THIS year is set to be an important year for ladies football.

Not only is the FIFA Women’s World Cup currently taking part in Germany, but the FA have launched the Super League – a new elite, summer league for women’s football.

And, with that in mind, South Essex College has decided to launch a ladies football academy of further and higher education.

The academy, which will run as a pilot for its first year, follows hot on the heels of the successful men’s academy, which started back in 2004.

It was the first academy in the county to be awarded FA Chartered status.

Brad Brooks, the course team leader of the ladies academy, is delighted to have set up the course and is sure it will prove to be a popular addition.

“We are being responsive to local demand as we’ve had lots of young women enquiring if we have a ladies football academy after hearing about the success of our men’s one,” said Brooks.

“If we are doing it for the men, we should run a programme for ladies too.

“We are also on the cusp of the professional ladies games and with the rise of such academies as this, we’ll see a greater acceptance of the game in its own right and not as something at the periphery of the men’s game.

“The course is a level three diploma in sport (development, coaching and fitness), which is the equivalent of two A levels.

If you are aged between 16 and 19, have four A-Cs at GCSE, preferably including English Language and PE (if studied), demonstrate a keen interest in football, and are interested in applying for the ladies football academy contact 0845 52 12345.