Hundreds of girls showcased their talent as they took part in last week’s SPAR Future Stars Cup final day at Broadwood Stadium near Cumbernauld. 6 hours of non-stop football was attended by more than 400 girls from all over the country, hosted by SPAR Scotland.
Local and regional rounds saw more than 3,000 young girls aged 12-16 take part. A total of 300 teams from 200 schools entered the competition, this was whittled down to teams from 34 schools around Scotland which took part in the showcase event.
Aimed at S1-S4 pupils, the football competition is a platform for young girls to play in a competitive, fun and friendly tournament which was run by Scottish FA community coaches.
Scotland Women’s National Team Head Coach Pedro Martinez Losa attended the event along with SWNT forward Lauren Davidson – both helped present medals and the trophy to the winners across both age groups.
S1/2 Winners: Braeview Academy - Runner-up: St Ninians HS
S3/4 Winners: Holy Cross HS - Runner-up: James Gillespie HS
Scotland Women’s National Team Head Coach, Pedro Martinez Losa, said: "SPAR Future Stars is a fantastic opportunity to get lots of girls on the pitch and involved in the game.
“It gives young aspiring players the opportunity to develop their love of football, to be part of a team and advance their skills.
“Hopefully we'll see some of today's young players featuring for the Scotland Women’s National Team in years to come."
Scottish FA Head of Girls and Women’s Football Shirley Martin said: “SPAR Future Stars is a great opportunity for girls to play in a fun and friendly environment, with their friends, while representing their school.
“These are the types of positive sporting experiences that the players will remember for years to come and will hopefully foster a love for the game.”
Colin McLean, SPAR Scotland CEO, said: “We have had an excellent day supporting all the girls’ teams taking part in the 2023 SPAR Future Stars Cup.
“It has been impressive to see their excellent skills played out on the pitch. And even better to have so many schoolgirls take part in the competition. We hope to see one of these girls play for the SWNT one day.
“Partnering with the Scottish FA has enabled us to deliver a professionally organised tournament and give girls aged 12 to 16 across Scotland the opportunity to compete in a competitive contest. Congratulations to every team who took part since September last year.”
Registrations for the 2023-24 SPAR Future Stars Cup are now open.