Oxford United are proud to announce a major step forward in the Club’s commitment to women’s football, as the Women’s First Team move closer to a professional model.
Starting this summer, the team will transition from part-time evening training, to a more advanced programme, with sessions three times per week to better prepare for the demands of competition.
Moving from the evening to afternoon, it reflects a major shift towards a professional model, with a clear focus on player development, performance, and wellbeing. This significant increase in overall training time is a pledge from the Club to accelerate the growth of the Women’s Team as they look to push towards Championship football.
Head Coach, Sam Rose, said: “This is a really ambitious step from the Club to take us forward. It is fantastic news for the development of the Women’s Team. I can’t ask for any more support from the Club to get us to this point and it’s my job now to ensure we take the next step on the pitch.
“Moving to a hybrid model is a signal of intent. It says that the Club will support players to come away from their full-time job to focus on football. It will help us change the mindset and as a result, it will open us up to a new market of players.”
General Manager, Gemma Sims, said: “We are heading into a new and exciting era for the Club.
“If we keep doing what we have been doing, we are only going to stand still. If you're a team that wants to compete in tier two, you've got to be a full-time outfit now.
“This change is a huge step towards that, which is significant as we are an ambitious Club, looking to grow and compete at Championship level.
“We have been working hard over the last 18 months trying to put the right things in place behind the scenes and now seems the right time to take that next step in our journey as a Club.”
CEO, Tim Williams, said: “This is a landmark moment for Oxford United Women. It is a clear sign of our commitment to drive the Women’s Team forward.
“We’ve invested significantly to provide a training environment that reflects the ambition and professionalism we all aspire to. This move brings us closer to a fully professional model and it’s just the beginning.
“We want to build a sustainable, successful future for Oxford United Women, and that means giving our players the time, facilities, and support they need to thrive.
“An incredible amount of work has gone into making this happen, from Sam Rose, Gemma Sims, Stevie Kinniburgh, and many more. We have made substantial progress in our women’s programme in recent years, and we hope this will signal a new period of success.”
