Blakebrook Public School, 12km northwest of Lismore, returned from Sydney this week as NSW State Champions at soccer for the third time since 2012.

The Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) Small School Soccer Knockout competition was held in Glenwood, Sydney, and Blakebrook attempted to be crowned champions after a close second in 2022, post-flood.

Massimo Feletti, the team captain (Year 6), spoke for the team about the win, “It felt very good that we would get to play and that we could get a chance to win.”

Their coach, Damian Cootes, has been incredibly proud of their success, “There aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to describe this team. 

“Their effort has been herculean, and we are incredibly proud of their achievement. 

“Despite setbacks, challenges, and changes, soccer has always been a constant for them, and this accomplishment is a wonderful celebration of that.”

The semi-final was played against Willow Tree Public School (north of Scone), and Blakebrook beat them 7-2

The grand final was against Spring Hill Public School (west of Bathurst), and Blakebrook won that match 6-3

Massimo said they had the right mindset, and he really wanted a big win as it would be his last game for Blakebrook PS.

“It was cool to play the first game in front of such a big crowd, and the trip itself was such fun. I loved the opportunity to play with my friends, and to top it off it was nice to score a hat trick in the grand final.”

The joy of seeing the kids play at this level was appreciated by many, and Coach Cootes said, “Many of the students were in disbelief; it was a surreal experience for them.”

(It was Declan's idea to "cool off" their coach, but the rest of the team joined in immediately! Image Credit : Blakebrook Public School)

Each of the players on the team contributed in their own way. Coach Cootes elaborates, “Most of the players play outside of school at a club, but one player, Ada, hadn’t played soccer before and she was instrumental in each of our games. 

“We had one player in Year 3, Diablo, who plays well above his age, and two from Year 4, Rubie and Toretto, that are tenacious. 

“There are some scary talents up front in Massimo and Declan who love to tear apart defences, and Blake has a killer shot on him.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to unleash Max on teams in the finals due to a dirt bike accident. 

“Every team needs a good goalkeeper, and we are lucky enough to have a great one in Riley. 

“We lose some great talents at the end of the year due to them being in Year 6, one we will miss greatly is Baxter, who has a super boot and loves to score from halfway.”

Soccer makes up a large part of Blakebrook's culture. Coach Cootes says, “During any break time, most students are engaged in some form of soccer. 

“The group has been playing together for a while, and there are some incredibly talented individuals on the team. The key to our success was getting them to work together.”

Coach Cootes' philosophy on playing “What I love about sport is there are winners and losers. Yes you need skill and talent but with work, anybody can be winner.  

“Sometimes it takes being a loser to become a winner. Sport is a great tool for developing a drive to do better, and it’s fun.

The team is looking forward to next year, now “We hope to become back-to-back champions.”