For a long time now I have wanted to create content for children that allows them to find out about Women’s Football in a fun but informative way. Therefore I am pleased and proud to announce the creation of our new endeavour ‘BeGulls’.

I was recently asked what I would like to happen to the game in the next five years – my response – that the general public will start talking about Marta like they do about Pele, Kelly Smith like they do about Alan Shearer, and perhaps most of all, Maisie Symonds like they do about Pascal Groß.

Therein lies a fundamental difference between learning about the men’s and women’s game. The former is a part of everyday British culture, your family talks about it, your friends talk about it, it’s on the news, live on TV and all over the internet – you practically know the fundamentals through sheer osmosis. We need to develop the latter to at least the same level, whilst accepting the differences and allowing it to blossom in its own right.

When I hear fellow fans talk about Women’s football (one day just to be called football), what draws them in and keeps their interest, is the story – whether that be of the club, of a player, or on a slightly more meta level, the ebbs and flows of just a single match. Better to win 5-0 or be 0-2 down and come back to win 3-2? For the management, definitely 5-0, but for a fan, you simply cannot replicate the story of the 3-2. That’s the result kids will be going into school talking about how their team almost lost but roared back from the precipice to win it right at the end. That enthusiasm is contagious.

Now I can’t promise that level of excitement, but I can tell the stories. That story might be about someone that you have never paid much attention to before, but then becomes your favourite player because they showed courage to come back from a nasty injury. Maybe your family is originally from a part of the world or country that one of the players is from? Maybe they have a dog and you do too. Whatever it is that can help you make that connection, BeGulls is here to help.

We have a few things in the works for BeGulls, which will be an offshoot of SheGulls for the time being. The link to access the content will be on the main menu of SheGulls.com and we will aggregate content there as well as posting on social media platforms. There will be a different logo in a similar style to tie in to our existing content, but to also make it clear that this is a separate brand (for want of a better phrase).

I hope this news is warmly greeted and we’ll have something up soon that will be suitable for a parent to read to younger children, or read directly by those a little older. As soon as there is concrete news, I’ll let you all know.

Until then…BeGulls

Duncan

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