There are 52 licensed FA Centre of Excellence in operation across England, within the County of Hertfordshire there are two FA Centre of Excellence which is run by Watford FC and Arsenal FC.
The Centres provide quality coaching and a localised fixture programme for talented girls from the age of 8-16years. The FA provides a substantial grant per season to each Centre to assist with the running of their programmes and gives them direction. Watford FC and Arsenal FC have met the strict criteria outlined by the Football Association.
The ‘Philosophy’ of each centre is to disseminate both technical and theoretical information to each player stimulating the player’s learning. To this end, the precept must be to promote a player-centred approach allowing the ‘game to be the teacher’ when appropriate and encompass the principles of LTPD (Long Term Player Development) as set out in The FA LTPD Introductory Guide.
Therefore, each centre must consider the needs of each player and take account of their developmental stage from a growth, development and maturation perspective and implement a programme to develop young players who have and can maximise their potential in the short, but ultimately in, the longer term
96% of all England women players have attended a Centre of Excellence - this shows this is the pathway that future England Internationals should hopefully be coming through.
Trial dates for the 2010/2011 season at the Watford FC Centre of Excellence will be taking place before the end of June.