Please enjoy reading a round-up of all the fantastic achievements and sporting news over the Lent term 2024.
Kerry Murray Director of Sport RUGBYSt Andrew's Prep Rugby season has come to a close, and it is with great pride and excitement that we share the accomplishments of our teams. This write-up highlights the exceptional performances of our U10A and U11A teams, both of which enjoyed unbeaten seasons.
The U10A and U11A teams played with determination and displayed excellent teamwork throughout the season. Their unbeaten streaks reflect their commitment, skill, and resilience on the rugby field. These achievements are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and the exceptional coaching provided by our staff.
In addition to these outstanding results, the U12A team deserves special recognition for their impressive progress in the latter half of the season. The players showed great improvement, both individually and as a team and they have created a positive foundation for their future rugby endeavours.
Our younger teams, including the U9, U10, and U11, showcased their talents at the St Andrew's Prep Rugby Festival. The festival provided an excellent opportunity for our players to develop their skills, build resilience, and experience the thrill of competitive rugby. The teams performed admirably, showcasing their dedication and passion for the sport.
Furthermore, our U8 and U9 teams proudly represented the school in festival matches, demonstrating their passion and commitment on the field. These matches allowed our budding athletes to gain valuable experience, fostering their love for the sport and instilling the St Andrew's Prep values of sportsmanship and teamwork.
The U13A team deserves recognition for setting excellent examples both on and off the field. Their exemplary conduct, respect for opponents, and dedication have been commendable. They are an inspiration to younger players, embodying the core values of our school.
Finally, our touch teams had a full season of matches against other schools, offering all the children the opportunity to feel included and participate in the sport of rugby. These matches promoted inclusivity and provided a nurturing environment for our pupils to develop their skills and nurture their love for rugby.
SWIMMING
It has been a very busy term in the pool with a lot of success for our top swimmers. At the beginning of February, 16 swimmers from Years 6 and 7 travelled to Eastbourne College for the IAPS qualifiers.
Depleted by illness the children pulled together ensuring the relay teams were able to compete. Along with some very impressive and competitive relay swims we also had 10 individuals compete across all four strokes. A handful of PBs were achieved and a solid foundation was built for the future.
Our top swimmers have also had the opportunity to swim alongside the Eastbourne College team to represent the charity in a variety of U12 and U13 races as part of the schools’ Super League. A special mention goes to Zoe A for swimming three years up and being an excellent addition to the team. She also scored 7/8 points for her individual events. The team qualified for the finals at the K2 in Crawley last Friday.
On Friday 15 March, eight of our top swimmers from Years 6 and 7 swam for the Junior section of the Eastbourne College swim team in the Super League finals at the K2. Qualifying in seventh place but with some PBs achieved and fabulous first time swims the team finished fifth overall in the end.
St Andrew’s swimming success at the club counties
James F is Sussex champion in 200 backstroke winning a gold medal. He also won silver medals in 100 backstroke, 200 IM, 400 IM, as well as bronze medals in 50 backstroke, 800 freestyle and 200 breast stroke. He was fourth in the 1500 freestyle and fifth place in 50 breast and 100 breast. He has impressively gained five automatic times and seven consideration times for the May regional championships.
Henry F is Sussex champion in 200 fly winning a gold medal. He achieved bronze medals in 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke. He was fourth place in 100 fly and 400 freestyle events. Henry has earned a regional time in 200 fly. Henry also won the 10 and under boys championship for his swimming club in recognition of his efforts as well as the Steenhoff trophy Competitor Award.
Flick S also showcased an impressive performance at the counties, excelling in her races. Her second place finish in the 50 breaststroke earnt her the first county medal and she achieved a remarkable personal best by almost fiveseconds. She came fifth in the 100 breaststroke with a three second PB and fifth in the 50 Freestyle.
House Swimming
This term saw more than 170 pupils compete in the senior and middles House swimming galas. Pupils were involved in a mixture of individual events as well as front crawl relays and some team work challenges for the seniors. Congratulations to Arcos who were victorious in the seniors and VCs in the middles.
TABLE TENNIS
At the beginning of term, 17 children played in the Sussex U11 and U13 Boys and Girls Individual championship in Brighton. Herbie G was crowned U11 Sussex individual champion and heads to the National finals on the 27 April. Charlotte M was the runnerup in the U11 Girls final despite beating the winner in the group stages.
Table Tennis Team Championship
South East Area Final
After winning the East Sussex Girls U11 Team table tennis finals last term, the girls headed to London to play in the next round consisting of eight counties of the south area finals on Saturday 3 February. The team were overall winners in the finals 5-2 and 6-1 only dropping three matches in the whole tournament. This was our first girls team to make it to the Regional finals which took place in Bristol on the 16 March.
The U11 girls travelled to Bristol to play in the Butterfly Regional Team Table tennis tournament. With the winners and runners -up from last year's final in their group this year, the girls did extremely well against London Academy and Fox Primary School, unfortunately losing both matches. Our final match was against St Christopher’s and we convincingly won 5-2 to finish the tournament in third place.
Congratulations to all the players involved Charlotte M, Saskia E, Lexie E, Mia C and Pari C. They were excellent company and showed how to play competitively but with compassion and respect.
NETBALL
The Netball teams have concluded a highly active season with an impressive performance across various age groups and fixtures. With more than 76 matches played, the teams showcased their dedication, skill, and passion for the sport.
The girls demonstrated their quality, securing victories or draws in over 63% of their fixtures. This success reflects the hard work and commitment of players and their teachers throughout the season.
Despite facing tough competition, the U13A team displayed resilience and progress throughout the season. Their close and competitive games served as valuable learning experiences, contributing to their overall development. The U12A team emerged as standout performers, experiencing a fantastic season with only two losses recorded. Their consistent performance highlights their strength and determination on the court. The younger U11 and U10 teams, exhibited promising talent and potential for the future of the sport here at St Andrew’s.
Junior girls were chasing the heels of the older year groups and played every match with great excitement. They developed their team work by playing mixed ability and mixed age teams. They embraced smaller-sided games that provided every player with the opportunity to contribute and score. This inclusive approach fostered enjoyment and growth among all the pupils.
The season concluded with the SISNA tournament held at Roedean, where St Andrew’s teams faced challenging weather conditions. Despite this, the U13A team persevered through a jump in standard, while the U12As remained very competitive with just one loss throughout the tournament.
Overall, the season was marked by remarkable achievements, growth, and camaraderie, highlighting the enduring spirit of netball within St Andrew’s.
U13A Netball Team at SISNAConnie A and Caitlin W, along with the performance U13 squads at Eastbourne Netball Club, went to watch London Pulse v Severn Stars in the round 5, Super League, at the Copper Box in London. Caitlin was a player guard and Connie was a ball girl and walked out on court with players from Severn Stars.
GIRLS FOOTBALL
The conclusion of the first dedicated girls football season at St Andrew’s marks a significant milestone in the school's sporting journey. Despite the challenges posed by adverse weather conditions, the Games staff and pupils demonstrated unwavering enthusiasm, embracing every muddy pitch and rain-soaked match.
The season saw remarkable achievements across various teams, with the 1st, 2nd, and U11A teams emerging as unbeaten contenders in the Wednesday fixtures. Beyond the unbeaten streaks, all teams exhibited tremendous effort and progress throughout the season. From the youngest players in the juniors to the most experienced club players in the seniors, each team showed significant improvement in their skills and confidence on the pitch.
This progress reflects the dedication of both players and staff, who have worked hard to develop a strong culture within the girls' football program.
U12A Netball Team at SISNA
SENIOR GIRLS WINNERS – ARCOS
Connie and her idol Pulse and England Netball Player Jade Clarke
House football didn’t disappoint with excellent displays of togetherness, leadership and camaraderie. The senior girls saw Arcos as the eventual winners but it was a very closely fought tournament. In another close tournament, Seakings were winners of the middles House Football on goal difference with second place going to VCs.
We have to mention the girls' resilience in the face of such awful weather conditions. Despite the mud and rain, their spirits remained undampened, and their determination to succeed never wavered. This resilience not only defines their character on the field but also serves as an inspiration to their peers.
The U11A girls competed in the ISFA tournament at the end of term which was a fantastic way to finish off the season. The girls were second in their group only losing to Cumnor House in a really close game. They progressed to the plate competition and made it to the final and came
CROSS COUNTRY
The Year 7 and 8 Cross Country team took part in the Sussex School Cross Country Championships in February. They all ran with great St Andrew’s spirit and determination, and were incredibly supportive of each other.
Each race had approximately 250 runners and all our contenders finished within the top 100.
The top 20 in each category qualify to represent Sussex at the end of March. James F finished 17th, Obie C finished 14th and Katie R finished ninth with all three qualifying to represent Sussex. We look forward to hearing how they get on in the Easter Holidays.
It's truly inspiring to witness the endurance, resilience, and teamwork demonstrated during the House Cross Country races after such a busy and exciting term. The dedication and effort put forth by all pupils reflects the character of our school community.
The relay teams and distances are tailored to accommodate runners of all abilities, to ensure inclusivity and to provide everyone with the opportunity to contribute to the event. This approach not only fosters a sense of belonging but also emphasises the importance of team work over individual success. The House with most depth across the relay teams tend to do very well!
It was a fantastic way to end the term and I want to use this opportunity to say a huge thank you and well to done to all pupils and staff for their hard work, going above and beyond in all the sporting events this term. These experiences not only build character but also create lasting memories. What a term it has been!
Katie R finished ninth
James F finished 17th
Obie C finished 14th
TENNIS
The tennis season is shortly upon us and, for our performance players, the preparation has been nothing short of extraordinary, with relentless training through the winter, fierce competition at the weekend for some, and remarkable achievements on both local, national and in some cases the international stage in tournaments. Under the guidance of Coach Craig Wells, our players have demonstrated unwavering dedication to the early morning and lunch time training and strong resilience to keep playing through some very cold and dark winter sessions. They have set the bar high for themselves in the lead up to the season and tennis is certainly a sport making a name for itself here at St Andrew’s.
Sienna’s debut in the international tennis circuit was a testament to her talent and tenacity. Despite facing formidable opponents, she showcased her skill and resilience, advancing through four tough matches to reach the finals. Although the final match was closely contested, Sienna's performance was commendable, demonstrating her potential as a rising star in the tennis world. In the doubles competition, Sienna and her partner faced stiff competition from national players representing Ukraine and Italy. Undeterred by their opponents' credentials, they exhibited exceptional teamwork and determination, earning a spot in the final. Despite a challenging first set, they rallied in the second, showcasing remarkable energy and strategic prowess to level the score at 5-5. Although victory narrowly eluded them, their runner-up finish is a testament to their skill and determination.
Sienna's achievements throughout the season are a source of immense pride for both herself and the entire tennis community at St Andrew’s. Her dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship exemplify the values of the sport and serve as inspiration for aspiring athletes. Finally let’s not forget her younger sister Maya in Year 3 who is also starting to make a name for herself on the circuit. With regular tournaments playing up for her age and knocking out no1 seeds along the way to victory, we could be witnessing another pair of Williams sisters in the making! We cannot wait to see how the next term will play out with lots of fixtures planned as part of the LTA Youth Schools Competition and the annual Sussex Schools Tournaments to look forward to.
BOYS HOCKEY
A short but very eventful hockey term was enjoyed by all boys this year with a total of 62 matches played. There has been some outstanding performances across the teams, huge improvements made both individually and by teams. All of the boys have worked exceptionally hard, increasing their movement, and their mature approach to playing.
The seniors displayed a lot of resilience this year, facing some formidable opponents and had quite a challenging season. A highlight included a very close and competitive game against Ardingly, a team renowned for their hockey prowess. This demonstrated their competitiveness and resilience. Securing a win against Vinehall adds to the team's achievements. Furthermore, the depth in the squads with positive results for the second through to the fifth teams indicates a strong overall hockey culture with talent spread across multiple levels.
In the middles, the defensive play was a huge positive this year. The performances of the goalkeepers in the A and B teams certainly made the fixtures competitive and at many points kept the St Andrew’s teams in the fixtures. It was excellent to see so many Year 5 pupils playing instrumental roles across the teams and in a variety of positions, as well as some of the Year 6 players leading by example. There were some closely fought fixtures across all of the teams when they were battling not only the opposition but also the weather.
The juniors had three matches to finish off their season. The boys coming through are a force to be reckoned with. They have worked hard to improve their stick skills and show a real passion for the sport. We look forward to see
VC WINNERS OF HOUSE HOCKEY AT BERESFORD
