Josh Weeks, aged 14, and a pupil at Monmouth School has just been selected to attend training with the Welsh National U16 Soccer Development Squad in preparation for the tri-nations 'Victory Shield' tournament in 2007/2008. In addition to School football, Josh is currently playing for Southampton Football Club U14s and he attends training once a week in Bath with the club's youth academy. Josh is the first pupil from Monmouth School to have achieved international recognition at Soccer, having joined the School at 13 from St John's on the Hill, Chepstow. Football at Monmouth School started some 12 years ago and is now the main sport played in the second term with approximately 230 boys enjoying the experience. Monmouth School A.F.C regularly runs trips abroad and has previously sampled the delights of Spanish, French, Greek and Dutch football and is currently planning a trip to Italy or America. The School runs eight teams from the ages of 14 to18, with each team playing 10/12 fixtures during the term. The 1st XI has been particularly successful over the past five seasons, losing just nine of its last sixty- five fixtures. This season sees the 1st XI take part in the newly formed southern section of the Mercian 1st XI League, a League that involves 13 other independent schools from around the South West and Midlands region. The School teams are ably supported by fully qualified external coaches in Andy Beattie,Richard Kear, Adriano Girolami and Barry Burns.