Exeter City Academy once again host successful competition for Devon kids
On Saturday 24th May, Derby County and QPR contested a play-off final that was dubbed the ‘£120 million match’, and the millionaire Galacticos of Real Madrid won their tenth Champions League title.
But meanwhile in Feniton in East Devon, over a thousand youngsters from the local area were enjoying something that money can’t buy – having tonnes of fun at the 12th annual Feniton 6-a-side Tournament, organised by Exeter City’s Academy and hosted at Feniton Football Club.
Over the course of the weekend, hundreds of kids in age groups from under-7 to under-15 took part in the showpiece youth competition of the summer in Devon. The tournament was run as a fundraiser for the Grecians’ Academy, in order to help the club continue to produce talented young footballers. No less than 11 ex-Academy players featured in Exeter’s first-team last season.
Prizes were on offer for the winners’ of each age group to add a competitive edge to the weekend, except in the under-7 and under-8 levels where certificates of participation were handed out to all of the players. As ever, the main focus of the event was on development, core-skills and playing for the love of the game.
Despite some wet weather over the weekend, the broad smiles were unrelenting from all involved. Exeter City’s newest pros – Matt Jay, Ollie Watkins, Connor-Riley-Lowe and Jason Pope – all played in the tournament as youngsters, and were in attendance this year in a refereeing capacity.
There was also another great turnout of volunteers including the Supporters’ Trust, the Red Army junior supporters’ club, the East Devon Grecians, coaches and parents of the players, and the club’s Football in the Community charity.
Academy manager Simon Hayward said: “It was another fantastic festival of football and we’re delighted with the way that the event went. We are all hugely grateful to everyone that donated their time to come and help us hold such a successful event.
“It showed again that we have some wonderfully talented footballers in Devon across all of the age groups. But even more importantly, the day was about enjoying football and in that respect everyone was a winner.”