Interview With Claire Rafferty pg.4...

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1 FOOTBALL FEVER Fifth Online Edition - December 2012 Interview With Claire Rafferty pg.4... Also in this Edition: - CLAIRE RAFFERTY INTERVIEW - SHE KICKS LATEST - LFA LATEST Merry Christmas...

2 2 FOOTBALL FEVER GOALS FOR GIRLS UPDATE... On Saturday 10th November at the Bishop Justus School in Bromley we had one of five Goals for Girls football festivals scheduled in for the season. In partnership with local Charter Standard clubs and Local Authorities the festivals will run for U9, U11 & U13 girls. Due to the success of the three festivals that were run last season, it was felt that there was a demand to run a similar series of festivals again. The festivals are for any organisation to enter such as schools, clubs and even individuals who may be looking to find a team. For this season, the U9 s will run in a 4v4 format, which allows groups of friends to enter a team, or any new team or school team who may only have the numbers for 4v4. The U11 & U13 age groups will run as 7v7 festivals. With over 13 teams in attendance, totally around 130 girls the morning was a great example of how we can bring girls together to get plenty of match time in a fun and relaxed environment without needing to keep scores and having a winner. Petts Wood Girls JFC were the local Charter Standard Club involved in this festival and were able to enter five of their teams into the festival which included two new age groups which they have established for this season. We were also pleased to welcome a couple of school teams and two other new teams again for this season, Wandsworth based Broomwood FC and Southwark based Dulwich Village FC, both of these teams have evolved from promotion in schools and word of mouth along with the hard work of the volunteers within the clubs themselves. We were very lucky to have Chelsea Ladies star Claire Rafferty in attendance, who is also a full England International and was involved in the GB Olympic squad in the summer. This was a fantastic chance for the girls to meet Claire and ask her about her experiences, and for them to get photos and autographs from her. Emma Barnes, Women s & Girls Football Development Officer says It was a fantastic morning of football for all of these girls, and it was great that Claire was able to come along to see what was going on. Being a local girl and having started her playing career not too far away, the girls were able to see what is achievable if they want progress in the game The next Goals for Girls Festival will be taking place on 23rd March 2013 in partnership with Dalmain Athletic Girls FC, at Downham Playing Fields, Lewisham, 10 12noon. There will be U9, U11 & U13 games taking place. For more information or to register please contact: emma.barnes@ londonfa.com or

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4 4 FOOTBALL FEVER PLAYER PROFILE... This Months Player Profile is on Chelsea, England and GB Left Back/ Midfielder Claire Rafferty... What made you first take up football? I first started to play football when I was about 6/7. My brother had no one to go in goal for him and so made me, I enjoyed playing so much that I stuck to it and eventually made him go in goal. Who is your biggest inspiration as you went through the game? I was recovering from an ACL reconstruc tion leading up to the games so it was a long process and the Olympics was my aim at the end of the long road. The fact that they were in my home town was a massive inspiration as well but also training alongside athletes equally hungry to be selected to be in the Olympics like Andy Turner and Adam Gemelli was a massively inspiring. Being selected for the GB Squad must have been an amazing moment, and a great achievement in your career. What were some of the highlights of being involved in the Olympic Games in London? The whole thing was such a once in a life time opportunity that it is hard to select one or even a few highlights. However with regards to football and making history in Women s Football it has to be the Brazil game at Wembley when we attracted record crowds of 70,000. The atmosphere and occasion is one that I hope can be captured in the UK. What has been the biggest moment within your footballing career? The Olympics was an amazing experience but I got limited playing time so in terms of actual football I would have to say the 2011 World Cup in Germany. I was lucky enough to take part in the Quarter final vs. France. The score at the end wasn t what we had wanted (lost on penalties) but for me that one of my biggest moments. You have been unfortunate in your career to suffer two ACL injuries, how did this affect you at the time, and what would your advice be to any young player who experiences a similar long term injury? Yes, I have been a bit unlucky to have had two huge injuries already in my career, it does test your patience, but I believe that they only make you stronger if you rehab properly and are disciplined enough to come out the other side of them. Who is the toughest player you have come up against? At international level every player is hard to play against, but I would have to say the toughest has been Elodie Thomis, simply because her pace is frightening. You were called up to the England U19 squad at just 15 years old, how did it feel to be a youngster involved in this set up? At 15 it is a bit daunting to be called up so many years above your actual age and being away from home but when you are young you are fearless so I didn t let it affect me too much. After all you have to remember that it is only a game and it is meant to be fun. What are your goals for the next 12 months, both domestically and on the international stage? At the moment we have a few weeks regeneration and then we are back into our international programmes. Next year is another big year with the Euros in Sweden. Domestically for Chelsea we go back and start pre season around January time. We are trying to build a team that will compete to win league titles and cups so that is our aim for next season. Once you have finished with your football career, which we hope will be a number of years away yet, what are your ambitions? I want to go and travel the world properly. Football takes a lot of time, dedication and commitment which means you have to postpone some things in your life. How do you think that the women s game can gain more media coverage and air time in this country? I think there has been a lot of positive steps with regards to the future of the women s game in this country. With regards to media coverage we have seen an increase it is just about keeping the ball rolling and I suppose that is down to PR and marketing teams of both club and country. I know that Chelsea are working on a new long term programme, as are most other super league clubs. We are aiming for sustainability and longevity and hopefully that will be the key to success. The word legacy has been thrown around quite a bit over the duration of the Olympics. What do you think legacy means for women s football? Yes it has, and I think rightly so. The Olympics proved that there is a high demand for women s football out there. I have had young girls come up to me saying that the Olympics is why they started playing football. The question is just how to capture that, because it won t mean anything if it gets lost.

5 ARSENAL PROGRESS IN EUROPE A Kelly Smith hat-trick saw Arsenal beat Potsdam 4-3 in an extraordinary game on Wednesday the 7th of November 2012 to progress to the quarter-finals of the Women s Champions League. The match, in which the Gunners took a 2-0 lead, was all square at 3-3 just after the hour mark, as a frenetic start to the second half produced four goals in 12 minutes, but eventually turned Arsenal s way in the 81st minute when substitute Ellen White snatched the visitors fourth. Arsenal s 2-1 win at Meadow Park last week meant the tie was nominally at least always in their hands, but following a flurry of Potsdam goals after the break it didn t always feel that way, which needed an inspired three-goal haul from Kelly Smith to ensure Arsenal s safe passage to the next round. Laura Harvey had said before the match that her players would take the game to Potsdam, and not seek simply to protect their first-leg lead. She was true to her word, fielding effectively five attackers in Kelly Smith, Gemma Davison, Kim Little, Rachel Yankey and Jordan Nobbs. Arsenal made an electric start to the match, with that quintet combining to bamboozle their hosts in the early moments. By the time Smith secured the Gunners a much-deserved lead in the 27th minute, when she converted a low centre cross from Davison, the visitors could already have had three or four. Smith s second, an almost carbon copy of her first - save for the fact that it was Alex Scott who provided the cross - again felt no more than an adventurous Arsenal warranted. The Gunners 2-0 lead 4-1 on aggregate - could well have ended the match as a meaningful contest but Bernd Shroder s side have won the Frauen Bundesliga four years on the trot, and their class told when Fifth Online Edition: December FFC TURBINE POTSDAM 3-4 ARSENAL LFC (4-6 on AGG) Karl Liebknecht Stadium (5pm K.O.) they emerged for the second half. Within two minutes of the restart Potsdam s new-found purpose had paid dividends as Antonia Goransson struck from close range to make it 2-1. This marked a 10-minute spell, in which Potsdam drew level via Keelin Winters before Smith re-established Arsenal s advantage with a coolly taken third just before the hour. Potsdam responded immediately with Goransson bundling in a second to make it 3-3. The 3,260 strong home crowd erupted, sensing the tie was turning their way at last, and the drummers that followed Potsdam to Boreham Wood FC for the first leg created an almighty din inside the Karl-Liebknecht Stadium. Harvey brought Ciara Grant on in place of Davison in an attempt to re-establish some order and Arsenal looked immediately more solid. They sprang forward in the 71st minute only for White to clatter the woodwork. But the England striker, on to replace the injured Rachel Yankey, soon went one better, when Smith turned provider to put White clean through on goal. She finished with the confidence of a player who now has three goals in her last four games. The goal left Potsdam needing three in the final 10 minutes even in the context of this match an insurmountable task and Harvey s team got over the line after a contest that acted as a brilliant advert for the women s game. The quarter-finals of the Champions League is nothing new for Harvey s side, but this tie marked a first defeat of German opposition in the Club s 25 year history. Confirmation, if it were needed, that Arsenal Ladies can compete with the finest the women s game has to offer. COMPETITION TIME England and Arsenal Striker, Kelly Smith, has released her autobiography, co-written with Lance Hardy. Her glittering career has spanned two decades, receiving loads of great accolades along the way. The book, Footballer: My Story, highlights these further. She has become an inspiration and an idol to many young and aspiring young women. Here, in this book, she tells her story. According to its blurb it is the inspirational tale of a woman with the drive to succeed despite all the obstacles thrown in her way. And the good news is a copy can be making its way to you. All you have to do is #LFAComps the answer to the following question: Tell us: How many international goals has Kelly scored for England... Good Luck. Above: London FA MCO (Marketing & Communications Officer) Sarah Hobbs with Kelly and her book...

6 6 FOOTBALL FEVER COME AND GET US... THIS SECTION IS FOR YOU TO ADVERTISE FOR COACHES, PLAYERS, ETC... Regents Park Rangers Ladies FC... Regents Park Rangers Ladies FC are looking for an experienced CENTRE BACK for our current season 2012/2013. We currently train in North West London at Paddington Recreation Ground on Tuesday evenings and play our league matches all over London on Sunday afternoons. Our Home ground is near Putney / Hammersmith and we play in the GLWF Division 1. Genuine replies only please, please provide some information about your experience, age, location, last team played and any other useful details. Contact@ regents-park-rangers@hotmail.co.uk We are a friendly, social team outside football and strive for a positive win, win attitude throughout our season Parkwood Rangers... *PLAYERS WANTED* - Women All abilities welcome - Fully qualified coach - Wednesday 6-8pm - Charlton Park (floodlit pitch) Just turn up, or contact Sarah (manager) for more info on: , valleyparkladies@gmail.com, website: Facebook: search Valley Park Ladies. There is no joining fee or commitment required so come along one Wednesday and join in with us! SEND YOUR REQUESTS FOR COACHES, PLAYERS, AND ANYTHING ELSE TO: SARAH.HOBBS@LONDONFA.COM

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8 8 FOOTBALL FEVER INTERNATIONAL NEWS Preparations underway for UEFA Women s Under-17 Championship Reported By: TheFA Preparations have already begun for England Women s U17 National Coach Lois Fidler and her staff and players for the UEFA Under-17 Finals to be held in England in November An U17 talent development camp took place over the last 4 days at St Georges Park for thirty three players born in The players represented Girls Centres Of Excellences (COEs) across the regions and selection focussed on players on the periphery of the elite end of the talent pathway. It provided new players with an opportunity to showcase their potential and experience a new level of football. Lois Fidler enjoyed the process: The camp was invaluable to our preparations and the players have had a whirlwind four days of what it takes. The aim was to find potential and we did is set to be a memorable year for our next generation of aspiring senior internationals. The FIFA Women s Coach of the Year shortlist of three will be revealed on Thursday 29th November. Hope Powell was in the initial shortlist of ten compiled by experts from the FIFA Committee for Women s Football and the FIFA Women s World Cup. Hope led England and Team GB to the Quarter Finals of the World Cup in 2011 and the Olympics respectively. The winners of this and the FIFA Ballon D Or will be revealed in a gala dinner on 7th January So more to follow in the New Year...

9 Fifth Online Edition: December LATEST... SCIENCE & FOOTBALL CONFERENCE 23rd and 24th of March 2013 Interested in player development? Interactive Areas for Product Demonstrations Alongside the practical sessions delivered by professional coaches, there will also be interactive areas for companies working in the professional football industry to demonstrate their products and latest innovations. Guarantee Your Place Now You are able to guarantee your place at the 2013 Science + Football Conference by booking on-line via our website by clicking on the image below... Creating a World Class Environment with a Football Perspective Delivered by practitioners working at the highest levels of professional football, the aim of the event is to demonstrate the key disciplines that affect player development within professional and youth football. These include: - Coaching - Sports Science - Sports Medicine - Talent Identification - Performance Analysis Practical Sessions Alongside Workshops & Presentations Located at Europe s leading indoor football facility, the London Soccerdome, the content of the Conference will consist of workshops, presentations and practical sessions delivered by leading practitioners working in professional + youth football.

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11 Fifth Online Edition: December official NEWS... YOUNG REFEREES & FEMALE OFFICIALS COLLABORATION EVENT... Pimlico Acadmey - Thursday the 6th of December 2012 On the evening of Thursday the 6th of December 2012 the London FA s Young Referee s Support Group are joining forces with the Female Officials Programme to produce a high quality and interactive session. Lucy May will be in attendance and will be speaking to the group on her experiences. Lucy is currently a Level 4 Official in the men s pyramid and opperates on the Contributory Leagues, however, she is also a Level 1 Female Official and officiates on the FA Women s Premier League and the FA Women s Super League, she has also had the privilege and honor of representing The FA abroad. There will also be talks on: Dealing With Conflict and The Things They Don t Teach You On The Course. So, a fascinting programme to keep all in attendance enthralled from beginning to end. Check in the next edition of Football Fever for a full write-up of the evening... <<< CLICK HERE >>>...To View A Flyer Of The Event...

12 12 FOOTBALL FEVER GOALS FOR GIRLS FOOTBALL FESTIVALS TH OCTOBER in partnership with Long Lane Girls FC, Greenwich 10 th NOVEMBER in partnership with Petts Wood JFC, Bishop Justus School, Bromley 23 rd MARCH in partnership with Dalmain Athletic Girls FC, Downham Playing Fields, Lewisham 27 th APRIL in partnership with Foots Cray Lions JFC, Hall Place, Bexley 25 th MAY in partnership with London FA, London Marathon Playing Fields, Greenwich ONLY 15 per team per festival Run in partnership with local Charter Standard Clubs U9-4v4 +U11 & U13 7v7 Open to Schools, Clubs & Individuals Festivals will run 10 12noon To register please , emma.barnes@londonfa.com or call **Prize draw taking place at last Festival, the more Festivals you attend the more raffle tickets your team will receive increasing your chances of winning!**

13 Fifth Online Edition: December FA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON WOMEN S FOOTBALL Forty-five County FA lead officers on women s football attended their annual two day networking session recently. Key areas on the agenda were the Game Changer, understanding issues specific to attracting female players into football, the FA Children & Young People strategy, marketing and key FA Sponsor s development programmes. For further information contact Becky Molloy on: rebecca.molloy@bsdc.ac.uk. The officers also met with representatives of both the Premier League and the Football League to discuss how the football family can work closer in the future to develop the female game. England players Rachel Brown and Karen Carney were on hand to give an insightful update on their careers so far and answered many questions from the floor. Organiser Rachel Pavlou, FA National Development Manager said the feedback from these two days has been fantastic and it s really important both to explain national initiatives and share good local practice. If the County FAs implement all that they say they are going to then there will be some great initiatives going on all around the country to sustain and grow the female game. The application process to be part of the 2012/13 FA National Game Youth Council will close on 30th November. Applicants must be aged between 14 and 24, actively engaged in volunteering in football and affiliated to a Football Futures Programme. For further information and application forms please contact Stuart.Brown@thefa.com. England women s football players Rachel Unitt and Karen Carney attended The Skills Show at The NEC Birmingham, the UK s biggest skills and careers event on 15th November, Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) was an official sponsor of the event and invited the players to help inspire the young people attending. John Beaty, Vice Principal at Burton and South Derbyshire College said: BSDC learners at The Skills Show provided an outstanding display of skills and talent and we are extremely proud of them all. The event was the centrepiece and culmination of a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness and recognition of the importance of vocational skills and careers. We were delighted to sponsor and get involved in The Skills Show, helping to inspire the next generation of learners.

14 14 FOOTBALL FEVER NOTICEBOARD & IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY... Event... Female ONLY Just Play Event... Young Referees & Female Referees Collaboration Event... Female ONLY Just Play Event... Female Only Level 1 Coaching Course... Goals For Girls... Goals For Girls... Date... Thursday the 6th of December Thursday the 6th of December Thursday the 13th of December th to the 11th of April Saturday 27th of April Saturday 25th of May Venue... Archbishop Sumner School, Kennington... Pimlico Academy, Pimlico... Archbishop Sumner School, Kennington... University of East London, Sports Dock... Foots Cray Lions JFC, Hall Place, Bexley... London Marathon Playing Fields, Greenwich... Keep track and up to date with events that might be of interest to you. Can also do this via our website:

15 Fifth Online Edition: December WOMEN & GIRLS - USEFUL CONTACTS... This is the 5th online edition of Football Fever, the series of monthly e-newsletters produced for all areas of Women s & Girls football by the staff of The London Football Association Limited. FOOTBALL FEVER 5TH ONLINE EDITION - DECEMBER 2012