Secondary Girls Football Tournament
Maccabi GB Secondary School Girls Football Tournament
Mill Hill Power League Tuesday 4th November 2008
Maccabi GB, in Partnership with UJIA, held their first schools tournament of the year on Tuesday 4th November. Over 170 girls from 5 secondary schools attended the Girls Five-a-side Football Tournament held at the Power League site in Mill Hill. The competition this year was split into 5 year groups with girls from years 7 all the way to sixth formers taking part.
Within each group each team played in a league basis with the top team winning the competition. The competition proved a great opportunity for the girls to show their football ability and a chance for some of the girls to highlight their potential to represent Team GB in the Maccabiah Games in Israel next summer.
The Year 7 girls were representing their school for the first time in a Maccabi GB tournament and their efforts were impressive. Yavneh, JFS and King Solomon were all in contention to win the group going into the final games. Once the groups were completed JFS and King Solomon were tied on points, with goal difference exactly the same the winners were decided by total number of goals scored. Having scored seven goals in their three games, King Solomon claimed top place to win the tournament.
In the Year 8 tournament, JFS and Hasmonean set the early pace in the group and were always out in front of the other three teams. It was Hasmonean that emerged the stronger of the two teams, not losing a match on their way to winning the group.
The Year 9 group was dominated by King Solomon winning all three of their matches in style and only conceding one goal all afternoon. Yavneh and Hasmonean tried to keep in touch with the leaders and both teams proved a tough test, but ultimately King Solomon were just too strong for the rest and deservedly picked up their winners medals.
The Year 10 competition included girls from both the recent JCC Games and the upcoming Maccabiah Games. The competition was fierce with all the schools wanting to prove their squad was the strongest. In the end it was JFS who ran out winners with an impressive set of results based on some strong attacking play and a solid defence that only conceded the one goal in three matches.
The girls playing in the 11+ age group only had three teams in their group, but played each team twice. These girls have participated in many Maccabi GB tournaments over the years and there was a friendly rivalry between the teams. The tournament itself was won by JFS who remained unbeaten all afternoon.
The tournament finished off with the traditional medals presentation and spirits were high as the girls left the tournament. Matt Travers, Maccabi GB Sports Co-ordinator, commented that, "The afternoon provides the opportunity for these girls to show just how talented they are at a sport that can sometimes be dominated by the boys; the quality on show today gives us much optimism for the teams going out to Israel next summer".
Attention will now turn to the next Maccabi GB secondary schools event which is the Boys Five-a-side football tournament taking place on Thursday 4th December.
Maccabi GB are still looking for a Junior Girls Football team to represent Team GB at next year's Maccabiah Games. To apply please visit the Maccabi GB website at www.maccabigb.org or phone Beverley Jones on 020 8457 2333