Get women in to sport

WARRINGTON Collegiate Lecturer in Sport, Stacy Birchall, is on a mission to attract more females into a career in sport.
Inspired by a two day conference she recently attended, Women Play Sport 2013, Stacy is now determined that girls playing sport at school are aware of the many different opportunities there are for a career in the sports industry.
Stacy said: “One of the key messages is that we need more role models and more media attention for female sports. I met Casey Stoney the England Football team captain, Heather Knight who has recently won the Ashes with the women’s team who was a candidate for Sports Woman of the year and an up and coming competitor for the winter Olympics, Rose McGrandle, who will hopefully be selected this year for the Skeleton event.
“I plan to organise a series of events at College to show just how successful women can be in sport and am hoping to get the support of an influential speaker such Casey or Heather and Rose.
“Take media coverage and sponsorship for example. Women won 36% of Team GB’s medals in the 2012 Olympics, yet research by the women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) shows that they only received 0.5% of the sponsorship.”
Stacy has a degree in Sports Rehabilitation and is a trained netball coach as well as being a former semi-professional footballer with Tranmere Rovers. She has been a lecturer in Sport working in FE since 2009, joining the college last year and her previous job at the West Ham Football Academy.
Her students play a range of sports, from rugby to swimming.
Sports student Jessica Neill, aged 17 from Padgate, said: “Girls should just go for it. I chose Warrington Collegiate because the facilities are excellent and there were other girls on the course. I would recommend any girl interested in sport to come to the Open Evening and talk to us and have a look round. The college is so easily accessible for students in Warrington and surrounding areas.”
Stacy’s first event is the Open Evening at Warrington Collegiate on Wednesday 29th January when she and her team of girls will be there promoting the benefits of women in sport as well as showcasing the sports courses and fabulous facilities at Orford Jubilee Park.