HAVING been able to launch her coaching academy north of the border for the first time back in August, Rangers defender Laura Rafferty is giving back to help the community away from her playing time on the pitch.
Held at the home of Glasgow Girls and women, the Northern Ireland international puts on weekly hour-long session for young girls who are aspiring to be among the next generation of up and coming footballers in the future, having previously put on sessions down in England.
Speaking to RangersTV to give an insight into her own LR6 academy, she said: “I just love it, I think from a young age I have just always loved playing football but when you go into the professional game and things are pressurised or in a results based business when you are coaching kids and seeing them with a smile on their faces and seeing them develop week on week it is massive.
“For the girls to have role models to look up to is also really important.
“I try give as much back to the game as I possibly can, it changed my life so I hope it can change theirs.
“I basically just want the girls to be on the football as much as possible, we all learn how to play football in different ways.
“We all have different types of coaches but for me one thing that I realised growing up was I had so much contact time on the ball.
“I really try and prioritise that in these sessions, just making sure that the girls have as many touches on the ball.
“I think on average you have around 30 seconds on the ball a game, which in training is probably even less.
“For me I want them to have a full hour with the ball at their feet as much as possible.
“I think that is the thing like in football especially as a footballer you meet so many people who come and support you all the time at games and you do feel part of a massive community.
“Even as a new player or now this is my second year at the club and I feel really involved and engaged with the community.
“Doing things like this only really expands that massively, I know a lot of the girls that come here they come to our girls as well and give us that support so it is great to give back in that aspect.”
The 29-year-old previously ran courses when based at previous clubs down south, but was grateful of being able to make the switch to where she is currently based now in the midst of her second season with the Gers.
She continued: “I started in London when I was at Chelsea. Then I took it down to Brighton and we had around 180 girls there.
“Then when I moved to Southampton back home I then rebranded it all back home as well and it was one of them I wasn't sure kind of moving up here how big a move that was going to be.
“I spoke to a couple of people up here and they were really accommodating and it is something I missed, because I didn't do it for one year.
“I had it still back in Southampton but I wasn't present and it wasn't the same.
“It was something that I think I get a lot of out of, it really makes me happy being here and seeing the girls enjoy themselves and even the parents seeing them improve as well week on week massively.
“It is the best decision I made to bring it up here.
“Giving opportunities? It is that and also there is one big thing that I learned when I was there age I was a striker.
“I would never have made a career off being a striker and I know that.
“At the same time when you have that amount of contact time on the ball and as your body develops and changes things are different.
“I think it is important that girls can be in a safe environment where they can make mistakes, they can learn to grow and learn to improve and enjoy themselves throughout the whole session.
“That is exactly why I created what we have here.”
Rafferty was speaking ahead of this Sunday’s Sky Sports Cup final to be played at Fir Park as the Light Blues look to claim the first silverware of the season, as she spoke of what it mean to retain the trophy for what would be a record equaling fourth time in succession.
She added: “I am super-excited, obviously after the weekend that has just gone I think it puts us in good stead.
“It is a cup game where anything can happen but it is super-exciting for everyone.
“The whole squad, we come in a really good place on Monday and worked towards the aim of lifting silverware this weekend.
“What will it take to get over the line? Everything, every bit of detail, fight that we bring but also every bit of detail on the way that we play.
“I think managing the game as well is massive for us, obviously as well Glasgow City are a fantastic team with a fantastic goalkeeper too.
“We just need to be as confident as we can, we spoke about it a lot recently being brave and I think when we are brave that is when we play our best football and that is what will be needed for the weekend ahead.
“It is different, a cup game always feels different. Playing at a neutral stadium is different, the whole build-up to the game is different.
“When you have that bit of experience it does help you relax on that stage and then the experience of winning last year as well, you want that again and again. When you get it once you want to keep it and right now it is something that is at the forefront of all our minds.”
You can still get your hands on tickets to back Rangers in this Sunday’s cup final here, kicking off at 15:00 at Fir Park.
SKY SPORTS CUP FINAL: You can get your match tickets or secure hospitality to roar on the Gers in this Sunday’s cup final, kicking off at 15:00 at the home of Motherwell
RANGERS STORE: Shop all the latest offers at the Rangers Store in-store or online
ROAD TO THE FINAL: Follow Laura Berry in “The Road to the Final” as she travels to every round location on the journey to the big finale