Blog by Creag Lawrence, Director of Sport
On Thursday, 19 June, the Kimbolton U13 Girls Football team embarked on an unforgettable journey to St George’s Park, the home of England’s national football teams, to compete in the Independent Schools FA (ISFA) National Girls U13 Finals. Having secured their spot by finishing second in the regional qualifiers back in May, anticipation was high as they joined ten top teams from across the country.
On the day, the girls gave everything. From a hard-fought 1-0 win over Cheadle Hulme to a thrilling 2-2 draw with Belmont, they showed real grit, teamwork and flashes of brilliance – including two sensational free kick strikes from Willow and some heroic goalkeeping from Leah, who was named our player of the tournament.
While we narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals, the experience itself was unforgettable. From walking out onto the same pitches used by England’s elite, to spotting Kimbolton’s own Dan M.’s name on the England Internationals board and even catching a glimpse of the Lionesses in training – with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visiting the squad – the day was packed with moments to inspire.
The entire squad—Bea, Felicity, Emilia, Willow, Millie, Lizzy, Juliette, Verity, Leah and Emily—truly did themselves proud, battling tirelessly in the heat. I was incredibly proud of how our pupils represented the school – both in their play and their attitude throughout.
What makes this all the more exciting is that it’s just the beginning. Girls’ football has quickly become one of the most popular after-school activities at Kimbolton, with over 25 pupils regularly attending our Thursday sessions. Building on the success of this season, we’ll be entering teams at U13, U15 and U18 levels next academic year, with a full calendar of regional and national competitions.
The foundations have been laid – and I have no doubt that this group have inspired the next generation of girls to step onto the pitch with confidence and ambition. It’s an exciting time for girls’ sport at Kimbolton – and we’re only just getting started.
