Rotherham Girls School Select football stars aim for glory
Rotherham Girls School Select Under 14s are aiming for a treble trophy celebration this month.
The team have already won the Yorkshire League for the first time and are in the final of the Yorkshire Cup again this year – having won it at Millmoor last season – when they meet Leeds on Sunday May 17 at Sandy Lane, Worksop Town’s ground.
And they are set to make history this Saturday (May 9) when they take to the field at Stoke City’s Bet365 Stadium in the final of the English Schools Football Association National Champions Cup.
Manager Peter Rinkcavage believes they are the first team in Rotherham Schools history to reach an ESFA this final, boys or girls, since the association was formed around six decades ago.
Peter said: “To get to the final we have beaten Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Salford, Wirral and Barnsley. And with these two cup finals this month we have the chance to win an unprecedented treble.
“We are very proud to be the first Rotherham team to reach this final. We have worked really hard to get here and have beaten some very good teams on the way. And we are very aware that as a team, we represent all of the Rotherham Schools girls, so we want to do them proud.”
The girls section at Rotherham Schools is enjoying incredible success, with all five age groups from Under 11s to Under 15s winning the Yorkshire League this season.
“The association is hoping the under 14s will be the cherry on the top of a brilliant season, and if we can bring the trophy home it would put Rotherham Girls on the national map as an association to be reckoned with,” said Peter.
The squad is represented by girls from Wales High School, Wath Academy, Dinnington High School, Aston Academy, Maltby Academy, St Bernards and Oakwood Academy.
Peter said: “I have seen Sefton play, and watched them closely on VEO and they are a very good team. However, if we play to out potential we can beat them. We have played in some very big games over the last few months and won all of them, so we need to approach the game with confidence.
"We like to pass the ball and we are very much a possession based team. If we play with freedom, and produce the form we have showing all season, we will take some beating. Whether we win or not, it has been an outstanding season, and one the girls will hopefully remember for a very long time.”
The Sefton match has a 5.30pm kick-off and is being screened live on YouTube.