We were delighted to be chosen to host the Launch event of the Utilita Girls and Kids Cup for the 23/24 season which took place earlier this afternoon where we welcomed Utilita Football and The EFL along with major media broadcasters and ambassadors Clinton Morrison, Glenn Murray, and Izzy Christiansen.  Barnsley FC First team players, Head Coach and Assistant Coach also joined us in-between their training schedule. 

The Utilita Kids Cup and Girls Cups are seven-a-side competitions, where EFL Clubs through their Club Community Organisations run a local Kids and Girls Cup competition every season.

The local winners of each Club’s competition earn the chance to represent their club in the Regional and National phases of the competition, where they face schools representing other EFL clubs, for the chance to play in the Utilita Kids and Girls Cup Grand Finals ahead of the EFL Trophy and EFL Play Off Finals.   

The significant increases in participation of schoolchildren in the Utilita Kids and Girls Cup has led to helping create stronger, healthier, and more active communities. 

Thirteen Girls teams from the Barnsley area competed in the tournament held on Oakwell’s 4G Outdoor Astro Turf. The winner of the afternoon will now represent Barnsley in the next stage of the competition. It was close fought afternoon and excellent talent was showcased throughout with Horizon A & B, Shafton & Astrea Dearne progressing to the semi-final. 

Barnsley FC Head Coach Neill Collins and Assistant Coach Jon Stead joined us as Outwood Academy Shafton and Horizon B went head-to-head in the Final with Shafton edging their way to the top after a nailing biting 10 minutes and a Penalty Shootout decider. Neill and Jon presented the winners with their winners’ certificates and pendants to wrap up the afternoon. 

We would like to say well to everyone who took part and congratulations to Outwood Academy Shafton, we wish you the best of luck in the next stage of the competition.