A Week of Sporting Action

Tuesday 13th October 

U9 Rugby Festival at Winterfold 

The U9 rugby team enjoyed an excellent afternoon at the Winterfold Rugby Festival, showing great enthusiasm and making clear progress throughout the event. Fred and Sam produced some outstanding evasive running, finding space and beating defenders with confidence. Wilf and Geoffry were rewarded for their determined running with some well-deserved tries, while Mikael consistently rushed forward in defence, putting opponents under pressure and making numerous strong tackles. Theo was exceptional defensively, producing multiple try-saving tackles that demonstrated tremendous commitment and courage. The team’s passing game continues to improve, allowing us to move the ball more effectively across the field. This was a really positive afternoon with plenty of lessons learned, and if we can continue to develop our passing after half term, we will become an even more effective team.

U9 Rugby Festival at Winterfold 

On Tuesday afternoon, our U9 boys travelled to Winterfold for a rugby festival, playing three games against Winterfold, Blue Coat and King’s Hawford. 

From the very first game, it was clear to see just how far these boys have come in such a short space of time. Their confidence, commitment and understanding of the game have developed enormously, and it was fantastic to see them putting their skills into practice throughout the afternoon. 

Ben P was outstanding in defence, making some fantastic tackles. His body position and technique were superb, showing the boys that with the right approach, you can stop an opponent regardless of their size. Edward also impressed with his speed and ability to beat defenders, making some excellent runs with the ball in hand. 

Rory had a brilliant afternoon, getting fully stuck into every game and playing with the biggest smile on his face. After scoring a fantastic try in the first game, he went on to create arguably the try of the day in the second. Showing great awareness, he drew the defender towards him before passing to his teammate, creating an overload and allowing KSA to score a brilliant team try. 

Xander continues to grow in confidence with every outing, and it was great to see him rewarded with a superb try of his own. Ivan also showed his fantastic speed and agility, using his footwork to evade defenders and score a number of tries throughout the afternoon. 

While there were plenty of individual highlights, the best moment of the day arguably came during our team talk at the end of the festival. The boys reflected on what they had learned, with several commenting that they had realised tackling does not hurt when you use the correct technique. It was a brilliant example of their growing understanding of the game and the confidence they are developing as a team. 

Most importantly, the boys all agreed that they had thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon of rugby with their mates. Seeing them grow in confidence, support one another and enjoy their rugby is exactly what these festivals are all about. A fantastic afternoon for the U9s, and a real sign of how much progress they have made already this season! 

U9 v King’s Hawford and Hereford Cathedral 

This was undoubtedly the best hockey the Year 4 girls have played so far. Their performances against Hereford Cathedral School and Hawford were a wonderful culmination of the hard work they have put into training, combined with the experience and confidence gained from their previous matches.

It was particularly pleasing to see the girls beginning to understand not just what we have been asking them to do, but why. They recognised the importance of taking the ball early and were equally determined to put pressure on the opposition early, preventing them from having time and space on the ball.

Their positional awareness showed real progress too. The girls understood who they needed to mark and worked hard to transition quickly from defence into attack and, just as importantly, back into defence when possession changed.

Going forward, they were wonderfully goal hungry, attacking with purpose and looking to create opportunities whenever possible. Defensively, they showed the same determination, working hard to win possession and looking to clear the ball wide and early, rather than allowing pressure to build around their goal.

Yes, we scored plenty of goals, which the girls thoroughly enjoyed! However, far more important was the way they achieved the performance goals we have been working towards in training. The progress in their decision-making, positioning and understanding of the game was fantastic to see.

A really exciting performance from this Year 4 team and one that showed just how much their hockey is developing. Well done, girls!

U8 v King’s Hawford and Hereford Cathedral 

The U8 girls enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of hockey at a fun festival against King’s Hawford and Hereford Cathedral. With no scores recorded, the focus was on developing skills, teamwork and enjoying plenty of time on the ball, and the girls certainly rose to the challenge. 

Chloe was outstanding, showing great determination in attack while also working hard in defence. Her strong tackling and powerful hitting helped drive the team forward, and she was always looking hungry for a goal. Fearne was equally impressive in defence, making some important tackles and helping to keep the opposition under pressure. Bea showed excellent commitment this week, really getting stuck into her tackling and competing well for every ball. 

Although Grace D loves playing as a forward, she worked hard for the team and adapted brilliantly when needed. Alice D also deserves great credit for doing everything that was asked of her and contributing across the pitch. 

A wonderful afternoon of hockey with lots of smiles, effort and improvement from everyone involved. 

U8 v King’s Hawford and Hereford Cathedral 

Our Year 3 hockey team had a fantastic tournament. Everyone worked hard, showed great teamwork and tried their very best throughout the matches.

Alice F was fantastic in defence, making some excellent clears and helping to keep the opposition away from our goal. Grace L had a brilliant tournament and was deservedly awarded Player of the Match. Molly showed great tactical awareness and was always thinking about how she could help her teammates. Arla was goal hungry and played with lots of energy, helping to create opportunities on the wing. 

Well done to all the Year 3 players for showing fantastic teamwork, determination and enthusiasm. It was a brilliant tournament, and everyone should be very proud of their efforts!

 

Wednesday 14th October 

U11 Rugby v Moor Park 

Some of the Year 5 and 6 boys travelled across the county border to Shropshire on Wednesday afternoon to take on Moor Park School’s U10 and U11 boys’ rugby teams. 

With Moor Park having fewer players available, several KSA boys very kindly volunteered to turn out for the opposition, taking turns to play for both sides. This meant that it was a great opportunity for the King’s St. Alban’s boys to come together as a team and put their skills into practice, and made for an enjoyable and competitive afternoon, with the added bonus of being able to tackle their own teammates in match conditions — something they certainly seemed to relish! 

The match also provided an excellent opportunity to work on a few key areas identified in recent fixtures. In particular, the boys were reminded about the importance of carrying the ball securely with two hands to avoid the temptation to fend off opponents and risk losing possession in contact, as well as to focus on tackling at a lower height. 

Despite enjoying the majority of the territory and possession during the opening five minutes, KSA conceded an early try from Moor Park’s only real opportunity, which was frustrating given the way the boys had started. However, following a timely reminder about tackle height, the boys made clear improvements in this area and soon found their rhythm, crossing the line for several tries to establish a comfortable lead. 

Having lost their previous couple of matches for a variety of reasons, the emphasis this week was firmly on producing a solid team performance and securing a win, rather than attempting overly ambitious or extravagant rugby. With Haadi watching from the sidelines in an assistant coaching role while his arm recovered, the teams were carefully balanced to ensure the match remained as challenging and beneficial as possible for both sides. 

Further tries followed for both teams, with all the boys demonstrating a good understanding of their roles within the team, committing to the ruck when required and showing plenty of strength and determination in attack. Although keeping track of the try scorers proved tricky, with players representing both teams at different stages, Matthew, Dylan, Bertie and Harvey all crossed the line with some excellent tries. 

A special mention must go to Bertie, whose impressive performance was rewarded with a fantastic individual try for this A team. His excellent support lines were a real feature of his play, making the score a thoroughly deserved reward for his efforts. 

There were plenty of other encouraging performances, too. Oscar, Jack C, Monty and Harvey all showed great strength when carrying the ball into contact, while Eli, Dylan, Matthew and Bertie made plenty of ground whenever they received possession. Max C also did an excellent job of moving the ball out wide to exploit the available space, helping the team to make the most of its attacking opportunities. 

Ultimately, KSA finished the afternoon as the winners, but the real success was the opportunity for the boys to put their developing skills into practice against a strong and determined opposition. Everyone contributed to an enjoyable and encouraging team performance, making it a really enjoyable match for both the boys to play in, and for spectators to watch! 

A huge well done to Bertie, Dylan, Eli, Harvey, Jack C, Matthew, Max C, Monty and Oscar, as well as Haadi for his valuable contribution as temporary assistant coach. Our thanks also go to Moor Park for hosting us so warmly and accommodating the arrangements so well, and, as always, to the parents and grandparents who made the longer-than-usual journey to support the boys. 

U10 Rugby v Moor Park 

The U10 boys made the long journey to Moor Park on Wednesday for their latest rugby fixture. 

There was some initial frustration among the boys as, due to Moor Park having had limited experience playing under the U10 rules, we agreed to play under U9 rules for the fixture. However, the boys handled this change with a mature and positive attitude, putting their frustrations aside and making a strong start to the match. 

Although KSA did enough to secure a comfortable victory, the overall performance was not quite at the level we have come to expect over the past few weeks. We seemed to move away from the team-focused rugby that has been such a strength recently, with individuals occasionally looking to do things on their own rather than working together as a unit. 

Despite this, it was another valuable opportunity for the boys to get out on the pitch, compete and continue developing their game. There are plenty of positives to take from the result, but also some important lessons to learn. 

We will look to build on these lessons after half term as we prepare for our fixture against The Downs. The focus will be on returning to the unselfish, team-oriented rugby that has served us so well in recent weeks, ensuring we continue to improve both individually and collectively. 

U10 Hockey Tournament at RGS 

I was really looking forward to taking the Year 5 girls to the tournament at RGS, as I had not yet had the opportunity to see them play in a competitive match environment.

Before the tournament, we set ourselves three key performance targets: passing the ball with pace, marking our player rather than watching the ball, and taking the ball early from free hits and 16-yard hit-outs. It was fantastic to see the girls working hard to put these into practice throughout their matches.

Maren, Nell and Ethilda worked tirelessly in defence. I was particularly pleased with the pressure they applied to the ball carrier, rather than waiting for the play to come to them. They tracked the ball effectively and committed confidently to their tackles.

Further up the pitch, Rosa showed a good understanding of her attacking role, creating opportunities for Tiegan to fire passes through to her in the D. Olivia also impressed on the wing, using her drag-right skill effectively to drive past the opposition. It was especially pleasing to see her executing this skill confidently while under pressure.

Maddie faced her first experience of defending short corners and did so with real control and confidence, producing two fantastic saves to protect the scoreline. Emilia, who is new to hockey this year, also showed tremendous bravery during the defensive short corners. She attacked the injected ball with determination and managed to dispossess the opposition on three occasions.

Perhaps the loveliest moment came at the end of the tournament and reflected our school motto, ‘Look after each other.’ The girls stayed to cheer on Hawford in their final match, chanting and encouraging the KH girls from the sidelines. It is exciting to think that, in Year 7, these girls will have the opportunity to come together and play as one team. 

A hugely positive tournament, with plenty to build on as their hockey continues to develop.