Girl's Football Kicks Off in Mid Beds!

Sandy Upper School became a hive of activity on Thursday 10th March as over 180 girls between the ages of 10-15 years old came together to compete in the second Mid Beds Schools Girls Football Active Sports Tournament.

This was the one of four district tournaments taking place throughout the county to promote girls football and support the Women's EURO 2005 champions, which is being stage in north west England between 5-19th June 2005.

The tournament saw 18 teams from Middle and Upper schools from across Mid Beds competing to become the Mid Beds District winners. All participating players were rewarded for their efforts on the day with a t-shirt and a Women's Euro 2005 team postcard.

Teams included Alban Middle, Etonbury Middle, Sandye Place Middle, Edward Peake Middle, Robert Bloomfield Middle, Holmemead Middle as well as Harlington, Redborne, Stratton, Samuel Whitbread, John Bunyan and Sandy Upper Schools.

After some well fought battles the emerging winners were Sandy Place Middle School at the year 5/6 age group, with Alban Middle School as runners up. In the Year 7/8 age group it was also Sandy Place Middle who took the title and Etonbury Middle School taking the runners up medals. In the Upper schools tournament, Samuel Whitbread Upper School became the Year 9/10 District winners and Redborne Upper took the runners up place.

The tournament was organised by Beds Active Sports, Mid Beds District Council and the Bedfordshire Football Association as part of the girls and women's football plan to develop more opportunities of quality football throughout the county. Assistance on the day was provided by Sandy Upper School students as well as the Mid Beds Sports Development Team.

Katy Henman, Mid Beds Sports Development Assistant, was on hand for the day and commented "A fantastic and well organised event, managed by Katie Milton, Girls and Womens Football Development Officer. Great to see so many girls involved in football within Mid Beds, enjoyed by all who took part ".

Katie Milton, the County Girls & Women's Football Development Officer was thrilled by the turn out. "It's a fantastic sight to see so many girls at all ages enjoying football and displaying a high standard of skill and team play. This quality will continue to progress, and with plans to hold similar events including a 6 week Mid Beds Schools League for the girls to compete during the winter term, I hope the number of girls playing regular organised football will flourish".

She continued "England are hosting the Women's EURO 2005 Championships in June which will be great, demonstrating the high standards that women's football is reaching and young players can look up to these role models, which will encourage more players into the game and the standards to increase".

The winners of this tournament will now compete in the Active Sports County Schools Final in May/June against the winners from all other districts within the county.