FALLS AND SHANKILL COACHES HAIL CROSS-COMMUNITY ETHOS OF GIRLS' FOOTBALL ACADEMY

One is a mad Celtic fan from the Falls, the other is a die-hard Rangers supporter from the Shankill.

Together they are the passionate football coaches behind a thriving girls' academy located in the heart of West Belfast.

Newhill FC has been in existence since 1973, but their girls' section was only launched three years ago thanks to the vision of Liam Conlon and Taylor Dalton.

Read more: NI bosses making impact in Britain while those in south 'leave no footprint'

Read more: Belfast boxer opens up on sacrifice, family inspiration and title ambitions

Now they have several teams, starting from 2018/19s to 2010s, catering for over 60 children every week.

Such has been the success of the academy, the club kicked off a brand new first team four weeks ago which will offer the youngsters a pathway to senior football.

Liam said: "The club itself has been going about 50 years, but we only set the girls' section up three years ago. And the senior ladies was only formed about four or five weeks ago, so it is relatively new.

"We start with tots, 2018/19, right up to 2010s. And then you move up to senior level after that. That's why we brought in a senior team, so there is that pathway.

"The interest in the community has been massive. It has been really grown over the last couple of years. We started off with five kids for the first few months, and now we have over 60 players playing in different leagues across the country."

Liam added: "Initially we had a wee tots training group, and it was a mix of boys and girls. Then Taylor and I decided to set something up. Taylor was involved in girls' coaching, and I was bringing my own wee girl up to the tots. Then Taylor started coaching them on their own.

"He agreed to take the girls away and train them on their own, and start up a team in the FonaCab Development League. We started with a handful of players which suddenly turned into 10 players, then 15, and every week there were new players coming along.

"I was all for it. And I got more involved as the academy grew. We only planned to start a girls' team, not a full-blown academy. But that's the way it has grown and grown.

"It has proved so popular, and there wouldn't be much better around West Belfast. I tell every parent if they bring their child to training here, they will love it. It is like a family we have, a real community. We are based on the Whiterock Road area, but half our team come across from the Shankill and other areas."

Liam believes his burgeoning partnership with Rangers-daft Taylor is a positive dynamic for the kids they coach, and helps break down any barriers that may exist.

"Taylor and I slag each other when Rangers play Celtic, and then we show up to training together the next day. We try to normalise that. I am very proud of how we do things here," Liam said.

"Taylor is from the Shankill, and I am from the Falls. So there is a strong cross-community ethos which it hugely important to us.

"I am so proud of how it has gone. The credit is all down to the players and parents, we just do the coaching. But I never imagined it going this well, so soon. The kids come from all over, and that is something I am very proud of."

Newhill can now boast a senior ladies' team which aims to enter a competitive league next season. Between now and then they have organised several friendlies, including a high-profile game against Celtic this summer.

Liam, who manages the seniors, said: "The senior team is relatively new and we are just getting it up and running. Everything has gone really too well so far.

"When we set up the girls' academy, our dream was to have a pathway for kids to eventually play senior football. We never really had that. Things snowballed and the opportunity came about to have a senior team.

"A couple of girls came to me saying there was nothing for their age group. So I said if there were players interested then I would set it up for them.

"We now have 25 players in the space of four weeks. We will go into a league next season, but for the time being we have arranged a lot of friendlies to keep the girls busy and interested.

"And that's why the Celtic game was important as it gives the girls something to look forward to. They are are loving the training, but it is nice to give them games.

"They need an end goal when they are training. They are a great bunch."

Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox

2024-05-06T14:13:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd