Courtesy: The Royal Gazette


Hood continue to grow with women’s team

by Stephen Wright

Dec 6, 2011

Robin Hood Football Club have taken the next step in their evolution by establishing a senior women’s team.

The now-defunct Lady Cougars, a former powerhouse in the local female game, have joined Hood’s set-up and are currently playing in Bermuda Football Association’s new Futsal league.

And with the BFA relaunching the domestic women’s outdoor season early next year, former Hood president Paul Scope is confident their ladies’ team will be a force to be reckoned with.

“The Lady Cougars are used to being very successful, they’re quite a strong independent self-run unit so I’m delighted they’ve approached us because setting up a women’s team was certainly something we had an eye on as we grow as a club,” said Scope, who is also owner of Bermuda Hogges.

“We will be looking for more ways to collaborate with Robin Hood Ladies before the outdoor season and we are certainly looking for them to be an integral part of the club as we move forward. In the future the Hood are looking at doing all sorts of things and may even set up teams in other sports.”

Women’s football in Bermuda has been forced to take a back seat over the past 12 months with the BFA disbanding the domestic season while they determined how to reverse the failings of female football on the Island.

An experimental six-team league, complete with draft system so to eliminate one-sided games, was formed last year but was largely deemed unsuccessful by the BFA who decided to go back to the drawing board.

Their solution has been to start a new league in February, adopting a similar format as the Corona League with double and triple-head fixtures, which Scope believes is a “smart move”.

With several venues off limits due to the cricket season, which will overlap with the women’s league, it’s understood games will be held at pitches such as BFA Field, BAA Field and Bernard Park.

“It looks like there will be a new women’s league in February which I think is a smart move as will help fill the gap between the men’s league the Hogges season,” said Scope.

“I think it may even get the imagination of the public a bit more and generate more interest.”

Robin Hood Ladies, who won their recent opening match of the Futsal season 5-3 against Dandy Stars at Bermuda College, are coached by former Lady Cougars boss Chivaughn Furbert.

Futsal, considered the fastest growing indoor sport in the world, has been included in the BFA’s Strategic Development Plan as a key component in helping instil fundamental skills in young players.

Futsal is played inside with a smaller, heavier ball in a five-side format.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com