BSAK Sports Newsletter - Spring Term 2019 by BSAK Abu Dhabi

PE AND SPORTS

Department NEWSLETTER

SPRING TERM 2019

INDEX TEAM

PAGE

Introduction Primary Sports Day Secondary Sports Day U9 and U11 ADISSA Games ADISSA Athletics U13 BSME U13 World School Games U15 BSME Netball U11 BSME Football U11 BSME Football Du Football U9 Netball U11 Netball Primary Swim Squad Secondary Swim Squad U12 and U15 Cricket U12 and U14 Rugby U16 and 2nd XV Rugby 1st XV Rugby U19 Girls Football U16 Girls Football BSAK 7s Football BSAK 7s Football U14 Girls Football U12 Girls Football Golf U9 Boys Football U11 Boys Football

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JOHNNY COOMBS

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SPORT

We have enjoyed another tremendous term of Physical Education and Sport during the cooler months here at BSAK. We started back on the first weekend of the term with impressive displays from our ADISSA Games U9 and U11 teams who began BSAK's very own 'Gold Rush'. This was the first of many successes across a range of sports including an inspirational 'World Champions' crown which was awarded to our U13 World School Games team. I am extremely proud of every student who has represented BSAK this term and am looking forward to planning the annual Sports Awards evenings where the achievements reported in this Newsletter, and from earlier in the year, will be further shared and celebrated.

PRIMARY SPORTS DAY 2019 The Primary Sports Days took place during the week beginning Sunday 10th March with all year groups involved from Nursery to Year 6. It was a fantastic week of sport. The Nursery and Reception year groups kicked off the week where it was great to see the younger age groups participate in traditional sports days events such as the sack race, water relay and egg-n-spoon while beginning to hone their running, jumping and throwing skills. The obstacle course and bouncy castle slide added great variety to the morning. The next day saw the Year 1 and Year 2 classes rotate around a carousel of activities designed to challenge their athletic abilities, while also keeping the traditional sports day theme. Both the Nursery & Reception and the Year 1 & Year 2 classes where supported superbly by Year 6 Prefects who manned stations, encouraged children and helped out generally throughout the events.

Moving onto the Year 3 and Year 4 Sports Days and the cross over to a traditional athletics events was clear to see. Children competed in sprints, middle and long distances track events while also jumping and throwing in field events. Competing for both their class and house, every run, jump and throw was worth valuable points. The overall class winners of the Year 3 Sports Day was Aqua and Dhabi won the house event. The overall class winner of the Year 4 Sports Day was Maroon and Falcon won the house events. The final event of the week was the Year 5 and Year 6 Sports Days, with the competitive feel of events increasing and the heptathlon event added. It was a fantastic sporting spectacle across the Secondary and Primary pitch. The overall class winners of the Year 5 Sports Day was Amber and Cormorant won the house event. The overall class winner of the Year 6 Sports Day was Marine and Oryx won the house events. Special mention must go to the Year 9 Sports Leaders who volunteered across the whole week and contributed hugely to the success of the events. Finally, thank you to all the parents who came to support the children through the week.

SECONDARY SPORTS DAY 2019

Secondary Sports Day was another amazing community event. Students from Years 7 to 13 were all involved. The title was contested in a fierce but enjoyable manner which is testimony to the excellent students at BSAK. It was lovely to see parents present to support the children and the School. The staff were always there to provide the motivation and support which is needed for students to perform to the best of their ability. Watching so many students partake in team activities such as football & bench ball and witnessing the resilience of the students when they push for personal bests in the athletic events really hits home what sports day personifies. Mass participation, students having fun and bringing the whole of the Secondary school together to embrace and celebrate the efforts of every child at BSAK. The day concluded with Chimera just edging Hydra to the title. It was such a great day and special thanks go to all the students, staff and in particular Mr Edgar who pulled it all together.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Chimera Hydra Griffin Pegasus Phoenix Centaur

THE ADISSA GAMES Friday 11th January at Al Yasmina Academy BSAK participated in the annual U9 and U11 ADISSA Games. Each age group had a squad of 24 and the boys and girls took part in Athletics, Football, Netball and Swimming. In the pool BSAK asserted their dominance from the outset, comfortably winning the U9 and U11 Galas. This Â gave the squads the perfect start to the games. Both Netball and Football teams competed very well throughout the morning with a share of 1st and 2nd places being won across the U9 and U11 age ranges. In the Athletics both squads excelled on the track and in the field events. When it came to the final placing of schools, it was no shock that BSAK were named as ADISSA Games Champions in both U9 and U11 age ranges, capping off a great morning of sport.

Congratulations To The U9 And U11 Squads

ADISSA ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP Thursday 28th February 2019 at Amity School The inaugural ADISSA athletics championship saw 24 BSAK students travel to Amity’s new athletics stadium to compete against seven other Abu Dhabi schools. Competing in five athletic disciplines each and working both as a team and individually, the students produced superb performances. Overall in the whole Championship BSAK had 5 of the top 6 point scoring individuals for the girls and boys and took the overall trophy by 8 points. Congratulations to Athletics Squad

Overall Championship Top 3 point Scores

Boys 1st = Jack– 269 2nd = Yiannis 3rd = Omar Girls 1st = Neve 226 2nd = Alicia

U13 BSME GAMES

The U13 BSME Games took place over 3 days in Dubai, 28th February to 2nd March. It was based at Dubai Sports City and at Kings School Al Barsha. The team had been training for months focusing on improving their technical skills and teamwork. The team bonded from the outset of the tournament and the BSAK school values of Resilience and Endeavour were demonstrated in abundance throughout the grueling 3 days of competition with 20 other Gulf schools.Â The team finished 7th in Athletics, 5th in Girls Football, 4th in Boys Volleyball, 4th in Girls Netball and 2nd in Boys Football.Â Such high finishes in each sport gave BSAK a 2nd place finish overall, missing out by only 10 points to the winning team.

"I was immensely proud to be given the opportunity to lead the U13 BSME team at this year's Games in Dubai. Thank you to the parents who made the trip and provided such fantastic vocal support at each event and a huge well done to this fantastic team of BSAK students representing their school in such a positive manner." Mr Edgar Congratulations To

U13 WORLD SCHOOL GAMES The Under 13 World School Games team trained for over three months to prepare for the competition held in Dubai in February. There were schools from Africa, Europe and the Middle East competing to become World School Games champions. The BSAK students came together as an absolutely fantastic team over the 3 day competition and represented BSAK with pride. Each and every member of the team showed dedication, determination and resilience. There were some fantastic individual successes in the athletics, football and swimming but what enabled BSAK to become Under 13 World School Games Champions was their teamwork. They fought for every single point in every single event and match. It was this outstanding effort that led them to victory by just ten points.

1st BSAK - Abu Dhabi, UAE | 2nd SCBS - Athens, Greece | 3rd CIS - Lagos, Nigeria

World School Games CHAMPIONS!

U15 BSME NETBALL 18th and 19th January 2019 at NYUAD The Under 15 BSME squad competed in the BSME Netball this term. The squad trained with great energy, enthusiasm and willingness to learn new skills. Over the course of the weekend, the girls played with true grit and remained undefeated in all 6 pool games. In a very close final, the girls suffered a narrow defeat but gained 2nd place overall.

NETBALL NEWS Next term, BSAK will compete in the inaugural World Schools Netball Cup competition. The U15 squad will start preparing for the competition and this will take place in June at Loughborough University in the UK. We wish the girls the best of luck and look forward to following their progress. We are extremely proud of Cassandra, who represented Emirates Netball this term. Cassie was selected in a squad of 12 girls (both from Dubai and Abu Dhabi) to form the U17 squad, competing in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Netball Europe U17 Championshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. She was an integral part of the team and is a true role model for our younger students. Her commitment and effort to our netball programme has been outstanding throughout the year.

U11 BSME FOOTBALL

On the 1st and 2nd February, BSAK participated in the BSME U11 Football Tournament hosted by St Christopherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School, Bahrain. The girls were up first on the Friday and started the tournament well, winning 3 games and drawing the fourth. After 4 games they progressed to the semi-final where they met the hosts St Chris. In a tight game the girls unfortunately lost 2-0 but had pushed the eventual champions close and could leave the field with their heads held high. Fresh from semi-final defeat the girls rallied themselves immediately and took on DESS in a 3rd place playoff. Against tough opposition, the girls played really well and when awarded a penalty, Alex stepped up to give BSAK the lead. The girls defended their lead and went on to secure the 3rd place finish. It was a wonderful day of football enjoyed by players, coaches and parents alike. Although battered, bruised and exhausted by the end, the girls performed brilliantly throughout the day and were a credit to themselves, their family and the School. Congratulations to Archie | George | Harry | Harry | James | Michael | Omar | Reef | Tamim | Youssef Alexandra | Annie | Cassady | Eliza | Eva | Laila| Lucy | Mariam | Miriam | Olivia | Zain "Both the girls and boys squads where hugely supported by their parents who actively encouraged from the sidelines throughout the days of football. All the parents and coaches are extremely proud of what the squads achieved in two days of football, cementing BSAK's reputation as the leading footballing school in the Gulf." Mr Kirkland Coach and Head of Football

U11 BSME FOOTBALL The boys took to the field on Saturday in a 16 team tournament and buoyed by the girls success the previous day they accepted the challenge ahead of them. The boys got off to a flyer, winning their opening 5 games. They lost a tough game against the hosts St Chris in the group but won their remaining game to qualify in second place for the Cup semi-finals. In the semi-final BSAK met a very strong DESS side. BSAK got off to a great start with a well taken goal from George and quickly scored two more to gain a 3 goal advantage. DESS refused to give in and five minutes before the final whistle the score was 3-2. In a tense final 5 minutes, the BSAK boys dug in and at the final whistle, celebrated their win and progression to the final. The final against NAS Dubai was the end of a very long day of football for the squad, 8 games for both teams, which meant that energy levels were limited. In a tight final, the defense of both teams outwitted the attack and after extra time there was nothing between the teams. So, onto a penalty shootout. With a one-step rule for shooting and a large goal, the goalkeepers had little chance. After 8 penalties from each team, the organisers moved both teams to the next pitch where there were smaller goals and they also increased the distance of the spot from the goal, in an attempt to create a winner. In an incredible chain of events, in a sudden death stage of the shootout, both teams went on to have exactly the same outcome from the spot; NAS score BSAK score, NAS miss BSAK miss and so on. As the 15th penalty taker from NAS stepped up, the tension was audible. When he missed, Harry came forward to the penalty spot. He coolly placed the ball and kicked it into the top corner, winning the cup for BSAK. This sparked wild scenes from players and parents, while coaches struggled to comprehend what they had just witnessed. Although an extremely dramatic way to win BSAK were deserved winners after 9 games of football. Both the girls and boys squads were supported superbly by their parents who actively encouraged from the sidelines throughout the days of football. The parents and coaches are extremely proud of what the squads achieved in two days of football, cementing BSAK's reputation as the leading footballing school in the Gulf. Mr Collings and Mr Kirkland

DU FOOTBALL This term has seen the knock out stage of the dU UAE National Schools Cup. With Boys U12 / U14 and Girls U18 in the National Semi Final hopes were high that BSAK would have a team in the Cup Final. The semi finals took place at the Sevens, Dubai, with the U12 Boys up first. In a game which BSAK controlled and dominated from the outset they unfortunately could not find the net, hitting the post, bar and finding a goalkeeper in inspired form. In a typical smash and grab fashion the opposition hit the team on a rare counter attack and scored the vital goal, which meant they won the game. Next up were the U14 Boys, they comfortably passed the first test of the afternoon winning 5-1, before going onto the penultimate fixture of the tournament. The nature of this tournament means the opposition quality is unknown and in this case it proved to be detrimental to the U14 as they found themselves 3-0 down in no time at all. Despite rallying late on they went out of the competition losing 3-1. Finally it was the U18 Girls, playing in an open category against football academies as well as schools it was always going to be a tough test. In a tight game against a high quality opposition they took the lead, only for it to be pegged back to 1-1. Neither team managed to find a winner and the game went to a penalty shoot out. Unfortunately for the BSAK team, they lost and did not progress. It had been a great journey over 5 months for all the BSAK teams but for the first time in 3 years BSAK will not be represented in the finals.

U9 NETBALL

What a season for the Under 9s! The girls have all worked so hard developing their knowledge and understanding of netball and have put their skills into practice on court. Having to play in all positions over the course of the season has had such a positive impact on their game. The U9A team went from strength to strength reigning undefeated in the league. The end of season tournament saw some hard fought games, the toughest being the semi-final against Al Yasmina. With 2 periods of extra time the girls won with a super golden goal. Having started the season beating Brighton, it was perfect symmetry ending the tournament with another victory against them. The girls have been an absolute pleasure to coach and both Mrs Connor and I have been thoroughly impressed with how the girls have developed in confidence and are working as a team. The U9B team have enjoyed many games this season, continuously developing their skills. The highlight was seeing them play in the end of season ADISSA tournament, just losing out to the eventual winners in the semi final. Thank you so much to Miss Mell and Miss Turnbull for supporting the U9B team throughout the whole season. Mrs Edgar, Coach

Congratulations to U9A team Winners of the ADISSA League, End of Season Tournament and the On/off Island Cup

U11 NETBALL

It was an absolute pleasure to coach the Under 11s this term alongside Mrs Rose. The girls really did go from strength to strength with regards to their skills but developed particularly well with their ability to play as a team. The Under 11A team had a strong start to the season with two great victories. After a few narrow defeats in the league, they were extremely determined at the ADISSA End of season tournament. The team found themselves in a thrilling semi-final against Cranleigh which went to extra time and with a goal from Zain. It certainly was a ‘golden goal’ moment to gain us a place in the final. The final could have gone either way for us but at the final whistle the score was 1-0 to Brighton College. The girls should be extremely proud of their individual improvements throughout the season and 2nd place overall in the tournament. The Under 11B team worked extremely hard all season. In training sessions they showed great commitment and enthusiasm and it was delightful to see the girls develop over the season and play in a variety of positions. Thank you to Priya for coaching the B team and to Mrs Ainsworth for assisting the girls at the End of Season tournament . Mrs Bolger Congratulations To Aaminah | Amelia | Amelie | Annie | Beatrice | Camellia | Cassady | Charlotte | Eliza | Eva | Evie | Mariam | Minna | Noor | Olivia | Sameerah | Savanna | Sedonie | Shamsa | Tigerlily | Zain |

PRIMARY SWIM SQUAD

Term 2 has been a huge success for the Primary Swim Squad who has continued to go from strength to strength. We have welcomed more swimmers into the squad, making it a great training and competitive environment. In total, 64 students have represented BSAK in a competitive galas, this is a huge number and a real testament to the strength of our swimming programme and the dedication of the children. Competitively BSAK have dominated the A League in Abu Dhabi during Term 2, finishing 1st at all Gala meets. With these excellent results, BSAK currently sit at the top of the ADISSA Swimming A League going into the last ADISSA Championship Gala. "I would like to thank the children for their dedication, hard work and commitment. Their development over the academic year has been phenomenal. Â Looking ahead to next term the focus is on preparing for the ADISSA Championship Galas and the BSME Swimming Championships in Dubai. My sincere thanks go to the coaching team of Mary, Alvin, Marko and Mane who have once again provided the children with outstanding training and competitive sessions." Mrs Bowery, Head of Aquatics

SECONDARY SWIM SQUAD It has been another fantastic term for the BSAK Secondary Swim Squad. The team has shown resilience and a real drive to succeed. This term, the squad size has increased to allow a greater number of students to swim for BSAK. In total 54 Secondary Students have represented BSAK in Competitive Galas across the city. This is huge number and has allowed us to rotate the squad to give greater opportunities to all. The standard of BSAK swimming on show in the ADISSA League A Galas has once again been outstanding. I am unbelievably proud of the dominant displays that have led to BSAK maintaining and unbeaten run throughout the 2018/2019 season. The team drive and work ethic has been a pleasure to witness. "Looking ahead to next term the ADISSA Championship Gala and BSME Swimming Championships in Dubai will be a sharp focus. We look forward to these competitions with great anticipation and a hunger to succeed. A huge thank you to Alvin, Marko and Mane for their time and effort in coaching this term. I know the students have benefited greatly from their expertise and experience." Mrs Bowery, Head of Aquatics

CRICKET U15 and U12 The Under 15s played two friendly hard ball matches away at Cranleigh. These matches were fiercely competitive and the BSAK team was edged out narrowly on both occasions. In the first match, the batting of Ali Khan and Ishaan Arora gave BSAK hope of surpassing the Cranleigh total, but the innings fell away in the last few overs with the light dimming. In the second match, BSAK bowled superbly with the pace of Ayan and the spin of Armaghan causing problems for the Cranleigh batsmen, but again the run chase fell just short.

Mr Church, U15s coach, reflected on these matches: 'the boys gave everything and I'm immensely proud of the hard work and commitment throughout the entire 2018/19 season.'

The under 12's were in good form for the ADISSA league fixtures as soon as term two started. Practice sessions in term one with the U14's prepared the them very well. Their bowling, batting and fielding improved as the season progressed, they all continued to grow in confidence, learnt how to play well as a team and were taught to remain positive even through disappointment. All of these attributes helped them win every match they played in their league fixtures and were well deserved winners of the U12 ADISSA cricket league.Â Â

'The team finished 1st in the League and 3rd in 6's tournament. It was a great team effort. A special mention of U12 Captain George who represented both U12 and U14 in their league fixtures this year, well done!' Mr Khan, Coach.

U12 RUGBY A wonderful season for the U12 rugby team saw them crowned league champions and playoff winners with a thrilling end of season tournament finish. The team consisted of both Year 7 students and many Year 6 students impressively playing up a year. Although we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find the illusive win during our Dubai fixtures, it was an excellent learning experience for the team. The Dubai College 10s was a highlight where we narrowly missed out on a final after a tough semi-final. The team have trained hard and enjoyed the camaraderie that Rugby brings to a group of young men. The future is certainly bright for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s U12 team and I am looking forward to coaching them. Congratulations To The U12 Squad Alex | Ben | Finlay | Hamude | Harry E | Harry N | Harry P | Herbie | Joseph | Jude | Lewis | Logan | Michael | Miles | Oliver | Owen | Reuben | Robert | Sebastian | Stellan | Xander

RUGBY U14 "This team has had such an amazing year.They have impressed with their efforts to make new members of the team feel welcome. We look forward to seeing this great squad develop next year and into the future." Mr Kearns, Coach The team has developed so much since our first 7's tournament in DC at the end of September. Since then they have become a much more confident bunch of lads and have grown into a team that works well together. Some of the new team members have joined us with very little experience of rugby and the older members of the squad have always been happy to help develop their skills and confidence. Not every match went our way, but we did finish the season on a high, with the Plate from the DC 10's and both the ADISSA League and Cup. Congratulations To The U14 Squad Alexander | Andrew | Barnaby | Ben | Callum | Calvyn | Ciaran | Dautari | Frederick | Isaac | Jack | Jenson | Joshua | Liam | Sami | Shaun | Tyler

U16 RUGBY

2ND XV Due to a increased interest in rugby throughout the Secondary School we have be fortunate to have introduced a 2nd XV to our roster. This team has become a stepping stone for new and existing players into the 1XV squad and it has been a great success with over half the boys playing in the top team including the captain Liam. The 2nd XV have sharpen their teeth this term in the ADISSA league and had some fantastic team and individual performances to boot. Alongside the sixth form I have invited talented players from the U16 squad to train and in some cases play with the 2XV. Their exposure to this level has improved them as individuals and also as leaders in their own age group.Â

"A fantastic season with an ever evolving bunch of rugby players. I look forward to seeing them progress over the coming years." Mr Thomas, Head of Rugby

RUGBY 1ST XV

After the mass exodus of players from the first 1st XV Â last year, this term was planned to be a building period for the fledgling first team squad. However, this could not have been further from the truth. The players showed and unbelievable passion and commitment to one another and really came together as a group. Captain Joey, who led with an inclusive manner and a bullish playing style, was a focal point for the players to get behind. He allowed all the other players to feel comfortable in the newly developed environment. This ensured that the squad was a pleasure to coach. On the field we have spent a lot of time and effort improving our style of play and this has been highlighted in the way the boys pushed all the heavy hitters in the DASSA league with some fantastic performances and results. We also have the majority of the squad returning next year with a huge mount of exposure and embedded resilience after this season, which can only be a benefit for the squad. I am looking forward to continuing the upward curve with a core group of great young men. A massive thank you has to go to the leadership players group who have ensured number have remained strong all term and new players picking up the sport. My final thank you must go to Mr Thompson and Mr Brammer, their commitment and game understanding has shone throughout the whole season. I can see the 'fruits of their labour' which continues to make BSAK rugby stronger and stronger each season. "They say a picture says a thousand words, this one shows how rugby grows and develops here at BSAK. These boys, from Years 5 to 13, have so much passion, commitment and a love for the game of rugby and are truly a great bunch of boys." Mr Thomas, Head of Rugby

U19 GIRLS FOOTBALL League: Winners BSAK 7s: 3rd Cup: Winners Du Cup: Semi Finals

The U19 girls have had a very busy second half of the term, following some early season postponements. The squad has been supplemented by some very talented players from Year 10 and Year 11 throughout the season, but the experienced heads of our Year 13 students have been essential in the team's success. The standard of opposition in Abu Dhabi is definitely improving year on year, and we are regularly told by opposition teams that we are the standard that other teams aspire to. It does mean that any BSAK fixture is a cup final for them and makes every game difficult. We have enjoyed some excellent games in the league this season, especially at home to Raha and away at Brighton. The girls were desperately unlucky to lose on penalties in the semi finals of the BSAK 7s having dominated the game, but made amends in the shoot-out to come third. That same weekend, facing a very talented academy side from Dubai, the girls again lost in the latter stages of the Du Cup on penalties after a very high quality game. Catherine , the team captain, said "It has been a privilege to lead the team this year. The quality, desire and determination the girls show in every game means we continue to improve, and set very high standards across the pitch for girls who are new to the U-19 squad."

U16 GIRLS FOOTBALL League: Winners BSAK 7s: Winners Cup: Winners

"This success comes from the dedication of the squad and each and everyone one of them has contributed to the season and deserves recognition for the part they played in winning the treble. A special mention must go to Faye who scored an amazing hat trick in the final of the BSAK 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s." Mr Carr, Coach.

The Under 16 girls completed an amazing treble this term taking home the league, BSAK 7's and the Abu Dhabi tournament. This fantastic achievement came from the hard work and determination of every member of the squad. In the league campaign we had a one hundred percent record, winning every game, and we continued this form into the end of season tournament winning every game on route to lifting our third trophy of the season. The highlight of the season must be the way the team bounced back from a group stage defeat to DESC to go on and win the BSAK 7s beating DESC comfortably in the final.

BSAK 7S TRI SERIES FOOTBALL On Friday 8th March, BSAK hosted the 7s Football Tournament at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Ground. In excess of 80 teams entered the U12/U14/U16/U19 Boys & Girls competitions across the day. This year saw a new layout, delivering the U12/U14 Boys & Girls tournaments in the morning and the U16/U19 Boys & Girls tournaments in the afternoon. With BSAK entering all the age groups, hopes were high for all teams. The morning competitions saw the U14 Boys start well. They progressed without defeat in the group to meet DESC in the semi final. In a very tight game they weere unfortunately edged out losing 1-0. The Girls U14 squad also started well but unfortunately, a couple of key decisions went against them and they dropped out of the Cup competition into the Plate. Despite the setback, the girls rallied and ended up winning the Plate. The morning also saw the U12 Boys & Girls compete and both teams started well and progressed to the Cup semi final. In a tight game the boys, ended up going to penalties and in this instance where unfortunate to drop out of the competition. The girls went a step further and played a close final, eventually edging out Brighton College to win the Cup 1 nil.

The afternoon saw the older age groups in action. The U19 Boys found themselves in a tough competition and despite playing well in their games, they failed to progress to the Cup semi final. Despite the setback, the U19 Boys rallied themselves and ended up winning the Plate competition. The U19 Girls started well and progressed out of the group into the Cup semi finals. In a tight game they failed to break the deadlock and the game went to penalties. Unfortunately, they suffered the cruellest of blows and lost the shootout. Despite the disappointment, the team righted the previous wrong by winning the 3rd Place Play Off, this time by penalties. Both the U16 Boys & Girls started well and progressed through the groups to the Cup semi finals. The boys came from behind to beat DESC on penalties to book a place against Dubai College in the final. In the final the U16 Boys produced a commanding display, running out eventual winners 2-0 to lift the Cup. The U16 Girls, not wanting to be outdone by the Boys, produced a commanding display in the final, beating DESC 3-0 to again lift the Cup. The BSAK 7s Football was a fantastic event, keenly contested and hugely supported.

"Thanks must go to all the players, parents, coaches but also to the wider BSAK Community who again give their time and energies to help deliver the event and allow it to be the success that it is." Mr Kirkland, Head of Football

BSAK 7S TRI SERIES FOOTBALL

U14A GIRLS FOOTBALL The U14 Girls have had a very successful season and won the ADISSA league without losing a game. They ended the term on a high by winning the End of Season tournament. During the tournament, they did not concede a goal and won the final with a convincing 3-0 victory. At the BSAK 7s, the team won the Plate Competition. Over the term, injuries meant that the squad was depleted in numbers and the team had to rally together and work even harder together to get results.

U12 GIRLS FOOTBALL League position 5th BSAK 7s Cup Winners ADISSA Tournament Cup Runners-up

The U12 Girls football team have made incredible progress this season. With more than 20 girls regularly attending training, the competition for places in the team has been tough. However, all squad players had the opportunity to play some competitive football. The girls had a difficult start to the league, with a few draws and loses, but their hard work started to show towards the end of the season when they beat league contenders BISAD 3-1. During that game the girls really became a BSAK team. They took this through to the BSAK 7s tournament beating Brighton College in the semi-final on penalties and then Kings Al Barsha 1-0 in the final. Rawda was also awarded player of the tournament. The girls then finished the season strongly as runners-up in the ADISSA tournament narrowly losing 1-0 to Brighton College. 'Thank you so much for this season! It has been an honour to play and I have enjoyed every second!' Mehr Congratulations To Alia | Eshal | Eva | Eve | Grace | Jude | Lian | Livia | Maia | Mariam | Mehr | Nell | Rawda | Sara | Sara | Sarah | Shamsa | Willa

GOLF

The Golfers at BSAK have had a busy and exciting term, starting with a fantastic opportunity to be in the official European Tour photo at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships. Whilst we were there, we also took part in the finals of the school golf championship where we narrowly missed out on winning, but it was fantastic to see so many of our younger and less experienced golfers participating in their first competition. We then went to the BSME Golf tournament at Trump International Dubai, where we performed really well, with Paul and Lara coming 3rd in their handicap categories, and Jonathan beating 47 other golfers to win the individual prize; a fantastic achievement!

Mr Williams and Mr Sinton say, "We are incredibly proud of the progress that all of our golfers have made this year, and we look forward to seeing more beginners taking up the sport in September."

U9 BOYS FOOTBALL The boys have enjoyed a very good season overall. We had a large squad with over 30 players and fierce competition for places. In the league, the A team won every game except one, losing to a very good Cranleigh side. The B and C teams played a number of fixtures over the season, competing well and winning a number of games. Highlight of the season was the home fixture vs Brighton where all teams won their games! The effort in training has been superb all season and every squad member should be proud of how much they have improved. Mr McCarthy, Mr Fern and Mr Hogan

U11 BOYS FOOTBALL

The U11 Boys A squad have enjoyed a very successful season. Every training session was well attended. As a result, the squad were very cohesive and a good understanding developed between players; this was put to good use in competitive games. The boys played attractive football throughout the league, showcasing some slick passing and movement which often left the opposition at a loss with how to set up against the BSAK team. Plenty of goals flowed and the squad went on the win the ‘on-island’ league without losing a game. The boys entered the end of season tournament full of confidence after a string of strong performances in the league. They battled well in windy conditions to reach the latter stages of the tournament where they upped the pace of their play in games to beat Al Yasmina in the semi-final and then Raha in the final to be crowned champions.

“An outstanding season from the squad. Watch this space - they will go far!” Mr Collings, Coach The U11B side enjoyed a "double winning season" with success in both league and cup. Throughout the campaign, the boys showed a real appetite to develop as both footballers and excellent BSAK citizens. During the league, BSAK maintained a 100% winning record while sticking to the school's philosophy of passing, ball retention and excellent teamwork. At the End of Season Tournament, BSAK played some excellent football and topped their group. Both the semi final and final were tight hard fought affairs, with BSAK winning both games 1-0. Amazingly, Jude and the rest of the team had kept 6 clean sheets in a row. The character and sportsmanship displayed by the U9B squad at full time was a credit to our school. Numerous referees commented on not only their footballing ability but the discipline and humility of every player.

"It was a pleasure to work with such a squad of players and I look forward to seeing the boys go from strength to strength and enjoy their football for many seasons to come." Mr Payne, Coach This season the U11Cs have stood out for their enthusiasm, passion and positivity. Since the beginning of the season the boys have developed a friendship that sees them encourage and support each other. They have worked hard every week at training and remained committed to learning how to play as a team. This, paired with excellent footballing ability and determination, saw them come runners-up in the ADISSA end of season tournament.

“I could not be prouder of the team for what they have achieved and the way the C team have conducted themselves this season.” Mrs Wilsher, Coach