A Thrilling Week of Sport at King’s St Alban’s

U8 Rugby Festival at Winterfold  

The U8s had their first experience of competitive rugby on Tuesday afternoon, and the excitement was clear throughout the day. From the bus ride to the festival itself, their enthusiasm was clear, with smiles lighting up their faces all day long. Both Mr. Atkinson and I were thoroughly impressed by the level of rugby displayed by the King’s St Alban’s team. We decided to introduce a few advanced tactics that we wouldn’t normally focus on until later in the term, confident that the boys would rise to the challenge, and they did, showcasing promising development in their rugby skills.

Charlie W and Hugo F stood out with their blistering pace and agility, hitting gaps in the opposition’s defence and scoring several tries. Archie M and Magson provided excellent support, consistently positioning themselves well to receive the ball. Their quick passes after teammates were tackled left the opposition little time to reorganise, leading to several well-executed team tries. Milan C and Archie H were solid in defence, making numerous tags that kept the opposition’s attack at bay.

Meanwhile, Gabe and Akshay displayed impressive handling skills, timing their passes perfectly after drawing in defenders, creating space for their teammates. Overall, it was an outstanding start to their rugby journey at King’s St Alban’s, and I’m excited to see how they progress as the term unfolds. Well done, boys!

  

U11 Rugby Festival at Millfield  

The U11s embarked on their rugby adventure at Millfield School on Wednesday afternoon, brimming with excitement from the very start. With DJ Arlo taking charge of the tunes, the boys filled the minibus with singing and laughter throughout the journey, setting the tone for an energetic and spirited day. Despite facing horrendous weather conditions, the boys delivered some fantastic rugby, working seamlessly with their counterparts from King’s Hawford. It was remarkable to see how quickly they gelled as a team, considering they hadn’t played together before. Their determination and teamwork shone through, resulting in several outstanding performances and impressive results.  

This tournament marks the first of three we play as a foundation, and it was a brilliant start, one that sets a solid foundation to build on in the upcoming fixtures. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and their positive attitudes, despite the rain, were commendable.  

Well done to all involved, and we look forward to seeing this group develop and grow together over the course of the season! 

 

Triangular Fixture with Winterfold House and RGS The Grange 

On Wednesday, we took 18 girls to Winterfold House for a triangular fixture against RGS and Winterfold. We fielded two teams and were incredibly impressed with the performance of both squads, despite the wet conditions. 

The A Team had a challenging start in their first match against Winterfold. Although Georgia scored a brilliant goal, we found ourselves 3-1 down at half-time. In the second half, the team found their rhythm, with Skye making several strong runs down the wing, delivering excellent crosses into the D. After several attempts, the team managed to score another goal, narrowing the final score to 3-2. Despite the loss, the team’s improvement in the second half was commendable.
Player of the Match: Skye 

In their second match against RGS, the A Team came out much stronger, with our defence, Florence and Yifei, proving unbeatable. The opposition goalkeeper pulled off some impressive saves, denying us on several occasions. In a tense moment towards the end of the match, RGS had a clear shot on goal, but Madie made an outstanding save, securing a well-earned 0-0 draw.
Player of the Match: Ariya 

The B Team, consisting of a mixture of Year 5 and Year 6 players, made a lightning start against Winterfold, with Thea scoring in the opening seconds. The team dominated throughout, demonstrating excellent use of the pitch and impressive stick skills. Their composure on the ball and willingness to hold possession until a pass, was fantastic to see and they went on to secure a 5-0 victory.

Player of the Match: Nell 

In their second match against RGS, the team’s confidence remained high. Romi, Thea, and Nell combined excellently, using triangular passes to outplay the opposition. Their teamwork and determination resulted in a commanding 4-0 win. Overall, it was a very pleasing performance from the girls, showing resilience and skill in challenging, wet conditions. Well done to all involved!

Player of the Match: Nell 

 

 

U9 Hockey Festival with Winterfold and Hallfield 

On Tuesday, all the Year 4 girls participated in an exciting hockey festival, competing against teams from Winterfold and Hallfield. Both teams performed exceptionally well, showing great improvement and teamwork. 

Savannah made an impact early on by scoring a swift goal in the first match, setting a positive tone for the day. It was fantastic to see the girls growing in confidence, particularly in their ability to control and pass the ball. Maddie stood out with her strong tackles, helping to keep the pressure on the opposing teams. A huge well done to all the girls for their hard work and sportsmanship! Keep up the fantastic effort! 

 

U8 Hockey  

The girls had a wonderful hockey match up at Winterfold. We split into two teams and each played a rotation of the Winterfold teams. The teamwork was excellent, each player trying their best on the pitch. The girls were good at using the width of the pitch and we will now work towards moving the ball forward towards the goal. Stick skills are coming along nicely, particularly when tackling for the ball. No scores were kept due to the friendly nature of this festival. Well done all!