Wickersley Youth Under 9's on Tour
We have just got back from a thoroughly enjoyable, and tiring, tournament tour. We attended The Cleethorpes Classic organised by R & T Tours, for the 2nd year running, over the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend.
We entered 2 teams in to the tournament both at Under 9's, and took 20 Children, plus a further 43 Parents and Siblings to the Haven Holiday park at Cleethorpes. The cost of entering and taking the players has been paid for by fund raising by the team and a small loan from Wickersley Youth Main Account (Thanks for agreeing to it!), with the parents picking up the costs for themselves and the siblings.
The teams we came up against ranged from local Cleethorpes and Grimsby teams to teams from the North East. Our very first game on the Saturday was Wickersley Youth Under 9's Reds v Wickersley Youth Under 9's Blues! It was the fixture the kids were looking forward to but thankfully for myself, the game finished a draw, so bragging rights was not called for.
The weather was over cast on the Saturday but with all the parents out in full force at the side of the pitch, the atmosphere was excellent with everyone enjoying themselves.
Then came the Sunday weather! We was awoken about 5.30am by torrential rain, which continued through the morning. Parents attending the games that morning consisted of mainy Dads, with the odd passionate Mother, with the rest of the families choosing the safety and warmth of their caravans. Never the less the kids got on with it and played in the rain as if it wasn't happening! The hardest thing was trying to convince them to stay under cover in between games.
By the time of the last game the sun was almost out and it turned in to a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon. We all attended the presentation night on the Sunday, with the Red's just missing out on Runners Up place on Goal Difference, and the Blues just being 3 points behind them. The players all got medals that were presented by the legend that was Kevin Keegan, which was great to see.
Most importantly it was great to see 20 kids with smiles on their faces from the moment they were up to the moment they were dragged to bed by their parents.
I would like to thank all the Parents for taking the time and costs involved in taking their child to this tournament, and would also like to thank Jack and Chris (aka Jose and Arsene) for looking after the Reds for me over the weekend.
Role on next year, as we intend to return to make it 3 years in a row and hopefully come home with some silverware!
Nigel Twigg
Wickersley Youth Under 9's Manager