Published on 14/11/22
The Students at Stephen Perse Foundation senior school celebrated its U13 girls football team’s greatest achievement, as the squad scooped third place in the ISFA Regional Championships at St. George’s Park, just five years since its first ever match, when it lost by a humbling 20-0.
The team, coached by ex-Chelsea and MK Dons professional player, Joe Tillen, battled against teams from Cheshire, Lancashire, Surrey, Warwickshire and Central London, before eventually placing third overall, following defeat in the semi-final.
Joe Tillen, Head of Football at Stephen Perse Foundation, commented: “We are immensely proud of the girls and the way they carried themselves throughout the competition. They showed outstanding resilience playing against some of the best female footballers in the country. It was wonderful to see the commitment and desire that each of them showed both individually and as a team, and the fact that half of the players were playing a year up just reinforces what an incredible achievement this is. We have some very talented girls and what is especially rewarding is seeing how eager they are to improve. Girls’ football is very popular at the Foundation and results like this will inspire girls in future years. They showed true grit in each of their matches, working well as a team throughout and taking their final place gracefully. The team played determinedly throughout the year to get to St George’s Park for the competition; hard work and commitment have been key factors in their success, which the whole school is thrilled to share with them.”
Football has been popular with girls at Stephen Perse Foundation since it was introduced into the curriculum five years ago and many students also participate in lunchtime and after school clubs, and take their places in teams that compete in Sisters in Sport and English Schools/Independent Schools National Cup competitions during the season. The latest success for the U13 girls’ team at the ISFA Regional Championships demonstrates incredible progress for girls’ football at the school and commitment from the school’s sports coaches who were proud to watch a Year 11 student play for the England women's team against Wales this summer.
The sporting curriculum has now changed for the Autumn term, with students taking part in both Hockey and Football, with an extensive fixture list in place for teams to continue to compete.