The European Champions used their platform for good this summer and successfully changed access for girls in sports.
On International women's day, the Lionesses have once again made history with their landmark legacy being reached; every girl in England will now be given equal access to sport within schools. The government have revealed a £600 million sports deal given over the next two years which means all schools are set to deliver a minimum of two hours of PE per week giving girls equal access to not only careers in football but many other sports.
The conversation on the back of the bus which led to the open letter addressed to the government is now set to inspire generations of girls to be involved in sports. Following this pledge, England's captain Leah Williamson stated, "The success of the summer has inspired so many young girls to pursue their passion for football. We see it as our responsibility to open the doors for them to do so and this announcement makes that possible." She also praised her Arsenal and England teammate Lotte Wubben-Moy, "On behalf of all the Lionesses players, we’d like to thank our teammate Lotte Wubben-Moy as a driving force behind this transformational change. We couldn’t be prouder to stand alongside her, and we all look forward to seeing the impact this legacy creates.”
Furthermore, Lotte Wubben-Moy added, "By making football more accessible to millions of girls across the nation, we have opened a crucial door for the growth of women’s football and women’s sport as a whole. I am proud to be part of something that will live on for generations to come. This is just the beginning."
So what does this progress mean, well in addition to the expected two hours of PE a week, the government will be awarding schools- that successfully deliver equal opportunities- the School Games Mark as well as the funding going towards a new digital tool to support schools give their pupils the best advantages. Ofsted will also be publishing a report on PE to give schools a better understanding of how to deliver the best opportunities.
This change could be bigger than the Euro win itself and could help develop young girls into future Lionesses.
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