Women’s football, once overshadowed by its male counterpart, has now taken centre stage, captivating audiences and inspiring a new generation of women footballers. As the interest in women’s football grows, so do opportunities for women to join local clubs like Shetland’s Women’s Football, the UK’s most northerly football club, now in its fifth year.
Shetland’s wide-open spaces, state-of-the art facilities and supportive environment give budding female footballers all the encouragement they need.
We caught up with two leading lights in Shetland women’s football to find out more about the opportunities available to female footballers.
Seventeen-year-old Anderson High-School student Katie Anderson has loved football for as long as she can remember. "I used to watch my cousin at training and couldn’t wait to start. I started playing when I was five years old, and went to my local youth team, TSB, training."
With a long-established junior football association, with teams across Shetland, TSB is the team for the communities of Tingwall, Scalloway and Burra.
In Katie’s opinion, opportunities for girls who are interested in playing football are on the increase. She says: "The Shetland Girls’ Football Club has given girls who maybe don’t have the confidence to play in a boy’s team an opportunity to give football a go."
Katie also appreciates the inclusive nature of the club she belongs to. She says: "Something I really love about the girls' club is that there is scope for all levels of interest. Some people just want to play for a bit of fun while others are keen to be competitive and take it as a serious sport."
The club is so friendly and relaxed. Football is for everyone!’
The friendliness and inclusivity of the club is reflected in its popularity. Katie explains: "There are currently around 130 girls playing football at Shetland Girls’ Football Club. There are teams ranging from Under 9s to Under 18s, and this winter we are excited to be starting a senior team."
On a personal level, Katie’s future in football looks bright. She is currently travelling to Dundee for a weekend every six weeks or so for specialist goalkeeper training and says: "It’s a very intensive weekend – but so worth it!"
This training experience has convinced Katie to make goalkeeping her career path. She says: "During my time attending specialist training in Dundee, I have sat on the bench for St Johnstone’s Women’s Football Club, who play in the Scottish Women’s Premier League Second Division. I think that’s a good achievement for only having been a goalkeeper for 18 months!"
Katie is equally upbeat about the future of women’s football in Shetland. She explains: "The club’s recent affiliation with Scottish Women’s Football has given us the opportunity to put Shetland on the map within the women’s game.
"The club has also recently created a pathway to senior level, where there will be the same opportunities for adults to either enjoy football as a hobby or train at a competitive level. This is fantastic for the future of women’s football in Shetland. There will always be room for improvement as far as support for girls in football is concerned, and I look forward to seeing more progress in this in the future.’
So what would Katie say to a girl who was keen to give football a try? She replies: ‘Go for it! The club is so friendly and relaxed. Football is for everyone!’
Rhea Nicolson started playing football when she was five years old for local club Lerwick Rangers and now plays for Shetland Women. She describes her experience of becoming hooked on the sport: ‘Playing in the back garden or out on the road in front of my house with my older brothers probably got me hooked, as I was just trying my hardest to keep up with them. Every day at school, my break times probably included football either on the multi-use court or in the field with my friends.’
Like Katie, Rhea feels positive about the future of football in Shetland, citing plans to recruit new women to the club. "There are plans for this winter to have open training in 60/40 for any women with any ability to come along and give it a go."
She adds: "Joining up with Shetland Girls and being under the same umbrella will open doors for us moving forward. The next Island Games are in Orkney 2025, and I think Shetland should be aiming to have both a male and female team there! We definitely have the talent here to put a strong team forward."
Rhea encourages any woman who’s considering giving football a try to go for it. As she says: "It is a fun and friendly environment for everyone."
Shetland's excellent network of pitches and leisure centres offers unrivalled opportunities to get involved in a huge range of sports. Discover more here.