They were only formed last May - but this amazing Wearside football team has won three tournaments already!

Another great trophy win for the Seaham team.

The Seaham Elite Under-14s were only formed in May last year but what a start it has been for the squad of players aged 13 and 14.

Manager Lee Duncan said the team won three pre-season tournaments at Redcar, Middlesborough and Ferryhill and hailed the achievement as ‘amazing’.

Then the boys won a local six-a-side tournament and now stand second in their league as well as reaching the quarter finals in the Durham County Shield – beating teams from two divisions higher along the way.

The trophy winning team pictured after one of their recent tournament triumphs.

The team becomes the latest entry in the Best of Wearside Awards and has been nominated in the Sporting Achievement category.

Lee added: “I have been involved in coaching for a lot of years now and I have never known a team to do as well as this current team.”

He also praised the players for their efforts off the pitch as they have raised money for two local charities by ‘devoting their own spare time to folk who aren’t as fortunate as themselves.”

The team joins a great list of nominations for this year’s competition but we want more.

This year’s competition has backing from headline sponsor BGL, partner sponsor Utility Alliance, partner sponsor Gentoo, and category sponsor Marelli.

We thank them all for getting on board, and now comes your turn to get involved.

We hope you will inundate us with entries and make the job of the judges that much harder.

Take a look at the categories, read the entry instructions, and your favourite cause will be a step closer to hopefully winning a Best of Wearside title.

THE CATEGORIES

:: Community Group of the Year.

:: Student of the Year.

:: Green Champion of the Year.

:: Child of Courage.

:: Child of Achievement.

:: Young Voice of Wearside.

:: Fundraiser of the Year.

:: Volunteer of the Year.

:: Sporting Achievement of the Year.

::Community Champion Award.

HOW TO NOMINATE

To nominate, just send your name, address and telephone number, as well as your email address, if applicable. Remember to include the category you are putting your nominated cause into.

Also send the name of the person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known).

Send all of that to Lynn Wild by no later than March 2. Judging of all the entries will be held that same week with the finale at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, April 1.

There are three ways to nominate.

l Email those entries to [email protected].

l Post them to Lynn Wild, North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC), Wearfield Enterprise Park East, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 2TA.

l Visit the website at https://www.bestofwearside.co.uk.