Girls' sport round-up

Emma Chambers, Head of Girls’ Sport with a sporting round-up for the girls.

Recently I read an interesting article by Lydia Greenway talking about the benefits of sport for young people. Lydia Greenway is a recently retired England cricketer who has since set up the company Cricket for Girls. She had a career spanning 13 years across all formats of cricket and is a double World Cup winner and four times Ashes winner. She quoted an old team mate of hers, and former headteacher, Lucy Pearson, who I think hit the nail on the head when she spoke about the importance of young people having the opportunity to play sport and the benefits from it:

“Team sport, team activities, and team challenges are as important to young people’s development and future success as any academic qualification. We have to help young people learn what it means to be part of a community and what it means to contribute positively to that community. We must teach them to understand that we all make mistakes and that we are at our strongest when we show empathy and compassion to those around us. Equally, we must teach them the resolve to come back from mistakes and the ability to learn from them so that we are stronger and better.”

I think she has succinctly summed up the importance of sport in building relationships, sportsmanship and resilience.  These life skills are built on a day to day basis on the fields, courts and Astro here at school.

We look forward to the cricket, rounders, athletics and tennis as we finish our hockey, netball, swimming, cross country and pop lacrosse seasons.

Netball

U13s
The U13 squad have carried on their impressive season to finish their Westbourne House career. The Bs have won 7 matches and finished 3rd at the Twyford tournament. The As have won 4 matches but really thrived in the tournaments. They finished 4th in the Westbourne House Tournament, runners up to Cranleigh in the IAPS Regionals and received ‘Team of the Week’. In the IAPS Nationals they got through to the plate making them equal 12th out of the 111 schools which entered!

Well done to Sophia Tracey for coordinating the very exciting boys v girls netball match for the Year 8s; all to raise money for charity.

Team	Most MVP votes
A	Bella Rank
B	Tallulah Partridge & Daisy Doherty

 

U12s
The U12 squad continued to progress this half of term and give 100% energy and effort. The Bs have won another two matches making it eight wins in total. The As have drawn with Cranleigh and only very narrowly missed out on qualifying for IAPS Nationals and the finals of SISNA. Mrs Cobden has ‘high hopes’ for them all next year. The A team have also received ‘Team of the Week’.

Team	Most MVP votes
A	Juliette Franks
B	Honor Campbell

The Seniors have also had their inter-patrol competition and the results were as follows:

• 1st Owls
• 2nd Panthers
• 3rd Otters
• 4th Tigers

 

U11s
The C team have had two tournaments this half term; Prebendal and Hoe Bridge. This gave them lots of match experience playing against different people. They drew against Newland House in the Hoe Bridge tournament and finished 5th. The B team also attended both of these tournaments and played West Hill Park this half term. They came 3rd at Prebendal, beat West Hill and finished 4th at Hoe Bridge. A very successful season. The As have won a further two matches and had their IAPS Regionals where they finished 2nd in the plate. All the U11s have been a pleasure to coach and their netball has come on leaps and bounds.

Team	Most MVP votes
A	Amelie Rank & Daisy Timberlake
B	Alice de Laszlo & Amalisse Mansoubi
C	Evie Read

Hockey

U10s
The U10 squad have received ‘Team of the Week’ for the progress they have made this term. The Bs finished 4th at the PGS tournament, lost to Farleigh and beat Churcher’s. The As also finished 4th at the PGS tournament, had a tough loss against Farleigh but drew with Churcher’s. Regardless of the score line, whether the chips were up or down, the girls were consistent in displaying real team spirit and a hunger to perform. Always humble in defeat and keen to unlock the secret of the stronger winning team’s success, spirits were seldom dampened.

Team	Top goal scorer	Most MVP votes
A	Isobel Anderson	Caitlin Wilmot
B	Natasha King	Elizabeth Langford & Tabitha Discombe Wells

Year 5 and 6 have had their inter-patrol hockey competition and the results were as follows:

• 1st Tigers
• 2nd Otters
• 3rd Owls
• 4th Panthers

 

U9s
The U9Cs have won two matches convincingly since half term, lost one narrowly and drawn one. Making it a very positive second half. The U9Bs have won two, drawn one and taken part in the PGS festival. The U9As have won two convincingly and also taken part in the PGS festival. The U9 squad have had a fantastic season and developed really well both as individuals and as a team and really enjoy their hockey.

Team	Top goal scorer	Most MVP votes
A	Izzy Perry	Izzy Perry
B	Bea Nelson	Bea Nelson
C	Maddison Cade	Simran Bansil & Dora Agutter

U8s
The U8s have won all 4 matches they have had since half term! They have also taken part in the PGS festival. They have played in some 5/6-a-side and some 8-a-side matches. They have also adapted well to playing on Astro and on grass. Over the course of the season the girls started to develop good positional awareness and their passing and ball control improved week by week.

	Top goal scorer	Most MVP votes
1st	Ellie Witcomb	Nelly Hewlett & Willow Lock
2nd	Willow Lock
3rd	Nelly Gillett

Swimming

We are still waiting to find out if anyone has qualified for the IAPS National Finals in June. We attended our last gala of the term for U9-U12s and went to check out Windlesham’s new pool! It was a great gala with an individual medley for people to try too. We won 191-179. MVP was Emily Stewart.

In addition, we had our much anticipated junior and senior inter-patrol swimming galas. The results are as follows:

Junior gala (Y3&4)

• 1st Tigers
• 2nd Otters
• 3rd Panthers
• 4th Owls

Senior gala (Y5-8)

• 1st Otters
• 2nd Tigers
• 3rd Panthers
• 4th Owls