Pupils hit their stride with another busy week of fixtures

U11/10 A Football Mini Festival at The Elms

Our U11/10 As had a great afternoon at The Elms on Wednesday. Over three games the boys showcased some very impressive football. Their first match was against RGS The Grange, in which game the boys played confidently and with shape. Harry B and Will D would set a high standard of defending in the first game, which they carried on throughout the afternoon. Team captain, Peter U ran the game from the midfield, using his quick feet and long ball to make plays.

After their success in the first game, the boys played the hosts in another thrilling match. Our attack was particularly impressive, with Aaron M and Joshua R using their pace to take the ball down the wing. Theo S put on a strong performance in the net, making important saves and distributing the ball well. Reuben A and Joel B slotted into the team nicely, making an impact even while playing out of position.

The last game against Wycliffe was the hardest challenge of the day. The boys, however, were up to the challenge. Rook T’s dazzling feet gave the opposition defenders a hard time, and Monty E used his brilliant first touch and vision to keep the game flowing. Unfortunately, after a few goals were conceded, the boys let their heads drop in their last game. As should a team in any sport, the boys must strive to be as enthusiastic and sporting as possible. Overall, it was a fantastic afternoon for the boys. They impressed with their play, and it was an enjoyable event for all.

U11/10 B Football Mini Festival at The Elms

This week the boys travelled to The Elms to play three matches against the hosts, RGS and Wycliffe. The team had a fantastic afternoon, displaying good improvements in each of their games, winning one, drawing one and losing one. Their best performance was the final game against Wycliffe, which they won 2-0 in an exciting end-to-end match.

Eddie, Jack and Arslan took turns playing in goal and made several excellent saves, with Jack scoring a great goal when he played out. Barnaby and Leo played up front, attacking well with the ball, and both scored fantastic goals. Ivan was superb in defence alongside Tom, and Charlie and Will R both did well on the wings. Francis and Otto were very impressive in midfield, chasing every ball down and never giving up; Eddie played an important role in the centre midfield, distributing the ball well. What a brilliant afternoon this was, well done boys!

U11 Netball v The Elms

The A and B netball teams had a wonderful afternoon at The Elms on Wednesday. They played four quarters of 10 minutes, which is a great amount of netball. They followed the Bee Netball rotations, so there was much excitement changing positions at quarter times. The A team were excellent in their movement up court; they just need to work on some stronger passes as theirs were often intercepted. In the B team they worked hard against a very strong Elms team; they will practise their shooting at the next opportunity. Both teams lost but they should not be despondent; it was clear we made improvements throughout the matches and the girls should be very proud of their never-ending effort and determination right to the final whistle. Well done to the players of the matches, Emily H and Sienna C.

U8&U9 Netball v The Elms

There was another excellent afternoon of netball on Tuesday, with every girl playing a full afternoon of play. It’s great to see how our girls are progressing, marking their chosen player more tightly and trying to identify the space into which to move. Zara’s tenacious marking of her player was particularly impressive, as was Marnie’s driving into space to receive the pass. The shooting practice they have been doing is starting to show in the games, with more girls having the confidence to have a go and many being successful. The results again across the board were very promising.

U10A&B Netball v The Elms

The Year 5 girls enjoyed a fabulous afternoon of netball on Wednesday; their attitude and the progress they have made were outstanding. The B Team girls had some excellent sequences of play up the pitch. They then maximised most of the opportunities they had in the circle. Lily E sent passes strong enough to knock her own players over, Lily G’s movement and signalling on court were well thought out and Shreya was awarded Player of the Match; her shooting was particularly impressive. They had a well-deserved win, 13-1.

The A team had a harder match and had to work hard, with the ball going from end to end. The score bounced back and forth, with only one goal separating them throughout the first three quarters. They entered the final quarter 5-4 up and knew they had to keep going to maintain the lead. Their passing through the game developed well but they still need to realise how precious the ball is and how losing possession can be critical in such a close game. However, their work level was even higher in the last quarter, and they came away with a 7-6 victory. All the girls played exceptionally well; Karla defended tightly, Millie worked hard off the ball to find the space and Evie was awarded Player of the Match for her all-round performance.