Over the weekend of Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July, Edge FA hosted the Baller Cup at St Columba’s College in St Albans. Run in partnership with W3 Sports, it brought together young footballers across age groups from Under 7s all the way up to Under 15s for two days of competitive, well-organised tournament football.

The pitches were busy from morning to evening. Games ran in both 5-a-side and 7-a-side formats, giving every age group the right size of match for their stage of development. There was plenty of quick passing, sharp movement and the kind of end-to-end play that keeps everyone on their toes, and you could feel the buzz build as the games came thick and fast.

What stood out most was the players themselves. Some were finding their feet in their first taste of tournament football, others were older and hungry to test themselves against fresh opposition. Right across the age groups, the same thing shone through: young players competing hard, backing their teammates and simply loving their football.

The sidelines were every bit as lively. Families came out in numbers to cheer their children on, share the highs and the near-misses, and enjoy a proper weekend of grassroots sport. That mix of real competition and warm support is exactly what youth football should feel like, and it made for a weekend to remember.

Our thanks go to every player, family and coach who made the Baller Cup such a success, and to our partners at W3 Sports for helping the weekend run so smoothly. You can find more about the football we run on our Tournaments page, and full details of future events at ballercup.co.uk.