Winning drawings destined for World Cup

The Qantas Socceroos will receive hundreds of fan mail postcards decorated with Toowoomba students’ artwork.

The Australian Socceroos will receive hundreds of fan mail postcards decorated with Toowoomba students- one-of-a-kind artwork.

Five lucky primary school students had their drawings chosen to feature on the front of a special edition of postcards which will be sent as fan mail to support the Socceroos in their World Cup bid in South Africa.

The winning drawings were selected last night by a panel of judges which included The Chronicle sports reporter Ben Drewe, Councillor Mike Williams and Festival of Football Media and Promotions Officer Heather Smith.

The winners are:

Loughlin Reilly, Toowoomba Grammar School, Year 6

Georgie Beauchamp, Fairholme Junior School, Year 5

Isaac Martin, Toowoomba Grammar School, Year 6

Amelia Waters, St Anthony-s Primary School, Year 1

Emma Dann, Fairholme Junior School, Year 4

Eleven schools and 211 students participated in the inaugural Festival of Football Junior Art Competition, proudly sponsored by National Australia Bank.

The winners were selected for their colourful, creative and thoughtful representations of the competition-s theme, My town loves football.

The drawings will now be used as the front cover artwork for hundreds of postcards which will be used by local football fans to send their support and well wishes to the Australian players in South Africa before the 2010 FIFA World Cup commences on 11 June.

Each winner will also receive a Festival of Football commemorative polo-shirt autographed by former Socceroos coach, and Festival Patron, Rale Rasic.

All entries will be displayed at the Festival-s Grand Dinner and Dance event on Friday 4 June at Rumours International.

The novel competition is just one of the many events being hosted by the inaugural Festival of Football.

The Festival has been established to celebrate Australia-s qualification and the 2010 World Cup games by bringing football fans and the wider community together through a series of established and unique events.

Events will be held until July and include a Primary Schools Junior Games, Athletes with Disabilities Games and a Gala Games Day that features a Masters, Corporate and Multicultural competition.

For more information, visit www.festivaloffootball.org.au

The 2010 Festival of Football program is:

Wednesday 2 June Primary Schools Junior Games - Toowoomba Grammar, Margaret Street

Friday 4 June Athletes with Disabilities Schools Carnival - USQ Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre, Baker Street, 9am - 3pm

Festival of Football Grand Dinner - Rumours International, Ruthven Street, 6.45pm (Guest speaker: Rale Rasic)

Saturday 5 June - Gala Games - 9am-4pm - Captain Cook ovals, Bridge Street

7-aside competition / teams of 8-10 players

Masters Games (Men O35 and O45, Women O30)

Corporate Games (Men, Women and Mixed)

Multicultural Games (U19 and Open)

Emergency Services Games (Men, Women and Mixed)

And,

Festival Freestyle Juggling Competition (Open to everyone from U11 to Open)

Queensland Paralympians demonstration

Friday 18 June Junior Disco - Tomba-s Nite Spot, Russell Street

Sunday 11 July Indigenous World Cup Games - Blue Mountain Heights, Ruthven Street (north)