A team of Upper Sixth Form girls from St Joseph’s College beat top sporting school Millfield 5-0 to become the Independent Schools Football Association U18 seven-a-side national champions.
The girls – a mix of A-level and BTEC students – won all five of their group matches to finish top of the table, before sealing the deal at Ardingly College, East Sussex.
St Joseph’s also fielded a Lower Sixth team in the competition and they won three, drew one and lost one of their games to finish second in their group and met their school friends in the semi-final. They finished the competition in third place.
The tournament was the 2020 competition, delayed by Covid and the girls have only to wait until September to compete for the 2021 crown.
Mr Pruden, Assistant Head of Football at St Joseph’s College, said it was gratifying that the girls had been recognised as national champions, having been unable to complete the previous season’s Independent Schools and English Schools FA competitions.
Mr O’Riordan, St Joseph’s College Director of Business Development and Sport, stated, ‘It is no coincidence that participants react positively and take advantage when organisations treat female sport seriously. I believe there is much that other education and sport providers could learn from our approach. I am immensely proud of our students’ achievements and even prouder of the confidence that has been exhibited by them and our staff to push forward through this time of pandemic. Faith, hard work and tenacity… never was our school motto more apt!’
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