Sport Northern Ireland: Creating Opportunities has provided £3,751 of match funding
New Beginnings @ Berlin Swiftettes
Belfast, United Kingdom
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Aim
To establish and develop a brand-new girls football team for players born in 2016!
Who are we?
Berlin Swifts & Swiftettes FC is the proud Irish FA Club of the Year and a volunteer-led grassroots football club serving North and West Belfast. Our mission is to provide accessible, inclusive and affordable football opportunities that improve health, wellbeing and community cohesion through sport.
With over 250 registered players, more than 40 qualified coaches and a dedicated team of volunteers, we deliver football opportunities for boys, girls, women and men from the age of five through to adult football. We provide a clear player pathway, helping participants develop confidence, life skills and a lifelong love of the game in a safe, positive and welcoming environment.
We believe football has the power to change lives. Beyond the pitch, we work with schools, community organisations and local partners to tackle barriers to participation, promote equality and inclusion, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and create opportunities for people of all backgrounds to connect and thrive.
As Irish FA Club of the Year, we are committed to continuing to grow sustainably, investing in our facilities, volunteers and coaching, and ensuring that every child and adult who wants to play football has the opportunity to do so regardless of their circumstances.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Our project aim is to establish and develop a brand new girls football team for players born in 2016, removing financial barriers and creating opportunities for more girls to participate in football within our local community.
Our Objectives
- Recruit up to 16 new girls aged 9-10
- Provide a safe, inclusive and welcoming football environment.
- Increase female participation in grassroots football
- Improve players footballing ability, confidence and wellbeing
- Create a pathway into competitive football
- Upskill Volunteers/Coaches
This will all be achieved through specialized coaching and tactical analysis. The qualifications will allow us to continue the smooth transition for the ongoing running of the team after the initial specialized coaching has been completed. This will ensure the girls will be in good hands in their journey through football!
This project directly addresses one of the Sport NI priority groups and aligns well in creating new participation opportunities for girls in sport.
*Session Schedule*
Phase 1 (Sessions 1-7) - Goal is to build confidence, create enjoyment and basic ball mastery.
Phase 1 Themes
Session 1 - Welcome to football. Ball familiarity, dribbling, fun games
Session 2 - Using both feet. Dribbling with left and right foot
Session 3 - Stopping & Turning. Inside stop, sole stop, simple turns
Session 4 - Passing Basics. Side-foot passing and receiving
Session 5 - Dribbling. Change of speed and direction
Session 6 - Shielding the ball. Protecting possession
Session 7 - Mini games. Fun games reviewing everything learned
Phase 2 (Sessions 8-14) - Playing Together. Learn to work with teammates.
Session 8 - First Touch. Receiving under control.
Session 9 - Pass & Move. Pass then find space.
Session 10 - Finding space. Moving away from defenders.
Session 11 - Defending basics. Stay goal side.
Session 12 - Shooting. Accuracy before power.
Session 13 - Small sided games. 2v2 3v3
Session 14 - Match Day prep. kick off, throw-ins & corners
Phase 3 (Sessions 15-21) Becoming a footballer.
Session 15 - Decision making. Pass, dribble or shoot?
Session 16 - Attacking together. Team patterns.
Session 17 - Defending together. Defend as a team.
Session 18 - Transition. Winning & losing possesion.
Session 19 - Awareness. Look up before receiving.
Session 20 - Match Prep. Simple tactics & positions.
Session 21 - Mini matches. Showcase what you've learnt!
How we’ll spend the money raised
Every penny will go directly towards supporting this 2016 girls group:
Specialized Coaching & Development Sessions - 3 sessions Per Week x 7 Weeks (21 Total) = £1680
Venue Hire - £1680
Coach Development - 3 x Irish FA NCC + 1 Irish FA 'C' Diploma - £1610
Equipment/Clothing - £800
Breakdown of Costs
Coaching Masterclass (Uefa A Coach + Uefa B Coach) - £40 each per session (£80 Total) x 21 sessions = £1680
Coach Development - 3 x Irish FA NCC @ £220 each = £440 & 1 Irish FA 'C' Diploma @ £950. Total Cost - £1610
Venue Hire / Pitch Hire @ £40 p/h x 2 hours = £80 per session x 21 Sessions = £1680
Equipment/Clothing
20 x Footballs @ £9 per ball = £180
16 x Training Packs @ £38.75 = £620
Your support will ensure these young people have the best resources available to succeed both on and off the pitch!
Community impact
This project will help remove barriers to participation by providing football opportunities for girls, encouraging healthy lifestyles, building friendships and creating a positive environment to learn and enjoy the sport.
In addition to supporting participation in sport this project has been designed to deliver to the wider community. To reward your generous donation all individuals who donate to the project will be entered into a draw to potentially win the following
- Sweet Treat Cinema Night Hamper
- Relaxation SPA Hamper
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 18th August 2026 at 1:26pm