Girls show up in droves for free soccer sessions in Whitehorse

A program to give Whitehorse girls a go at soccer is netting droves of fans.

Whitehorse United Football Club is offering sessions throughout April to learn the sport's basics, without committing to a whole season.

Coach Johanna Smith initially hoped a handful of regulars would come along — and perhaps a few new players.

"We were really surprised to have over 80 participants on the first day," she said.

That momentum has grown, with over 100 Grade 2 to 6 participants at each of the following three sessions.

Smith estimates that's about 15 per cent of all the girls in that age group in Whitehorse.

She said the secret to the programs popularity is putting soccer in a "safe and accessible format." The indoor sessions are free, for all levels of experience, and require no long-term commitment.

But a particular highlight for the players is the opportunity to try the sport away from boys.

A group of seven-year-old players described the event to CBC News as the best thing in the world.

"Girls... they actually pass," said 10-year-old Kate.

Players dribble the ball in a free girls soccer session this week. Coach Johanna Smith says the program is designed to put soccer in a "safe and accessible format". The sessions are free, indoor, for all levels of experience, and require no long-term commitment. (Katie Todd/CBC)

Parent Ciaran Connolly said he'd noticed at 10-year-old daughter's age, some boys could be "exceptionally athletic."

"Sometimes there are just a little bigger, maybe a little forceful. If the girls are with the boys at this age they'll tend to take over. So what happens, I think anyhow from what I've seen, is that some of the girls just become a little less interested," he said.

He said the soccer sessions had become a weekly highlight for his daughter Bronna.

"As you can see, like there's so many girls here right now. I mean, it would be just fantastic pool of girls to choose from to make different soccer teams."

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Matty Marnik said the sessions had sparked an immediate interest in soccer for his eight-year-old daughter Mira.

"Mira's hard of hearing and team sports can be challenging for hard of hearing folks. But then I read about soccer being a easy sport to get into for hard of hearing kids. The fact that it's here, it's free, it's all girls in age groups... she was just really excited to try it out," he said.

"Every time afterwards she's like, 'is it [on again] tomorrow?' I'm like, 'no, it's it's a two more days.' And so she definitely wants to count down until these happen. And she's wanting to watch women's soccer on TV, watching highlight reels."

Whitehorse United Football Club Coach Johanna Smith says she was "really surprised" at the turnout - but thrilled. She hopes to eventually convert some of the participation into team registration. (Katie Todd/CBC)

Smith, the coach, said the objective was to eventually convert some of the participation into registration.

"We at the club, Whitehorse United, do have female specific or gender specific teams and programming starting at age seven and eight and moving up. So [we] are already trying to create those environments that cater to different different groups and abilities."

But for now, the Tuesday and Thursday evening sessions are no strings attached, she said.

"It's totally fine if you only come out for one and haven't come out yet, we'd encourage you to come and give it a try," Smith said.

"We spend some time doing a warm up activity, some games, we do a few soccer specific skills and then we play a game — because what we know about soccer is that, really, it's about playing the game."