Early last week my Head Teacher came into the Staff Room to tell me that she had an email from the FAW to say we have been invited to go and watch the Cymru U21’s train in Newport. Now anyone who works in a school knows that school trips are stressful and tiring, but knowing what this trip was, I quickly volunteered (demanded) to go.
So on Thursday myself, the Head Teacher (Aunty to Cameron Congreve Dundee/Swansea and Cymru U21) and a bus full of children, headed off to Newport. When we got there, training had just started. It was the warm-up that you usually see when you get to the ground early, with the players running between cones etc.
Then, to the children’s (and my) excitement they moved over to the touchline to do the next set. This time they formed two circles with a player in the middle of each circle. The ball was thrown into one of the circles and the players had to pass the ball between them without the player in the middle intercepting the ball. Then after a couple of minutes a whistle was blown and they had to pass the ball to the other circle.
One thing that stood out was how competitive the players were. They appealed for handball and that the ball had gone out of play, as if they were in the middle of a match.
Much to the children’s surprise when the whistle blew to end that part of the session the players had to go and pick up all the cones and put them away. Now, when we are getting the class to put everything away at the end of the day, I can tell them ‘The Cymru team puts things away after themselves too.’
Then the Children’s favourite part of the training session, the players had a mini match. They loved seeing all the skills up close and cheered and gasped at every flick and trick. I must admit I was just as excited as the children to see this up close.
To finish off the training there was a shooting session. All the players taking shots from outside the box, a close second favourite of the children. Ooo and hahs with every shot whether it hit the post or the back of the net, big cheers whenever the goal keeper pulled off a save.
The whistle was finally blown to end the session and the highlight of the day for myself and the children. The players walked over to us to chat and sign our shirts.
Every player was great with the children They all took time with each of them, answered every question in detail and signed everything the children had brought along with them, including my shirt! The manager Matty Jones came over afterwards to talk to the children, he said he will arrange to come to our school and he was impressed with the amount of girls who had come along.
It was a great day for everyone, getting to chat with the players is something that we don’t get to do that often. They made a very good impression on the children and myself.
Words, photos and videos from @StephenJBaker