University of Essex in bid to build on Lionesses success

As the region’s only FA Women’s High Performance Football Centre, they are dedicated to increasing the number of women and girls in the sport to create a world-class talent pipeline from grassroots to elite level. 

Rosi Webb, Coach Development Officer, said: “We are so proud of the Lionesses - they united the nation to cheer them on and have inspired a new generation of female footballers. 

“As the home of women’s football in the East, we are so excited to build on this momentum to help grow and develop the game. 

“We're helping create the stars of tomorrow at Essex and this tournament will see countless girls lacing up their boots for the first time and following in the footsteps of these world-beating heroines.” 

Away from her role at the University - Rosi is the highest-ranked female coach in men's football and is now nurturing female talent from across the region.

Working with clubs and players from the grassroots level up to elite internationals the centre is a hub to recruit and develop coaches who will spearhead development in the women’s and girls’ games. 

The facility – which opened last year - is a thriving hub for the Eastern Region – with talent drawn from, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. 

The centre has developed close links with the region’s biggest women’s clubs – Ipswich Town, Norwich City, AFC Sudbury, Hashtag United and Billericay Town - to foster, develop and support talent. 

In just seven months Rosi has supported 53 coaches across the football tiers, of those more than 80 per cent are women and just under 20 per cent come from a BAME background. 

The number of development sessions per month has jumped 800 per cent with three sessions taking place in October 2022 and 29 in March 2023.

The University Female Coach Development programme has been launched for students, with six, recruited this season and expansion plans underway.