The Bermuda Football Association is aiming to build on the success of the under-17 women’s national team by putting plans in place to launch a girls’ league in January.

Don Vickers, the assistant director of technical development, said a thriving girls’ league will eventually feed into a senior league, which has been missing for several years.

The recent success of the Bermuda Under-17 side in qualifying for the Concacaf Championship, to be held in Nicaragua next year, proved to be a tremendous boost for women’s football on the island.

“We’re looking to get as many teams as possible, but bear in mind we have to have resources available, such as coaches,” Vickers said. “We want to encourage schools to get involved. We’re keeping our age brackets very flexible. We want to make sure there are opportunities.”

The BFA’s long-term goal is a thriving senior league for women.

“That’s coming,” Vickers said. “Right now we want to establish it at grassroots level and then move it into the women. [There has] been a very good response.

“All the kids from the established clubs are welcome to come as well. We want to have good coaches, get them on to teams and in January hit the ground running.

“The success of the under-17s also came from girls playing with boys, but not every girl wants to play with boys. We want to provide an avenue for girls to play with their peers.

“If we can get the formula right with the girls, then we can have a sustainable adult league, and ultimately an adult senior women’s national team. That’s what we don’t have.”

Last evening the BFA launched the “Building Girls Football” initiative, with a training programme at BFA Field for junior players from ages 5 and over.

“The Bermuda Football Association has always worked to create a supportive, developmental football programme for young girls in Bermuda,” the BFA said in a statement.

“This goal reinforces the commitment by the BFA to provide a league for young players to grow and enhance their skills.

“Following attempts to develop a sustained women’s league in 2012, a girls’ football working group was formed in September 2017 to reinvigorate the concept of a girls league.

“Along with support from the BFA, other members of the girls’ football working group include BHS Football Club, Warwick Academy Football Club, ABC Football School and B-Pro.”

The sessions will be held every Tuesday evening until December 12, providing an opportunity for girls to develop their skills while learning from qualified coaches.

•For more information, contact Don Vickers at adtdadmin@bermudafootball.com