Sports Round Up of the Week

Netball

U9 v Solihull Prep

Mrs Butt’s Team 

The U9 King’s Hawford girls enjoyed a truly memorable afternoon of netball on Tuesday as they travelled to Solihull Prep School for their very first fixture against this opponent. The team embraced the excitement of playing at a new venue, and with the sun shining on a warm spring afternoon, the stage was set for some outstanding netball — and the girls certainly delivered!

From the first whistle, King’s Hawford burst into action with energy, determination, and impressive composure. Although Solihull began with the first centre pass, Rosie quickly made her mark in the mid‑court. With superb timing and anticipation, she intercepted early to turn possession in King’s favour. This set the tone for the rest of the match.

In attack, Alice and Bella linked brilliantly, moving the ball with confidence and purpose. Their accurate passing into the shooting circle allowed both shooters to capitalise, rewarding the team’s hard work with some beautifully taken goals. Their sharp shooting helped King’s Hawford pull ahead and build valuable momentum.

Defensively, Emily, Tanith, and Martha were outstanding throughout, working tirelessly to contain a strong and fast Solihull attack. Their tight marking, determination, and well‑judged interceptions repeatedly disrupted Solihull’s flow and prevented them from settling into rhythm. Thanks to their resilience, King’s Hawford held a narrow but well‑deserved 3–2 lead at half‑time.

The final two quarters were a thrilling end‑to‑end battle, with both teams showing grit and excellent teamwork. Despite the intense pressure, the King’s Hawford girls demonstrated superb resilience, communication, and composure to protect their one‑goal advantage. No further goals were added in the second half, but the defensive discipline and collective effort ensured King’s Hawford secured a hard‑fought and thoroughly deserved 3–2 victory.

The opposition selected Rosie L-C as Player of the Match – a fantastic recognition of her all‑round contribution, leadership in centre court, and match‑defining interception early on.

A huge well done to all the girls for their teamwork, determination, and positive spirit. A brilliant performance and an excellent result in their first ever fixture against Solihull Prep. We look forward to seeing this talented group continue to grow and shine throughout the season!

Miss Lake’s Team 

Miss Lake’s U9 netball team put in a determined performance against a strong Solihull side in their latest fixture. Facing well-organised opposition, the girls had to work tirelessly to retain possession and create opportunities through careful build-up play. Bonita-May, Jessica and Bonnie worked hard in defence, making several crucial interceptions to halt Solihull’s attacks and turn over the ball. Through the centre court, Isla and Indie worked hard to find space, offering valuable passing options and linking play effectively.

The team focused on tight marking throughout the match, making themselves tall and wide to restrict passing lanes and apply pressure across the court. Although the final score did not reflect their effort and commitment, the girls demonstrated exceptional resilience and a positive attitude from start to finish. It was particularly pleasing to see them respond to coaching feedback and apply it during the game. Solihull deservedly named Bonnie as Player of the Match.

Miss Cook’s Team

U10 v Dean Close

Mrs Beech’s team

In beautiful sunshine, King’s Hawford took to the court against Dean Close for what proved to be a fast-paced and closely contested match.

Both teams showed great determination from the opening whistle, creating an exciting and evenly matched game throughout.

King’s Hawford’s defensive unit was outstanding. Eleanor, Amelie and Simi worked tirelessly in defence, applying constant pressure and making it incredibly difficult for Dean Close to find space in the circle.

Their strong marking, quick reactions and excellent teamwork helped disrupt numerous attacking opportunities.

In the centre court, Ffion, Tilly, Ellie H and Elise demonstrated superb work rate and commitment.

They moved the ball confidently through the court, linking defence and attack with pace and precision. Their relentless effort kept the game flowing and ensured King’s Hawford remained competitive in every quarter.

Vivienne and Aurelia were particularly impressive with a number of fantastic interceptions, reading the play brilliantly and turning defence into attack. Their anticipation and timing created valuable opportunities for the team and lifted the momentum at key moments.

During the match, Ellie H, who had previously scored some super goals, suffered a rolled ankle which briefly disrupted the flow of the game. However, the team responded with real resilience and determination, regrouping quickly and continuing to support one another.

The final quarter was played at a high tempo, with both sides battling hard until the final whistle.

It was a wonderful display of teamwork, effort and sportsmanship from all involved.

Overall, it was a brilliant afternoon of netball, with King’s Hawford showing great spirit, skill and resilience in a competitive match against Dean Close.

Many thanks to the family and friends who came from both schools to support the players, it is always very much appreciated.

Miss Lake’s team

The U10 netball team showed fantastic enthusiasm and determination throughout their match against Dean Close. After a steady start, the King’s Hawford girls grew in confidence during the second quarter, responding brilliantly to coaching feedback and applying it to their play.

Alanna delivered an electrifying performance at Centre, commanding the court with speed and making several crucial interceptions. Her impact on the game earned her Player of the Match from Dean Close. Fliss was impressive in both defensive positions, making brilliant interceptions, well supported by Sylvie and Georgia.

In attack, Connie found space effectively, while Fearne and Nina worked tirelessly in the wing positions to link play. A positional change saw Ellie M and Sylvie move into the shooting circle, where quick, sharp passing created scoring opportunities. Sylvie converted two well-taken goals, reflecting the team’s growing composure.

U11 v Dean Close

Mrs Butt’s team

Mrs Butt’s U11 King’s Hawford team travelled to Dean Close on Wednesday and delivered a wonderfully confident performance from start to finish.

The girls were on the front foot right from the very first centre pass, settling quickly into the sports hall environment and showing great adaptability.

From the outset, Ariana and Jasmine found an impressive rhythm in attack. With Charlotte and Bella providing composed, accurate ball delivery into the shooting circle, the attacking duo wasted no time converting their chances. Between them they put seven goals on the board in the first quarter, with Ariana holding her position brilliantly and making full use of every opportunity at the post.

In the centre court, Valerie and Florrie linked up with energy and intelligence, moving the ball efficiently and maintaining momentum in transition. Meanwhile, the defensive partnership of Rosie and Zara was calm, tough and disciplined—keeping the Dean Close attack firmly under control and limiting them to just one goal by half time.

As the match progressed, Izzy made a strong impact with her positive drives to the ball, impressing in both the Goal Shooter and Wing Attack roles. Rosie, playing out of position at Goal Attack, also rose to the challenge superbly, contributing significantly with her movement, space creation and accurate finishing.

In a match where the whole team played with determination and spirit, the Players of the Match were deservedly awarded to Zara and Ariana, representing excellence at opposite ends of the court and showcasing outstanding teamwork throughout.

A fantastic performance all round – well done, girls!

Mrs Halpin’s team

The U11 girls produced a fantastic team performance in their match against Dean Close. From the start, the team worked extremely well together, calling for the ball and moving intelligently into space, which allowed their passing to flow smoothly throughout the game. In the first half, Indie and Charlotte demonstrated some excellent shooting, each scoring well-deserved goals after creating strong attacking opportunities. Their confidence in front of goal helped give the team a great start.

During the second half, Maysie and Georgia moved into shooting positions and added further goals for the team. Maysie in particular showed a lovely shooting technique, and it will be exciting to see her play in this position more often in the future. Abi worked tirelessly in defence, putting in a huge effort for the team. She cleared the ball effectively and positioned herself well to receive passes and help build play from the back. Overall, it was a very well-played game from the girls and they were rewarded with a great result. The team should be proud of their teamwork and effort throughout the match.

Player of the Match: Annie

Mrs Halpin’s Players of the Match: Indie and Maysie

Football

U8/U9 Football Tournament at RGS The Grange

On Tuesday afternoon, the King’s Hawford U8/U9 football team travelled to take part in an exciting tournament at RGS The Grange, where they faced strong opposition from Claines, Blue Coat, Winterfold and The Elms.

Across all of their matches, the boys demonstrated an outstanding work rate and tremendous determination, competing with energy and enthusiasm from the first whistle to the last. Their teamwork and positive attitude were evident throughout, and they represented the school superbly against a number of well-drilled sides.

There were many standout performances to celebrate. Archie delighted spectators with his excellent footwork and composure on the ball, while Elliot proved to be a constant attacking threat, scoring a fantastic individual goal that was richly deserved. Casper was resolute in defence, making several key blocks at crucial moments, and Billy was outstanding between the posts, pulling off some tremendous double saves. Impressively, Billy also ventured outfield and capped his performance with a clever, well-taken goal. Jonty’s versatility and tireless work rate were invaluable to the team, and William was equally impressive both in goal and in defence, showing great awareness and composure. Sammy listened carefully to coaching advice and was rewarded with a super goal, while Frank worked tirelessly, demonstrating effective dribbling and real strength on the ball.

It was a hugely positive afternoon of football, with every boy playing his part and showing great commitment throughout.

U10 Triangular v King’s St Alban’s and Winterfold

On Wednesday, the Year 5 boys took part in a triangular fixture with King’s St Alban’s and Winterfold. They played some outstanding football throughout the afternoon passing the ball with skill and imagination, only missing the final touches in front of goal which would have capped an otherwise superb afternoon of football.

Most pleasing was the resilience on show, particularly from our midfield trio of Tom H, Bruce W and Cassian W.

U11 Football Triangular vs Kings St Albans and Winterfold

On Wednesday, King’s Hawford took part in a closely contested triangular football fixture against King’s St Alban’s and Winterfold House School. Mr Hodgkins’ team produced two hardworking and highly competitive performances in matches that were incredibly tight throughout. Both games were played at a strong tempo, with very little to separate the sides, and ultimately were decided by just a couple of unfortunate goals. Despite the narrow margins, the team showed resilience, discipline and a real togetherness that reflected their commitment and preparation.

There were several standout contributions across the afternoon. Charles was excellent at right back, demonstrating superb distribution from defence and an impressive level of coachability, consistently responding positively to guidance and applying it immediately on the pitch. Luca was equally commendable for his grit and determination, battling tirelessly in every phase of play and refusing to give anything less than his very best.

Overall, it was a pair of performances full of effort and character, and Mr Hodgkins’ team can be proud of the hard work and spirit they displayed in two extremely closely fought encounters.

Cross Country

National Prep Schools Cross Country Championship at Malvern College 

The King’s Hawford school team travelled to Malvern College to compete in the National Prep Schools Cross Country Championship – a truly memorable occasion and an outstanding experience for all involved. With hundreds of children representing schools from across the UK, the scale of the event was both inspiring and formidable.

Our pupils rose superbly to the challenge, demonstrating tremendous courage and resilience as they tackled a demanding course against exceptionally strong competition.

Vivienne, Maysie, Bella and Rosie ran with great determination, showing fantastic commitment from start to finish and refusing to be daunted by the size of the field.

Equally, Cassian, Luca, Charles and Arthur represented the school with immense pride, digging deep on the testing hills and sprinting strongly through their finishes. Every single runner gave their absolute best, supporting one another and embodying the team spirit we value so highly at King’s Hawford.

The children were wonderfully supported by a fantastic group of parents whose enthusiastic cheering provided a real lift throughout the day. It was a huge event and a brilliant opportunity for our team to compete at such a high level – an experience they should all be extremely proud of.