Scott Hardy is a Director at Next Level Sports Ltd, and he said, “It was great to see so many children from Flying High Partnership schools attend RH Academy, Mansfield Town’s training facility. We decided to run the event after a conversation with Grant Worthington (Flying High Partnership Inclusion and System Leader), who was looking to develop pathways into elite sports for children from within their multi-academy trust.

“Football is loved and played across the county every weekend, and we wanted to provide an opportunity for some of those schoolchildren to shine on a bigger stage and in front of the academy coaches. The RH Academy facility is one of the best in EFL League One, and hopefully, this will act as an inspiration to the children to work harder at something they already enjoy – ultimately with a view to progressing to playing with a professional club.

“Alongside organising Flying High Partnership games, this is another way Next Level Sports Ltd can support the children we work with in schools, and we hope this is the first of many talent-spotting events, including those for girls and Year 3 and 4 children that we can arrange.”

At the event, school pupils played against Mansfield Town FC Academy players in Under-10s (Year 5) and Under-11s (Year 6) teams, focusing on small-sided games of 4 v 4 or 6 v 6, with additional strength and conditioning sessions. Following the event, Next Level Sports and MTFC will look at options to run similar events or representative matches in the near future.

Rory (Year 6) is a pupil from Killisick Junior School (Arnold) who said, “I thought it was brilliant! It is a great opportunity to show off what you can do, especially playing against a high-quality team. It was also good to play against pupils from our other schools in the trust, and I already knew some of them.”

Rory said it was helpful to play against pupils with high skill levels. “It’s good to play against others of your own level because you know what they are capable of. Mansfield were outstanding, and that’s the level I want to get to. I would like to join a professional football academy, and my aspiration is to be a professional footballer when I am older. To do that, I need to work hard and put all my effort into it, using my school values of enjoyment and perseverance.”

Grant Worthington is the Flying High Partnership’s Inclusion and System Leader, and he said, “It was a fantastic opportunity for our Year 5 and Year 6 boys from across our partnership schools to come together to represent Flying High against excellent Mansfield Town Academy teams. Experiences like this not only build confidence and teamwork but also create lasting memories for the children involved.

“In partnership with Next Level Sports and Mansfield Town Football Club, we are delighted to provide a football talent pathway for our gifted footballers and are excited to grow this initiative even further, with plans to expand opportunities in both boys’ and girls’ football. We look forward to continuing to provide incredible and inspiring experiences for all our pupils and thank both Next Level Sports and Mansfield Town Football Club for working in collaboration with us to deliver this event at the impressive RH Academy.”

Schools with pupils participating were: Peafield Lane Academy (Mansfield Woodhouse), Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy, Edwalton Primary School, Killisick Junior School (Arnold), Horsendale Primary & Nursery School (Nuthall), Forest Glade Primary School (Sutton-in-Ashfield), Leamington Primary & Nursery, Blue Bell Hill Primary School (St Ann’s), Rivendell Flying High Academy, Hucknall Flying High Academy, Kirkstead Junior Academy (Pinxton), Greenwood Primary & Nursery School (Kirkby-in-Ashfield), Hawthorne Primary & Nursery School (Bestwood Village), and Beeston Fields Primary and Nursery School.