ABU DHABI // The Abu Dhabi District Schools Football Tournament is set to expand in the near future after two hugely successful days at Al Yasmina School.
Yesterday saw the Capital's school host the Under 13 tournament, for boys and girls, but unlike the previous day when Al Yasmina won the girls' competition and shared the boys' title in the Under 11 event, it was the visitors who this time ended victorious.
Three schools took part yesterday with Cambridge High School winning the boys' competition, and the British School al Khubairat triumphing in the girls' section.
Both were run in a league format with every team playing four games.
Almost 120 youngsters showed off their skills yesterday, making it approximately 170 pupils over both days.
Matt Morris, the head of physical education at Al Yasmina, doubled as a hard, but fair, referee over both afternoons, and he expects to be even busier when the next tournament takes place.
He said: "I have already had texts and messages from other schools wanting to get involved next time.
"We had a fantastic turnout over both days which saw most local schools involved and it's going to get even bigger," Morris added.
"There are new primary and secondary schools being built and they have already expressed an interest in taking part next term.
"We have a meeting on May 11 when we will find out just how many are going to be there."
And while the priority of such events is always to promote a healthy lifestyle, a bonus would, of course, be if one or two players were discovered.
Morris said: "I have to say that Cambridge boys had a couple of lads who were really good and had seriously quick feet.
"It would be nice for UAE football to think that they could get picked up by local clubs," he added.
ncameron@thenational.ae
