What is the right age for a girl to start playing football?

Ages 6 to 9. A good age to start if she has shown an interest. By this point a child has developed a solid attention span, stronger vision and coordination, and has hopefully mastered sharing. Children this age can grasp the concept of working together and begin to value being a team player, so football skills can be comprehended, retained and built on. Introducing exercise as a fun game rather than something you have to go to the gym for sets a good track for the future.

Ages 9 to 12. Right before she becomes a teenager can be the perfect time. At this age she likely has friends from school and online, and it is easy for a child to fall into the technological abyss of video games and television — football is a good remedy. Getting involved now expands her circle of friends beyond school, and children in this bracket develop major character skills: leadership, team building and communication, all of which apply in many areas of their lives. They are also able to understand, recall and build on strategy, and it matters that they learn proper technique before they get stronger and risk injuring themselves.

Ages 12 to 15. If she has not started yet, it is definitely not too late — in fact it is never too late. It has less to do with when you begin and more to do with the effort put in. At this age playing football can give her a sense of identity and belonging, which is worth a great deal when school can be tough. The skills she gains go beyond dribbling, passing and shooting: self-discipline, following rules, and respect for authority come with them.

Lions FC Girls trains girls aged 8 to 15, with two coaches on every session.