Students successfully make it to football tournament final with no team training

Year 8 girls at St John Plessington Catholic College (SJP) played at Tranmere Rovers’ Prenton Park as part of the West Kirby Grammar School Football Tournament final. The team achieved this amazing feat after being formed just one week before the announcement of the tournament due to SJP still transitioning between its winter and summer sports teams. Though the girls play for different teams outside of school and had played with around one or two other people in the group, they had never played together as a unit until the qualifying tournament. They played highly impressive matches against five other local schools, winning a couple and drawing in another two. The points won by other schools were unknown, so the girls were completely unaware until the official announcement that they were one of two teams to make it to the final. The final match was tough, with both teams playing extremely well to keep the game a draw for the entire first half. Despite eventually losing the match, the girls were still ecstatic to be in second place and proud of what they had achieved together. Miss Neale, who coached and created the team, said she was extremely proud of the girls’ success with the short time we had to put the team together and practice. The students within the girls’ teams are particularly inspired by the Lionesses, the England women’s football team. A talented group of individuals who are inspiring the next generation, the England players are determined and accomplished and are not only breaking records but also promoting and changing the game for women everywhere. Much like the Lionesses in the recent 2023 FIFA World Cup Final, the SJP team may have placed second, but next time, they will come back even stronger.