A GIRLS’ FOOTBALL team managed to shine at a tournament despite playing their games in the dark as part of an initiative to get more young women involved in the sport.

The team, from Little Lever School, were chosen to represent Bolton Wanderers in an ‘ultraviolet football’ competition held at the University of Bolton—and were delighted to emerge as overall winners.

Together with teams from Bury, Manchester, Preston and Blackburn they donned bibs and face paint which could be picked up by special ultraviolet lights, but otherwise played in total darkness.

The Premier League has identified that a lack of confidence prevents many girls from playing football, as they worry they will be criticised if they make mistakes.

And UV football is just one strand of its national programme aiming to give more women and girls the opportunity to play football.

Wanderers are one of 86 clubs across the country who are helping to deliver the programme and have been holding sessions at schools across the borough.

Poppy Haslam, of Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, said: “We use UV football as because the lights are all turned off, there’s not as much pressure on them and they don’t have to worry about making mistakes..

“It’s more targeted at having fun and having a kick-about. If they make a mistake they don’t feel like everyone is watching them. It’s in the dark so they can just get on with it.”

And Ms Haslam added that the girls who took part had got a real kick out of the innovative UV approach.

She said: “It’s all been postive feedback. A lot of them said it helps when they make a mistake they didn’t feel like it mattered, they could just get on with the game and try again.”

Rachel Jackson, PE teacher and girls’ football coach at Little Lever School, said it had been a ‘fantastic experience’ for the team.

She said: “The girls really enjoyed it, we have never done UV football before. A couple of girls struggle with confidence with playing football, and when they came away said it was absolutely fantastic. They didn’t have to worry about mistakes as nobody could see who they were.”