Aussie youngsters enjoy Live Your Goals

   

Australia’s young female players are the latest to enjoy FIFA’s Live Your Goals festival.

Threatening clouds and light rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of over 100 school-aged attendees in Sydney on Saturday, in the first such event held Down Under.

The FIFA Live Your Goals programme - one of the world governing body’s primary initiatives for women’s football - aims to create awareness and to develop football for girls and women in their respective countries.

The youngsters on hand at the home of Football NSW enjoyed skill-based activities and small-sided games, as well as also having the opportunity to meet some of Australia’s top players.

Current Matildas and Australian ‘Live Your Goals’ Ambassadors Elise Kellond-Knight, Lisa De Vanna and Steph Catley were all on hand to assist the young attendees, and at the same time act as role-models to aspiring footballers.

“It was really enjoyable, but also great to see so many young players come out in pretty average weather,” said Kellond-Knight.

“I certainly never had the chance to go to an all female football event was I was young.

                    We did a signing session at the end and all the kids without fail said

                         they had a great time. It was quite relaxed but loads of fun.

                          Australia Live Your Goals ambassador Elise Kellond-Knight

“There was lots of interactive stuff. We had two age groups - in the morning with the youngsters was about all getting involved and just simply having fun, and in the afternoon we had the chance to do more skill-related activities with the older players.

“We did a signing session at the end and all the kids, without fail, said they had a great time. It was quite relaxed but loads of fun.”

FIFA launched the Live Your Goals campaign in 2011 to get more young girls and women around the world interested in football, and also inspire them to get involved and create positive experiences.

Football Federation Australia aims to take roll-out the FIFA Live Your Goals programme around the country in the future.