Football was everywhere on Harrow Way School field on Thursday 12th March! Over one hundred and fifty enthusiastic Year 5 and 6 pupils from the local primary schools set across the pitches for an exciting afternoon’s football in the Andover and District Town Schools’ Football Tournament.
Sparsholt College second year Community Leaders arrived bright and early with their coordinator, Sam Vokes, to set up the goals, tent and pitches. They were also keen to find out how a tournament was organised so that they could go back to college and run their own. Some were keen to referee matches, supported by Andover FC, some planned to be coaches, some pitch marshals and the lucky ones were in the tent, in the dry, in charge of the score table!
Year 7 Young Leaders from Harrow Way School were also on hand to assist as pitch marshals.
All sixteen teams were welcomed by Elaine Escritt from Harrow Way and Rhonda Sturges, SSCo for Harrow Way and the Mountbatten School Sports Partnership. Whitchurch, Balksbury, Roman Way, Knights Enham, four teams from Portway and two teams from each of Rookwood, St Johns, Anton and Vigo all cheered as they were welcomed.
The group games started and so did the rain! The children never gave up though and played some great football with superb sportsmanship. Following the group games, they all received a certificate and agreed that it had been a great competition so far. Winners and runners up of the group games then went on to a second round of knock out matches to decide their finishing places.
Superb goals, extra time, penalty shoot outs and great saves created a highly exciting end to the day. The final was especially exciting between Balksbury and St Johns! The final positions were:
Winners: Balksbury
Runners Up: St Johns A
3rd place: Portway B
4th place: Whitchurch
5th place: Knights Enham
6th place: Anton B
7th place: Anton A
8th place: Portway A
Mr Currie, headteacher of Harrow Way Community School, ventured out into the rain and mud and was impressed with the number of young people representing their schools. Tim Deery, Head of Portway Junior School, also commented that: ‘The day went brilliantly!’
Community Manager of Simply Health sponsored Andover FC, Cathy Devereux, thought the afternoon was ‘fabulously enjoyable!’ She also complimented the Sparsholt leaders on doing a great job.