The Football for Unity – Girls Tournament

A mixed-school girls’ tournament

Date: 01/12/2006
Venue: Souhtfields Community Sports College, Wandsworth, London

Partners: London FA, Wandsworth Sports School Partnership, Chelsea FC, Refugee Relief Iraq, Truce International.

Participating Schools: Al-Risala Islamic School, Battersea Technology College, Burntwood School, Elliott Secondary School, Graveney Secondary School, Southfields Community College

In the first girls-only tournament, there were 60 students, aged 11-13 taking part from seven different schools. Twenty students from the Al Risala Islamic girls school and 40 students from the remaining six state-schools from the Wandsworth area were coached and competed in mixed-teams on the day. Chelsea FC’s Football in the Community coaches held skill sessions and managed the tournament on the day and prior to the tournament, the Al Risala Islamic School’s students received a four-week coaching course free of charge from Chelsea FC. All students received medals, certificates and posters after the tournament.

Al Risala Islamic School will keep the relationship with Chelsea FC in the future and will discuss ongoing coaching sessions for the girls and the boys of the school. Two older students from the school will take an FA 1st 4 Sport Level 1 Certificate Coaching Football course, provided and paid for by the London FA. In addition Barnes Eagles FC was present at the event to scout for players. All in all the event proved that through the principle of mixed teams, the students got to talk to students from other schools and through playing in the same team started the process of grass-roots team building. In order to strengthen the ties between all the participating schools, students and organizations, more regular events need to be organized, empowering local young people to run and manage these events.