Morgan leads his team to be English football champions
By Regina Motalib
news@slpmedia.co.uk
A 12 year old schoolboy has led his school team to victory in the finals of the England Schools’ Football Association tournament.
Morgan Stacul, Captain of Kingsdale Foundation School’s Year 7 Boys B Team was also awarded the Man of The Match title.
The game took place at West Bromwich Albion stadium The Hawthorns and saw the young players from the Dulwich-based school, take on Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School from Liverpool.
The young champions impressively fought off a field of 800 schools to secure their place in the ESFA finals.
Morgan said: “I’m really delighted and proud of my team. We’ve played so many games in this particular tournament and only conceded one goal. We have managed to win the final.
“We felt so lucky to have such a beautiful experience of playing at West Bromich Albion. As soon as we stepped into the changing rooms and saw our kits hanging up, we felt like actual football stars. I think this amazing experience has also inspired other players at our school who also want to get a moment like this.”
Morgan’s mother, Sara Milocco, 46, said: “As a parent, I am of course very proud of all the boys.
“I am grateful Morgan had the opportunity to be the team captain and bring the team to victory. Encouraging all players to work to their strengths as a unit and bringing a positive angle is very important to the role of captain and this experience was character building for him.”
The Kingsdale school team were taken up to the West Midlands by teachers from the school’s PE department – including Mr Foster. The team stayed over at a hotel so they could be fresh and ready to go for their 9.30am kick-off the next morning.
William McWhirter, Head of PE at the school, said: “We are absolutely thrilled by the boys’ success. We are very proud of the boys’ achievement at being crowned ESFA champions.
“Their journey to the final was particularly challenging due to the number of away matches, which makes the win even more impressive. The smiles on the boys’ faces when they returned to school the following day was wonderful to see. They were elated.”
He also stressed the importance of giving schoolchildren access to opportunities such as this. He added: “Competitive sport is great for a student’s development.
“As they train, improve and experience success, their self-esteem and confidence grow, encouraging them take on more challenges in and outside the classroom. The school football teams have been consistently strong in the competitions they have entered but to win the ESFA competition is the icing on the cake.”
The victorious team – Picture: Kingsdale Foundation School PE Department