The first round of Welsh Colleges Sport regional tournaments kicked off on 9 October, with Women's Football and Ability Counts football leading the way. ColegauCymru is proud to support these sporting competitions as part of our commitment to an inclusive approach to sport and active wellbeing in the FE sector.
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Women’s Football
The Women's football tournament, held at the outstanding facilities at the University of South Wales (USW) Sports Park in Nantgarw, brought together seven colleges from across Wales highlighting the strength of the FE sector in supporting women’s sport.
Congratulations to Coleg y Cymoedd, winning a closely contested final against Coleg Sir Gâr. We wish them the very best of luck as they go on to represent Wales at the Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport National Championships at Nottingham in April 2026.
The tournament involved college teams from Coleg Cambria, Coleg y Cymoedd, NPTC Group of Colleges, Gower College Swansea, The College Merthyr Tydfil, and Grwp Llandrillo Menai all contributing to a fantastic day of football.
ColegauCymru extends its thanks to USW Sports Park for hosting, and to all staff, coaches, and learners who made the event such a success. The future of women’s football in Welsh FE is bright, and we look forward to seeing these talented players continue to thrive.
Ability Counts Football
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This autumn, ColegauCymru Sport held its third annual pan-disability tournament. The winners from the North Wales and South Wales events will go head-to-head for a place to represent Wales at the Association of Colleges Sport National Championships next April.
The South Wales Ability Counts football event took place on 10 October at the USW Sports Park. This inclusive event organised by ColegauCymru Sport forms part of the ColegauCymru Active Wellbeing Project and is designed to engage learners who may experience real or perceived barriers to participation. The project mainly focuses on learners not already engaged in physical activity or sport, with an emphasis on groups with protected characteristics, including learning disabilities, that may lead to barriers to participation. This year’s winners, alongside their impressive display in the Women’s football, were Coleg y Cymoedd. Llongyfarchiadau!
The North Wales Ability Counts football event took place on 4 November in Park Eirias, Colwyn Bay, with an overwhelming sense of positivity around the tournament. The final match was a tightly contested affair between Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor and Coleg Menai, and on this occasion Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor were victorious. They will go onto the next stage of the tournament where they meet the victors of the Ability Counts South Wales Event, Coleg y Cymoedd.
Following the North Wales event, ColegauCymru Project Manager for Active Wellbeing and Sport, Rob Baynham, said,
“This is the third annual edition of the Ability Counts football events and there’s an incredible buzz around the day in both North and South Wales.
To be able to engage with learners across Wales with additional learning needs in an environment where they can express themselves and enjoy football with their friends is a testament to the commitment of FE colleges to ensure the wellbeing of their learners.
It stands out as a highlight in the ColegauCymru calendar, because the outcomes for the learners are incredible, everyone enjoys a truly brilliant day.
Congratulations to everyone involved, I look forward to continuing the events in the future.”
Grŵp Llandrillo Menai Chief Executive Aled Jones-Griffith, added,
“I’m so proud of the fantastic energy and teamwork shown at the North Wales Ability Counts football tournament. It was brilliant to see so many of our learners taking part and enjoying the day - their enthusiasm and sportsmanship really captured what Grŵp Llandrillo Menai is all about.
A special well done to the Dolgellau team on their impressive performance in the final, and a huge thank-you to the staff and student volunteers who made the event possible. You’ve helped create an experience that celebrates inclusion, confidence, and friendship through sport.
We’re excited to keep building opportunities like this with our partners to make sure every learner can get involved and shine.”
Events like these highlight the growing participation in sport and physical activity for learners with a learning disability in FE colleges. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Disability Sport Wales to explore opportunities to support work in this space.
Further Information
Disability Sport Wales
The lead organisation for sport and physical activity for disabled people in Wales.
Rob Baynham, Sport and Active Wellbeing Project Manager
Robert.Baynham@ColegauCymru.ac.uk
