Hampton Sports Chronicle 2019

Hampton Sports Chronicle

Champions of England

Hampton School 1st XI made history by overturning a one-goal deficit against Repton School to secure their maiden U18 ESFA Cup title.

Writes James Dowden A penalty from Louis Instrall had rescued Hampton right at the death in normal time, before penalty shoot-out heroics from Hampton goalkeeper Tim Wallace gave the team a remarkable victory.

In a match hosted at the Montgomery Waters Meadow Stadium, home of League One side Shrewsbury Town,

it was Hampton who made the brighter start.

Captain George Maxwell cut out an attempted long throw from Repton before the ball was cleared upfield by Harry Short. The bouncing ball was flicked on well by Freddy Hodgson coming in off his right wing to release Shaun-Chris Joash in the middle of the pitch.

Neil Chugani on Life in Rowing

Vishal Saha on Hampton Table Tennis

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Strong hold-up play coupled with a skilful turn from Joash with three Repton players surrounding him released Louis Rhodes breaking down the left wing, but his left-foot effort drifted wide.

Just two minutes later a throwin from full-back and Fifth Year Sami Omaar saw Joash break away inside the penalty area where he

Blake Cullen on Schoolboy and County Cricket Page 21

The Hampton Sports Chronicle is written by Hampton boys from all year groups. Editor Summer 2019: James Dowden

was challenged, although the referee remained steadfast against the Hampton penalty claims.

Repton’s first chance of the match fell to their lively winger Eno Nito, who dribbled well before seeing his attempted cross go over Tim Wallace in goal.

Match report continues pages 2-3 ESFA coverage continues pages 4-9

Michael Timbs on Working for COPA90 Page 22-23

S U MMER 2019

Special ESFA Edition

Football 1st XI Crowned ESFA Cup Champions James Dowden reports on the historic ESFA Cup Final victory by Hampton’s 1st XI. Another throw-in, this time from Hampton’s right-back Tom Waring, dropped to Joash once more on the edge of the penalty area. Skipping inside his opposing defender to create space for the shot, his curling effort was well blocked by the Repton defence to keep Hampton and Joash at bay.

Next a finely-flighted ball out of defence from Noah Hanley nestled at the feet of Hodgson, and good skill from the winger forced the Repton defence into conceding a corner. An outswinging delivery from Short was met by the head of Maxwell but his headed attempt was blocked.

Repton then saw a free-kick whipped into the Hampton penalty area with venom, though forward Jake Rain’s effort glanced over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.

Tim Wallace was then called into action for the first time in the match. The Repton winger Tom Buffin found space on the edge of the Hampton area, but quick reflexes from Wallace tipped the ball over the bar.

A Repton break down the right wing from Nito saw a dangerous ball whipped

into the box, but covering full-back Waring produced a brilliant clearance to deny Repton what appeared a certain chance inside the six-yard area.

Repton then opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time. A driving run down the right full-back channel led to the ball being clipped into the box and found the Repton striker in the penalty area. His powerful strike was brilliantly kept out by Wallace. Unfortunately for Hampton the ball broke free and Repton clinically dispatched the bouncing ball on the half-volley.

Hampton then had one final chance of the half to respond through talismanic attacker Joash. Picking the ball up in central midfield Instrall played the ball into Hodgson who had both time and space. Majestic skill saw him breeze past his full-back before his delivery into the box was initially spilled by the keeper with Joash lunging in to try and make contact, but fortunately for Repton their goalkeeper gathered the ball at the second attempt.

The second half started with the same tempo and pace as the first. A free-kick won by Joash was quickly

Hampton were cheered on by a vocal travelling contingent of over 700 fans taken by Tom Hudson and rolled off to Maxwell in the centre of the pitch.

A trademark diagonal ball from Maxwell found Rhodes on the left wing and his brilliant control took the ball down in one movement. Rhodes then continued his marauding run, cutting

Hampton players huddle ahead of kick-off in their ESFA Cup Final against Repton School 2

infield and laying the ball off to Short, whose curling effort flashed just past the post.

Within a minute Hampton had won the ball back and were bearing down on the Repton goal. Instrall found Joash, who skipped past the final defender, but his bending effort cruelly rebounded off the inside of the post.

Next a ball from midfield broke to Repton striker Elijah Sawyers. Maxwell showed brilliant pace to keep with the electric forward, whose effort flashed just wide, to the relief of Hampton.

Hampton pushed desperately for an equaliser and began to control both possession and the tempo of the match. A short corner was passed off to Instrall who in turn gave the ball to Joash. Leaving his opposition defender on the floor, he launched a 25 yards curling effort and only a superb fingertip save from Milan Stanojevic in goal for Repton kept Hampton from levelling.

A free-kick from Joash, that grazed the side-netting of the Repton goal, had some Hampton fans believing momentarily their side had scored but his strike beat both the keeper and the outside of the goal post.

Wallace then did well to command his area after Max Barnes-Batty had slipped the ball into the Hampton box, but alert keeping saw Hampton alleviate the danger.

With the clock ticking agonisingly towards the end of the match, Hampton were awarded a free-kick just inside the Repton half on the left-hand side.

Hampton players jubilantly celebrate following their shoot-out victory in the ESFA Cup Final A floated ball in from Short was met by the head of Omaar who directed the ball down to Instrall. Instrall’s touch laid the ball off towards striker Rohan Hobbs who, with his first touch of the match, drew a foul and a penalty to Hampton to the delight of player and supporters alike.

Instrall then stepped up to calmly dispatch the ball into the left-hand corner of the goal. Hampton had rescued it at the death and forced an additional twenty minutes of action.

Extra-time proved a tense affair with both sides having chances. A freekick from Short gave Joash a headed opportunity but he just couldn’t readjust to gain greater traction on the ball.

Repton though had chances of their own, and Wallace was again on hand following a curling strike, flying across his goal to tip the ball away one-handed and make an impressive save.

In the second half of extra-time Wallace produced another strong save for Hampton down to his left hand side following a powerful attempt by George Fynn.

But no further chances came, and so it was to be penalties to decide the 2019 ESFA Cup Final.

Instrall stepped up to give Hampton the advantage, repeating his earlier penalty heroics during normal time.

Nito was first up for Repton and his effort agonisingly rebounded off the crossbar to give Hampton the advantage for the first time.

Man-of-the-Match Joash confidently dispatched his penalty before Hampton keeper Tim Wallace saved from Jake Rain to further extend Hampton’s lead.

QPR U18 academy midfielder Stathis Kalathias converted, meaning that Repton had to score their penalty to stay in the match.

Barnes-Batty stepped up for Repton, only to be denied by a good save from Wallace down to his right-hand side to send the travelling Hampton yellow and black army into delirium and ensure that the ESFA Cup was heading back to TW12.

Speaking after the game striker and Man-of-the-Match Shaun-Chris

Joash commented that “it was a great performance. It was a tense game and towards the end I was not sure which way it was going to go. It was amazing to see so many people come down to support you as well.”

Coach Mr Carlos Mills added that “We showed a lot of trust and courage in each other as well as confidence, and we managed to do it in the end. There was a great atmosphere from the School, a wonderful occasion, and I’m delighted with the result.”

Hampton team: Tim Wallace, Tom Waring, Noah Hanley, George Maxwell (C), Sami Omaar, Tom Hudson, Harry Short, Freddy Hodgson, Louis Instrall, Louis Rhodes, Shaun-Chris Joash, Ollie Roach, Omri Nolan, Lucas Boyle, Rohan Hobbs, Stathis Kalathias Hampton School 1-1 Repton School Instrall (88) Buffin (43) Hampton School win 3-0 on penalties

Striker and Man-of-the-Match Shaun-Chris Joash on the attack 3

Football Every picture tells a story

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1. Hampton keeper Tim Wallace saves the decisive penalty to give Hampton victory.

8. Louis Rhodes takes on his opposing full-back in the Shropshire sunshine.

2. Hampton fans pack out the Montgomery Waters Meadow Stadium.

9. Freddy Hodgson works hard to close down his opponent.

3. Hampton players emerge from the tunnel with their ESFA mascots ahead of kick-off.

4-6. The travelling Hampton fans create their own ‘Yellow Wall,’ with fans bringing drums, flags and scarves to support their side.

7. Hampton players mob each other following the spot-kick victory over Repton School.

10. Sami Omaar sticks out a leg to divert the ball away from danger.

11. Hampton players listen as Mr Mills gives his pre-match team talk.

12. Tim Wallace, Noah Hanley and Shaun-Chris Joash line up ahead of kick-off before the big match.

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Football

all roads lead to shrewsbury The long away trips, the nine-goal thrillers.... James Dowden charts them all as he takes a look back at the 1st XI’s journey to the ESFA Final.

Round 1 Hampton School 5-0 Kingston Grammar School Hampton kicked off their ESFA National Cup run with a convincing 5-0 victory against local rivals Kingston Grammar.

Hampton took an early lead through a Rohan Hobbs goal following good play from Louis Rhodes. Second-half goals from Rhodes, together with further strikes from Noah Hanley, Freddy Hodgson and Fifth Year Sami Omaar, ensured a safe passage for Hampton into the next round after a clinical second-half performance.

Round 2 Hampton School 6-0 St Bernard’s School On a day when the Villarreal U23 squad had come to train at Hampton, the 1st XI produced a sublime display of passing football on the 3G to overcome St Bernard’s School. Two first-half goals from Hobbs and one apiece from Omaar and Tim Sweeney gave Hampton a 4-0 cushion heading into half-time. Goals from James Hunter-Young and Louis Instrall saw Hampton come though unscathed in the second half, and a second consecutive clean sheet for the defence demonstrated the defensive resolve of the side.

Round 3 St Thomas the Apostle School 0-10 Hampton School A ruthless display from Hampton in round three saw St Thomas the Apostle School & Sixth Form College swept aside 10-0 to take Hampton through to round four. Braces from Rhodes and Sweeney, a strike from Instrall and an outrageous five-goal haul from ShaunChris Joash proved to be the difference on a chilly November afternoon.

Round 4 The Palmer Catholic Academy 0-5 Hampton School A disciplined performance saw Hampton record a 5-0 victory with QPR U18 midfielder Stathis Kalathias grabbing his first goal of the cup run.

Round 5 Stoke Newington School & Sixth Form 2-8 Hampton School Hampton then faced a second successive away trip across London in round five of the ESFA competition.

A tight opening first half saw Hampton

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concede their first goal of the cup run but they went into the break 2-1 ahead.

A brilliant second-half performance saw Hampton put six past the Stoke Newington keeper with Rhodes claiming the match ball following a hat-trick of impressive strikes.

Round 6 Southend High School for Boys 0-2 Hampton School A long road trip to the Essex coast was the reward for Hampton in the last 16 with a tie against Southend High School. Hampton began by dominating the match and creating a number of early chances, yet the side struggled to convert their opportunities into meaningful attempts on goal, with the Southend goalkeeper making a series of comfortable saves. Southend began to gain a foothold in the game, with a spell of extended pressure and possession approaching the end of the first half.

Following the interval Hampton gained the upper hand and were rewarded early in the second half with the opening goal of the game, Rhodes sliding the ball

Quarter-Final The Bishop’s Stortford High School 0-6 Hampton School Another round and another away game for Hampton, this time their travels taking them to Bishop’s Stortford High School in the last eight of the tournament. In front of vociferous home support in Hertfordshire, Hampton took a quick 2-0 lead inside the opening half of the match. Despite a long pre-match journey Hampton managed to control the majority of the play, and Freddy Hodgson finished the match with four goals to his name to complement further strikes from Instrall and Denil Manuel, giving Hampton a resounding 6-0 victory.

Semi-Final Gordon’s School 4-5 Hampton (AET) A tightly-contested opening period was the result of difficult conditions with both sides struggling to adapt to the bounce of the pitch and the strong wind. Gordon’s took the early lead with a ricocheted ball falling kindly to their midfield on the edge of the area, and he calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

and it was vice-captain Noah Hanley who escaped from his marker to unleash a powerful header into the roof of the net.

A penalty was then awarded to Gordon’s following a defensive mix-up inside the Hampton penalty area. However, in the heat of the moment the Gordon’s striker blazed his penalty over the bar and Hampton were still level.

Hampton then took the lead for the first time in the match following a skilful piece of dribbling by Joash. Picking the ball up on the edge of the area, he drove past the Gordon’s defenders until he was fouled inside the penalty area.

Instrall stepped up to strike the ball right footed into the bottom left-hand corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.

Instrall then doubled both his individual goals tally and Hampton’s lead just minutes later. Left-back Omaar broke dangerously from his full-back into the box before pulling the ball back to Instrall, who ruthlessly dispatched his shot to give Hampton a two-goal cushion.

Two late goals from Gordon’s brought them back into the match and forced extra-time. The first was a curving freekick out of the reach of goalkeeper Tim Wallace, the second a deflected strike falling kindly for yet another headed goal in a frenetic closing period.

It was a bitter pill for Hampton to swallow but both the players and fans regrouped for the subsequent extratime period.

Freddy Hodgson and his Hampton teammates celebrate a goal against Gordon’s through to Joash, who beat the keeper with a powerful finish into the top lefthand corner of the goal from a narrow angle. In goal, Hampton’s Tim Wallace pulled off some brilliant saves to deny Southend a way back into the match.

Hampton then doubled their lead following a classic piece of free-flowing passing football. Hobbs found the head of Omaar with a dangerously whipped-in cross, and Omaar duly provided a calm finish to give Hampton clear daylight for the first time in the match. Despite later Southend pressure Hampton held firm to book their place in the next round.

A free-kick delivered into the box by Harry Short gave Hampton their equaliser, following a majestic piece of control and then a powerful finish inside the Gordon’s penalty area from right-winger Freddy Hodgson. On the stroke of half-time Gordon’s were awarded a corner with just minutes to play. A floated delivery caught the flight of the wind and the ball fell invitingly to their player, who made no mistake from inside the six-yard box.

In a pulsating cup-tie that edged back and forth, Hampton equalised soon after the restart. Another free-kick was flighted into the Gordon’s penalty area

Breaking down the right-hand side, substitute Denil Manuel skipped past his opposing full-back and delivered a tantalising ball into the penalty area.

Breaking into the box was Harry Short whose headed effort sailed into the net to put Hampton 5-4 up heading into the closing stages of extra-time.

Standing on the touchline the Hampton fans watched with baited breath as the ball was clipped in. As soon as the ball was over the line, both players and fans set off towards the corner flag with both coming together in scenes of mass jubilation to celebrate a truly remarkable climax to the cup-tie.

Hampton Heroes

Josh Bartholomew and Toby Booker profile Hampton’s ESFA champions.

Goalkeeper: Ollie Roach Though the resemblance to Loris Karius is uncanny, thankfully the similarities stop there. A lofty presence in the Hampton box, Roach also possesses terrific distribution skills which often kick-start attacks.

Goalkeeper: Tim Wallace An agile goalkeeper whose fine ability allows him to make some unbelievable stops. Wallace’s propensity to fly across the goal often keeps Hampton in vital games, as it did in the final with his penalty shoot-out heroics, saving two of the three spotkicks he faced.

Goalkeeper is a position of paramount importance, and in Wallace Hampton have one who is both solid and spectacular at the same time.

Defence Right-back: Tom Waring Both his pace and his strength have allowed him to dominate many teams from right-back this season. His clever attacking play, paired with firm defensive skill, has helped to ensure his position in the 1st XI, for whom he first played in the Fifth Year.

Centre-back: George Maxwell Hampton’s captain fantastic at the back. A former Brentford Academy representative, he made the switch to defence this season having previously played in central midfield. Maxwell could even be turning out in the MLS soon – he’ll take up a soccer scholarship at the College of Charleston next year.

Centre-back: Noah Hanley Vice-captain, Hanley and Maxwell have formed a formidable centre-back partnership this season. His height gives him a useful aerial advantage, which he often uses to great effect in scoring from corners and free-kicks, as Gordon’s found out in the semi-final.

Centre-back: Matt Cecil A strong and pacey centre-back, Cecil has been pushing for a starting spot throughout the season. He has impressive speed for a defender, which is a useful asset for the team and often halts opposition attacks.

Hampton’s historic 2018/19 1st XI footballing vintage Centre-back: Lucas Boyle The second vice-captain, Boyle possesses a strong weak-foot, and having recovered from injury he took his place in the ESFA final squad. A talented ball-playing centre-back, he has added talent and impetus to an already strong defence.

Left-back: Sami Omaar Though Omaar is still an U16 and the youngest member of the team, he has made the left-back position his own this season, bombing down the wing with aplomb. A capable centre-back too, he impressed with a Man-of-the-Match display in the semi-final victory over Gordon’s, where he had to deputise in central defence after Hanley’s late injury.

Left-back: Omri Nolan A classic full-back. Flies forward with pace and tenacity, using both feet with prowess, while he’s also particularly solid defensively on the flank.

Midfield Defensive-midfielder: Tom Hudson After making his 1st XI debut earlier this season, Hudson has managed to master the vital position of central-defensivemidfielder. He is a workhorse, and his versatility makes him an indispensable member of the team, as he’ll often drop back into defence as Hampton attack, allowing the full-backs to bomb forward.

Defensive-midfielder: Stathis Kalathias A diminutive presence in central midfield, Kalathias combines playing for QPR Academy with stopping opposition attacks and fizzing the ball about for Hampton. A professional contract perhaps awaits this young technicallygifted player, who already has a profile on Football Manager.

Central-midfielder: Louis Instrall A former Chelsea Academy player, Instrall provides both quality and defensive solidity from central midfield.

Chipped in with a late penalty to take the final to extra-time before later converting his effort in the shoot-out.

Attacking-midfielder: Harry Short Hampton’s extra-time hero from the semi-final. Plays just behind the front three, but made the move to striker for his late winner. Technically gifted, his set-piece deliveries into the box are a force to be reckoned with, and provide Hampton’s tall centre-backs with a platform to make an aerial impact.

Forwards Winger: Freddy Hodgson Renowned for his emphatic, emotive and energetic displays on the rightwing, Hodgson has established himself as a vocal member of the squad.

His high-class finishing and skill enable him to be a thorn in the side of opposition defenders.

Winger: Denil Manuel A winger with scintillating skill and pace, Manuel has been a vital player for the 1st XI this season. The late semi-final assist highlighting his class. He was unfortunate to miss the final with a knee injury.

Winger: Louis Rhodes Rhodes provides a dangerous attacking option down the left-wing. He can often be the key to unlocking the opposition defence with his wizard-like left-foot, which is admired by teammates and opponents alike.

Winger: Tim Sweeney An all-round talent who can play anywhere across the forward line.

Though Sweeney has spent time out injured this season, his athleticism, strength and pace played a key role in reaching the final.

Striker: Shaun-Chris Joash Hampton’s answer to Cristiano Ronaldo. Skilful and pacey, this former Southampton and Brentford forward has all the tricks in the book. A Man-of-theMatch performance in the final, he gave the Repton defence a torrid afternoon.

Striker: Rohan Hobbs Hobbs and Joash often alternate throughout the game. A powerful striker who holds the ball up well, Hobbs is famed for a “filthy scoop-turn” (it’s a skill), and a brilliant weaker-foot shot.

A miraculous supersub in the final, he won the decisive penalty to keep the Hampton dream alive.

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Football

esfa: who said what

Josh Bartholomew and James Dowden compile the quote report: who said what and when from Shrewsbury Town FC. Mr Carlos Mills: “I’m delighted with the outcome. It was a tense, tight game. Both teams worked extremely hard. I did feel in the second half that we had some momentum, but we didn’t quite capitalise on that. Huge credit as well must go to Repton for making it such a good game. Overall, I’m delighted.

“I think we did deserve to win with the possession and opportunities we had.

Our final ball could have been a bit better, but I felt that we had that extra 5%. We were unfortunate not to finish it in normal time and extra-time, but we showed a lot of courage and trust in each other and managed to do it in the end.

“It’s a huge day. The journey to get here has been from the start of the season.

We’ve had seven fixtures away, and with that comes a lot of experiences. Of course, when you’re successful, they’re memorable ones as well.

“Myself and the team will never forget it. It’s going to live long in the memory – not only for us, but the support out there, which was certainly a 12th man when we needed it. It was great support and a great atmosphere from the School. We’re really grateful, but again, credit to the opposition – they’re the current champions – and they deserve a lot of credit for playing in the right spirit.

A wonderful occasion, and again I’m delighted with the outcome.”

Hampton players engulf goalkeeper Tim Wallace after his penalty heroics Shaun-Chris Joash: “Amazing, amazing. It was a great performance – we’ve got such a great team. I’m glad I could contribute to a good team with Man-of-the-Match.

“I thought, overall, I had a good game.

It’s disappointing not to get a goal but it’s good to see when your teammates are scoring all around you.

“It was a tense game. Towards the end I wasn’t sure which way it was going to go. It was great that we could send it to extra-time and win it on penalties.

“We had great support – we’ve got such a great School and it was amazing to see so many people coming down to support.

“It’s a great memory. It’s probably one of the best moments I’ll have in football.”

John Martin, ESFA Chairman:

Shaun-Chris Joash (left) and George Maxwell (right) with the Man-of-theMatch award and the ESFA cup respectively 8

without them. Thank you too to all our coaches for their help and guidance.

We set ourselves a target to win a major trophy at the start of the year and to win the biggest Sixth Form Cup in English Schools’ football is a wonderful achievement. A fantastic way to end our Hampton footballing careers.”

Adrian Battersby, ESFA TV commentator: “Kalathias to make it three nil in penalties...

“On behalf of the English Schools’ FA I would like to congratulate Hampton on becoming ESFA U18 Schools’ Cup Champions 2019. In what was a true showcase of elite footballing talent, Hampton reigned victorious after enduring both extra-time and penalties.

We would like to thank the School for bringing along 700 plus spectators to Shrewsbury, helping to create a truly wonderful atmosphere throughout the entirety of the match. Well done to all those involved.”

“And he’s done so.

George Maxwell:

“That one steward isn’t going to have a chance of stopping them. They are so into the crowd. It is nuts out there.

“It was probably the best day of my School life to date and one that I will never forget. The supporters were amazing and we couldn’t have done it

“And now Repton have to score all three.

“They’re [Hampton fans] having fun there.

“So next up, Repton have to score here.

“And it’s missed and it’s Hampton’s victory!

“Oh my Lord!

“Hampton have done it!”

how the game was won

Josh Bartholomew analyses a remarkable day of Hampton School football and identifies the key factors in Hampton’s victory.

Hampton coach Mr Carlos Mills Tactics Tactically, Mr Mills, Mr Burke and the Hampton team played a blinder. At times, Hampton were being overrun in midfield. The solution? Bring on QPR Academy representative Stathis Kalathias into the middle of the park, moving Louis Instrall to the wing.

There was a moment in the first half where Hampton’s tactical dilemma became clear: whenever the full-backs attacked, the team were extremely vulnerable on the counter-attack; whenever they didn’t, Hampton looked fairly ineffective going forward as Repton were able to plant greater numbers behind the ball. It seemed that there was a conscious decision to hold back, keep the score-line at 0-0 and take their chances when they inevitably came. As it happened, Repton did score in the first half, but there can be no tactical blame apportioned.

The ‘Yellow Wall’ of travelling Hampton fans went to Shrewsbury and returned with an ESFA Cup triumph atmosphere for the Repton team, which must have had an impact. 700 schoolboys will always be louder and more boisterous than the small selection of parents supporting the team from Derbyshire, and Hampton made the most of it.

Penalties The 1st XI practise penalties after every training session, and their dedication paid dividends. All four Hampton penalties (one in normal time, three in

the shoot-out) were buried in the bottom corner, beating a goalkeeper who dived the correct way each time.

Tim Wallace, on the other hand, saved two of Repton’s three, and the other went over the crossbar. It was a truly admirable effort from the goalkeeper, who was also in good form during normal time.

Shaun-Chris Joash Joash was always likely to play a key

role in this game, and the Playstation console he was given for winning the Man-of-the-Match award is just reward for a brilliant performance.

Repton were clearly aware of his quality, committing numerous markers to him whenever he received the ball, but Joash was completely selfless and used the attention to spray the ball to wingers Freddy Hodgson and Louis Rhodes.

Later in the game, it was clear that Hampton needed a focal point in attack to allow striker Shaun-Chris Joash to roam freely and try and run in behind the defence. So, the coaches brought on Rohan Hobbs, a more physical presence.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that the team scored almost instantly after.

Fans There is little doubt that Hampton’s noisy travelling support played a substantial role in this victory. As the team said, “you pulled us through that game.” The chants continued for well over two hours, much to the delight of the 1st XI. Though the chanting was all goodnatured, it was clearly a hostile

Stathis Kalathias steps up to score in the penalty shoot-out. Hampton scored all three of their penalties in the shoot-out as well as Louis Instrall’s effort in normal time 9

Sporting Talent Future Perfect

The Second Year is full of rich sporting talent. Max Cardosi sets out to profile some of the brightest.

Second Year pupil Rex Booth is a successful athlete competing in many events for swimming and gymnastics.

Hayden Christian is an accomplished athlete who enjoys training and performing for Hampton. HSC caught up with him earlier this year.

He picked up the latter sport aged eight which was quite late for a boy who would later represent England – his interest was due to his sister as he decided to go to one of her training sessions and liked it so much he continued with it.

Hayden’s main sport is Long Jump, in which he has excelled since the age of 11.

He followed on from casual sessions to the expert training of today.

Most of Rex’s training is technique-based and he really enjoys learning all the moves and is always trying to improve his score.

His first tournament was in the Nationals – he came second. He then competed for England in March of that year in Poland, winning the tournament. Even though it was a minor tournament it meant a lot to him.

Balancing swimming and gymnastics can be slightly difficult for him, but it is something that he enjoys. Swimming training is in the morning whilst gymnastics is in the evening, so being good at sports is often time-consuming for Rex. In future, he wants to take everything as it comes, waiting until the last minute to choose which sport to specialise in, but this is the least of his worries at the moment.

At Hampton, he has picked up new sports like volleyball and long-distance running, which aid his development as a strong all-round sportsman.

Hayden has competed in many events in England and has a personal best of 5.01m, ranking him very high for his age group.

But despite his recent success he does not believe that there is a future for him in the sport – all other competitors are very well-developed and are able to jump further than him.

In addition to this success he also competes in the Pentathlon and is in the top five in England.

He also told us that he enjoys technical sports, making the athlete think about their jump.

Hayden trains in the summer once or twice a week with Mr Lucas, who he enjoys working with. At Woking (his club) he goes to many competitions, gradually improving as his season progresses.

In addition to this success he also competes in the Pentathlon and is in the top five in England which is another great achievement.

The HSC is now online! Please visit hamptonsportschronicle.org.uk for the latest reports, features and interviews as well as more exclusive content.

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Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid is a successful high jumper for his age-group, being placed sixth in the country at the moment, and HSC caught up with him earlier this year to see how he’s been progressing.

Kieran started High Jump at the age of 10 in South Africa where he lived at that point in time. There was a high jump bar and a mat as well, and with the constant summer heat Kieran decided to start jumping.

When we asked him about the differences in training between South Africa and England, he said that “the coaches here in England have more expertise in the sport but in South Africa, the weather is a lot better.”

His career high was when he jumped 1.56m – which ranked him first in the country – but since then he has been knocked down a few places to sixth: still impressive.

As his season progresses, so does his training and he has been developing well at club and at School with more technique-based exercises in the winter to work on strength.

Then, in the summer, he works on the flipping side of things and the take-off.

What he most enjoys about the sport is “when [he] gets over the bar without knocking it over and letting out a sigh of relief that [he] has made it.” Looking back on his career he says he “did not believe that he would make it this far, and will take High Jump as far as it will take [him].”

His career high was when he jumped 1.56m – which ranked him first in the country.

Rowing An Oarfully Big Adventure Neil Chugani OH (1987) speaks to HSC reporter Josh Freer about his distinguished rowing career as both cox and coach.

“My proudest moment was winning the boat race for Oxford,” says Neil Chugani – a former UK rowing cox and Old Hamptonian who represented Oxford University and Great Britain, and who has juggled a successful life in sport with a time-consuming career.

He coxed the Oxford crew to victory in the University Boat Race, and he has played the same role for Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell. He then moved on to become a member of UK Sport and has coached many top-level rowing teams – for example, in 2015 he coached the Oxford women’s crew to victory on the Tideway.

He went to Hampton School, and then on to Oxford University. He is now a Senior Executive at Google, and has a family of three children. He was a cox for 15 years internationally but continued at club level until 2007. During his time as a cox, Chugani had to lead a disciplined existence, which “did not come easily to me,” and he “had to work very hard to stay light.”

Until 1995 he had to weigh in below 50kg as that was the national minimum weight for a cox, and “by virtue of the fact that no crew wants to carry a kilo more than they have to,” Neil had to maintain this weight for every race –

the average weight in the UK being 75.8 kilograms.

When Chugani won the World Championships, he felt that his emotions were ones “primarily of relief rather than elation” as he knew that his team’s mission was as yet incomplete: they were trying to do “something unprecedented in rowing” and to win gold in both the coxed and the coxless pair. With the coxless pair coming first, Chugani could only wait and hope for victory – and do nothing but watch while his friends battled it out for the win.

In the event, the coxless pairs was a close race, and for most of the race, a team from Yugoslavia were in front – but the British pair took gold by a mere 0.02 of a second.

“So, in the instant that I won my gold medal,” he recalls, “it was not a moment of elation, but more one of relief.”

“To come out the other side having won is a bond that you keep forever.”

Chugani stands alongside Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell following his gold medal at the 2001 World Rowing Championships In 1996, Chugani was told that he “wasn’t being given a shot at the Olympics,” despite being well respected by other members of the squad.

“The guys who went to the Olympics in my era all gave up their jobs and I wasn’t prepared to do that. It is different now – if you have a spot at the Olympic Games in a major sport you get funding” - but 20 years ago it was a very different story.

Despite Chugani having this setback in 1996, he is not disappointed as “there are friends of mine who went off to the Olympics and didn’t come back with a medal and I had the good fortune to have a crew who not only won a medal but won two gold medals in two hours.”

Chugani has juggled two unique careers and yet his sporting one is “without a doubt” his favourite. “My professional career has been something that I am proud of but it’s very hard work,” he says.

Yet reflecting on his sporting career, he feels “how much of a joy it is to work on something with an objective so pure – winning, and doing it with people who end up becoming life-long friends. I recently turned 50 and I had nine of my closest friends to celebrate. Of those friends, the vast majority were friends I forged in my rowing career.”

“So, in the instant that I won my gold medal,” he recalls, “it was not a moment of elation, but more one of relief.”

“My proudest moment was winning the boat race for Oxford,” Neil Chugani on his 1991 boat race win whilst at St Catherine’s College, Oxford

Chugani also feels that these friendships are forged as “you put yourself in a position that you’ve never

been in before” - with friends you can either strengthen your bond or weaken it, and in sport bonds are always strong and good: “to come out the other side having won is a bond that you keep forever.”

“A sportsperson’s career lasts a lifetime and so their years at the top are what they have to cherish for the rest of their life.”

Neil has also been a coach “on and off through the years” and he “really enjoys being able to pass on the knowledge that I have to young athletes.” He coached the Oxford women’s team to win the Boat Race in 2015 and he thinks that when he “stops working quite as hard as he does at the moment,” coaching is something he would quite like to return to.

Chugani has had many successes and yet he feels that “winning the Boat Race for Oxford was my proudest moment” – the greatest test he had faced “mentally and physically.”

“When you’re performing in front of 3 – 400,000 people and millions more watching from home, you have a significant role to play and I feel that a cox can generally lose a race or even win a race for their crew and to come out the other side is something I am most proud of.”

“A sportsperson’s career lasts a lifetime,” concludes this distinguished Old Hamptonian, “and so their years at the top are what they have to cherish and treasure for the rest of their life.”

11

Table Tennis

Top of the Table

Vishal Saha takes an in-depth look at Hampton table tennis, as he interviews coach Jane Barella on her international coaching experiences. few national squad players at England training camps and also abroad in competitions.

Have you ever coached major players who have played in the Olympics?

Yes, I was actually part of the Paralympian setup. This is where I coached the Paralympian team in European, World and Paralympic competitions – I’ve been lucky enough to go to the Paralympic Games and coach there! So that was definitely a great experience.

So, what’s it like coaching these very talented players?

Jane Barella coaching at Hampton School Though Hampton gains plaudits for its successes in mainstream sports, table tennis is very much on the rise. The HSC caught up with coach Jane Barella.

How long have you been coaching table tennis – and how did you get into coaching?

So, I passed my first coaching qualification just over 30 years ago, when I was 18. I got into table tennis and coaching at my secondary school – I used to swim a lot but I had issues with my ears, so I wasn’t able to swim all the time: therefore, I started playing table tennis. I enjoyed coaching and helping people, but I didn’t do lots of coaching until I was probably 25.

As a coach, what ingredients do you think are most important for a table tennis player?

It would have to be their attitude and their commitment. I like a player who has a desire to work, to train hard and to win. If players aren’t prepared to work, then they aren’t going to put in the time and they aren’t going to improve.

Can you tell me about your experience with coaching elite players?

Well I’ve coached some very good players at regional level, when I was a regional coach – mostly London regional squads. Also, I’ve coached a 12

Well, that’s a good question. It’s really about motivating them and trying to spot something they haven’t, because these players are already very knowledgeable and skilful. Therefore, when you are coaching players at this level, it’s not so much about technique, it’s normally about their mindset, trying to motivate them and look at the positives in their game.

Finally, as a coach, you also focus on planning their tournament season, planning what training they should be doing and organising players to play against them.

What has been the top moment in your coaching career?

I would say when I went with the Paralympic team and we won three gold medals and a silver medal at the European Championships. I suppose being a coach at the Paralympic Games was a great achievement, opportunity and experience.

Also, I have coached Surrey County players and some have won County Championships – it is very pleasing to see them do so well and see that they have a huge amount of potential to become very good at the sport.

What would be your top three tips for an absolute beginner?

Good question. I think my top three tips would have to be: Have the correct grip.

Learn how to move without actually hitting the ball – the ready position and the stance. Just put in the time – with time and many hours of practice you will improve.

And what equipment beginner need?

would

a

I’d say a bat which is comfortable and that’s got enough grip on, so you can spin the ball. Therefore, when you are taught to spin the ball, it’s much easier.

Obviously, sports gear and a strong case to keep your bat safe. Finally, if you are able to have access to a table tennis table, that will of course help you succeed in the game.

What do you love about the sport the most?

I think it’s very dynamic, it’s exciting.

I like that the ball is played at very, very fast speeds and that there’s such complexity about the spin and how you can make the ball move. I really find the dynamic and spin side of the sport really fun and exciting. Finally, I do love that the sport is so inclusive – you can play at any level, young or old, beginner or pro, which is really good.

“I coached the Paralympian team in European, World and Paralympic competitions.”

Can you describe table tennis in three words?

Exciting. Fast. Inclusive.

Do you have a favourite player?

Well there’s quite a few good players out there, but I do particularly like watching Timo Boll and Ma Long.

They’re very impressive players to watch, since their reactions and speed are incredible. You can find them all over the Internet and YouTube if you want to see them in action. Both players are very high ranked – if you watch them, you can see why…

“When you are coaching players at this level, it’s not so much about technique, it’s normally about their mindset.”

Which countries are dominating table tennis today?

Well, I think although China have been dominating, Germany and Korea are also doing quite well. Recently, the Europeans have been much more successful, especially a few of our England players. However, as a country I believe the Germans, Koreans and Chinese dominate the sport nowadays.

It has been said that table tennis is an ‘underrated’ sport. What’s your opinion?

Yes, that can often be the case. I think because it is a fast game, it detracts from people being able to watch it sometimes. Therefore, there aren’t many long rallies – it doesn’t encourage sponsorship because fewer people may watch it on TV. If the sport gets less sponsorship, then it won’t be on TV, so not many people will watch it – it becomes a vicious circle. I think if you raised the height of the actual net, it would result in longer rallies and a slower game – that’s just what an average viewer would like to see.

So then, how can we raise the status of the sport in schools?

I think just getting more people involved. Maybe, having some different types of competitions: we could have doubles, singles, even handicap tournaments. Also, talking about it in newsletters and inviting people to have coaching sessions. So really just encouraging people to try the sport and maybe do doubles or team events.

Vishal Saha profiles table tennis - a sport that is thriving at Hampton.

What is table tennis?

Table tennis (also known as ping pong) is a racquet sport, played all around the world, particularly in parts of Asia and Europe.

The sport can sometimes be underrated when compared with other sports such as rugby and football, but it still requires a huge amount of skill and concentration.

The sport is governed by the worldwide organization ‘International Table Tennis Federation’ (ITTF), which was founded in 1926. Table tennis is still a very popular sport in many parts of the world and has been an Olympic sport since 1988, with several event categories.

It could be said the sport is not as ‘big’ as other dominating sports and that it does not get broadcast on TV as much, but, it is actually the third largest participation sport in the world – after football and cricket!

Table tennis at Hampton School: Table tennis, as many Hampton pupils may know already, is very popular at Hampton and you can attend the club on Monday and Tuesday lunchtimes.

HSC reporter Vishal Saha pictured with Hampton coach Jane Barella If you want to be in with a chance of playing for the School teams, you should try to attend one of these club sessions so you can train and improve.

If you are interested, make sure to talk to Mr Bolton (who organises the teams) or to our invaluable coach, Jane Barella.

There are various table tennis matches played (often in the first couple of half terms) against other schools. As well as this we enter both our U13A team and our U16 team into the competitive London South Schools Table Tennis

Leagues.

There has already been recent success with both table tennis teams winning the Richmond Schools’ Championships Qualifier, and the U13As winning the Plate Cup in the London South Finals.

Generally, the A teams contain four players, but there is also a B team – giving you more opportunities to play matches as well.

There are many ways to progress in this sport – at Hampton, as well as

out of School. You can find a local club near home, play at a park or see if you can hire a table to play at a local leisure centre.

Overall, if you are interested in this sport, there are many places to practise your game – whether you are a complete beginner or a budding superstar.

At Hampton we are lucky enough to have eight table tennis tables and you should definitely take the opportunity to play on them at the club at lunchtimes, if you are interested.

Vishal in action during training. All table tennis images by Toby Davis 13

Alumni zafar ansari: Life beyond the boundary OH and former England cricketer Zafar Ansari speaks exclusively to Josh Bartholomew about his life and goals beyond cricket.

Zafar Ansari OH (2010) is talking about his new job. “On a day to day basis I think I’m a happier person, so in that sense, I don’t regret making the switch,” he says. It’s a startling, inconceivable assertion, and I don’t believe him. How could any job make you happier than earning money to do what you love and receiving the adulation of millions for it?

But by the end of our 30-minute conversation, I know the answer and find myself bowing to Ansari’s effortless, modest intellectual superiority.

My preconceptions about his decision have been swept aside with grace and enviable style. I shouldn’t be surprised – this, after all, is a man who named Malcolm X, Rosa Luxemburg, Chimamanda Adichie and Angela Davis in his fantasy slip cordon. Rather than wishing to line up alongside the hackneyed fleet of reality stars and footballers as many of his

fellow professionals did, Ansari opted for a cordon of political activists and philosophers.

In 2016, when on England duty in India, instead of pondering the merits of bowling over the wicket to Virat Kohli, Ansari was concerned by the worrisome developments coming from America on the day of the Presidential election.

In his playing days, Ansari was an all-rounder, but he didn’t take the swashbuckling path that Ben Stokes, Ian Botham and a myriad of others choose to trample down. Ansari was an elegant opening batsman and a tidy spinner, with little chutzpah to his game but endless style.

When describing Ansari, the word ‘all-rounder’ is a fitting one. Off the pitch, he had as many strings to his bow as he had on it. When he broke his finger and was subsequently ruled out of England’s tour to the UAE in 2015, Ansari in action for England

Ansari with his first England caps from his time at Hampton 14

one suspects that struggling to play the piano with his affliction would have caused him as much pain as his missed opportunity did. I make it sound as if he was spending his time counting down the days until his recovery – he wasn’t.

He spent the winter after his injury writing a 40,000-word dissertation on American civil rights in the 1960s.

“I felt like I needed to keep my academics ticking over. Because cricket is a big commitment when you’re playing full-time and you’re travelling a lot, I felt like the best thing to do was to keep doing things I found interesting and bulking up my CV. Then when the moment came, I could be pickier.”

Ansari could well have played rugby professionally too. As it was, he opted for cricket, but Ansari guided the 1st XV to their Daily Mail Vase Final at Twickenham from fly-half in 2009.

With this image of Ansari as an individual, it becomes easier to sympathise

with his decision to retire from cricket at the height of his powers, aged only 25.

Ansari’s retirement came as a shock to the cricketing stratosphere, but as he tells me, it was far more considered than one might expect. “I always had it in my mind to stop in my mid-to-late 20s.

I probably stopped a couple of years earlier than I’d anticipated, but I did always think I wouldn’t play into my 30s.”

“I always had it in my mind to stop in my mid-to-late 20s.”

Now, the timing. Why would you retire from a sport where you’ve just represented your national team and are forming part of the core of a Surrey team enveloped in potential?

over 700 runs for Surrey.

The day his selection was announced, during a County Championship game in Lancashire, Ansari dislocated his thumb fielding at gully and was ruled out of England’s tour to the UAE, as well as Surrey’s One Day Cup final later that week at Lords.

The following season, Ansari struggled to regain the form which had led to his international call-up the year before. Despite his woes in 2016, England still recognised his achievements, and picked him for the tour of Bangladesh and India.

After England won a thrilling first Test in Bangladesh, Ansari was picked for the next game in Dhaka. Though his team were outplayed, Ansari shone, and but for England’s characteristic fielding woes he would have ended up with five wickets on his Test debut. It would have been some start to his career in the toughest arena of the game.

“I think if you take five wickets on debut, you give yourself a lot of confidence and a lot of leeway. Because I went into the second game with two wickets under my belt instead of five, I was significantly less confident.

“I think that it made a big difference, but equally who knows. I could have taken all those wickets and performed exactly the same in the next two Test matches; I could have injured myself again and that would’ve been that.”

As it happened, Ansari would play only two more games for England before he picked up the back injury that forced him to fly home early.

“I retired not on the basis of success or failure or how well I was doing, but based on other factors distinct from cricket.”

“Having reached the pinnacle, if it had felt like I could recreate that over again, then I think it would have been difficult to stop,” Ansari sighs.

“Having had a difficult experience, the prospect of trying to replicate that for another ten years wasn’t enough to keep me going.” Ansari isn’t alone in questioning his future having reached the apogee of his sport.

Jonny Wilkinson spent the moments on the field after winning the 2003 World Cup wondering what was next; in 2011, England’s Test team reached the top of the World Rankings, but relinquished their title less than a year later after struggling to progress from their success.

A sportsman’s journey to international recognition is seldom simple, but Ansari’s was bedaubed with misfortune.

He received his first call-up to the Test squad in 2015, after a successful season, taking 44 wickets and scoring

“I retired not on the basis of success or failure or how well I was doing, but based on other factors distinct from cricket.”

After returning from India, Ansari trained with Surrey and threw himself into pre-season with typical tenacity, but ultimately found his sporting ambition had waned and retired from cricket. “It happened very quickly. When I came back from the trip to India and Bangladesh my mindset was that I really wanted to be a part of the Surrey team.

“I’d been there for seven years and I’d enjoyed a lot of that. I wasn’t picked

for the first Championship game of the season. I was picked for the second one but I really struggled. I just didn’t enjoy being out there on the field, and I really questioned why I was still doing this having played for England, and [I] wanted to do other things. It turned very quickly within the space of a couple of weeks. I had conversations with friends and family and I made the decision.”

His decision was met with widespread incredulity, but it speaks volumes of the respect for Ansari in the Surrey dressing room that when he informed them of his decision, players were crying, legendary batsman Kumar Sangakkara spoke about his impact on the team, and Kevin Pietersen – who ordinarily uses his Twitter account as a platform for fomenting condemnation described Ansari as “way too clever to be a cricketer.”

Surrey won the County Championship the season after Ansari’s retirement, and England returned to the sub-continent this winter – a tour he would likely have been a part of – and beat Sri Lanka 3-0.

Jealousy would be an axiomatically inevitable feeling, but Ansari insists that he was nonplussed. “I don’t feel jealous.

I retired not on the basis of success or failure, or how well I was doing, but based on other factors distinct from cricket.

“It was nice to see Surrey do well and it’s been nice to see England do well and not feel like I wanted to be there day-in, day-out and on the field, trying to take wickets and score runs. To some extent, it’s confirmed that what I did was the right thing for me.”

Many sportsmen struggle with retirement – a BBC survey this year said that half of retired sportspeople have concerns over their mental and emotional wellbeing. Naturally, this was not a problem for Ansari, who went straight from cricket to working at Just for Kids Law, a legal charity supporting young people with immigration, housing or school issues.

Ansari’s role involved advocating on their behalf in different legal sectors, but he has now moved to a different charity called Inquest, which helps bereaved families who have lost relatives in staterelated deaths.

In just over a year, Ansari has gone from playing cricket in front of thousands in India to fighting against the most powerful force in the country – the government.

There’s a noticeable change in Ansari’s demeanour as he talks about his new life. His face lights up at the thought of helping people. Is this new impact on lives the salient factor for Ansari’s career change?

“I think so. As a cricketer, you feel like you’re providing some sort of entertainment and people do get quite

a lot of satisfaction out of it, so there is an impact there, but I think that the comparison between that and the effect that you can have on a young person who is really struggling to understand how to gain status in this country is huge.”

There’s a key message hidden behind Ansari’s eloquence: do what you love, and don’t conform to the imagined expectations you set for yourself. It would not be altogether surprising, therefore, if he were now to look back with regret on years wasted playing cricket, but Ansari insists this is not the case.

“I think people should do what they want as a profession – what gives them pleasure, what they find interesting. For a long time, cricket was that for me, so I’m glad I did it.

“I’m glad though, that it played out in the way that it did. I was obviously hugely fortunate to play for England quite young so I could say I’ve done that and move on. I think for a lot of people, cricket is the best thing that they could be doing, and for me it was for a period of time, but it stopped being that.”

As our conversation comes to an end, Ansari is reluctant to reflect on his cricket career. He thinks we’ve talked about it enough, I deduce. He’s right.

There’s far more to Zafar Ansari than cricket.

Ansari receives a cricketing prize during his Lower School years 15

Alumni Old School Freddie Hawkins speaks to Mr James Odling about his time at Hampton and School football.

Mr Odling, who left Hampton in 2012, returned to the School in 2016 to work as a Geography teacher. He has since coached the 2nd XI to their London ISFA Cup triumph earlier this season.

The HSC caught up with him.

What was your experience of playing football at Hampton?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing football at Hampton. The best thing was the sheer amount of football that we played, whether it be training, matches or going on tour in France. I was really lucky to play in some fantastic teams with great coaches.

Do you have a highlight of playing football at Hampton?

I have a lot of highlights from playing football at Hampton but one that stands out is playing in my final season at Hampton in the 2nd XI. We had a brilliant team and a really strong team spirit. We won a couple of cups that year and the whole year was a fantastic experience.

Did you continue playing football beyond School?

I played football at Durham University for my college A team and also went on to play for Jesus College 1st XI at Cambridge and their grad team.

I’ve also played a few games for Old Hamptonians 2nd XI, although coaching at Hampton on Saturdays takes priority now.

How have the sports facilities changed since your time here?

The 3G is the most notable change.

I think it makes a real difference to have an all-weather pitch at Hampton.

I remember the old 1st XI pitch used to get really boggy around winter and was often unplayable. The 3G means that training and matches always go ahead, and no one can make the excuse of the ball hitting a bobble if they make a poor pass!

Has there been a change in the ethos around sport, and specifically football?

I think Mr Mills has continued to help sport at Hampton grow. He has also brought in some brilliant coaches who have brought a huge amount to the

Mr Odling on the attack during his time at Hampton School. Mr Burke has worked hard to instil a strong football philosophy at Hampton and he has done a great job with all age groups. It’s so helpful for all the football coaches at Hampton to work with someone of his experience.

How has your experience of coaching football at Hampton been so far?

I have loved coaching football at Hampton - it’s like real-life Football Manager! I coached the U16Bs for two very successful seasons and now coach the 2nd XI which has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I have to admit, I’d much rather be out there playing football myself, but I do enjoy being the manager.

What were your first impressions of sport at Hampton?

Anticipation and excitement. My two older brothers were already at Hampton when I joined in 2005 so I felt a lot of pressure to try and get into the A team and follow in their footsteps. We were all very lucky to have the privilege of playing so much sport at Hampton.

What were your greatest accomplishments at the school?

In terms of sport, probably playing football and more or less consistently being in the A team. We had a really strong year group and remain the last Hampton year to win the ISFA Cup in 2012, although I never made the cut to be in the 1st XI! I also competed in a lot of athletics competitions, regularly taking part in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m.

Note from the Editor I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the Chronicle in what has proved to be a historic year for Hampton School sport as well as for the HSC itself.

The achievements of the 1st XI on that sunny Shropshire day in April will live long in the memory of those who were in the stands of the Montgomery Waters Meadow Stadium. Seeing the first Hampton side ever to win the U18 ESFA Cup title was a truly special School occasion and the Chronicle has made extensive coverage of the event in this edition with nine pages packed full of reports, analysis and pictures.

The HSC also created its own history this year with the launch of the Sports 16

Chronicle website, which has been steered to completion by HSC reporter Josh Bartholomew. More details of the website are on the back page in Josh’s report. The website will enable sports content to be published all year round, benefitting HSC teams for years to come.

HSC has gone from strength to strength over the past year and has incredibly seen its weekly Friday meetings treble in reporters across a pleasingly wide range of sports and age-groups.

There is a new generation of talented and skilled Chronicle members rising through the ranks.

We would all like to thank Mr Smith of the English Department. He has been overseeing the Chronicle for a

decade and continues to do so with an enthusiasm that has encouraged all our writers.

It has quite simply been a pleasure and one of the highlights of my time here at Hampton to be involved with the Chronicle as Editor, and even as a zealous Second Year creating a Hampton sports quiz for my first ever edition all those years ago!

I will look back to my time on the HSC with great fondness and will still be keeping a keen eye on the website for my fix of Hampton sporting news and features.

James Dowden Editor HSC 2019

HSC roll of honour 2019: Josh Bartholomew Paul Wilkinson Vishal Saha Sam Colvine Ben Martis-Jones Tanmay Thanawalla Toby Booker Max Cardosi Josh Freer Freddie Hawkins Josh Hood Ronit Raj Tom Tabor Joe Cornell Maxi Grindley Isaac Tarragano Joe Murphy Toby Davis

Football Painting pictures with words Radio 5 Live football journalist and Hampton parent John Southall has enjoyed a successful career, covering the World Cup, Champions League Finals and the Premier League. He spoke to Josh Hood.

At school, was your dream always to be a sports reporter? If so, who was your idol?

I’d always loved listening to sport (football in particular) on the radio from a young age and that inspired me to try and forge a career in the media. The radio offers you such a great opportunity to paint pictures with your words.

I also always wanted a career in sport and was lucky enough to find a pathway into radio (I studied a politics degree and then did a postgraduate course in broadcast journalism). I finally decided on radio when I did a week of work experience at The Times newspaper. I went with their reporter to Upton Park to watch a West Ham game and saw a broadcasting team doing commentary on the match and decided that was the job for me.

On the surface, sports reporting is a job full of glamour and attention but there are some big difficulties involved.

Can you take me through some of the weekly issues that a successful but pressured reporter faces?

Sports reporting and journalism is a great career but as with any job, it throws up many challenges. Players and managers don’t always want to be interviewed, especially after a defeat, so wording the questions in the right

way is key. You must stay true to your principles and always ask the tough questions when sometimes it’s not the easiest option.

Interviewing a manager when he’s under pressure or facing the sack is always particularly difficult. The “monosyllabic” player/manager is another tough one, as you need plenty of questions up your sleeve! Then you have the Jose Mourinho style manager when you never know what they’re going to say, which is probably the most enjoyable and rewarding interview.

Has interviewing some of sport’s most famous figures left you with any regrets during your career?

No, I don’t have any regrets, but you can always look back on certain events and think: you could have done this or that differently, but I wouldn’t say I have any regrets. I wish we’d had the opportunity to interview Sir Alex Ferguson more. He banned the BBC for a large part of his career and so for many years, we didn’t speak to him.

What has been your embarrassing moment?

most

I set a quiz last season on 5 Live Sport on a Saturday afternoon with Mark Chapman. It was something along

John Southall (in red) as part of the BBC 5 Live commentary team

John Southall has commentated on many big games, including the Euros the lines of “how many brothers have played together in the same Premier League team?” I had the answer down as four but as the afternoon went on, it emerged there were many more, and people weren’t slow to tell me! Not my finest hour, but it was funny!

Which sports reporters do you look up to now?

There are many of my colleagues and current and former reporters who I admire but I don’t want to make their egos too big so I’ll keep it to myself!

When I was growing up the likes of Des Lyman was a great presenter and when I was very young I used to listen to Peter Jones on the radio who was a brilliant football commentator.

Of all the sporting moments that you have reported on, which has been the most memorable?

I’ve been lucky to work at World Cups, European Championships, Champions League and of course Premier League games. I would say the most memorable and remarkable game I’ve ever seen was at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

The game was in Belo Horizonte, Brazil v Germany, and it was the World Cup semi-final. There was so much hope and joy in the stadium before the game from the home crowd but Brazil capitulated in the game and I’m sure everyone remembers….

Germany won 7-1 and they could have scored 12. The home fans were shell shocked as were the players. We managed to speak to the Brazil players many hours after the game and to their credit they all turned up to face the music. There was a real sense of letting a whole nation down.

Can you take me through a typical big match-day build up?

This is based on a Saturday 3pm game.

I always like to get to the ground an hour and a half before I’m on air. The first job is to set up the broadcasting kit in the press box and check everything is working. That’s normally followed by lunch in the press room - the most important job of the day!

I generally do my prep for the game the day before which includes player stats and interesting facts about each team.

The first on-air commitment generally comes an hour before kick-off, when we get the team news, and for some games I may also do a manager/pundit interview any time after 12pm.

After 2.30pm I’ll do a preview piece on the game and then after three, it’s fullon when the game starts. Generally, we’ll do five or six updates per half, plus goal flashes when they go in. We aim to get the goal on the radio as soon as it happens, so it’s all about reacting quickly and getting the goal-scorer right!

After my full-time report at 4.50pm, it’s a very quick turnaround to get down to the tunnel and be in place to broadcast a considered report on the game on Sports Report. Then it’s the challenge of getting live player and manager interviews on the radio.

Do you have any advice for up-andcoming young reporters?

My main advice is enjoy what you do and keep striving to improve. It can be a tough route into journalism so you need to be dedicated and determined and most importantly you must love what you’re doing. Have a smile on your face.

17

Alumni

Blazing a trail Ben Ward OH (2002) is currently Director of Rugby at Ealing Trailfinders.

Josh Bartholomew met up with him to talk about Championship rugby.

Ben Ward has masterminded Ealing’s rise through the divisions Ring-fencing the Gallagher Premiership is the debate which plagues English rugby. Its supporters say that it would aid youth development in creating greater opportunities; its critics think that it needlessly inhibits the dreams of lowerlevel clubs.

Director of Rugby at Ealing Trailfinders and Old Hamptonian Ben Ward is firmly in the second camp. Since Ward joined in 2004 as a young fly-half, Ealing have risen from the sixth tier to their current position – second in the Championship, eight points behind star-studded leaders London Irish.

Yet during Ealing’s growth in recent seasons, the ring-fencing question has grown all the more prominent as the gulf between the Premiership and Championship has become bigger and bigger.

Ealing Trailfinders are the reason why this debate is still alive, though – without them, the Premiership would already 18

be a closed division, and the dreams of the lower-league clubs eternally dashed. Since gaining promotion to the Championship in 2014/15, Ward’s side

“We want to keep evolving and improve the right way. We’ve only been professional for five years, and we need to grow at the right pace.” have competed fiercely with a number of illustrious teams: first London Irish, then Bristol, and this season Irish again.

But Ealing are at a crossroads.

They’re expected to topple teams

with Premiership wage bills and Premiership funding every season, yet Trailfinders themselves admirably intent on maintaining their current wagestructure, harmful as that may be for their promotion hopes.

“It is possible to get promoted without paying Premiership wages, but it’s very difficult,” Ward says. “It’s virtually impossible to stay there, though, without doing it. We would have to change the pay structure if we got promoted, but the difference is we’d get better funding.

“We had a difficult decision to make last year. We wanted to go up to the next level, but do we start paying the wages of Premiership clubs? We decided not to, because if I’m paying someone £35,000 and someone else £180,000, it just doesn’t work for the squad. We want to keep evolving and improve the right way. We’ve only been professional for five years, and we need to grow at the right pace.”

Changing the club’s wage structure to compete at a higher level is not a fast process, but unfortunately for Ealing, time is running out. They are the Championship’s last palpable hope of avoiding their ring-fencing nightmare which looks to be creeping ever closer, with talks between the Premiership shareholders (13 clubs, of which Ealing are not one) and the Premiership itself intensifying in recent months.

But after climbing up the leagues so successfully, Ealing are finding the final hurdle rather harder to overcome, with four straight seasons in the Championship and a fifth to come.

Even so, with the disparity between Premiership and Championship wage bills, Ealing would be very unlikely to avoid relegation from the top flight if they were to gain promotion. It doesn’t have to be that way, though, Ward says.

“One of the arguments of the difficulties in staying up is with the way funding is distributed. If London Irish went up, as they’re one of the 13 Premiership shareholders, they’d receive £6.5 million. If we went up, we’d get £2 million, so it’s very difficult.”

With money being splashed around like never before in the second tier, blind comparisons are being made between Ealing and London Welsh. Welsh were promoted in 2013/14, and brought in over 20 players at great cost to the club

– five years, multiple High Court hearings and a liquidation later, they reside in the ninth tier.

This link has clearly been put to Ward before, as his demeanour switches from relaxed to frustrated, and he offers a steely defence of his club. “Look at our facilities. I mean no disrespect by this, but London Welsh didn’t actually own much.

These whole facilities are able to sustain a business: the 3G pitches (which Super League team London Broncos share), the houses at the back, the stands.

“In everything our owner Mike Gooley has done, he’s been successful. From when he was starting up Trailfinders (the travel agency which Gooley owns) from nothing to his first sale six weeks later, to where the business is now, he’s built them up and makes sure they remain sustainable.

“The conversations I’ve had with him are very similar around the rugby club.

He’s invested over £20 million since he joined, and separately £20 million into the sports club.”

“Rugby, as it is now, is fundamentally the same,” Ward says.

“What has changed is the amount of funding going into the Premiership.”

As Ward points out, since first investing in Ealing in 1999, businessman Gooley has pumped in excess of £40 million into the team which the Old Hamptonian now coaches. Owning a rugby club is far from lucrative – all but one of the Premiership clubs lost money last year, reaching a combined sum of £50 million.

And when you add Ealing’s average attendances of only 800, their inferior RFU funding and lack of TV revenue, it doesn’t paint a pretty financial picture.

Put it this way: it seems unlikely that Gooley will be expecting a return from his investment in the near future.

For Ealing’s sake, the facilities will need to be able to sustain a business.

For now, their wage structure works – both on the pitch and financially. But as the door to the Premiership creeps shut with increasing force each year, Ealing will have to step up. It’s thought that their highest-earning player is on £75,000 a year. In the Premiership, the

worst-paid players take home £90,000.

It looks as if Ealing are stepping their promotion campaign up; they’re already strengthened for next season: Bath number eight Paul Grant, Wasps scrum-half Craig Hampson and former Scarlets fly-half Steven Shingler have already signed, and will form a strong core which would not be out of place in the Premiership.

With this comes an increasing wage bill, but there is a sense that with likely relegated team Newcastle perhaps more vulnerable than any other demoted side in recent years, Ealing have an opportunity to finalise the promotion campaign which has been building for seasons.

If, next season, Ealing do overcome Newcastle (or whoever else drops to the Championship) and gain promotion, what would they need to do in order to survive? “An awful lot,” Ward admits with refreshing candour.

“First of all, we’d need to have a ground to play at, because we wouldn’t quite meet the requirements at the moment. The whole organisation would be growing. The biggest question mark would be over what we pay players, because you need that quality to survive.”

It’s a lesson that Ealing’s current Championship rivals London Irish learnt last season. Storming through the second tier, losing only one game in the 2016/17 campaign, Irish were relegated

Ben Ward pictured alongside fellow Old Hamptonian Alex Lundberg who plays for Ealing Trailfinders by a distance despite some marquee signings.

It would not, then, be unfair to suggest that the gap between the two divisions is too pronounced, with teams dominating the second tier before returning a season later demoralised, beaten up and outclassed. It didn’t used to be the case – teams like Exeter and Worcester have both risen from the

“If London Irish went up, as they’re one of the 13 Premiership shareholders, they’d receive £6.5 million.

If we went up, we’d get £2 million, so it’s very difficult.”

Ward addresses his team after winning the British and Irish Cup last season

second tier – but the problem for the RFU is that these examples are scarce.

The inescapable fact remains that the sport has changed. “Rugby, as it is now, is fundamentally the same,” Ward says. “What has changed is the amount of funding going into the Premiership.

If they made the funding in the Premiership and Championship equal, I think you’d have more tier-two clubs getting promoted. The difficulty now is that the difference in funding is so big because the 13 shareholders have tried to protect themselves.”

Ward is critical of the current Premiership clubs, but who knows, perhaps he could be coaching one of

them in the near future? With such a dearth of young English coaching talent, Ward’s stock is rising, but whether he chooses to stay at Ealing or move up is another question, and he’s clearly loyal to the progress he’s made in West London. “I’m incredibly proud, and enjoying the journey.

“To be able to play with your mates, with a lot of promotions and success along the way, to go into coaching and win the British and Irish Cup last year.

I’m pretty proud.”

And proud he should be – for all the success stories in English rugby, Ealing’s is the most impressive, the most encouraging, yet strangely, for the powers that be, the most frustrating.

Still, in years to come, when the next Exeter comes through, we may just look at Ward and Gooley as the pair who saved the sport.

Ward’s plan for English rugby: • Two leagues - Premiership One and Premiership Two – with ten teams in each • Young players to develop in Premiership Two until they’re ready for Premiership One, which is where the elite teams will play • Promotion and relegation between the two divisions • This should all come under the RFU’s umbrella, as their interest is in the national team

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Alumni

The Comeback Kid Josh Bartholomew speaks to Alex Lundberg OH (2013) about resilience and coming back stronger in his rugby career.

It’s the most wintry of winter days when we meet in mid-December – the rain is pouring, temperatures are close to freezing and Alex Lundberg’s hair is in a wet mop across his face having just beaten Richmond in the Championship Cup. Yet still, the Old Hamptonian and current Ealing Trailfinders’ prop is smiling. After his horrific run with injury, who can blame him? At least he’s playing rugby.

Injuries are a key part of rugby, but even at 24, former Wasps man Lundberg has had to recover from more than most. So much so that he asked for an early release from his inaugural professional contract at the Premiership high-flyers.

“I had a long string of injuries, and I felt that it was probably best to change – physically and mentally. I thought it was the best time to do it,” Lundberg admits.

Despite his obvious potential rising through the academy, Wasps never had the chance to give Lundberg first-team game-time, such was his barren run with injuries. “It was a timing thing. Pretty much from that moment [of signing his first contract] I was injured, so there was never really an opportunity for Wasps to give me a chance.

“Up until that point I’d been playing on loan, getting experience in the national leagues. I don’t really feel like they had an opportunity to give me a chance.”

Leaving Wasps last year was a brave decision, and one that few academy youngsters in the country would make.

Plush Premiership training facilities or muddy lower-league pitches? You can see why one option is more popular than the other.

It’s even more courageous when you consider the uncertainty Lundberg was inviting after his release. He knew he wanted to play in New Zealand, but aside from that, not a lot was decided.

Enter Ealing Trailfinders. Ealing’s Director of Rugby is fellow OH Ben Ward, but ironically, it was their Head Coach at the time Alex Codling who approached Lundberg. “I knew the Head Coach here at the time [Alex Codling] from playing under him at Rosslyn Park,” Lundberg remembers.

“He said to come down and have a

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block in his career for whatever reason, where better to ply your trade than the next tier down, where forward packs are strong and physicality levels are high?

“I wouldn’t like them to ring-fence it

“I just want to be playing and enjoying myself.”

Lundberg pictured with HSC reporter Josh Bartholomew at Ealing Trailfinders’ training ground couple of games before I moved to New Zealand. I played and got injured again, but Ealing offered me a [long-term] contract and I signed because I like it here.”

While he was injured, Lundberg actually returned to his former haunt at Hanworth Road, where as an U18 he captained the 1st XV to a Natwest Cup semi-final. This time, however, he was a coach. “I’d done a bit of coaching at Hampton back when Wasps played in London, and whilst I was without a club, doing my rehab, I coached a lot at School.

“I wouldn’t like them to ring-fence it [the Rugby Premiership] just yet,” Lundberg says with a smile across his face.

“I really enjoyed it. I worked with quite a few teams through the School, and Mr Thomson was really good in letting me come and coach, giving me a fair bit of responsibility with different sides.”

During his coaching stint at Hampton,

Lundberg played a key role in the U15s cup success as they reached their own national semi-final last season, as well as the U14s Rosslyn Park campaign.

Lundberg is now a key part of Ealing’s Championship squad, having asserted himself in North London this season.

Trailfinders have fought admirably with London Irish this campaign, pushing them all the way to the line.

This season alone, Lundberg has played 20 times, over six times the amount he turned out for Wasps. Having left the Premiership himself, Lundberg is well placed to comment on Ealing’s position as they push for top-tier status.

“I think we definitely need to make improvements, but I do feel like we’re on the right track. Obviously we’ve had a lot of new players this year and some changes in coaching staff as well, so it’s just about trying to find a rhythm, which hopefully we’re just starting to get into now [December].”

But, as Ben Ward explains in his interview with HSC, Ealing’s ambitions may be halted before they’ve truly begun, as the Premiership clubs seek changes in the structure of the competition which may result in a ring-fencing arrangement – an end to promotion and relegation.

Lundberg is a prime example of the Championship’s benefits. As a promising young player who’s hit a

just yet,” Lundberg says with a smile across his face.

“I think it’s got its positives and negatives. Especially this year in the Premiership, anyone could go down.

Whether any of those teams should is a talking point, but I do think that you’ve got to give the Championship sides who have the ability and potential to go up the opportunity to do so. From my perspective at the moment, I really hope it doesn’t get ring-fenced.”

If ring-fencing does take place, where does that leave the Championship? In a less healthy state perhaps, and the next Alex Lundberg will be in a poorer position for it.

As it is, Lundberg is focusing on the immediate future with Ealing, as they look to challenge for promotion once again next season. He’ll form a key part of that team from loosehead prop.

“I’ve played a bit since coming back from injury, but I’m struggling to get the form that I’d like. I think that’s probably to be expected with a long lay-off, but I’d like to build on the experiences that I’ve had and contribute more around the park – I’ve got a bit of a way to go until I reach the levels of performance that I’d be happy with.

“I think for me, having had so long out with injury, I just want to enjoy playing rugby. I enjoy it here at Ealing, and playing for them in the Premiership would be great. If I got an opportunity in the Premiership that would also be great, but at the same time, I just want to be playing and enjoying myself, and if that isn’t in the Premiership, then so be it.”

A wise outlook, but chances are, Lundberg will be back in the top tier before long, with Ealing or not.

For the love of the game Paul Wilkinson speaks to fellow Sixth Form pupil Blake Cullen about reaching the highest levels of schoolboy cricket.

17-year-old Blake Cullen, a member of the Hampton School 1st XI squad since Fourth Year, arrives promptly to our makeshift interviewing set-up.

Having enjoyed such a successful cricket season last summer for both School and county, the thought that Blake may have placed all his eggs in the cricketing basket would not be farfetched. However our first conversation reflects how difficult it is to sustain such a demanding sporting life with balancing a school workload too.

Blake recalls his breakthrough season for the Middlesex 1st XI last year, and claims that not only was this season crucial for his development, but was also great fun as he “travelled up and down the country playing cricket and making memories every day.”

The Hamptonian had to earn his stripes first with Middlesex U17s. It was when he achieved season-best bowling figures of 3/49 that he was chosen to represent the 2nd XI. He ended last season successful not only with the ball, but with the bat too as he reached 51 against Kent 2nd XI despite batting in the lower order.

Naturally, our conversation moves onto whether Blake considers himself an all-rounder, as he has proven that he can perform in both areas of the game.

Though batting used to be his stronger suit, Cullen recognises that now “if I were to have a professional career, it would be as a bowler.”

However, what epitomises Blake both as a person and as a sportsman is a determination to keep on improving in any way he can. This is why he wants to work on “how I bat against spin bowling as I struggled with it last summer on the dry pitches.”

Summer of 2018 culminated with a call-up to play for the South East England XI. This acted as a springboard for Blake as he played against teams from the South West, the North and the Midlands, and now he has his sights set on making the Young Lions squad either this summer or during the following winter.

“That is why the training camp in La Manga in February will be so important for my development,” says Blake in reference to the spring gettogether comprising eight of the top tier academy players as well as five from the Middlesex 1st XI. With Toby RolandJones OH (2006) also scheduled to take

Blake Cullen representing Middlesex 2nd XI where he has played alongside England internationals part as he battles the fitness issues that kept him out of the England side last summer, the School can celebrate a Hampton reunion.

Injuries have played a part in Blake’s career too, and denied him some opportunities that he deserved through his hard work. Most significantly, he had to pull out of the England U19 winter squad because of a back injury: “I went to Loughborough to have a scan and effectively I had a stress in my back which had been caused by bowling all summer. Of course it was disappointing to miss out, but in the long-term my fitness has to come first.”

Healthy now and rested, the School does not have to worry about the fitness of one of its star players, who led the team to victory over the Oratory School last season with a century. The 1st XI will look to beat many fellow leading cricket schools after a season of mixed results last year.

Blake mirrors this sentiment when he says that “last year was very much

about experience as we had a young but talented side. We will approach the upcoming season looking to defeat many of the country’s top sides.” Cullen hopes to emulate the successes that he was a part of with the 1st XI in the 2016/2017 season, when both Whitgift and Harrow were defeated by a strong and confident team. These moments are amongst Blake’s proudest memories of his time at the School.

Blake smiles when he notes that “this season will be great fun as there is good team morale and many of my mates will hopefully make the side.” This is crucial in understanding how Blake has become so good at the game, as all it comes down to is enjoyment. When I suggest this, Blake nods in agreement.

“Ever since my dad took me down to my local cricket club, Wycombe House, I have loved the game and never looked back.” The importance of enjoyment is reflected in his only piece of advice for any young cricketers – that they “must love the game, as it can be quite boring

to field for three days.”

Following in the footsteps of both Toby Roland-Jones and Zafar Ansari OH (2010), Blake admits he wants to go to university and play cricket whilst he is there. His love of the game shines once again as he says “whilst I do not know if I will become professional, it is a game that I will play for the rest of my life.”

“Playing for Middlesex is my dream”, he adds – and I ask him to name his inspiration and role model. “My idol would have to be A.B. de Villiers. He plays the game without fear and that is the way I like to do it.”

It is clear that Blake has a lot going for him, and I am sure that the School community will wish him the best of luck in his cricketing endeavours. There again – as Blake says – “who knows what the future holds ....”

Visit hamptonsportschronicle.org.uk for the latest breaking sports news from Hampton School

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Alumni

Behind the Mike HSC editor James Dowden speaks to Michael Timbs OH (2010) on life at COPA90 and his experiences of meeting and filming some of the best players in the game.

Michael Timbs on stage with Lionel Messi at the 2018 World Cup Ball Launch Michael Timbs is an Old Hamptonian and current Content Creator at the popular YouTube channel COPA90, which specialises in football. His work has seen him interview some of the biggest names in the global game and in the summer of 2018, he was based in Russia for the FIFA World Cup as part of the COPA90 team.

“I just remember it being so big,” he reflects.

Michael recalls the moment he first joined Hampton School as a shy First Year aged 12, walking through the gates on Hanworth Road.

Timbs - or ‘Timbsy’ as he is commonly referred to on COPA90 - enjoyed seven happy years at Hampton from 2003 to 2010, which he remembers with great fondness.

“For me my best memories came from being with my mates, making use of every break and lunchtime to just go out and play football. Sometimes even skipping lunch!”

Timbs also enjoyed sporting

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success for Hampton’s football sides, captaining the 2nd XI and winning the London Schools’ Trinity Cup in his final year as a Sixth Form pupil. During the summer months he threw himself into everything, with athletics, sprints and cricket particular highlights.

“Outside of sport, it was nice to just come to School every day, do your classes and work hard. But equally you knew you could have a good time with your mates, sit next to your best pals and see how well you can do.”

At Hampton, Timbs studied French, Spanish, History and English at A Level, but it was not always clear that he was destined for a career in the sports media industry. He continued studying French and Hispanics at the University of Nottingham, enabling him to become fluent in these two languages, as well as learning Portuguese for two years.

On the decision to study languages, Timbs is a great advocate. “Studying languages was definitely helpful. It’s such a general skill to have and it

can be applied in any world of work.

Studying at school and for a degree, you can apply it to any career path you want. It especially helped me as I was not exactly sure what I wanted to do.

I wasn’t exactly fixed in what career I wanted to go into.”

At COPA90 his language skills enabled him to be drafted into script-

Following university, Timbs went travelling for six months before applying to an internship agency. “I saw an opportunity on their website for a social media intern for an up-and-coming football media company and I knew that I wanted to do something that was related to football journalism.

“So I applied and did the 3-month internship on social media (Twitter, Instagram) and from then on, gradually became more on-screen as I am now.”

Timbs has now been at COPA90 for four years where he has a varied pattern of work. He tells me that his week is usually split between two or three days away from the office on shoots and the rest of the time spent in the COPA90 head office in London.

In the office Timbs prepares and plans for upcoming shows on the COPA90 YouTube channel, through script-writing and designing graphics.

Out of the office, the work is fastpaced with different locations, domestic and international, to be visited.

Timbs reflects on his busy schedule: “for example, yesterday I was in the office working on show ideas. Today I had a flight at 6am to Paris, and we have just finished filming and are about to head out to film in the city before getting our flight back at 8pm. And then back into the office tomorrow morning!”

But the heavy workload is something that Timbs relishes, and the reward of meeting and filming with some of the best players in the world is a small price to pay. Among an array of talent, Timbs has worked with top professionals from

“We only found out the morning of the event that the Spanish translator was ill. Due to the fact I had done some prior work with Adidas they knew I spoke Spanish, and so they asked me if I was up for it. Messi walked on and I had to do the Q and A in Spanish. It was probably the craziest moment I’ve had.” writing in foreign languages as well as going abroad to produce films and interview people in different languages.

But the question remains: how did he get such an opportunity in the notoriously competitive world of sports media?

the game including David Alaba, Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry, Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba, Pep Guardiola, Isco, Gareth Bale, Arsene Wegner, Sadio Mane and even Usain Bolt to name a few in what makes for an envious scroll of his Instagram feed! But one name stands out for Timbs. Lionel Messi.

Timbs pictured alongside Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola Timbs takes me through his encounter with a player universally recognised to have been among the greatest to ever play the game.

“We went to Moscow for the World Cup Ball Launch, and only found out the morning of the event that the Spanish translator was ill. Due to the fact I had done some prior work with Adidas they knew I spoke Spanish, and so they asked me if I was up for it. Although I was really nervous and scared, I knew I had to do it. It was a once-in-alifetime opportunity. It was broadcast live across YouTube with just me on the stage. Messi walked on and I had to do the Q and A in Spanish. It was probably the craziest moment I’ve had.”

However, Timbs is quick to stress that it is not always about personal accolades and achievements so much as the team effort.

“The ideas that are the most fulfilling are those which involve a team of people - editors, directors, producers etc. From the conception of the idea to post-production and seeing it all come out and culminate together in a film is the most rewarding thing.”

A recent example of this was the COPA90 collaboration with Puma and the German side Borussia Dortmund.

This involved Timbs, along with fellow presenter David Vujanic, having microphones attached to them whilst they played a match. At the same time Timbs and Vujanic were receiving advice through the microphones from both Marco Reus and Alex Witsel, leading to passionate scenes as the professionals

tried to give the best advice for their respective player to win.

“It is a really cool original idea that we came up with and it has now become a series in itself. Seeing that develop from an idea to a piece of content is a great feeling.”

One of the general challenges on working with such high-profile players in the world of sports media is that they often give media-trained responses.

However, Timbs has not found that to be the case.

“It’s actually quite surprising how many footballers are super nice and genuinely down-to-earth people. I’d say 99% of footballers I have met have been really nice. They’re in quite a difficult position as it’s their ‘brand’.

But they still give their time and proper responses.

“The nicest I have met is probably Kaka. He is genuinely one of the nicest guys I have met. He’s a gentle guy but well-spoken and he really gives you his time and wants to interact with you, outside of the possible 5-10 minutes of filming time you might have with him.”

The conversation quickly drifts onto more general football talk and I question Timbs on what he thinks the biggest challenges facing football are.

His response is as insightful as it is revealing about Timbs’s character.

“There are a lot. There’s inequality, discrimination, fan riots, player riots, corruption. But in general, I think the responsibility that football has in wider culture and society is the greatest challenge. It’s no longer this closed-

off sport. Football as a sport has snowballed so much that it pervades every part of society.

“There’s so much riding on it. Football now has a responsibility to give back and not just look after itself. It’s so easy for players to get on with it and think that problems are not their responsibility when really they should acknowledge that football is such a powerful tool for change and progress.”

This ties in nicely with the recent

launch of the Common Goal movement in football, where professional players and coaches have pledged to donate a proportion of their salary to charities that support football development around the world.

Members of this group include Juan Mata and Giorgio Chiellini, and Timbs’s company COPA90 have featured coverage of this programme across their platforms.

For those looking to break into the sports media world, Timbs offers the following piece of advice: “Work hard. Be persistent. Don’t get disheartened if you don’t get the exact thing you were hoping for straight away.

There are so many different avenues you can take to the end goal that you want. The landscape changes so much that there is a role or company that you don’t think can benefit you on your way to where you want to be, but it can turn out that you can learn so much that can be applied to the area you want to go into.”

Before his internship, he had never used Photoshop in his life apart from at Hampton in the Second Year during art.

However, he wasn’t afraid to improvise, and by being willing to go out of his comfort zone, Timbs was soon able to begin producing his own content.

It seems fitting then as the interview comes to a close to ask what Timbs’s remaining ambitions are. His reply - “to keep doing what I’m doing and see what happens” - hides his modesty in what he has achieved so far through hard work and dedication, and few would bet against him going on to further success in the future.

Timbs produces YouTube videos for the popular COPA90 channel where he films videos and skill challenges with players. He is pictured here with French striker Allan Saint-Maximin who plays for Nice

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Alumni Oarsome Events on the River HSC rowing correspondent Ben Martis-Jones reports on the Schools Head race and the OH presence in the University Boat Race.

OH rowers help Cambridge to Reserve Boat Race victory

Charlie Marcus OH (2018) (centre) and Tim Nugent OH (2014) (2nd from right) compete for the Cambridge reserve crew in the 2019 Boat Race Hampton boats compete admirably at a windy Schools Head On Friday 15 March 2019, Hampton were set to send eight crews to race on the 4.1 mile Championship course between Mortlake and Putney.

Unfortunately, due to predictions of bad weather and strong winds, the J18 IV and the J15 2nd and 3rd events were cancelled, so only five Hampton crews boated from St Paul’s to race.

The conditions were not as rough as marshals had expected, but there was

still a fast tide and strong winds for the rowers to deal with. Newly-trained sweep rowers – coached by former 1st VIII coach Mr Double – performed brilliantly, producing a fourth place finish to reward them for their winter training efforts.

The J16 squad finished tenth in the Championship VIII, and the 2nd VIII were placed third in their category, ending the day only two seconds behind Westminster in second place.

After coming off the water, 7-seat of the J16 2nd VIII Sam Schomberg said ”I am very happy with our result, and I

Photo Credit: AllMarkOne – Berkeley Hampton School J16 rowing squad in action

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am excited to see what we can achieve in the Regatta season, with the help of Mr Woods and Mr Hill.”

The senior 1st VIII came 12th in a highly competitive event, attracting crews from as far afield as Italy.

Meanwhile, the senior 2nd VIII came seventh in their category.

The support along the riverside was enthusiastic, with the Hampton and Holles Boat Club supporters in full voice. Alex Crisan said ”Hammersmith Bridge provided us with an extra bit of encouragement from supporters from both LEH and Hampton, helping to drive the crew on to finish the race more quickly.”

The Schools Head closed the Head season for the J15s, J16s and senior squad. Meanwhile the J14s were able to look forward to their first national race at the Scullery in March, where they competed for their headship over two 1900m pieces at Dorney Lake, and as spring emerged, all crews were very much looking forward to going away on their respective Easter Camps before the Regatta season began at the end of April.

Glossary: The rowing season is split into two parts: the ‘Head’ season (a timetrial), and the ‘Regatta’ season (a race).

The sport also has two different formats: rowing and sculling. Rowing consists of one oar per member; sculling sees each member of the boat taking two oars.

Cambridge’s reserve boat Goldie retained the Reserve Men’s Boat Race title with a verdict of one length over the Isis crew from Oxford University Boat Club, in a time of 17 minutes and 17 seconds.

Cox Charlie Marcus OH (2018) steered excellently down the course to ensure the bows of his boat crossed the finish line first. Tim Nugent OH (2014) was placed in the three seat, demonstrating the depth of rowers that Hampton rowing has produced in delivering two athletes this year to the Cambridge University Boat Club.

“It was a bit closer than I would’ve liked,” said Marcus, speaking to HSC after the race. “We just knew we had to hit our rhythm. We’ve practised a lot of two and a half minute pieces in training, and we knew if we could hit these in the race, we would be faster than Isis [Oxford’s reserve crew].

“It turned out to be true – we just about got clear water at Harrods and I moved across, and the gap [between the two boats] never really got more than half a length. They tried to force us… but they could never just do it. I’d hopefully have stretched the gap but we never managed to do it.”

Marcus also attributed Cambridge’s clean sweep to the morale in the squad.

“The squad feel was important,” he explained. “We have nearly got three eights’ worth of rowers, and it just means everyone’s pushing on and earning their seats – it’s just a great squad feel.”

The HSC is keen to hear from reporters and photographers across all year groups.

If you are interested, please see Mr Smith in the English Office or come to our weekly meetings on Fridays at 1.15

King of Richmond Tanmay Thanawalla speaks to Greg King OH (2013) on his successful season as Captain of Richmond Cricket Club.

Sitting at Richmond Cricket Club, a beautiful ground located adjacent to Kew Gardens in Richmond Borough, I reflect on the significance of the club’s 2018 cricket season. I catch up with one of the club’s true success stories, Old Hamptonian Greg King who has been with the club for nearly 20 years and has just finished his first year captaining the 1st XI. During the 2018 cricket season, RCC’s 1st XI senior team participated in both the Middlesex Premier League and the Middlesex (knockout) Cup. Both are highly competitive – Middlesex’s best senior club teams participate. These top teams are brimming with a mix of county hopefuls and well-seasoned players, including some ex-professionals. The players are serious about winning and the matches are hard-fought.

So it’s not hard to imagine RCC’s euphoria when in 2018 the 1st XI went on to win “the double” — both the Middlesex Premier League and the Cup in a single season! Even for a club with a rich sporting history, with four previous league wins in its history and one previous cup win, a club which counts players like ex-Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist in its ranks of former players, bagging “the double” indicated nothing short of an extraordinary season. With youth cricket developing all the time, success in senior cricket was the icing on the cake!

The Cup Final was played at the Ealing cricket ground in West London against a strong North Middlesex club team. Richmond, batting second, won the match in a high run-chase thriller, making RCC’s cup victory in this tense final all the more remarkable, all the sweeter. So it was a pleasure to learn that this double-winning RCC senior 1st XI team was captained by none other than Old Hamptonian Greg King OH (2013), who navigated his hugely talented team through 13 consecutive wins between late June and September.

Greg was always a keen sportsman, even before he came to Hampton. “My dad recalls throwing me balls down the corridor at home,” he remembers, “and me swinging the bat even before I learnt to walk!” Given his enthusiasm for ball games, he was signed up as a young cricketer at RCC as early as the age of seven. He played his first U10 match at that age.

His love of cricket continued after he joined Hampton. There under the supervision of many sports coaches including Mr Ami Banerjee and Mr Chris Harrison he blossomed. He scored his first century at the age of 12 at the School.

He is very grateful for his time there.

“The boys often don’t realise the level of access they have when at Hampton. So much high-quality technical assistance available so freely,” he explains.

Greg was a sporting all-rounder at Hampton and a natural leader at that.

At School he played a bit of football but cricket and rugby were his true passions, playing for first teams throughout his School life. In fact, he remembered Jonny Wilkinson, England’s legendary fly-half, as his inspiration through his sporting years. He captained the cricket team for most of his school days and the experiences were magical.

Greg King alongside his title-winning team-mates at Richmond CC

“Making tough selection decisions and marshalling such a strong team comes with its challenges. But you learn to develop a leadership style that works for you and the team.”

He particularly remembers Hampton’s tight T20 win against Whitgift in the National Cup, a side that included multiple county prospects, in his senior year. He has fond memories of his overseas cricket tours – India and Sri Lanka. These senior tours continue to be a staple of Hampton senior cricket where legions of Hamptonians have experienced playing on spinning wickets on the subcontinent as well as delving into the new cultures.

I ask him if exams and the major study years (GCSEs and A Levels) slowed things for him during his Hampton days. “Not at all. I don’t recall missing many matches because of tests, either for GCSEs or A Levels. In fact I think cricket taught me to plan my studies ahead, and also gave me vital time to relax and rejuvenate.”

He also played age-group county cricket until the age of 15. So I ask “Did you want to be a professional cricketer?”

“Not really,” he replies, adding with characteristic modesty that “somewhere within me there was the realisation that I was good but perhaps not good enough nor ambitious enough to play sport at that elite level. But I was lucky enough to play both with and against some players at Hampton and other schools who went on to play at county or international level. I was on the team with Zafar Ansari, and watched some outstanding cricket played before me during my school days.”

Even so, sport has taught him many things – including leadership skills. His experience at Hampton, pretty much captaining school cricket sides through all the age-groups, has served him well. The match-winning team at RCC in the 2018 season which he captained had many talented players. Despite a strong batting performance at the tailend of the season in the Cup Final, he modestly adds: “Most of the team is more naturally talented than I am.”

How did it feel to lead such a side, some of whom have played some county cricket or semi-professionally?

“Making tough selection decisions and marshalling such a strong team comes with its challenges. But you learn to develop a leadership style that works for you and the team.”

The excitement of sport has stayed with him, even after school – it is something he encourages Hamptonians to carry with them. Greg has gone on to study at the University of Birmingham and for a Masters at the London School of Economics, continuing to love the social side of sports and forging many friendships along the way.

When asked for any parting advice for current Hamptonians, he laughs: “Enjoy your time at Hampton and the unique all-round balance it offers.

Value the quality coaching you have easy access to, and most importantly enjoy the social side of your sport.”

Visit hamptonsportschronicle.org.uk for the latest breaking sports news from Hampton School

25

Match Day Reports What Happened Next?

The very best of the match reports featured on the HSC website featuring writing by Sam Colvine, Ronit Raj, Tom Tabor, Joe Cornell, Maxi Grindley, Isaac Tarragano and Joe Murphy across a diverse range of sports and teams.

Hampton U15s fall to agonising defeat in ISFA semi-final

By Sam Colvine The U15A team suffered an agonising defeat to Royal Russell School in the ISFA cup semi-final, losing 1-0 in spite of dominating the play in the later stages of the match.

In the early stages, both sides were willing to share possession, with Royal Russell adopting a more direct form of attack.

They tried to target their two tall strikers while Hampton looked to utilise the wings and the pace of their wide men, with Jack Da Costa especially dangerous down the right-hand side.

Both teams had solid, well-organised defenders marshalling their back lines and, as a result, any attacking play was quickly stifled by either set of players.

Right from the beginning of the game, it was clear to see that the physicality of the teams would play a huge role, with powerful tackles flying in all over the pitch.

Suddenly, Royal Russell opened up space just outside the penalty area and, with scintillating passing play, created an opportunity for their player to stroke the ball into the bottom left corner. 1-0 to Royal Russell.

In reply, a Hampton free-kick, curled in from the edge of the box by Antonio Polleri, was spilled by the goalkeeper and only a plethora of outstretched legs

stopped the incoming Jonah Blake from equalising.

The home team continued their courageous response with frequent through-balls to striker Louis Middleton, who challenged the keeper on multiple occasions. The whistle blew for half-time.

From the start of the second half, Hampton’s intent to equalise was obvious. From multiple Royal Russell long balls forward, Hampton played swiftly out from the back, launching rapid counter-attacks from the midfield. This strategy nearly reaped rewards straight away, as a mazy Da Costa run led to a shot which was parried by the keeper.

Hampton were clearly the dominant team now, with a clever Rohan Sahota cutback drilled over the bar by Polleri.

Chances came frequently for Hampton as the team pushed up the pitch for that crucial goal, the latest being powerful hold-up play by Middleton who laid it off for Polleri who went close again.

Players were being thrown forward allowing Royal Russell to counter, their striker pushing a shot just past the post.

With virtually the last kick of the game, a fantastic cross from Da Costa found the head of Middleton who sent a tantalisingly close glancing effort just wide. But this proved to be Hampton’s final chance of the match as full-time arrived. The team had displayed a valiant effort but had been cruelly beaten.

Action from the heartbreaking U15 ISFA Cup semi-final defeat to Royal Russell

26

Hampton’s thriving chess club prepare for battle Hampton checkmate Southborough despite shaky start

By Ronit Raj Hampton’s D Team chess players beat Southborough’s A team 8-4, winning the match by a convincing margin after a close start.

In the first round, Hampton started off shakily on the first three boards.

Henry Ayres, who was on board one, was up against a formidable opponent and was unfortunately defeated after he lost a rook in the end game. Ayres’ opponent took advantage of this and promoted a pawn to win.

On board three, Andrew Blackburn started his game with a Queen’s Gambit – sacrificing a pawn to gain control of the central squares on the board. Blackburn was then able to pin his opponent’s bishop and make a fork with his knight. This won him a bishop and Blackburn secured a checkmate at the end of the game.

On board five, Nico Alfonso played against an evenly matched opponent.

Both sides developed their pieces and traded equally until Alfonso moved his knight to check the king and attack the queen. This resulted in his opponent having to move his king, leaving Alfonso to take the queen. This allowed another emphatic checkmate for Hampton.

At the end of the first round, the score was 3-3 and it was all to play for.

In the second round, both teams were playing slightly more cautiously by keeping their pieces and not trading.

Hampton had won on boards four, five and six, but boards one, two and three were having a tough game.

Board one witnessed an extremely long match. From 25 minutes each, it came down to under five minutes each. Ayres was equal with his opponent in position and material until he managed to win a pawn through the en passant capture move. With only 32 seconds left on his clock, Ayres checkmated his opponent to make the final score 8-4 to Hampton.

Board two also witnessed a thrilling game, though it was unfortunately lost on material at the end game when the Southborough player took the tie through promoting pawns.

Meanwhile, Ryan Budd on board three had lost a knight early in the game. His opponent was close to checkmating Budd, but then the Southborough player lost his rook. Budd was able to promote his pawns and win the game. Later, he said “I did not think I would win, but a single mistake from my opponent cost him the game.”

Hampton Chess coach Mr McBay said: “It could have gone either way in that second round but with some good play from Hampton we got a welldeserved win.”

U12As advance in Surrey Cup after 6-1 win

By Tom Tabor Four second-half goals took Hampton U12A footballers through to a place in the quarter-final of the Surrey Cup following a 6–1 defeat of Orleans Park School.

In heavy rain, Hampton fell behind early in the game from a long range free-kick. Hampton captain Josh King then hit the crossbar.

However a curling left-foot strike from Nicolas Herrero made it 1-1. From this point on, Hampton dominated possession and created many scoring opportunities.

one with the keeper.

The game was now out of reach for Orleans Park but Hampton weren’t finished yet. A powerful shot saw the keeper parry the ball to the feet of newly promoted Savan Soni, who tapped the ball into the net for a 6–1 winning margin.

U12s win Ibstock Place School 7s with resounding display

By Joe Cornell Hampton U12s won the Ibstock Place School 7s with a convincing victory in the final over St James’s School. Having recently won the Warwick School 7s tournament, the team travelled to

This set up a semi-final against the hosts Ibstock, who got off to a flying start, scoring three tries in the first three minutes. Tom Harvey was able to score one in return before the break, but with the score at 1-3 heads were low and coach Mr Ellsworth had to instil some belief. Four minutes remained to save the day.

Luck came from the kick-off, with an Ibstock error meaning Toby Smith could run in. Alfie Amor then brought the score level with a lovely step to complete a wonderful backs-move.

The frantic pace continued, and with seconds remaining Joe Cornell threw a dummy and raced in to secure a memorable win and much celebration.

Composure returned as the team prepared for the final against St James’s, who had previously drawn with Ibstock. The form from the semifinal continued, with Hampton running out easy 4-1 winners.

It capped a fantastic afternoon for the team – unbeaten in 7 games, with 35 tries scored and only eight conceded.

1st XI battle Somerset elements to beat Millfield

By Maxi Grindley

The U12 rugby VII celebrate their Ibstock Place School 7s title The next goal came after the home team worked the ball out wide. A through ball to James Queen set up the goal with a powerful strike from the Hampton left-midfielder. The rest of the half was mainly played out in the midfield, with few shots on goal. Halftime arrived with Hampton leading 2-1.

The second half started with a decisive goal from the home side.

From Sam Ellis’s goal kick Charlie Helm raced down the right-wing and put in a dangerous cross. The ball reached the edge of the box where Jay Cairnes smashed in a half volley to give Hampton a 3–1 lead.

Two minutes later King, picking up the ball in midfield, dribbled past three defenders and struck the ball from outside the box to make the score 4–1.

Herrero then netted a fifth as he placed the ball into the corner after a one-on-

Ibstock with confidence. This was matched with some trepidation, as the other schools in the competition were well known. However the U12s were convincing victors, playing flowing rugby with tough rucking.

In the first game, the U12s fought to victory over Tiffin School; despite nerves and a resultant lack of structure, Hampton came through with the win.

Next, some strong defending and excellent finishing allowed confidence to build with a convincing victory over Isleworth and Syon School.

The team were now well prepared for their toughest group game against Gunnersbury School, which went to plan with Hampton winning 4-1. More of the same followed against both Portland Place School and Radnor School, and Hampton were resounding group winners.

Hampton’s 1st XI battled against difficult weather conditions to beat Millfield 1st XI 2-1 away from home in a tight Hudl league game.

Despite a three hour coach trip and a shortened warm-up for the Hampton side, the extreme wind meant the game started with both sides struggling to gain a foothold.

Hampton went into the break 1-0 up with a Rohan Hobbs goal, but Millfield equalised in the second half with a penalty.

But in the end, it was Hampton who scored the decisive goal, before having to defend bravely for extended periods of time to win the game.

The game started slowly with neither side able to showcase the obvious quality they possessed – however, Hobbs’ tight finish ensured Hampton secured an early lead.

Despite the goal, the game continued to be tight as half-time approached until Millfield got their deserved equaliser with a nerveless penalty. Hampton restored their advantage when ShaunChris Joash created a goal for himself from nothing following a Millfield corner.

U12Ds beat Reading Blue Coat 3-2 with thrilling comeback

By Joe Murphy

Coat School to claim a 3-2 victory in their penultimate game of the season.

In the first half there was little to separate the teams with chances for both sides, but just before the break, Reading scored a fabulous team goal.

Reading then started the second half strongly with another quick goal to put them two ahead. But this didn’t deter Hampton who fought back and attacked strongly in response. Rohan Kripalani outran the Reading defenders to slot the ball into the corner of the goal to make the score 2–1.

Kripalani had scored one, but he didn’t want to stop there. He slipped past the Reading defensive line and summoned a finish that was impossible to save.

It was down to the last two minutes of the game and neither team would settle for a draw. Hampton surged forward in attack. The ball was crossed in to the feet of James Maloney who fired it into the back of the net.

Second-half tries earn Hampton U12Bs convincing win

By Isaac Tarragano Hampton’s U12B team beat Campion 35-10 after a hat trick of tries in the second half from Josh Skeaping.

Hampton surged ahead from the start of the match after Adam Gwynne made three tries in quick succession.

However, Campion School did not let their heads go down, as they scored a try soon after.

Campion maintained their efforts, resulting in a second try, even when they fell five points down in the second half.

Hampton started the match off with Gwynne scoring three tries in the first five minutes and subsequently being subbed off.

However, Campion came back with a try close to half-time, bringing the first half to an end with Hampton winning 15-5.

Very early on in the second half, Campion scored a second try, to leave just one point between the two teams.

However, Hampton kept fighting, resulting in Skeaping scoring three tries to bring Hampton ahead.

In the last play, Eshan Mir scored a try resulting in an end score of 35-10 to Hampton.

Speaking after the game, captain Ollie Davies said: “It was a good performance from everyone and a well deserved win.”

This victory ensures that the U12B team have not lost or drawn a game since the start of the season.

Hampton’s U12D team came back from a two goal deficit against Reading Blue

27

HSC On The Web Back of the Net

The new Hampton Sports Chronicle website, hamptonsportschronicle.org.uk, has launched this year, to run concurrently with the HSC magazine, writes Josh Bartholomew.

We probably couldn’t have chosen a better year to start the site – the 1st XI’s run to and subsequent victory in the ESFA Final was brilliant to cover; we posted 11 pieces in the weeks before and after the event - both previewing and reviewing what was a momentous day for Hampton football - reaching 1,112 views in the process.

To be able to publish a match report within a couple of hours of the final whistle (thanks go to Mr Smith for sub-editing it at a service station on the way home!) was pivotal for the immediate reaction.

After Luke Dunn (whose year working as a translator for Sevilla FC’s communications team was featured in last year’s magazine) initially attempted to start a website for the Sports Chronicle in his time as editor in 2012, we figured that we’d try again.

Put simply, Hampton’s sport is too

wide-ranging and too pervasive to justifiably cover in one annual magazine.

So, off we trotted to Mr Knibbs’ office, where our idea was greeted with endorsement and action.

Initially, we’d assumed that we’d have minimal control of the site and design in the interests of protecting Hampton’s brand – after all, the School does have a Website Office – but we were delighted to be given full responsibility; I was given the privilege of designing the site, and eventually created a functioning sports homepage.

After numerous meetings with designers, the Website Office and Mr Woods, we fully launched the website in late March.

Since the launch, I believe it’s been a resounding success: we’ve reached over 7,000 views, posted over 100 articles (we aim for around six a week) and had

visitors from destinations as far-flung as Lithuania, Indonesia and Slovakia.

The viewing figures are great, but they don’t speak of the true value and impact of the website.

The amount of people who attend HSC meetings has more than trebled (come along – 1.15 pm on Fridays!), and we’ve published articles from First Years who’ve been inspired to start writing, as well as experienced 18-year-olds who are looking at journalism as a potential career, and numerous pupils in between.

It’s also allowed the Sports Chronicle to branch out and cover the sports which we know we have in the past neglected. We now have a specific Rowing correspondent who sourced accreditation for the Boat Race, recording interviews with the two OH representatives in the reserve race, and a Chess correspondent who describes

the excitement which takes place after School on a Friday with admirable colour.

We’re always looking for new contributors, and with this new unlimited space we want even more writers, covering even more sports and even more teams.

We’ve posted an equal number of match reports on the U12D football team as we have on the 1st XV, and we’d love more contributors.

If you’re interested, either email hsc@hamptonschool.org.uk or come along to Room 54 in the English Department on a Friday lunchtime.

At this point, I think it’s right to thank the numerous people who’ve helped us along the way: Ms Dearden, Dr Colvine and Miss Greenhill in the Website Office, Mr Woods, Mr Knibbs and Mr Keenan.

Let’s hope there’s even more Hampton silverware to cover next season!

The all new Hampton Sports Chronicle website featured extensive ESFA coverage. The new website feature match reports, photo galleries, features, pieces from the HSC archives, player profiles as well as news and updates on current Hampton sporting activity both with alumni and current Hamptonians http://hamptonsportschronicle.org.uk/

Visit hamptonsportschronicle.org.uk for the latest breaking sports news from Hampton School

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