History of the elsa cup
by ELSA NEWS
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Way back in 1998 two teachers, Bill Beare and Barry Dalton, were handed the job of running a football competition for nine English language colleges. A competition between some of these colleges had been in existence on an ad-hoc basis for a few years prior to this, but apart from bragging rights, there was really nothing to show for any team winning it; in short, no trophy. This had to happen!

Barry Dalton did some leg and fax work and a lot of research into finding a suitable cup for the new league: ‘The English Language Schools Association’ football competition (ELSA). Bob Price Trophies of Maroubra had a range of Trophy Cups for sale and he could have it engraved for the new association with the name “English Language Schools Association”. They settled on the style and size (22”) and in late February 1998 ELSA bought the ELSA Cup.

At the end of every league season, the winning college’s name was engraved on a small shield and placed on the bakelite base of the Cup. However, after 10 years of the competition, the base was full to capacity with the winners’ shields. Suggestions of buying a newer, bigger cup were voiced but just as quickly dismissed as the old ELSA Cup (now losing some of its silver plating) just couldn’t ever be replaced. So, in 2008 the project of extending the base of the cup was undertaken. Paul Mavromatis of Clems Engraving in Mascot was given the job of trimming down a larger bakelite base and fitting it to the existing base; a nifty job done with solid expertise and care. The new base can accommodate possibly another 15 or so small shields so it will be a while before any further alterations are needed.

The ELSA Perpetual Cup remains the major prize of the English Language Schools Association football competition and forms the cornerstone of the Competition at the heart of its long tradition.