Final preparations are well underway for Bootham U15 Girls as they get ready to travel to Italy later this month for the Montesilvano Futsal Cup.

The 11-player squad has been putting in extra training sessions ahead of the tournament to ensure they are fully prepared and ready to compete.

The girls were joined by Bootham Ladies First Team players, recent National League title winners, who offered advice and technical support. Among those attending were Heather Smith, Erin Elliot and Eleanor Comrie, all England Development players who attended last year’s event, helping the club achieve an impressive third-place finish on its first-ever trip abroad.

The trip has been partly funded through some fantastic fundraising efforts by several parents, with special mention going to Elisabeth Craven for organising an online raffle that raised more than twice the amount everyone expected.

The girls were also proudly wearing their brand-new match and training kits, generously supplied by Portakabin and Walker Crips Financial Planning. The overall verdict was that the squad looked extremely smart and ready for the challenge ahead.

Head Coach Chris said: ‘After last year’s amazing adventure, we knew we had to go back. This is a much younger group than last time, so we have to temper expectations of repeating the fantastic achievement of finishing third. That said, the players are fully committed, they understand what is coming, and we know they will leave everything on the court while also having the time of their lives.’

The team flies out on Friday 26 June and will play its first game on Sunday 28 June. While the fixtures have yet to be finalised, the girls are expected to face teams from Italy, Australia, Finland and Hungary.

Daily updates will be posted on the club’s social media channels, so why not follow Bootham on your favourite platform and see how the girls get on?

Click here to meet the team and find out more about the adventure ahead!