Merton Borough Football is finally up and running again! And the U11 Boys and Girls teams have already jumped right in. The trial-based initiative has allowed many school children around Merton access to coaching, training, and to compete in matches with other Boroughs.
However, though this has recently been re-generated, Merton is most definitely not new to Borough Football; the teams have existed for many years and have always been a huge part of Merton, with a lot of parents who once played for Merton as children bringing their children to the trials. I have had the pleasure of interviewing Alison Reid, one of the coordinators, on the creation of this scheme. She says, “The initiative started to re-form following some talks with Merton Schools Sports Partnership at the end of 2021. It's a voluntary project for Sean McInnes Sports Coaching (SMSC), but as we already worked closely with the Merton Schools Partnership and we have the expertise to run the program, it seemed like a good idea.” SMSC and the school’s partnership now form part of the Merton Schools Football Association. So, when and how can someone get involved? Alison says that they “decided to start with the U11s” and next year they aim “to have an U12 and U11 boys and girls squad entered into the national league.” Currently, all children in the squads have been selected through a strict trial process. The only requirements being that the child must attend school in the borough and be selected by their school to attend the trials. Over one hundred children tried out last year, with a squad of the strongest twenty selected. What are the benefits for the children? For those selected, they train once a month and have regular competitive fixtures. Some matches that have taken place so far include, Girls U11 Vs Surbiton High, Boys U10 Vs Platform and Boys U11 Vs Platform. One of the U11 boys says, “I love playing for Merton because I have met so many skilled players and it has made me a better player myself.” This is merely the beginning for the initiative and Alison says that “the long-term aim is to eventually have a team at all age groups competing in the national league and playing in more competitive fixtures. Of course, at the end of every season, we will need to run the same trial process again for each team, to ensure we capture all children (some will have moved schools, and some will have matured at a later stage)”. So even if you are not selected or haven’t trialled for U11, you can still get in at U12, or one of the later years. This is a wonderful way for young footballers to play with peers who love and excel in the sport as much as they do. And as Alison says, “this is a great opportunity for boys and girls to have access to a really high standard of competitive football.” So, if you have a passion for football make sure your Merton school is involved and work hard to be one of the selected players to attend the trials next season!
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