An under-12 girls soccer team in England had to convince officials they were capable of playing against boys this season. As one player tells the New York Times, "They definitely underestimated us." The Queens Park Ladies of Bournemouth, the only girls team in a boys league, won their first match 6-0. Late in the season, they were so far ahead of the rest of the teams they were guaranteed to win the league with four matches still to play. They kept fighting and wrapped up an undefeated run across 22 matches, with 18 wins and four draws, per Sky News. They scored 61 goals but let in only 11 for an average of 0.5 per game, "a brilliant stat," team manager Toby Green, father to one of the players, tells the Times.
The team had to overcome stereotypes and some "sniggering" from the boys, at least initially. "But then we showed them that we were just as good as them," says 12-year-old defender Edith Wragg. Dubbed the "Invincibles," the Ladies didn't always have it easy. The club played in the boys league after forming six years ago and won only a single game in two years. "Those first few seasons ... it was very hard," Green tells the Times. But the girls worked hard, training twice a week, while competing against boys and girls. They now hope their success and promotion to the second division of the Bournemouth Youth Football League encourages others. "We've all just been thinking about how great it is to hopefully have other girls see it and inspire them," says Edith. (More soccer stories.)
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