Players from Concord Junior School will end their season on a high this May, when they will take to the hallowed Wembley turf to compete in the Utilita Kids Cup Final as Sheffield United’s representatives.
The team won its place in the Final after defeating St Edwards Roman Catholic School in the Championship Northern Regional Final of the six-a-side tournament for Under-11s, which was hosted at Leeds Roads Sport Complex.
Concord Junior School will face off against Brookmans Park Primary School, who will be representing Watford FC after winning the Southern Final of the competition. The match will take place ahead of the Championship Play-Off Final on Saturday 27 May.
John Matteson, Teacher at Concord Junior School, said: “It was a great day. The children were incredible, and they kept going even when they went behind in the Final! Some amazing pieces of individual brilliance and immense squad effort all-round! The talent on show from all the teams was top drawer – we are so proud of our team for managing to come out on top! Next stop: Wembley!”
In partnership with the EFL, the Utilita Kids Cup sees over 12,000 boys and girls playing at local and regional stages. The teams are first split into three divisions, in line with each EFL Club’s divisional status, before being again split into two groups, North and South. The winners of the divisional Northern and Southern Finals qualify to play on the National Stadium’s pristine pitch in front of thousands of fans before an EFL Final.
Inspiring children to be active, healthy and develop a strong sense of teamwork, the Utilita Kids Cup celebrates the beautiful game at the heart of communities around the country. The girls’ competition, the Utilita Girls Cup, runs alongside the Kids Cup, with over 6,000 young female players competing for their chance to play at Wembley Stadium.
The girls’ Final took place on Sunday 2 April ahead of the Papa Johns Trophy Final, with AFC Wimbledon’s representatives, Surbiton High School, named the winners of the competition after defeating Trinity School, representing Carlisle United, 2-1 in the Final.
To find out more about the Utilita Kids Cup and how your school could play its part next year, go to https://www.efl.com/clubs-and-competitions/utilita-kids-girls-cup/.