JERSEY Bulls FC further highlighted aspirations of creating a women’s team by welcoming two professional coaches to Springfield for a three-day training camp.
Twenty-six of the Island’s best young female players took part, led by Casey Lynchey and Angela Smith.
Lynchey is the head of women’s football at Bury FC, the co-founder of the Female Football Factory and a UEFA qualified coach, while Smith is the former general manager at Stoke City Women, as well as a former professional squash player.
One of the key drivers in organising the training camp was Jersey Bulls marketing and media executive Lauren Trachy.
“I am always looking for ways that more can be done for female footballers in Jersey,” Trachy said.
“Being a player myself, a lot has changed since I was a youngster but there’s still a lot that can be done.
“I’ve followed the Bulls men’s team since their formation, volunteering for the club the past four seasons and now I want to help drive the club to form a women’s team.
“By getting professional, high-level coaches over from the UK, it shows our determination and commitment to creating more opportunities locally for female football players.”
Speaking on the coaches themselves, Trachy continued: “Angela Smith came over with Stoke City last season to deliver some sessions to school children over a few days, and I met with her (as a club representative) and we discussed what the club want to achieve with the creation of a women’s team.
“Since then, she was interested in helping us one way or another.
“When I mentioned that we wanted to run this training camp, she was immediately interested in coming to coach and kindly helped organise getting a second coach over too in Casey Lynchey.”
Smith’s keenness on women’s football on Island was clear to see: “The standard of the camp was excellent, myself and Casey were really impressed.
“I think the formation of a Bulls women’s team is exactly what the Island game needs.
“The main issue faced clearly is a lack of competition. Getting a team over to the UK is expensive, but there are people who are capable of offering support and that would go such a long way to growing the sport over here.
“These girls we saw in this camp are either currently, or will be the next role models of the game in Jersey and we need to ensure they have the best opportunities possible to play at the best level they can.”
Trachy added: “The sessions themselves were intense, but great fun.
“The coaches were great and we really saw a positive change in the players over the few days.
“The players really enjoyed the sessions. We don’t really get the opportunity to take part in this kind of thing, especially with coaches from the mainland, so the players really put their all in.”
Bury FC head of women’s football Casey Lynchey said: “It was a real honour to be asked to come over and share my thoughts with these girls, I was extremely impressed.
“The passion for football is clear to see throughout, but these girls need help to continue to challenge to play more regularly.
“The plan of introducing the Bulls women’s team so they can play off Island and have more competition is exactly what is needed, I think.
“We tried to put the girls through their paces and see if they could cope, but they responded superbly and that really showed myself and Angela that the hunger is definitely there.”
Trachy concluded: “We want this event to show that we are really wanting to create the women’s team and that we want to offer opportunities like this more often.
“This all relies on sponsorship, however.
“We have a range of opportunities available at all cost levels, so any business wanting to get more local or national exposure can contact myself or any club representative to find out more.
“With the recent formation of the Jersey Bulls Community Foundation, hopefully they will be able to help us raise money through grants and donations so that we’re able to offer more to local female footballers.”
