Electric Ireland Supports NIWFA

Electric Ireland Sponsors NIWFA

We were delighted to recently launch our sponsorship of all five of the Northern Ireland Women’s Football Association (NIWFA) leagues. The league continues our commitment to our Game Changers campaign which aims to support the women’s game at all levels and grow female participation in the sport.
Rosie McKee, Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Women’s Football Association(NIWFA) and Anne Smyth, Sponsorship and PR representative for Electric Ireland NI pictured at the announcement of Electric Ireland’s sponsorship of NIWFA.

“This is a very welcome boost for the NIWFA leagues,” said Rosie McKee. “We saw the advantages that the Electric Ireland Game Changer Campaign brought to the women’s game during the UEFA U19 Women’s Championships last year. So, we are really delighted that the players from the 38 clubs that play in the NIWFA leagues will be able to benefit from the increased profile that being part of the campaign will bring.”

Anne Smyth, Electric Ireland Sponsorship and PR representative says, “As the proud partner to women’s football across Northern Ireland, Electric Ireland supports the Irish FA to deliver the game at every level, from schools’ festivals right through to the international teams.

"The addition of NIWFA to the sponsorship is very exciting and we believe this will help women’s football to continue to develop at grassroots level and at the heart of the local game.”

"We are passionate about changing the game in Northern Ireland for girls’ and women’s football and are delighted to be supporting and nurturing both the talent and commitment of everyone involved in the game.”

Rosie’s Game Changing Story

Rosie McKee is very much a Game Changer herself, starting to play football at the aged 11 and blazing a trail for women’s football ever since. In her younger days, Rosie would have done anything to play football and she recalls her disappointment at not being able to play with the boy’s team at school.

“They were one player short and they asked the teacher if I could play with them,” said Rosie, who now sits as chairperson at the Northern Ireland Women’s FA.

“I played with them at lunch times and break, and they knew I was good. But the teacher said no. He said no because I was a girl, and I still remember that immense sense of frustration at not being able to play a game I loved and was good at because of my gender.

“Even the boys knew it wasn’t right, but it was the 80s. It was the way things were.”

A Changing Game

Thankfully though, says Rosie, the sport – and women’s place in it – has transformed over the last 30 years. She is one of the game changers who has help affect the change.

“I’m buzzing about it really,” she said.

“We’re on the right track and girls are playing football as a standard now, there’s nothing odd about seeing a little girl kicking a ball around or joining her local team like there used to be.”

But, as far as things have come, there's still a lot of room for improvement, says Rosie, 43, who teaches English and History at Ulidia Integrated College in Carrickfergus.

“We need the public’s support on this,” she said. “We need proper backing and support to push the message that women’s and girl’s football is a sport worth playing, investing in and going out to watch.

“We have some fantastic players in Northern Ireland and some amazing young women who could be great in years to come.

 “Electric Ireland sponsors women’s football right across Northern Ireland, and to have their backing is so important. It’s good to know people believe in what we’re doing. The game is growing every year and having their support will be a massive help.”

“This is a very welcome boost for the NIWFA leagues,” said Rosie. “We saw the advantages that the Electric Ireland Game Changer Campaign brought to the women’s game during the UEFA U19 Women’s Championships last year.

"So, we are really delighted that the players from the 38 clubs that play in the NIWFA leagues will be able to benefit from the increased profile that being part of the campaign will bring.”

Read more on Belfast Live. Visit the NIWFA website for fixtures and more information on the women’s league.

Be a Game Changer in your local community by signing up to Club Game Changers.