Tidy Kit, Messi Future.

Bond It are keen to support local sports teams at all levels, especially those that nurture the development of tomorrow's star players. To that end, we have agreed to be kit sponsor for the Elland Junior's U13's Football Club for their next season.

Elland Cricket, Athletic & Bowling Club has a long history, and had its origins as a Sunday School team set up is 1861, and has been part of the Savile Estate, Hullen Edge Road, since 1876. In 1889, the first of the two bowling greens was laid, and four years later, a running track was created around the cricket field and it was then that the title Elland Cricket Athletic and Bowling Club was adopted. Athletic meetings attracted competitors from all over the country, but they ceased around the time of the 1914-18 war.

The first tennis courts were added in 1915 and a contemporary report says that some enthusiasts were turning up for a game at 6.00am before going to work. Association Football was then introduced as an alternative winter activity and a junior soccer section formed a few years later, this was so successful that it outgrew the facilities.

The U13’s football club team was formed in 2014, when the children at that time were just 4 years old. Head Coach, Brett Rhodes, has a passion for football and seeing kids outside being active and enjoying being part of a team. Currently the club is made up of 46 local children (45 boys and 1 girl), with the majority being with the club for over 8 years.

With the support of volunteer coaches, parents and children’s dedication they train twice a week and typically play league matches weekly, they love to win but as we all know in sport, you learn from the losses. Tournaments and friendlies see the children playing all over the Borough coming together to play the sport they enjoy.

Pictured here are some of the lads in the team, showing off their new kit at the Elland Carnival on Saturday July 2nd: look carefully though, the future Lionel Messi or Christiano Ronaldo might be in the Bond It kit just waiting to be discovered.

We wish the Elland Junior U13's a successful and enjoyable season!