The Dulwich Cup, arguably the crown jewel of interschool football tournament in the Shanghai-Suzhou area, saw teams from as far away as Seoul, Korea come to try their luck on the best facilities available in Shanghai.

The Dulwich Cup, arguably the crown jewel of interschool football tournament in the Shanghai-Suzhou area, saw teams from as far away as Seoul, Korea come to try their luck on the best facilities available in Shanghai. At YCIS Shanghai, warm congratulations go to the football teams that played in Shanghai’s Dulwich Cup this year. Both the Junior Boys’ and Girls’ teams did very well, as the Boys’ team got through to the semi-finals and the Girls’ team won the tournament.

The Junior Boys’ Football team once again had a solid performance at the Dulwich Cup under the guidance of coach Rick Rolls, narrowly losing 2-1 to BISS Puxi in the semi-finals. The team only lost one game in group play to Dulwich College and had impressive wins over BISS Puxi and BISS Pudong. Coach Rolls praises the boys for their attitude and effort, saying, “The team showed a lot of courage, determination and heart.”

Behind every great team is a great coach. Coach Jonathan Denton dedicated time and effort in leading the Junior Girls’ Football team to victory. The girls started out as underdogs, playing against boys’ teams and opposition up to three years older than they are. However, constantly being the underdog bound this team together and gave it character. There were no individuals in the team; everyone played a beautiful free flowing blend of football, confident in one another and dedicated to the team as a whole.  In the tournament, they outplayed every team tactically without conceding a single goal. Despite a few jangling nerves during the penalty shootout in the final game, the girls brought the game to a triumphant conclusion, with sun gleaming off the Dulwich Cup above their heads. Best of all, they were cheered on by all their parents, brothers, sisters, and friends.

The Senior Girls’ Football team also held their own and delivered a similarly outstanding performance this season. After struggling to pull together eight dedicated players to play the first match, the team won five of six matches in the Division Two Senior Girls’ season. What is remarkable about this feat is they only conceded two goals for the whole season. Coach Denton says, “I am proud of the spirit and endeavour both teams show on the pitch and hope to guide them to further success in the future. I would also like to thank captain Kerryn and vice-captain Suanne, and junior captain Mariko for their commitment to the team.”