PlayStation Schools’ Cup and Steph Houghton team up to support Girls Football Week

Thursday 27 October 2016By ESFA Office

Last Updated:
10/02/2021 10:49:54

Steph Houghton met and trained with East Manchester Academy's Girls' U14 PlayStation Schools' Cup Squad.

It proved a dream school day for over 70 pupils at East Manchester Academy as Manchester City and England women’s captain Steph Houghton made a surprise visit to support the English Schools’ FA (ESFA) PlayStation Schools’ Cup.

As well as helping encourage female participation in the PlayStation Schools’ Cup, the event coincided with Girls Football Week, an initiative set up by The FA. The ESFA PlayStation Schools’ Cup, now in its fourth season, is the biggest schools’ football tournament in England, alone featuring over 15,000 girls taking part in this year’s competitions.

Steph Houghton, who recently captained Manchester City to their first ever Women’s Super League title, gave the 70 pupils the chance to quiz her about her football career during a Q&A. As part of the visit, Steph spent time to put the 16 girls, aged between 13 and 15, from the East Manchester Academy team through a football training drill, ahead of the team playing in the next round of the PlayStation Schools’ Cup. The young female players all jumped at the chance to get Steph Houghton’s autograph at the end of the training session.

Steph Houghton explained: “I was delighted to be asked by PlayStation Schools’ Cup to help support Girls Football Week. Being able to pass on some advice to the girls from East Manchester Academy certainly proved a fitting occasion to help increase female participation in football.”

We would like to say a big thank you to Steph Houghton for being such a great inspiration for involving more girl footballers in this season’s PlayStation Schools’ Cup. The way she interacted with the girls was fantastic and they seemed to really take on board the advice she gave the girls on the pitch. Our appreciation also attends to East Manchester Academy for being such welcome hosts and to the PlayStation Schools' Cup for the fantastic support they provide for our U12 - U15 National Cup competitions.

 

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