Pupils at Burnham-On-Sea’s St Joseph’s School are celebrating a week of sporting success.
The school’s girls and boys football teams have made school footballing history at the ESFA (English Schools’ Football Association) County Finals and there was more success from the athletics team.
St Joseph’s School PE lead, Mr Fisher, says: “Over the last couple of days, I have been lucky enough to watch both our boys and girls football teams compete in the ESFA County Finals.”
“To even reach this stage of the competition is difficult enough, but what happened next over the course of those two days will rest in my memory for a very long time!”
“First up were the boys. With 12 school competing in the finals, the event was split into two pool stages, with the first two teams in each group progressing to a semi-final and then possibly a final.”
“The boys were just brilliant in the group stage matches, winning four of their games and drawing just the one – they didn’t concede a single goal. Having won their group they then went on to play a semi-final against the runners up in the other group.
“This game finished 1-1 and then nervously went to penalties – we won! The final was a hard-fought affair but I’m happy to say that the boys came out victorious with a 1-0 win and in the process making history for our school.”
“We have never reached the County Final in the school’s history, let along win it! It was a great effort from all the boys but most impressive was their team spirit!”
“Next up were the girls. The set up of teams was exactly the same as the boys and once again the girls did not disappoint. Their work rate in every game was just phenomenal. They battled hard and played some brilliant football!”
“Finishing the group stage unbeaten with 3 draws and 2 wins – and only conceding the 1 goal against Portishead in the first game – the girls finished second in their group and went on to play the winners of the other group in the semi-final.”
He adds: “A tightly contested game saw a 0-0 draw at full time against a team that had won every one of their Group Stage matches. They went to penalties which is unfortunately where their journey ended! Again, there was more history for the school.”
“In my 28 years as a teacher here, the girls have only ever once made the semi-finals where we lost in full time! Taking the game to penalties makes this team of extraordinary girls record breakers and will surely earn them a place – along with the boys – in the archives of the school’s history books.”
“You are all amazing and I could not be a prouder teacher! Well done, team St Josephs!”
He says the good news continued when the school’s Year 3/4 Sports Hall Athletics team “gave an absolutely amazing team performance” to win the Sedgemoor AreaFinals this week.
“Running, Jumping and throwing their way to victory, the team of 10 girls and 10 boys fought off stiff competition from 13 other school from around the area to be crowned champions. This is an amazing result for the children and even more impressive as we are classed as a small school and this competition involved many other schools well over twice the size of ours! Great job Team St Joseph’s!”
He says “could not be prouder of the children who have represented St Joseph’s so positively this week. Their determination, hard work and dedication have shone through.”
