Over 230 pupils from 23 primary schools across Rotherham took to the pitch at the AESSEAL New York Stadium for this year’s Y3/4 Be Connected Cup, hosted by Rotherham United Community Trust.

The event provided a unique and memorable opportunity for children who may not usually get the chance to represent their school or play for grassroots football teams. The aim of the day was to celebrate the Premier League’s four core values — Be Connected, Be Ambitious, Be Fair and Be Inspiring — while promoting teamwork, inclusivity, and a love of sport.

Teams competed in a fun and supportive environment, with the stadium pitch transformed into a festival of football for the day. Beyond the excitement of the matches themselves, the experience of playing at a professional stadium left a lasting impression on many of the young participants.

It was a fantastic experience to be running our Play on the Pitch event for the first time,” said Stephen Johnson, Schools and Sport Participation Manager at Rotherham United Community Trust. “All the children who took part on the day performed amazingly and were a credit to their schools. To be able to offer a unique opportunity for children to spend the day playing football at a professional stadium is something I hope will inspire them to keep playing football or being physically active in the future. For many children it was their first time visiting the stadium, and we hope to see them again at one of our future events or a Rotherham United home game next season!

Teachers from participating schools praised the organisation of the event and the impact it had on their pupils.

Some of our children had never been to a football stadium, so this is a life experience that will stay in their memory. – Said a representative from Aughton Junior Academy.

St Bede’s Catholic Primary added: “The children have had a wonderful experience at a young age, which hopefully allows us to build upon this within school. They have come away after winning their tournament with a sense of pride. I liked the way that the morning tournament put all of the children together with similar abilities in the afternoon.

The Be Connected Cup reflects the Trust’s ongoing commitment to using the power of football to inspire, educate and engage young people across the borough. We look forward to welcoming more schools and pupils to similar events in the future.