Young Wokingham tenants top-flight football tournament kicks off
Football fever gripped young Wokingham Borough Council tenants this month, as they took to the field for the sports development unit’s football tournament at Cantley Park, Wokingham. Forty children from four key estates took part in the evening of football and were cheered on by over 80 enthusiastic parents and supporters.
Coaches Ross Herridge and Glenn Goudie have been working with the children for two years. Sessions are held once a week in Gorse Ride in Finchampstead, Rainbow Park in Winnersh, Norreys in Wokingham and Skylark Way in Shinfield. The children are taught by qualified Football Association coaches and, as well as ball control, they learn valuable life skills that they can transfer into everyday life such teamwork, sportsmanship, respect for others and communication.
For the Wokingham tournament the children were split into six teams, with players from each of the four different areas on the same team. With the sponsorship of the tenant services monitoring board, players were resplendent in their very own football shirts and every team had their very own ‘Alex Ferguson’ to guide them through the tournament.
The games were officiated by qualified Berks and Bucks Football Association referees and they were extremely complimentary about the way the children conducted themselves and the excellent teamwork, skill and sportsmanship on offer.
Champion for Wokingham youth and leisure councillor Malcolm Bryant was on hand to present commemorative medals and prizes, and chair of the tenant services monitoring board Maureen Ford selected four children to receive the “Fair Play” award, for showing excellent sportsmanship during the tournament.
The winners were:
•Kelsie Warren aged 10, Rainbow Park
•Daniel Savory aged 9, Wokingham
•Liam Connolly aged 7, Finchampstead
•Callum Lucas aged 8, Shinfield
The Wokingham council’s community sports coach Glenn Goudie was very pleased with the evening. He said, “The tournament was very well attended by the children and it was very exciting for them to play in front of such a large and supportive crowd. The council’s aim is to make this a regular event and the sports unit would like to thank the tenant services monitoring board for their support and to Cllr Bryant for his positive support.”
Wokingham Cllr Malcolm Bryant said: “I was very impressed by the enthusiasm shown in the tournament. It was the culmination of several months’ intensive training which the council is glad to be able to put resources into. It was also nice to see so much support from the youngsters’ parents – about 75 parents were there. Football is a great way to bring people from different parts of the borough together.”
For more information on the free football sessions please contact the sports development unit on (0118) 974 6264 or (0118) 974 6265.
Coaches Ross Herridge and Glenn Goudie have been working with the children for two years. Sessions are held once a week in Gorse Ride in Finchampstead, Rainbow Park in Winnersh, Norreys in Wokingham and Skylark Way in Shinfield. The children are taught by qualified Football Association coaches and, as well as ball control, they learn valuable life skills that they can transfer into everyday life such teamwork, sportsmanship, respect for others and communication.
For the Wokingham tournament the children were split into six teams, with players from each of the four different areas on the same team. With the sponsorship of the tenant services monitoring board, players were resplendent in their very own football shirts and every team had their very own ‘Alex Ferguson’ to guide them through the tournament.
The games were officiated by qualified Berks and Bucks Football Association referees and they were extremely complimentary about the way the children conducted themselves and the excellent teamwork, skill and sportsmanship on offer.
Champion for Wokingham youth and leisure councillor Malcolm Bryant was on hand to present commemorative medals and prizes, and chair of the tenant services monitoring board Maureen Ford selected four children to receive the “Fair Play” award, for showing excellent sportsmanship during the tournament.
The winners were:
•Kelsie Warren aged 10, Rainbow Park
•Daniel Savory aged 9, Wokingham
•Liam Connolly aged 7, Finchampstead
•Callum Lucas aged 8, Shinfield
The Wokingham council’s community sports coach Glenn Goudie was very pleased with the evening. He said, “The tournament was very well attended by the children and it was very exciting for them to play in front of such a large and supportive crowd. The council’s aim is to make this a regular event and the sports unit would like to thank the tenant services monitoring board for their support and to Cllr Bryant for his positive support.”
Wokingham Cllr Malcolm Bryant said: “I was very impressed by the enthusiasm shown in the tournament. It was the culmination of several months’ intensive training which the council is glad to be able to put resources into. It was also nice to see so much support from the youngsters’ parents – about 75 parents were there. Football is a great way to bring people from different parts of the borough together.”
For more information on the free football sessions please contact the sports development unit on (0118) 974 6264 or (0118) 974 6265.
Wokingham Borough Council
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