TAFC in Holland: The video

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Sat 19 Apr: Tournament at SV Houten

Twelve months previously, Teddington Athletic's U12 girls had never played together. And yet here they were, in a foreign country, preparing for their first 11-a-side game against OH MY GOD LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE GIRLS.

The Dutch are a naturally tall people. Well, they may all be secretly artificially tall but they're among the tallest nations on earth. Moreover, the Dutch youth system - exemplary, productive, award-winning - sometimes pits younger kids against older ones, and such was the case in this 24-team tournament at SV Houten. TAFC U12s could well come up against their clubmates from the year above… provided both could get out of their groups. 

First, the U12s had to play their first-ever 11-a-side game. The coaches – Dave and Gary, with the assistance of Tony Mez – spent long hours discussing how to tweak the championship-winning 2-3-3 into a system to best take on wider spaces and more numerous opponents; in the end, and fittingly for an attack-minded outfit so near the home of Ajax, Teddington opted for something like a 3-4-3, with the four in a diamond. But would it work?

The tournament would provide a whirlwind introduction. Each game was a one-way 15-minute blast of football: no time to feel your way in, barely time to suss out the opposition. 

First up was Zestienhoven, and as soon as the whistle went Teddington forgot their nerves and simply got on with playing football. Adapting easily to the new formation, the tourists more than held their own against the Dutch and the goalless draw was a fair result.

D 0-0. Team: Amelie Munday; Ella Parkinson-Mearns, Millie Theobald, Saskia Brewster; Ruby Rudkin, Ella V, Millie MacEachern; Phoebe Head, Emily Coulson, Sinead Morris; Ale Fairn.

The girls then had to wait an hour but it was worth it for a moment of history: Teddington's first 11-a-side win. In truth, the English team dominated the game against Sporting '70, and were unlucky only to score the one goal, which came when Emily Coulson - somewhat absolved of defensive duties and thoroughly enjoying her role behind the centre-forward - calmly raced through to slot home.

W 1-0. Team: AM; EPM, MT, SB; Sadie Day, EV, Sophie Wallman; PH, EC (1), SM; Amy Hallett.

Twenty minutes later they were back on, against Hercules, and again running the show. This time, they couldn't find the breakthrough, but nor did they concede – which was becoming a theme.

D 0-0. Team as 1st game.

Then it was Focus 07, and Teddington's trademark football took over. The game's only goal came from a typical Athletic combination of the side's two top scorers: Phoebe Head, cutting in from the wing into the inside-right position, curled a superb left-footed through-ball between the defenders and Sinead Morris hared onto it to lash home. As Teddington took control, the Focus coaches became increasingly exasperated; after they questioned the officials one too many times, the ref pointedly ended the game three minutes early. Quite right too.

W 1-0. Team as 2nd game. 

Perhaps overconfident, Teddington started their final group game against Houten MD2 sleepily before again taking control. Phoebe and Ruby Rudkin exchanged passes on the edge of the box before slipping through Ale Fairn, who casually lifted the ball in over the goalkeeper. Late on, Ale made her own luck by chasing down a backpass, deflecting home the keeper's rushed clearance.

W2-0. Team as 1st game. 

That sent Teddington through to the semi-final against hosts Houten MD1. Playing on an unfamiliar artificial surface, the tourists finally conceded their first goal of the day – in their sixth match – as the home side continually hit long balls over the top. Amelie Munday, guest goalkeeper for the tour but well-known and well-liked among the squad, rushed bravely off her line several times to mop up the danger, but the coaches will be working on their defence's ability to turn and defend hoisted through-balls – a feature of the team's only previous defeat, to Premier Division AFC Wimbledon in the Cup. Try as they might, Teddington – shaken by a heavy tackle on Emily – couldn't get the equaliser and went out with heads held high.

L 0-1. Team as 1st game. 

In the third-place play-off, Teddington came back up against their first opponents turned firm friends, Zestienhoven. They again succumbed to a 1-0 defeat, but they finished fourth of 24 teams; more importantly, they enjoyed their first taste of 11-a-side football, and proved themselves well capable of it. Fun lies ahead.
L 0-1. Team as 2nd game.

Into action

Chalets - sorry, Duingalows - have been occupied. Amusements have amused. Swims have been swum. Sleep has been caught up on. And after a 7am reveille, the Teddington tourers have trooped back on to the coach to head for Saturday's tournament.

Both teams - the U13s, largely concentrated on the lower deck and concentrating on karaoke versions of  the modern hit parade, and the U12s upstairs, quietly comparing new boots with a focused nervousness - have five games in their groups, with the possibility of more in the knockouts. Each game, against opponents whose quality is unknown, will last just 15 minutes: a distilled blast of XI-a-side, a discipline neither team is fully familiar with. It promises to be educational as well as entertaining.

The modern coach

Artfully stylish headphones, pristine sportswear and chuckling banter are nothing new on a football coach travelling to face opponents on their patch. What's different on this coach - a modern double-decker replete with onboard "facilities" (no number twos please) - is that the players are 11, 12 and 13-year-old girls. Teddington Athletic's two well-regarded female teams are headed for the continent, and the continent had better beware.

The midnight meet in a swimming pool car park was a nervous affair. Would everyone turn up? Was there the requisite paperwork? And where was the coach? Turned out it was marooned outside, but players, staff and family trooped on and set off for Europe.

Nobody knows how well the girls will do. But they are fine players and just as importantly fine people. This will be a learning experience, and a bonding one. Good luck to all concerned: the girls comparing smartphones, the parents pooling lagers, the coaches plotting victory on foreign fields.  May they all do Teddington proud.