C of E - England Scouting

There are 15 part time FA National Scouts (including 2 specialist Goal Keeper scouts), 5 International team managers and 52 FA Centre of Excellence Directors who have a responsibility for International scouting.

All talented girls aged between 8-16 are actively encouraged to join their local FA Centre of Excellence where they will be developed in a player supportive environment that adheres to Long Term Player Development principles. As there are 52 FA Centres of Excellence in place the FA National Scouts do not visit grassroots clubs as all national scouting resources for juniors are channelled into supporting the FA Centres of Excellence programme.

The FA has invested heavily in this programme and a minimum of 1 FA Licenced Centre of Excellence for girls is in operation in every County. These Centres are staffed by FA Licenced coaches, who have to commit to national and regional in service training (including scouting) and coach development.

These Centres must adhere to strict FA criteria and regulations and they are regularly monitored and evaluated by FA staff to ensure this. Players are trained a minimum of twice per week in the season, will have fitness, nutrition and dietary support and will play in a regular regional fixture programme.

FA International Scouts will regularly visit these regional programmes of fixtures to monitor all potential International players. In the 2007-8 season, every FA Centre was scouted at least twice over the season, resulting in 1,800 players scouted. These Scouts will also support the annual FA Regional Talent Camps where the very elite Centre players will be expected to attend. In the 2007-8 season, 415 players were coached and scouted, including 45 Goal Keepers, in the Camps. Over the last 3 seasons, the England Under 15s has involved 204 players from 41 different FA Centres of Excellence.

Any junior player that is currently in a grassroots club where their coach feels they have potential to be an International player should contact one of the FA Centres detailed on TheFA.com website. National scouts will then observe the player through the Centre fixture programme.

The FA is committed to ensure that grassroots clubs are supported to recruit players so that the whole pathway of player development is sustained. Every County has a full time Girls’ Football Development Officer and a pool of coaches to call upon to fully maintain and develop this whole pathway.