A CHILDREN'S book covering the story of football icon Lily Parr is now available to buy hoping to teach youngsters that sport is for everyone.
With more than 1.2 million women players today, it’s hard to believe that women’s football was banned by the FA for fifty years, but in 1921 that’s exactly what happened.
Trailblazer: Lily Parr, the Unstoppable Star of Women's Football, is based on the true story of Lily Parr - who was born in 1905 in Gerards Bridge, St Helens - and the Dick Kerr Ladies, a team that was first formed in the First World War whilst many men were off fighting. Football was a way some factory workers escaped the horrible working conditions and it grew in popularity.
However, after the war, the sport was deemed by some as ‘unsuitable for women’.
Lily Parr challenged this prejudice as she not only scored more than 900 goals in her 31-year career, but once broke a goalie’s arm with her legendary powerful kick.
Trailblazer explores the difficulties women’s football faced in the 1920’s.
A modern day reader may be shocked by the illustration of three men commenting that football ‘is too much for a woman’s body’.
However, women players fought this prejudice by continuing to play on village greens and fitting games around their long hours at the factory.
Lily’s battle to play the game she loved is an inspiring story of how, if you never give up, you can achieve your dream no matter who you are.
Steve Wilson, BBC Sports Commentator on Match of the Day said: “A truly inspiring story. What an incredible talent Lily was”
Author, Elizabeth Dale has had over 70 books published and is particularly excited to share with the world this little-told story.
When Dale first learnt about the popularity of women’s football in the 1920’s and then the subsequent 50-year ban, she was ‘absolutely stunned’ but found herself intrigued by the story of Lily Parr and felt the story ‘just had to be told’.
Dale has teamed up with Brazilian illustrator Carolina Coroa, whose historically accurate illustrations provide a modern take on a vintage style.
The book is available to buy via Amazon.
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