For the first time in decades, Hackney Marshes is set to host a mini-football league for children aged from five to eight.
Jez Davies from Stoke Newington will be taking part in the new league, which starts on Saturday. Photo: Hayley Davies.
Starting this Saturday, the new free mini-league will run for 12 weeks to give a taste of competitive football to primary school children who miss out on the youth league for 11- to 16-year-olds.
By September 2012, the under-7 and under-9 teams will be affiliated with the London Football Association so they can compete with teams across London in the Youth Cup.Matt Emery, Hackney Council’s football development manager, said: “There’s a huge gap in primary school sports provision and you find the under-11s get really left out.
“This is to give kids a taster of what’s to come with competitive football at a later age. Hackney Marshes is one of the biggest outdoor facilities in Europe, and to have no mini-league on it would seem criminal.”
Over the last two months, Saturday morning training sessions at London Fields, Mabley Green and Hackney Marshes have seen a group of between 60 and 80 under-8s learn how to pass, shoot and dribble before they join the mini league.
In the new league, the under-9s will play seven-a-side, while the under-7s will play four-a-side with no goalkeepers and pop-up goals.
For Jez Davies, six, from Stoke Newington, the league will offer the chance for him to show off his skills from the Saturday morning sessions. Jez, who attends St John of Jerusalem School, only started playing after Christmas and last month he was chosen to train at the Arsenal training ground in Hertfordshire.
Hackney Marshes is one of the biggest outdoor football facilities in Europe. Photo: PSFlannery.
His mother, Hayley Davies, said: “I’m so proud of him. He’s never played any football at school, which is a bit of a shame.
“He’s always wanted to play but it’s just been a case of a time and a place for him to do that.
“And now he can play in a real competition in this league. He’s really excited about it.”
Nana Bedu, one of the Saturday coaches who spotted Jez’s talent, said: “I’m really looking forward to getting the league up and running.
“Before this the sport lacked competition for the little ones, but now we can make it as professional as possible and they can feel that’s how real footballers play the game. I like the fact it’s open-door so it brings together boys and girls from different parts of the borough.”
The mini league starts this Saturday at 10am to 12pm and will be held at Mabley Green for the first six weeks.
