application from coaching sessions and dedication has delivered rewards.

He said: “Getting in with a new group of girls has given her a lot more confidence out-of-school.

“It’s all about communication and the girls listening.

“We wouldn’t turn up to training every Tuesday night if the girls weren’t going to listen to us and pay attention to us.

“We put our time and effort into it and I think the girls understand that.”

He also went on to say that if the girls can take on what they pick up at training and in games to their education they’ll be fine – although both Andy and Tony said their daughters’ first item for the new school agenda was ‘have they got a football team?’.

Emma Sanderson explained how her daughter Maisy also lives and breathes the game and like many of her teammates, is in the year group ahead of her own age, despite the club having a surfeit of players.

She said the coaches have been fantastic and although the world cup is massive, it’s great that local stars like Fliss can inspire her daughter.

Despite having been to Old Trafford and seen England's women live, Emma said when the York City Ladies player came over for the first time it was like Maisy had met a superhero.

Domino, Olivia and Maisy signed off with a confident prediction for the semi-final – a win for England.

If the grassroots game across the UK for girls mirrors the spirit, teamwork and enthusiasm of this group of lionesses - or tigresses – maybe future victories are assured.