An Andover football side has set up a new team aimed at getting more girls into the sport.

Andover New Street Youth FC has launched the Vixens, named after their home ground at Foxcotte Park. In only three weeks since launching, 50 girls have already attended the team’s training sessions.

Natalie Wade, one of the committee members overseeing the club, said: “In just a few weeks the Vixens teams have grown as news spreads across Andover and we have some amazing role models supporting from the Under 14 girls team.”

The Vixens are aimed at girls from Reception age up to Year Six, with coaching being delivered by adults and older players. Many of the Under-14s, nicknamed ‘Super-Vixens’, are helping deliver the training to younger players, with a number having the FA Playmaker coaching qualification.

The Super-Vixens, as well as giving their time, have also given their funding to the new side. For the past two years, they had been fundraising to attend the youth national football tournament, but Covid has seen it cancelled on both occasions. The players have now decided to donated their £250 to the Vixens to purchase balls and training equipment for their mentees.

Natalie said: “On behalf of all of us, we simply can’t thank them enough for their selfless contribution to their successors!”

The club are ultimately hoping to have five to six teams of Vixens for the nest season, and are looking for sponsors and parents to get involved in order to make this a reality.

They play from 17:30-18:30 every Friday at Harrow Way School.

If you’d like to learn more, or get involved, please contact: shared.committee@ansyfc.org