Leagues ahead: Alma School wins national U11s trophy

Students from a Jewish primary school in Whetstone are celebrating being crowned the best small footballing school in the country.

On Wednesday 7th June, Alma Primary won the ESFA (English Schools’ Football Association) National cup sponsored by Pokemon.

The Pokémon Primary Schools’ Cup is the largest primary-aged schools’ cup competition in England, with over 5,000 school teams and over 50,000 children taking to pitches across England to play the beautiful game.

Alma’s team comprised Nadav Okrent, Gilad Sasson, Levi Kay, Charlie Gelb, Ethan Lazarus, Ari Kaye, Yoni Shamash, Josh Norman and Oli Cohen, all aged between 10 and 11 years old.

Together they navigated their way through the Borough, Middlesex and Southeast Regional qualifiers, before meeting other regional winners at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium.

Scoring 14 goals and conceding only one (to a questionable penalty decision) Alma demonstrated their superiority throughout with a combination of fine team work and individual brilliance.

They ran to victory with a resounding 2-0 win in the final against Lindow Community School in Cheshire.

Having also won the Dick Bailey (Barnet District) Cup two weeks ago, Alma are now on course to compete in the Barnet League and Central Cup finals coming up. The school has also enjoyed success winning Barnet and Maccabi 5-aside competitions.

Player Josh Norman said: “It was the best way to finish the school year and great to play with my friends at such an amazing stadium.”

Goal keeper Levi Kay said: “It was an amazing experience playing at Leicester stadium with my school football team; my team are so good that I didn’t have much to do. I really enjoyed winning the tournament!”

Teammate Oli Cohen said: “The boys have worked extremely hard. It has been so much fun playing for Alma! I have enjoyed it so much!!! I still can’t believe what happened on Wednesday and that I scored in the final!!!! Come on Alma!!!!!”

Yoni Shamash declared that “winning the tournament was impressive but what’s even more impressive is that we got (headteacher) Mr Shoffren to like football!”

Coach Alex Norman said: “The school supports and understands the value of sport within an educational setting. The team has given so much to so many in terms of improved confidence, camaraderie across the school and has provided opportunities to children that they will never experience again. The memories will last forever and seeing the whole school watch the live broadcast of the matches was amazing. There has been a great atmosphere around the school over the last week”

Alma head teacher Marc Shoffren said: “I am hugely, hugely proud of them and they have got me to admire the skill and team work that they showed. I’m not the biggest football fan but they have convinced me that there is a beauty to the game.

“For us, in times where schools are quite challenged, it’s a beautiful tribute to the parents who have worked so hard to encourage and support the children, working with and coaching with them.

Shoffren says “to have this kind of success for a small school like ours means so much. The whole school has really taken a sense of pride in it. Watching them at the end of every match politely and respectfully shaking hands with the opponents that they’d beaten, shows great spirit. They are caring and respectful sports-players.”

Many of the players’ older siblings, themselves former students of Alma Primary, accompanied their brothers to the final match in Leicester. Shoffren adds that they encouraged them by singing the Hebrew song for peace, ‘oseh Shalom’, as they stepped onto the pitch.

As a celebration of their success the school have arranged a Pokeman day where all children are encouraged to dress either in either Pokeman or football clothing.