Brighton Seagals Football Club is leading the way in LGBTQ+ inclusion with the launch of weekly recreational football sessions.
The Seagals, an established women's football club in the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League based in Brighton & Hove, is starting Friday night sessions for players, and a supported programme for aspiring coaches, in a safe inclusive space.
Football Coordinator, Morgan Johnson, says:
“Our mission is to provide a quality opportunity for lesbian, bisexual, transgender women and non-binary people to play and coach the sport we all love.
"It’s easy to take LGBTQ+ inclusion for granted in Brighton & Hove, but the exponential response to the launch of the new sessions tells us that this offering is very much welcomed by the community.
“We are already a Kick It Out equality charter club and have recently been nominated for a Football v Homophobia Award - we wanted to build on that! Funding and support from the groundbreaking UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 legacy project has given us the boost we needed to expand.”
Jade Harker, Development Lead at Sussex County FA says:
“We regularly receive enquiries and it’s fantastic to know that we can signpost LGBTQ+ players to Brighton Seagals where they will be able to play football at fantastic facilities and develop their football skills as part of a recreational team.
“Brighton & Hove is a host city for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 tournament and there is a drive to inspire the next generation of women and girls into football. The developments at Brighton Seagals FC are exactly what we want to see - a diversity of opportunities for women, regardless of age or sexuality, to engage with the sport.”
Councillor Steph Powell, co-chair of the council’s Tourism, Equalities, Culture and Communities Committee added:
“It’s fantastic to see how hosting the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 is already creating new opportunities for all women to get involved football, whether it’s playing coaching, officiating or spectating.”
The session will begin tomorrow (March 11) at 6.30pm at the Portslade Sports Centre, Chalky Road, BN41 2WS, and include skills-based training and small-sided games.
To celebrate this week's International Women's Day, any new players can book a try out session for free on Friday 11 March. All newcomers will be supported by an existing player on their first session.
Any self identifying lesbian, bisexual, transgender women, or non-binary players can express their interest in these weekly sessions by signing up at www.brightonseagals.com/social-football.
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