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Wilks wants parents to allow girls more football time
August 10, 2023
Former Sports Development Foundation (SDF) General Manager Denzil Wilks is expecting parents with reservations about letting their young daughters play football to change their mentality following the Reggae Girlz' impressive showing at the current FIFA Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
The Reggae Girlz surprised the football world when they drew with world top-10 ranked France and Brazil to advance from the group stage.
The Lorne Donaldson-coached Girlz exited the competition at the round-of-16 stage but won the hearts of Jamaicans with their resilient performances, which is believed will inspire many young women and girls to aim to become future Reggae Girlz.
Wilks also pointed out that most of the local successful players on the Reggae Girlz, such as Jodi Brown, Khadijah 'Bunny' Shaw, Trudi Carter and Deneisha Blackwood, were from households where their parents allowed them to kick the football about with the boys.
He also insists that football, and sports in general, is no longer a recreation but a big business where individuals can earn a livelihood and that girls must be given the freedom to play from an early age; to realise their potential and ambitions as footballers.
"Parents need to understand that this is no longer an idling thing. This is now a way to make a living, which is the crucial element, but changing culture takes time, especially for those in the position to lead," he said.
"Sports can provide an economic base. Previously, we thought it was just for leisure, something to do when we have idle time.
"Right now, we have Jamaican cricketers playing T20 all over the world and can maintain their happiness. The legacy is there now. The World Cup state the achievement."
He said the football authorities should ride on the success of the Girlz and implement programmes locally while at the same time making parents aware that football is a vehicle for their children's personal growth and development.
"We now need to take female football and ingrained that into all the schools and everywhere else, and educate the people, to what the possibilities are," he said.
