Girls Super League and Girls United Takeover Wembley Stadium!
On Thursday 17th November 2022, 160 young footballers from Girls Super League and Girls United were invited to the iconic Wembley Stadium for an unforgettable evening of football on the Wembley pitch and off-pitch workshops hosted by Nike and Football Beyond Borders.
As the players gathered under the floodlights, this once in a lifetime experience was kicked off by the dynamic duo, Mollie and Rosie Kmita, with their contagious energy setting the tone for a fun-filled, educational event at the Home of English Football.
The first round of activities kicked off in the famous Wembley changing rooms – that sacred space where world class players can shut out the noise and mentally prepare before stepping out onto the pitch in front of thousands of fans. This evening, the changing rooms had been transformed into yoga studios, with instructors Sam Vora and Zhila White guiding the players to discover their inner calm.
The girls were challenged with core strength exercises and were eager to try out new movements. Meanwhile, Sam and Zhila faced a challenge of their own in trying to reign in the excitement of the players, who were simply buzzing to be at Wembley!
In the second off pitch workshop, female and non-binary practitioners from the organisation Football Beyond Borders spoke about their journeys in football, and asked the girls to reflect on the question, “What makes you, you?”
Whilst each player focused on mapping their own personal identity, the vulnerability in the resulting conversations created a sense of community and togetherness. The group developed even stronger connections through an activity that asked them to name 5 things that make them who they are, and 5 things they are proud of, which brought to light many shared experiences and relatable feelings.
Following this meaningful workshop from FBB, it was time for the girls to play some football on the very same pitch where the Lionesses were crowned Champions of Europe! And what better way to do it, than with coaching sessions from Tottenham Women’s Head Coach, Rehanne Skinner, and England and Arsenal legend, Rachel Yankey. Practicing new drills with guidance and encouragement from these iconic women in football is something that will stick with the girls for many years to come.
As the activities concluded, the players were given one last opportunity to leave it all on the pitch with a round of 7-a-side matches. The girls played like champions, with an impressive display of skills, tackles and goals.
The evening came to a close with Tottenham Hotspurs player Asmita Ale joining Rachel Yankey and Rehanne Skinner for a Q&A session hosted by Mollie and Rosie. The room was suddenly quiet as the girls listened captivated, showing a real sense of admiration and respect towards the guest speakers who highlighted the importance of female representation in football and across sports as a whole.
Finally, the players were surprised with some prizes when official Lionesses jerseys were presented to participants who displayed exceptional levels of teamwork and fair play over the course of the evening. It was amazing to see all the players coming together to recognise the achievements of their outstanding teammates.
It’s not everyday that you can tell your classmates that you’ve played football at the iconic Wembley Stadium, but thanks to Girls Super League, all 160 girls aged 12-16 will be able to share memories of this incredible experience for a long time!
