U9 Kites

2023/24 Season Review

After some management changes and some new players joining the team, the Hartley Wintney Kites started the 2023/24 season with a clean slate and a lot to learn.

Without doubt the first few months of the season were a resilience test for the players, parents and coaches as we lost all of our matches up until Christmas by some sizeable margins! But during the 4th game (an 8-2 loss), we saw an unbelievable move of a great throw from Lachlan to Gilbert who controlled the ball effortlessly, played a lovely pass to new signing Josh (in his first ever game of football), who looked up and slammed the ball into the top corner. Admittedly it would have been cooler if it had been in the opposition goal but the signs were there that the boys could pass, control and look for each other.

Saturday 13th of January… a frosty winter morning away to Petersfield saw the first and well deserved win of the season, few who were there will forget the tears shed (by Tom) as the reward for the boys hard work for the previous 4 months was paid off. This lead to a great run of 6 wins from the last 8 games of the season as the boys developed further as a team and the trust and effort levels went through the roof.

The season culminated in making the NEHYL Goblet Final, where they were unlucky to lose 2-1 to a great last minute free kick, but the performance on that day was incredible from where they started the season and the matchday experience of being in a final will be remembered for a long time.

Thank you to our amazing parents who turn up to training and matches week in week out, leave the coaches to coach and support the players unconditionally. Additionally thank you to our amazing sponsor Tempest Security Solutions who have kitted the boys out in some top stash!

Kieren & Tom