New BFA Women’s League To Start Next Month
[Written by Stephen Wright]
A new women’s league featuring the island’s top players starts next month as part of the Bermuda Football Association’s plans to revive the game domestically at the senior level.
The league will run until July, with matches played at three venues, including the Clyde Best Centre of Excellence, on Friday nights and Saturdays.
The BFA has successfully built the women’s game from the ground up during the past five years, establishing thriving girls’ leagues at the under-7, under-9, under-11, under-13, and under-17 age groups.
The foundations needed to be solid before re-introducing a women’s league, which has been inactive for years, according to Charryse Bean, the chairwoman of the BFA Women’s Committee.
She added that the league had been purposefully scheduled for the summer months to avoid clashing with the local netball season and guarantee the availability of overseas college players.
“As part of our strategic plan, we’ve been building the youth leagues up for the past few years and now have about 36 teams involved from under-7 to under-17,” Bean told Bernews.
“When I was playing many years ago when I was 16, the women’s football pyramid was heavy at the top but dribbling at the bottom. We had to flip that and have a strong base.
“We now have the flow of girls and women in the programme to have a women’s league.
“The league will start after Bermuda’s final [Concacaf W qualifier] on the island, which means the national team players will be available. We’re looking for it to be a great competition.”
Bean hopes at least six teams join the league and said participation is open to BFA affiliate clubs and beyond.
“Teams don’t have to come from under a [BFA affiliate] club,” Bean said.
“We’ve had interest from Footy Force in the Corona League and the Bascome Football Leadership Academy, a team already established in the women’s youth leagues.
“We also had women show up to our first meeting saying they are willing to form their own team. They just need somewhere to train throughout the summer. We’re looking for the PHCs and the Dandy Stars too.”
It will be the first senior women’s competition since the Alicia Zuill Women’s Tournament at the National Stadium more than two years ago before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Alicia Zuill Tournament [a seven-a-side competition] had a great turnout, and the players were excited for more [women’s competition],” said Bean, who has been overseeing the women’s programme for the past six years.
“We sat down with players after the tournament and asked them what they wanted next. They said they were hungry for an 11 a-side competition. Unfortunately, Covid then hit, so we had to wait to get up and running.”
Eva Frazzoni, the Bermuda co-captain, said her national team colleagues have been “itching” for the resurrection of a women’s league and praised Bean and her committee for their hard work.
“I hope we get the player turnout needed to create a foundation for years to come,” the midfielder said.
“I’ve heard great excitement from the ladies so far, and I believe this is only the beginning. It’s very encouraging to see clubs advertising and promoting putting teams into the league.
“I truly hope Bermuda gets behind women’s football because there’s so much talent and love for the game.
“As many have recently seen on the international level, we are very much making our mark.”
Frazzoni, a student at the University of Essex in England, believes the league will entice former island-based players to lace up their boots and return to action.
“So many friends, teammates and women have had to leave football behind as life took over,” said the 24-year-old. “I have so much love and respect for them, as I know it was not an easy choice.
“I’m beyond glad that they now have the opportunity to dust off their boots and come back out.
“Many of us want to return to the island someday, and with the formation of the league, it makes Bermuda that much more attractive to us.”
League registration is open until the end of this month. For more details email women@bermudafootball.com
