Building a girls’ football legacy: Indian Gymkhana’s provider success story

Having originally struggled to attract female participation at the club, Indian Gymkhana FC, based in Osterley, Middlesex, has seen a spike in women and girls joining the club, thanks in part to our Wildcats and Squad Girls programmes. 

Delivered by England Football Providers across the country, Wildcats is non-competitive football for girls aged 5-11 who want to give it a go for the first time, while Squad Girls football is designed for female players aged 12-14 who want to kick-start or continue their football journey.

"Delivering the Wildcats and Squad Girls programmes has been pivotal in us starting and developing the women and girls pathways at the club," said Radhika Kalia of Indian Gymkhana FC, a key figure in the club’s growth. 

Before they become an England Football Provider of the two programmes, Indian Gymkhana FC struggled to engage girls from the local community. 

However, as Radhika explained: "We have been able to spend money on marketing, build partnerships with local schools, and fund some of our women's team players to complete their coaching courses to lead and deliver the sessions – all of this has been key in us growing the number of female players we have at the club."

The principles of the Wildcats and Squad Girls programmes go beyond the game itself. 

"The programmes are all about helping the girls to fall in love with football and physical activity, as well as developing them as players and people," shared Radhika. 

“The girls look forward to football on a Saturday morning and have made great friendships from the sessions too."

As enthusiasm grew, so did the players’ ambition.

"We had the girls frequently asking when they could play matches," added Radhika. 

This demand led to the formation of the club’s first girls' U14s team, which now competes in the local league. 

"Plans are in place to introduce another girls team (or two!) into the league next season," she continued.

“The support our County FA has provided has been great as well, with invites to festivals and tournaments, CPD sessions and more recently tickets to an England game! 

“If you’re thinking about delivering a programme, it was pivotal to us building a structure around our girls’ pathway, and we strongly recommend it.”