Admiral launched the Ready to Play fund as part of our continued partnership at the beginning of the 2025 season. The fund will support the creation of 150 new U6–U9 girls’ teams over the next three years.
By covering fees related to kits, registration, coach education, facility hire, and venue costs, the fund is helping clubs across Wales overcome barriers and improve access to the game.
To find out more about the impact of the fund, we caught up with Cascade U7s girls coach Aaron Horley and the players at Cascade YC to hear how it has enhanced their club.
Cascade YC is an established club in the Caerphilly Borough with over 350 boys and girls registered. With teams ranging from juniors right through to senior men and women’s sides, the club provides football opportunities for all ages and abilities. From nervous first sessions to confident matchday smiles, the Admiral Ready to Play Fund is already making a huge difference at Cascade YC:
How has the fund supported your club?
Aaron: With the support of the Admiral Ready to Play fund we have been able to set up a brand new Under 7s girls’ team for the 2025/2026 season. The fund has helped with the purchase of equipment such as the pop-up goals, cones, bibs, balls and towards providing the girls with a brand new kit.
How many girls have joined as a result of the new team?
Aaron: Since our first training session in early August, we have seen around 16 girls come and try a session with 12 girls signing up to play and we’re actively looking to expand this and get more girls from the community playing football.
Have you seen an increase in confidence amongst the girls who have started their footballing journey’s with you?
Aaron: 100%. Thinking back to our first session in the summer we had girls who wouldn’t leave their parents side when arriving at the sessions, girls that had no confidence with the ball at their feet and who were very nervous and cautious when trying new drills and playing matches. To now, turning up to sessions running in with big smiles, excited to get a football at their feet and passing, dribbling and showcasing their skills before we have to say anything as coaches. The confidence then carries over into matches where they can’t wait to put into practice everything they have learned.
How important is football in instilling confidence and life skills in girls?
Aaron: I believe it plays a huge part, the classroom is where they will be educated, but it’s through thigs like football that the girls learn and develop key life skills such as communication, team work and resilience and they do this without really realising they are doing so, to them they’re just having fun with their friends. The girls have also gained skills such as discipline, listening skills, respect, co-ordination, agility among a whole host of other skills.
What is the hope for the future of your girls’ section at the club?
Aaron: The hope is to keep progressing, expanding and bringing in more girls teams of all ages at the club. We want to be able to keep the girls playing and then feed into our successful ladies team who currently play in the Genero Adran South League. We are really grateful to Admiral’s Ready to Play fund for supporting us to make this happen .
We also caught up with the team themselves to find out their favourite things about their new Cascade team created by Admiral’s funding!
What has been your favourite thing about playing football and how does it make you feel?
Sienna: I get to learn new football skills and make new friends.
Hallie: Scoring goals and cheering for my teammates.
Mia: Scoring! It makes me feel so happy and proud of myself. I love all my new friends.
Mya: Playing matches because it gives me lots of energy, it makes me run fast and I’ve learnt new skills.
Mabli: It’s a nice team and I can play with my new friends, and we have the best coaches ever. They help me learn and get better at my skills every week.
Edie: It makes me feel part of the group and I feel strong. I feel nervous before the games, but when I am playing I feel happy.
If you would like to find out more about how Admiral is supporting clubs across Wales to grow the girls’ game and need how your club can get involved, please visit here.
