Holly Nixon makes no secret of her love of football, and wants to share that passion with other girls by getting them involved in a summer football league.

The five-a-side league kicks-off during the fourth term of school and will be played on a Friday from 5pm to 6pm. A venue is yet to be decided, but Holly says the league is targeted at first-time participants aged between seven and 12-years-old.

WaiBop Football women's football development officer Holly Nixon. Photos: Greg Taipari.

Holly, who is the WaiBop Football women's football development officer, was at Links Avenue in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday to promote the new league, with more than 40 youngsters of all ages attending the event.

'It's quite an exciting time our Football Ferns and women's football in general is a kind of a growing market within the world right now,” she says.

'There has been a real surge of popularity within the sport – especially with our women's team who have been ranked as high as 16th in the world.”

The 25-year-old has been playing football since she was a young girl and has played New Zealand age group football. She says she gave up playing a couple of years ago suffering an injury and has concentrated on helping promote the sport to younger women.

'Sports is a good tool to develop good kids,” she adds, 'and I guess I'm really passionate about the women's side of things because its male dominated.

'But if you look at our White Ferns, pretty much all of them are playing professionally overseas. So young girls can make a career from the sport.”

Holly says the girl's summer league is designed to cater for the unique needs of girl's football and to encourage girls to have a go outside of the traditional winter season.

Mount Maunganui Junior Football Committee member Simon Bryant says the concept was a great idea and their committee was fully supportive of the concept.

'You only have to look at how many have come along today to see it's going to be popular,” says Simon.

'Hopefully the summer league will encourage the girls to have a go at football during the winter.”

For those who are interested in registering, or to find out more about the junior girl's football league, visit: www.waibopfootball.co.nz