Copyright caymancompass
The Cayman Islands Football Association Centre for Excellence field came alive on 25 Oct. for the annual Girls Football Festival. The event, spearheaded by the CIFA Women’s Committee, saw roughly 50 participants between the ages of 5 and 12 take part in a range of football activities centred around dribbling, passing and control. The session utilised a rotation format, moving groups of players through designated stations to refine the varying techniques. The festival is part of a larger global effort – the Fédération Internationale de Football Association Football Festival Campaign – which FIFA has adopted across its federations to spark a lasting passion for football at a young age. It serves as a grassroots initiative under the umbrella of FIFA’s Women’s Football Campaign to encourage participation and support associations in delivering engaging, small-sided football events. Martha Godet, CIFA Women’s technical director, said, “Despite the weather and school mid-term break, the turnout was good, and the girls had a fantastic time enjoying the football festival where they participated in various activities.” She emphasised that the main objective of hosting these festivals is “to attract and inspire girls to the beautiful sport” and ultimately “develop and grow the female programmes in the Cayman Islands”. The festival’s coaching staff included young national team players who form part of CIFA’s Coaching Educators Programme, as well as other dedicated volunteers. For the first time, the event featured a special guest speaker, Ileann Powery, Miss Universe Cayman Islands 2023. Drawing on her personal experience as an athlete, Powery met with the girls before their activities to share her insights on the power of sports and the essential life skills they can learn from it. Also attending the festival was Genesis Ryan, Miss Universe Cayman Islands 2025 first runner-up and footballer, who interacted with the young players. Looking ahead, CIFA says, “Our next festival is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, in Cayman Brac, to provide the girls an opportunity to participate and the inclusion of football for all.”
