Bridlington Rovers u14s are used to playing a variety of teams in Hull and the East Riding, but in April they will be heading further afield to test their mettle against continental opponents.
The youngsters will be playing two matches and taking part in a tournament during a tour of Germany from May 25 to June 1, and club coach Rebecca Whiting said: “The team thoroughly deserve this once-in-a-lifetime trip, which I am sure they will talk about for many years to come.”
The team started as Burlington Jackdaws under coach Chris Kirkham and transitioned to Bridlington Rovers, but from next season will be part of the Bridlington Town Rovers collaboration.
“The expectation is that I will continue with them through to u18s, where they will feed into Bridlington Rovers senior teams and potentially, for some, Bridlington Town, to showcase home-grown talent,” said Whiting.
The team normally plays in Division Two of the Hull Youth League, but for one weekend will be in Berlin, and Whiting said: “The German opposition are excited to play us as it is very rare for them to play against English teams. I have coached football for more than 20 years, and I never thought twice about taking this team on a tour when I discussed it with a few parents. They are very respectful children who can be trusted in a foreign country to represent Bridlington Rovers and Bridlington Town in the right manner.
“We are the first Bridlington team to do this in more than 15 years, and there will be 15 players and 32 parents/guardians and siblings going on the trip. It is going to be a fantastic experience for everyone.”
Rovers have a game scheduled on Friday evening and another on Saturday afternoon before a tournament on Sunday, and then they will fly home on Monday.
The players and parents have all been involved in fundraising. That has included bake sales at Bridlington CYP and Bridlington Town, bag packing at Tesco, football cards, tombola, and a bucket collection at Bridlington Town. A grand raffle will be at Bridlington CYP on Easter weekend (Saturday and Sunday).
Anyone who wants raffle tickets or can donate to the fundraiser should call 07853 885629. The funds raised will pay for players’ flights, new footballs to take, a high ropes activity, a stadium tour of the Olympic Stadium, and the opportunity to play on their underground pitch, as well as entry fees for the tournament. Any remaining funds will be spent on additional activities in Germany.
Whiting added: “Thank you to all the local businesses who have so far contributed – kit sponsor: Advanced Paving; training kit: Flamborough Victoria Club; training tops: Bridlington Lions; rain jackets: Elevated Scaffolding; second kit sponsor: MLB Developments.”
