On Saturday 8th June, Bradley Stoke Youth FC continued the success of their Schools’ Football Festival at the Jubilee Centre, which attracted 130 Year 1 children representing 13 different local primary schools. The Festival is the finale of the club’s School Link Program where BSYFC’s FA Qualified coaches go into the 13 schools and provide football coaching to all Year 1 children over a three-week period. The program starts in February and finishes in May ready for the festival in June.
The Football Festival has been running since 2006 and over the years has developed into a major part of the town’s annual Community Festival, with over 1,900 children having now taken part. The School Link Programme started in 2007 and has grown over the years to become a major community activity with over 8,000 children having received football skills coaching in their school.
Each school receives a cup, which can be kept for a year, and is awarded on a points-scoring system based on things such as; attitude and approach of players and teachers, preparation and organisation, adhering to the guidelines and ensuring both boys and girls of all abilities are selected. The whole day is about participation and enjoyment to allow each child the opportunity to play football in a friendly environment.
Every child receives a medal and a gift bag full of football-related essentials like shin pads, football socks, water bottle, baseball cap, activity play pack and sweets. As well as the cup, each school receives a bag of size 3 footballs to continue the football coaching at their school. The winning school also receives a new kit for their team.
The Teacher Awards this year went to Baileys Court and St Peter’s.
AWARD WINNERS
BSYFC & McDonald’s 10 year Anniversary Community Award
Baileys Court Primary School
BSYFC & McDonald’s 10 year Anniversary Partnership Award
Holy Trinity Primary School
Bradley Stoke Town Council School Link Community Award
St Peter’s Primary School
Bradley Stoke Town Council School Link Coaches Award
Meadowbrook Primary School
Bradley Stoke Community Festival Respect Award
St Mary’s Primary School (Bradley Stoke)
BSYFC Festival of Football Achievement Award
Wheatfield Primary School
BSYFC Festival of Football Club School Link Winner
Iron Acton Primary School
BSYFC Festival of Football Performance Award
St Michael’s Primary School (Stoke Gifford)
BSYFC Festival of Football Achievement Award
St Mary’s Primary School (Thornbury)
BSYFC Festival of Football Club School Link Runner Up
Almondsbury Primary School
McDonald’s Festival of Football Winners (Cup #1)
Bradley Stoke Community School Primary Phase
McDonald’s Festival of Football Winners (Cup #2)
Stoke Lodge Primary School
Photo: BSCS Primary Phase football team.
Check out more team photos on Facebook, Flickr and Google Photos.
Photo: Town mayor Cllr Tom Aditya with the winners of the Teachers’ Awards.
• If you have a child who would like to join BSYFC, please contact Martin Lee at mlee1@btopenworld.com or visit the club website www.bsyfc.co.uk
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2019 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on pages 20 & 21). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH (except August), to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
