By ELISABETH McCULLAGH

On August 30, the year five and six girls soccer team from St John's Primary School embarked on an exciting journey to Melbourne for the State Championships.

Rising early at 5am our spirited team, consisting of Emma Zhao, Isabelle Zhu, Remy Simmons, Lylah Hamill, Elisabeth McCullagh, Mia Rieusset, Charlotte Divers, Sophie Lamont, Isla Moore, Tully Watson, Piper Clarke, Ruby Preston and under the guidance of our dedicated coach Mrs Watson, set out on a three-hour drive from Euroa to Thornbury.

Upon arrival around 9:30 am, with just 15 minutes before our first game, excitement coursed through us all.

Tully led our warm-ups with lunges, squats, and three laps of jogging.

Our inaugural game pitted us against Ballarat Grammar School, where nerves and excitement intertwined.

Although we scored one goal to their five, we were determined to give our all in the upcoming matches.

The next game mirrored our first, with us scoring no goals against Plenty Parklands primary school two goals.

However, our performance improved, with Isla Moore's impressive headers stealing the spotlight.

In our final game against Dandenong South primary school, we found ourselves in rain and cold weather, making it a memorable contest.

Although we narrowly lost zero to one goal, Remy and Tully came close to scoring, leaving us proud of our relentless efforts.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Watson for her unwavering support during training and preparation.

Special thanks to our bus driver, Steve, and Damon Rieusset for organizing our team shirts, which made us look incredibly professional.

Lastly, we express our appreciation to all the parents and supporters who joined us on this thrilling journey.