The Summer term started with rain and waterlogged pitches but the weather improved and we have seen some wonderful sport. We have seen our playing numbers in tennis and cricket grow as well as successes throughout the whole sports programme. On any given day, if you stand on the bank near Bluett’s, you might see girls’ and boys’ cricket, mixed tennis, pre-season hockey and rugby, pupils doing CranFit, athletes on the astroturf working on their speed, or pupils going for a run in their own leisure time.
Our tennis programme had record playing numbers. Our 15C girls’ team and 16B boys’ team were unbeaten as well as the U18D mixed & girls’ teams. Our cricket teams (girls and boys) won 65% of all matches with our boys 4th XI and U14C winning all their games. The 1st XI boys side had a wonderful season winning ten out of their twelve matches (with impressive victories over the likes of Tonbridge and Whitgift). There were five hundreds, which is the first time this has happened in one season. The 1st XI girls had a superb season winning 75% of their games and beating the MCC for the second season in a row.
In athletics, we had 16 pupils qualify for the Surrey finals (which is the largest contingent we have had selected for many years). On that day we had personal bests as well as County champions. We had our first swimming gala which we hope will be the catalyst for more with other schools next year. We saw our golf team representing us at the HMC foursomes with great success as well as victories in friendly matches. The equestrian team continues to win titles with individual international and national success. We had international hockey players at England U18, U16 and Scotland U18 age groups. We saw pupils winning national titles in hockey for their clubs, target sprinters winning medals. We had a final in the ISFA U18 boys football which although we lost, was a huge achievement for the team. We had a swimmer competing in the British championships and breaking county records.
Lastly, we hosted a charity schools triathlon with over 850 pupils competing in the three disciplines from across the south-east of England. As you can tell, it has been a busy term of sport and a huge thanks must go to all the pupils, staff and parents for all their efforts.
Mr Andrew Houston, Director of Sport
