MF Team Woollard, which trains in Lichfield and Burntwood, won 20 medals at the MF Southern Championships in Banbury on 24 and 25 October, eight of them gold.

Students from MF Team Woollard, the Matt Fiddes Martial Arts school that trains in Lichfield and Burntwood, won 20 medals at the MF Southern Championships in Banbury last month, eight of them gold.

The championships ran over two days. Juniors and adults competed on Saturday 24 October, and the club’s Mighty Matts, aged three to six, on Sunday 25 October, instructor Pete Woollard told Lichfield Today.

The medal table

Section Gold Silver Bronze Total
Juniors and adults 4 4 4 12
Mighty Matts (3 to 6) 4 2 2 8
Team total 8 6 6 20
Twelve MF Team Woollard students in black and white uniforms with an instructor, in front of a Matt Fiddes Martial Arts banner
MF Team Woollard students and an instructor in front of the Matt Fiddes Martial Arts banner at the championships. Photo: supplied by MF Team Woollard

Fourteen juniors and adults competed on the Saturday: Ava Atkinson, Courtney Moulding, Henry de Rouffignac, Alexandru Hriscu, Clark Gittings, Colin Chan, Jace Chan, Skyla Leighton-Cook, Jack Wilkes, Daniel Harris, Maisie Frith and Betsy Ratcliffe, with two adults, Kalee Atkinson and Kieran Ratcliffe-Brown.

Ten of them came home with medals, the club says: Ava, Courtney, Henry, Alexandru, Colin, Jace, Skyla, Jack, Kalee and Kieran.

On the Sunday, six Mighty Matts competed: Ariyah Maguire-Barratt, Evie Atkinson, Frankie Thomas, Theo Hiford, Arthur Williams and Greta McMurray. Ariyah, Evie, Frankie and Theo won medals.

A large group of MF Team Woollard students in uniform, several wearing medals, standing with parents and family members in a sports hall
MF Team Woollard students with their families in the sports hall. Photo: supplied by MF Team Woollard

“Learning to win with humility”

Mr Woollard said the medals were not the main thing the club took away from the weekend.

“As you can see and if you speak to anyone attending, yes the medals are great,” he said. “We are immensely proud of all the students, medals or no medals, but the bigger thing is the family aspect.

“Everyone was supporting each other, and such a great atmosphere of watching their confidence grow and learning to win with humility, but learning that if you don’t win, grow through resilience.”

Young MF Team Woollard students in white uniforms with family members, posing in front of a Matt Fiddes Martial Arts banner in a sports hall
Young MF Team Woollard students and their families in front of the club banner. Photo: supplied by MF Team Woollard

Where the club trains

MF Team Woollard runs classes at three venues in the district, the club says:

  • Lichfield Sports Club
  • Lichfield Golf and Country Club
  • Chasetown Methodist Church, Burntwood

Other MF Martial Arts schools in the same group run in Stafford, Cannock and Tamworth.

What it means for you

  • If your child wants to try it, the club says anyone can come along. Contact Pete Woollard on 07967 214848 or at mrwoollard@mattfiddes.com, or book through mattfiddes.com.
  • The youngest classes start at three. The Mighty Matts section is for children aged three to six.
  • Has your club had a result? Send it to newsdesk@lichfieldtoday.co.uk, with a photograph if you have one.