Women’s Football featured during the month of March

[March 10, 2021 – Harmon, Guam] Women’s football takes center stage during the month of March for Guam Football Association, beginning with the recognition of AFC Women’s Football Day on Mar. 8 and continuing with various community activities and events through the month.

Some planned activities are a scavenger hunt-type game that ties in with Mes CHamoru, a women’s health and wellness seminar, a community donation drive, and a soccer skills challenge.

Sherman

“In previous years, the month of March was full of activity for women’s and girls at GFA with the Bud Light Women’s Soccer League, Docomo Pacific Soccer Moms League, the GFA Recreational League and interscholastic tournaments – the Sugar and Spice Middle School Girls Festival and Soccer Madness, the Girls High School Pre-season Tournament,” said Kimberly Sherman, GFA Women’s Football Development Officer. “This year, due to pandemic-related restrictions, we are not able to put together the same line-up of leagues and tournaments, but instead have come up with other activities for the community we hope to continue to incorporate annually.

“I’ve personally benefitted from the opportunities GFA provides for women – I’ve been called up to the Women’s National Team for previous tournaments, I continue to play in the women’s league, I’ve earned international coaching certificates and coached youth teams, and now, as the GFA Women’s Football Development Officer, I have an opportunity to work together with the team at GFA directly to create even more opportunities for women and girls in the sport. Although we’re specifically highlighting women’s football during the month of March, we’re fortunate in Guam that women’s football is really year-round,” Sherman added.

New this year is The I.S.H. (Island Soccer Hunt) powered by Docomo Pacific, a scavenger-hunt inspired game combined with a football element. Various locations in Guam have been pre-selected and a clue identifying these locations, along with a related football activity, will be published on Fridays in March. Registered participants need to solve the clue, go to the location, and film themselves partaking in the football activity at the designated location and wearing a GFA-provided AFC Women’s Football Day T-shirt in the video. Participants then will need to send the video clips via WhatsApp to GFA at 687-4180.

All are welcome to play the month-long game and have a chance to win weekly prizes and one grand prize for those who complete all seven clues. Registration is ongoing by clicking on the contest’s Web banner on the home page of https://guamfa.com There is no fee to play and all are welcome to join. Participants below 18 years old must have parent or guardian permission.

Beginning Monday, GFA will be coordinating a donation drive for new, pre-packaged sundries, household cleaning products, and PPE to benefit Victim Advocates Reaching Out (VARO) for use at its shelters. Donations will be accepted between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the drive-through tent in the GFA parking lot Monday to Friday. Sunday times will communicated at a later date.

On Mar. 21, GFA will partner with Lenora Makela and Eat Right Guam for a Women’s Health and Wellness seminar. The seminar will include a nutrition segment and also individual soccer skills training for women with GFA coaches. With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the number of slots available will be limited. Registration for the Health and Wellness seminar will be communicated at a later date.

Before the end of the month, GFA coaches also will be putting on an Individual Skills Challenge contest for youth players in conjunction with the GFA Competitions Department. Additionally, the U20 Women’s National Team will be engaging in a road-side clean up and bus stop beautification project in Dededo. All activities are part of continued celebration of AFC Women’s Football Day during the month.

“Women’s football in Asia has achieved incredible development over the past decade and the huge success could not be accomplished without the passion and hard work of women from different parts of the continent,” said Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). “Coinciding with the International Women’s Day, the AFC Women’s Football Day underlines the AFC’s commitment to recognize and honor the dedication of the women in the sport.

“The AFC calls on everyone to pay tribute to women for their significant contributions in promoting and developing our great game,” he added.

For more information about women’s football events this month, check for updates on the official GFA Web site, https://guamfa.com/gfa-programs/womens-football/information/ and GFA social media platforms @GuamFootball, or send an E-mail to [email protected]