Newport Live is proud to announce the successful hosting of its first-ever Newport Live High School Girls’ Cup, a groundbreaking event designed to promote and expand girls' football within the city's secondary schools.
The High School Girls’ Cup took place on 17 May 2024 at Bassaleg Comprehensive School and saw over 140 girls participated from nine out of ten Newport secondary schools, specifically from years 7 and 8.
Organised by Newport Live’s Community Sport and Wellbeing team, this event was created in response to the high demand for girls’ football in Newport, as identified through the School Sports Survey. As a result, the team has established weekly girls' football sessions in every secondary school in Newport, along with Newport Live’s successful football ‘Huddle’ sessions. These initiatives paved the way for the tournament, and the Cup is a testament to this commitment, offering students the chance to showcase their skills and deepen their love for the sport.
Lauren Bourne, Community Sport & Physical Activity Development Officer at Newport Live, shared her enthusiasm about the event, stating, "It was a great day, and the girls all loved it! The atmosphere was amazing, and everyone played plenty of football."
Abigail McGoldrick, a teacher from The John Frost School also expressed her gratitude: "I just wanted to say how appreciated the spare football boots and shin pads were – they really made a difference. The friendly games were a huge help in managing players and ensuring all had fair game time. Thank you again for all your hard work – it is really appreciated by myself and my students!"
Laura Jones, a teacher from Rougemont School echoed these sentiments, saying, "Thank you so much for inviting us to the Newport Live High School Girls’ Cup. My girls had a great time and a great opportunity to play lots of games. We would love further tournaments next academic year."
Andrea Ovey, Director of Business Development at Newport Live, commented on the success of the event: "We are thrilled to see such a positive response to the inaugural Newport Live High School Girls' Cup. This event reflects our commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowering young girls through sport. The enthusiasm and participation from the schools are truly inspiring, and we are dedicated to continuing our efforts to promote girls' football across Newport. Our aim is to provide more opportunities for young girls to excel and build a lifelong passion for sport and physical activity."
The Newport Live High School Girls’ Cup represents a significant step forward in promoting girls' football in Newport, fostering a sense of community, teamwork, and a passion for the sport among young girls. Newport Live remains committed to nurturing these opportunities and looks forward to hosting similar events in the future.
Newport Live’s Community Sport and Wellbeing Team delivers sporting opportunities for children, families, schools, communities, sports clubs, and local groups across Newport. They strive to make a difference in the local communities and to get more people hooked on sport for life, inspiring people to be happier and healthier. The team are held in high regard locally, regionally, and nationally by partners such as Sport Wales, Disability Sport Wales and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, winning awards and being recognised for its innovation and good practice.
Newport Live is a charitable trust that manages leisure centres, venues, and services across Newport, Wales. Committed to inspiring people to be happier and healthier, Newport Live strives to create opportunities for excellence and community engagement.
