INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Our Purpose: 

To provide female footballers in Dorset with an opportunity to gain additional coaching and support, to help support their development as a person, but also as a footballer. We aim to use the ETC as a platform to help players reach the highest levels they can as a footballer, whilst gaining skills and experiences to help them in everyday life.

What we offer:

• A minimum of 30 weeks of training with FA and UEFA Qualified Coaches.
• A variety of fixtures (internal and external) to support the development of our players (estimated 6 fixtures per season).
• Safe environment, where players individual development is our priority.

Additional Information:

• Players continue to train and play for their grassroots team/s.
• Players can only access one ETC a season.  
• Players must live within a 60-minute drive from the training venue (Blandford School, DT11 7SQ). We can apply for dispensation if players live outside of this travel time.
• Cost to attend the ETC is £100 – Thank you to our Sponsors ABM Steel and Entador Systems for enabling us to reduce the cost to families for the 2024/25 season.  We also have a Player Support Policy in place.
• Players are expected to commit to attending our programme. Training takes place on a Wednesday Evening in Blandford, from September to May.

You can read more about the ETCs HERE 

For more information contact Jemma Tewkesbury (Centre Manager) on Jemma.Tewkesbury@dorsetfa.com or 01202 688279

The Trials For The 2024/25 Season Are Now Closed

If you’ve missed the deadline, please Register Your Interest through the link below. We are planning on running an additional session during the 2024/25 Season, which is likely to take place in December.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

ABOUT THE FA GIRLS EMERGING TALENT CENTRE

The FA Girls' England Talent Pathway, Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) was created for the 2022/23 Season. The main purpose of an Emerging Talent Centre is Talent ID: To identify and develop future potential players by providing local, accessible high-quality training environments.

The new Centres will offer increased playing time, varied football formats and allow players to play for both an Emerging Talent Centre and a grassroots club, school, or representative team, which we hope will enhance the variety of playing experiences. 
Previously the Advanced Coaching Centre was delivered  from 2014/15 to 2021/22 season. It has brought a new player-focused approach to elite female youth football, ensuring the pathway is accessible as well as both supportive and educational.

The Ultimate Goals of the ETC:

• Double the number of players within the system
• Ensure any young player with potential can access an ETC
• Delay player selection decisions into performance squads, until players are slightly older
• Almost double the number of training environments that young players can access
• Increase playing time and offer a varied and enhanced football experiences
• Increase the quality and diversity of players who progress through the pathway