Getting Your Daughter Into Football: A Conversation With Girls United
If you are new to girls' football, the questions usually come before the first session. Is there anywhere near us? Will she know anyone? What if she has never played and everyone else has? And once she has started, how do you help without becoming the parent shouting from the touchline?
Football Parent put ten of those questions to Girls United, a football organisation that runs girls' clubs and sessions in London and Mexico. The answers came from three of their London team, Lucien Hodgson, Robert Wright and Abigail Ingram, who asked to be credited together as the Girls United team. Their answers are below, in their own words.
About Girls United
The Girls United Team
Girls United, London
Girls United is a football organisation providing opportunities for girls and young women through sport, with programmes in London and Mexico, including its Play Like a Girl sessions in South London. This interview was answered by three of the London team: Lucien Hodgson, London Marketing Lead; Robert Wright, London Programme Lead for FC and Fixtures; and Abigail Ingram, London Manager, who has run the London club since 2019 and studied Sport Science with a coaching pathway at Brunel University. Find out more on their website or follow them on Instagram.
What Has Changed for Girls in the Last Ten Years
Football Parent asks
For parents completely new to girls' football, what opportunities are available today that perhaps didn't exist 5 to 10 years ago?
The Girls United Team • London
Many current England players had no choice but to play in boys' teams because there were no all-girls programmes in their area, whereas now girls can find girls-only sessions and teams in far more places, and participation among women and girls has risen 56% over the last four years.
Schools have changed too, with 2.6 million girls now having equal access to football in PE after the government pledged in 2023 that girls and boys should be able to play the same sports in lessons and extra-curricular clubs.
The Less Obvious Barriers
Football Parent asks
What are some of the less obvious barriers that can stop girls getting into football or staying involved?
The Girls United Team • London
Cost, transport and parents' work hours can make it hard to get to sessions, and having more venue options closer to where girls actually live would go a long way toward cutting down that travel burden.
Confidence is often the real barrier underneath the practical ones, as some girls feel self-conscious about starting something new or don't have anyone in their family or community who plays.
Others have clashing commitments like church or other activities, and girls with no sporting background can feel like they're already behind before they start.
Helping a Nervous Girl Love the Game
Football Parent asks
How can parents help their daughters grow a love of the game, especially if they are nervous or do not know many other girls who play?
The Girls United Team • London
Take her to watch a local women's team, whether that's professional or your local Sunday league, or stream matches online if getting there isn't possible.
If you're in South London, come to a Girls United Play Like a Girl session, where players feel comfortable even if they've never played or don't know anyone.
Staying positive and encouraging her to be active, rather than putting pressure on results, goes a long way, and if you're not local, find your nearest girls team and try it out, as the game is growing and opportunities are easier to find now.
The Most Common Parent Mistakes
Football Parent asks
What are the most common mistakes parents make when trying to support a daughter's football development?
The Girls United Team • London
A big one is coaching from the sideline. It can contradict what the coach is asking for and distract the player, and it adds pressure that can spoil the atmosphere for everyone.
It's also easy to start living through your daughter's game, and she can feel that.
What Coaches Look For Beyond Technical Ability
Football Parent asks
What qualities do coaches look for in young girls beyond technical ability?
The Girls United Team • London
Coaches want players who have a willingness to learn, who are focused, and who pay attention. A growth mindset matters a lot, as does being able to take feedback and actually put it into practice.
At Girls United, we also look at how players develop life skills alongside their football.
When She's Talented but Lacks Confidence
Football Parent asks
What advice would you give to parents whose daughter is talented but lacks confidence?
The Girls United Team • London
Confidence doesn't just build on its own from showing up, so it helps to understand what's actually affecting hers, whether that's a specific skill, a fear of getting things wrong in front of others, or something off the pitch entirely.
Talk to her coach about it, as they can help build a purposeful plan to develop her confidence rather than leaving it to chance. Being deliberate about this makes a real difference, alongside the friendships and familiarity that come from attending regularly.
What the Most Improved Players Have in Common
Football Parent asks
Have you seen any common traits among players who make the biggest improvements over time?
The Girls United Team • London
The players who improve most tend to show real determination, they keep working even when a session is hard or they're not getting it right straight away.
They're positive communicators too, both with coaches and teammates, and that openness makes it easier for them to take feedback on board and actually apply it.
That combination of determination, communication and a genuine willingness to learn is what we see driving the biggest improvements.
Choosing a Club or Programme
Football Parent asks
What should parents look for when choosing a football club or development programme for their daughter?
The Girls United Team • London
Look for a club that is active in its local community and uses qualified, well supported coaches. It's also worth checking that staff genuinely understand women and girls in sport and actively advocate for a positive, inclusive environment.
Extra opportunities off the pitch, like events and activities that bring players and families together, are a good sign too.
Support Without Pressure
Football Parent asks
How can parents best support their daughter's football development without creating unnecessary pressure?
The Girls United Team • London
Be a positive, encouraging voice from the sideline and cheer for the whole team, so she feels good being active and enjoys the space rather than dreading being judged in it.
Seeing visible role models, whether that's coaches, older players or professionals, helps her picture herself sticking with the game. Always support her to get to sessions and matches as consistently as possible.
The Future of Girls' Football
Football Parent asks
What excites you most about the future of girls' football in England?
The Girls United Team • London
The game is growing fast. More girls are playing, more opportunities are being created, and it's getting easier every year to find a place to start.
Final Thoughts
The thread running through every answer is that the first job is getting her there, and keeping her coming back. The practical barriers are real, but Girls United put confidence underneath most of them: the girl who has never played, who doesn't know anyone, or who feels behind before she has started.
For parents, that comes down to a few things you control. Find a girls' session close enough that getting there isn't a weekly battle, and give it time, because familiarity and friendships do a lot of the confidence work. Cheer for the whole team and leave the coaching to the coach, which is one of the most common football parent mistakes at any age. If she has ability but holds back, treat it as something to work on with her coach on purpose, alongside the habits in our guide to building confidence in young footballers. And when you are choosing where she plays, the questions in our comparison of girls' academy and grassroots football are a good place to start.
If she later wants to try for a higher level, our guides to how girls' football academies work and girls' football trials explain what comes next. For more from Girls United, follow them on Instagram at @girlsunitedfa.
Editor's Note
The views expressed in this interview are those of the Girls United team. Football Parent regularly interviews coaches and experts to present a range of evidence-informed perspectives on youth football.
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- Girls Academy vs Grassroots Football
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- When Your Child Is Struggling in Football
- What to Say After Football Matches
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