RBH tournament kicks off the football season

One of the teams celebrating at the tournament

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) kicked off the new football season with a tournament that saw over a hundred young residents of RBH estates showcase their football talents.

The venue was Heywood Sports Village and the tournament concluded four weeks of coaching sessions that were funded by RBH in partnership with Link4Life. The sessions were aimed at developing skills, confidence and team work to enable the young people to compete in the tournament successfully.

Whilst the programme was aimed in the main at young people, it also offered the opportunity for residents who wished to volunteer to gain some invaluable work experience through working alongside experienced coaches as an active assistant coach on the programme; one such volunteer, Neil Barber said: “This past month I have really felt that I was part of a community and I would love the opportunity to do more work of a similar nature.”

Community spirit was evident throughout the day as teams from Belfield, Kirkholt, Falinge, Freehold, Stansfield, Cloverhall, Hollin, Back O’th Moss took part.

One of the younger children from the 9-11 category summed uphow dedicated and competitive everyone was when she said: “We have been practising so hard…anyone would think we were going to Wembley.”

Entertainment for the day came in the shape of freestyle football coach, Mr Richard ‘Silky Skills’ Braithwaite who taught the young football enthusiasts a trick or two that will make them King or Queen of the tricks in the playground.

Three separate tournaments were held and the winners of each age group were.

Ages 9-11: Falinge
Ages12-15: Belfield
Ages 16+: Belfield