Daughters & Dads Football
Do you want to strengthen the bond you share with your daughter through physical and social activities?
Young females often face more barriers when it comes to participating in sport including:
- Limited opportunities and programs available
- Lack of encouragement to participate
- Lack of confidence to get involved
In collaboration with the University of Newcastle and the NSW Office of Sport, we have introduced a football version of their award-winning, community and evidence-based Daughters and Dads program.
The Daughters and Dads Football Program is an initiative under the NSW Football Legacy Program.
What is Daughters and Dads Football?
The Daughters and Dads Football program introduces football to fathers or father figures and their daughters through a range of physical and social activities. The program aims to break the barriers to female participation and increase representation of women and girls in football.
The program will kick-off with a dads only information session to introduce the program and the importance of fathers and father figures in female growth and development.
Following the dads only session there will be eight weekly 90-minute program sessions where daughters and dads will spend quality time together. Each session will include:
- A 30-minute empowerment session introducing the weekly theme
- A 60-minute active session
Following the completion of the program there will be an opportunity to connect with local clubs if your daughter is interested in continuing to play football in summer or the 2024 season.
Who is it for?
The program is for fathers and father figures (stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, older brothers, or trusted family friends) and their primary school aged (5-12) daughters.
Why get involved?
- Be introduced to the uniting game of football in a social and judgement-free environment
- Learn how to be your daughter’s ‘personal coach’ on and off the field
- Have fun whilst boosting yours and your daughter’s physical, social, emotional and mental health
- Learn key skills to help your daughter’s growth and development and how to overcome gender barriers
- All fitness levels and abilities are welcome
- Opportunity to connect with local football clubs to continue playing football
Come-and-try
Interested in finding out more about the Daughters and Dads Football program? Please attend one of our come-and-try sessions as we provide a taster into the activities!
More come-and-try sessions coming in 2024.
Term 2 2024 Information
- Day: Wednesdays
- Start Date: 8 May 2024
- End Date: 3 July 2024
- Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm
- Location: Gipps Street Sporting Complex
Daughter - REGISTER HERE
Dad / Father-Figure - REGISTER HERE
- Day: Wednesdays
- Start Date: 1 May 2024
- End Date: 19 June 2024
- Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
- Location: Myers Park
Daughter - REGISTER HERE
Dad / Father-Figure - REGISTER HERE
Term 1 2024 Information
- Day: Tuesdays
- Start Date: 30 January 2024
- End Date: 26 March 2024
- Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
- Location: Gipps Street Sporting Complex
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
- Day: Tuesdays
- Start Date: 6 February 2024
- End Date: 2 April 2024
- Time: 5:45pm - 7:15pm
- Location: Charlestown Oval and The Place Charlestown Community Centre
REGISTRATION CLOSED
- Day: Thursdays
- Start Date: 8 February 2024
- End Date: 4 April 2024
- Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm
- Venue: Ferodale Sports Complex
REGISTRATION CLOSED
Express your interest in a different location or time slot for Term 4 2023 HERE.
Interested in becoming a facilitator?
Applications are now open for facilitators to get involved in our Daughters and Dads Football Programs.
Successful applicants must attend the University of Newcastle's Daughters and Dads training hosted by Northern NSW Football. To register your interest, please complete the application form below and we will contact you.
Why become a facilitator?
- Valuable coaching skills and resources to use in your own coaching.
- Help break down gender stereotypes and empower girls.
- Introduce football to more females and help grow participation.
- Opportunity to be paid $100 per session to share your passion for football.
Please note: If you are over the age of 18 you will need to hold relevant Employment (Paid) Working with Children Check.
Interested in hosting a Daughters and Dads Football Program?
All clubs are encouraged to get involved.
Please complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch with more information.
HOST A DAUGHTERS AND DADS PROGRAM
Club benefits
- Opportunity to recruit new players, coaches and volunteers
- Help dads and daughters strengthen their bond through the uniting power of football
- All required equipment and training provided
- Receive support from our Dads and Daughters Coordinator, Kirsten Smith
- Boost participants boosting physical, social, emotional and mental health
FAQs
Fathers have an important influence on children’s health and wellbeing, however, they are significantly underrepresented in health promotion programs targeting parents. A recent review of all parenting programs delivered internationally showed that only 6% of participants were fathers.
The Daughters and Dads program is indeed the first program to ever target the Daughter and Dad dyad. There have been more than 20 Mother and Daughter programs. Emerging research has also shown that children may independently and uniquely benefit from positive male involvement.
Parent-child programs have predominantly targeted and engaged mothers. When programs are open to both parents, very few dads will sign up. Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered is designed to specifically engage fathers or father figures only so that they are more likely to be involved.
Mums/partners are also encouraged to engage with the program home tasks, have discussion with their partner and daughter and are welcome to complete home activities with any of their other children.
Absolutely, we welcome her attendance with a significant male figure in her life. This might be a step-father, grandfather, uncle, older brother or trusted family friend.
The program is designed to educate and motivate male role models as the agent for changing a girls’ physical activity levels, sport skills and social-emotional wellbeing. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept daughters attending the program with their mothers.
We suggest dads attend with just the one daughter at a time. The program is designed for 1-on-1 interaction between dads and daughters to ensure they get the most benefit out of the program. This allows the duo to effectively engage in the education and practical activities that have been timed and tested for 1:1.
We have a few options to accommodate multiple daughters:
Option 1: Dad could participate in more than one session during the term, having a different daughter attend with him each night.
Option 2: Another father figure (e.g. Grandfather/Uncle) could participate with one of the daughters in the same session as Dad and the other daughter.
Option 3: The program will run again in the future so you could decide to attend with one daughter initially and then sign up the following year with the other daughter.
The program has been designed for only the dad and registered daughter to attend. However all family members are encouraged to read through the program resources to gain an understanding of what is being learnt each week and how to best support dads and daughters to complete their home tasks.
Yes, there is no limit to how many programs you attend.