St Albans students smash football world record

Park, Abdi Dima & Chamakh

Students and staff at St Columba’s College, St Albans, broke the Guinness World Record for the most football passes on Wednesday 14 March, setting a new record of 640 consecutive passes between different players.

They were supported earlier in the day by Arsenal football stars Marouane Chamakh and Ju Young Park, and former World Boxing Champion Steve Collins, as well as the Mayor of St Albans. Besides earning their place in the record books, the school have so far received pledges of more than £20,000 to support young people in Kenya.

Arsenal strikers Chamakh and Park took part in a warm-up session with the students after hearing about the world record attempt at Arsenal’s nearby London Colney training complex. They wished the school good luck on behalf of Arsenal FC before the record attempt started, and gave the school a shirt signed by the entire squad to be auctioned for the fundraising effort.

Last summer, two students from St Columba's travelled to Kenya with the Catholic aid agency CAFOD, where they visited Korogocho, one of the largest slums in the country. Emet Halkin from Enfield, celebrating his 17th birthday on the day of the record attempt, and Theo Spyrides, a 16 year old from St Albans, visited the St John Sport Society, a CAFOD funded project that brings together children and young people living in the slum, providing them with vital access to sports lessons, clubs and other activities, and offers thousands of young Kenyans a lifeline out of violence and poverty.

One of the young people they befriended on their trip – 18 year old Kenyan national karate champion Abdi Dima – came over to St Albans to speak to St Columba’s students at their assembly on the 14th and joined the students as they smashed the World Record on the school playing fields.

Emet said: “It’s fantastic to break the record, and even better to raise so much money to help buy a new gym for the St John’s Sports Society. The trip really changed my life. I couldn’t believe the conditions people are forced to live in. The St John’s Society in the middle of the slum is like an oasis in comparison, and it’s a great use of the money we’ve helped raise for CAFOD. The young people that go there are just amazing – open, welcoming and dedicated to their chosen sport. All the older ones spend time training the younger ones. When we got back and told our story to other students and parents they wanted to do more and so the idea for this World Record attempt came about. It’s been a real team effort and we’re so proud today.”

Theo said: “When we came back from Kenya we felt we had to do something for our new friends and it had to be something big because that’s what they deserve – that’s how we decided on the World Record attempt. I play basketball quite seriously and train three or four times a week and would love to play for my country one day. But some of the guys and girls I met in Korogocho train seven days a week. Before they went to the centre they may have been involved in drugs, crime or violence as there is little hope for them there but through the centre they have turned their lives around and really can see a way out of their situation. I can’t believe how many of them are in the Kenya national teams. They’ve really inspired me to keep trying harder. Iit’s been great catching up with Abdi again and showing him around St Albans.”

Abdi said: “It’s my first time outside Kenya and I can’t believe I’m here with my new friends and these famous sporting stars, and that we’ve managed to break a world record. I know how much of a difference the money that has been raised today will mean to many young people like myself, and it is really good to know that our brothers and sisters here in Britain would make such a massive effort on behalf of our community.”

St Columba’s Deputy Headteacher, Steve Jones, who travelled with Emet and Theo, said: “Given that London is soon to host the Olympics, we wanted to look at the relationship between sport and poverty relief. We met many young people in Korogocho whose lives have been turned around through sport, and given new hope. Some of these young people are even representing Kenya in various sports at the Olympic Games. I’m so proud of Theo and Emet and the whole school for being behind this record attempt and really going all out to help others. I’m so proud of their achievement in breaking the record, and how we’ve all worked together so well.”

To top the existing World Record, the school had to pass the ball more than 580 times between players, with no player passing the ball more than once. The whole student body was involved in today’s record-breaking effort along with their teachers. Evidence of the World Record will now be sent to the Guinness World Records Organisation for verification and confirmation. The record was previously held by a McDonald’s student football camp in Hong Kong.

YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SsE1ehF7uA2.

 To access the fundraising page, see: www.everyclick.com/sccworldrecord

For more information about the school see: www.stcolumbascollege.org/

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sccworldrecord