A five-pronged strategy has been launched by the Lincolnshire FA to improve football across the county.
The four-year plan, running until 2028, is a continuation of the work that the county authority has already done in previous years.
Nick Hanson, Lincolnshire FA CEO, said: “We’ve got five pillars in our strategy moving forward, building on the past four years where we have had a lot of success. It’s all about expanding what we’ve done.”
Speaking to The Linc, Mr. Hanson outlined plans on expanding player pathways, boosting women and girls football provisions, curbing “unacceptable” behaviour, establishing ambitious infrastructure plans, and working further with the county FA’s volunteer core.
A Five Layered Strategy:
He said: “First, it’s about our player pathways, to make sure we can develop and find opportunities for all people that want to play football. That includes the traditional 11 v 11 game, but also new formats.”
Pan-disability football, which has seen a boost in the county thanks to the Lincolnshire Ability Counts League, is one of the growth sectors.
“There is a real push for an equal offer for women and girls. That’s the fastest growing area of the sport in Lincolnshire, so we’ve got to make sure we are on top of that, develop and put resources in to help support that growth,” the county FA’s CEO explained.
The third strand relates to behaviour at football. Mr. Hanson said: “Sometimes we forget that 99% of time everybody enjoys football in a safe environment, but there is that 1% of the time where people let their passions boil over, and spill over.
“So, what we want to do is remind people that when that happens it is unacceptable, and we need to drive initiatives to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Ambition” to Have Equal Numbers of Men and Women:
Mr. Hanson revealed that the Lincolnshire FA has an ambition to increase the number of women and girls playing football in the county, to match the men’s equivalents.
That related to the county’s plans on facilities, as Mr. Hanson explained: “Facilities underpins a lot of our work. That is going to be the biggest challenge. The ambition is to have the same number of women and girls playing as the male side, and if we did there are quite a few challenges in terms of infrastructure, and how we support that demand.”
A “Vision” for the Future:
“The fifth main strategic aim is around our volunteering workforce. So, support all of our coaches, our volunteers, our referees. How we recruit them, how we retain them, and how we support them,” Mr. Hanson said.
The Lincolnshire FA CEO said the new four-year plan gives the organisation an overarching vision, adding: “It gives us a drive of where we are aiming towards, and obviously we are looking then to prioritise our resources, both human and financial, to hopefully drive forward.”
Full details of the four-year strategy can be found on the Lincolnshire FA’s social media channels.