Sudbury schoolchildren step up for Maxim Community Schools Cup

Sep 07, 2023

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More than 100 children from the Sudbury area showed off their skills at the beautiful game, as an inter-schools football competition returned for its second year.

Year 5 and 6 teams from 10 primary schools – representing Sudbury, Great Cornard, Great Waldingfield, Glemsford, Clare, Lavenham and Boxford – gathered to compete in the Maxim Community Schools Cup.

St Gregory's won the seven-a-side tournament at AFC Sudbury, followed by runners-up Glemsford Primary and third-placed St Joseph's, with prizes presented by Cambridge United player Liam Bennett.

It is the second year that the cup has been run by Maxim Sports Coaching, with support from AFC Sudbury academy students, plus catering provided by The Bridge Project.

Maxim, which runs weekly activity clubs and football coaching, also hosted a girls’ football tournament this year, and hopes to work with more local organisations in future to help increase accessibility to sport and improve the wellbeing of young people.

Ian Frost, co-founder and owner of Maxim Sports Coaching told Suffolk News: "To create the opportunity to have so many children from our community come together, to take part in a fun sports competition, is something we are very passionate about and committed to.

"With the cost-of-living crisis, being able to put on free, accessible and inclusive sports events like this is very important and, along with AFC Sudbury, we are looking forward to hosting more events in the future."

Patrick Bell, chief executive of AFC Sudbury, added: "My thanks on behalf of the club to Maxim Sports Coaching for proving what we always say – that football is uniquely positioned to bring people together.

"That is even better when they are young people, enjoying all the physical health and mental wellbeing benefits that football delivers."