FAW Women and Girls' Academy Project

We are conducting a mixed-method, multidisciplinary, longitudinal study to evaluate the impact of the FAW “Women and Girls Project” aimed at improving young female player development across the pillars of performance (e.g., physical, technical, tactical, psychosocial). Specifically, the FAW have registered their U14s and U16s national girls teams (one Northern and one Southern team in each age group due to geographical and logistical issues) into the North and South boys academy league with the view that playing against boys would increase the amount of competition the female players would experience and thus enhance opportunities for player development.

To understand the efficacy of this approach, researchers at USW, Swansea University, Bangor University, and Hartpury University are aiming to:

Assess female players’ physical, technical, tactical and psychosocial development as a result of competing in the boy’s academy league.
Explore the impact of the change in context on the national girls’ teams’ coaches
Examine the role and experience of the female players’ parents as a result of their children competing in a boy’s league.