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The Guardian and Football School are inviting 7- to 12-year-olds in the UK and Ireland to see if they can pen the piece that comes top
The Guardian and the book series Football School are launching our third Young Sportswriter of the Year competition, open to all seven- to 12-year-olds in the UK and Ireland. Last year saw an incredible richness and energy in the students’ entries with the two winners producing outstanding pieces, nine-year-old Rebecca Close winning one age category by writing about Jack Leach’s glasses, while Eleanor Walsh, 11, finished top among the older students with an article focusing on the British triathlete Vicky Holland.
Leach was so impressed by the piece that he has agreed to be one of the judges this year. The England cricketer is joined on the panel by, among others, golfer Ian Poulter, Olympic gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu, Team GB cyclist and Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart, the World Cup winner Per Mertesacker, former England striker Rachel Yankey, the Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy and the former England rugby player Catherine Spencer. Continue reading...