Sport

gIrlS’ SPOrT AT KES 2019-2020

77 | SOTONIENSIS 2020

Girls’ Hockey overview

As another remarkably busy and successful season draws to a close, it gives me great pride to reflect on the healthy state of girls’ hockey at KES. It is of great credit that, at a time when many other leading independent schools are reducing their teams and the number of fixtures, KES has not been following the same trend. KES has continued to add more fixtures, more teams and even more girls representing the school on a Saturday. Every year the fixture card has increased, stretching the width of the south coast.

The highlight this year has been the 1st team girls entering the new Tier 1 U18 England competition. Everyone concerned should feel justifiably proud of their contributions. They reached the top 4 teams in the South of England pool of the new Tier 1 whilst the U14 girls were knocked out of the South quarter-final stage by the eventual winners of the national tournament. This put them in the top 8 in the South. The school also enjoyed the opportunity to host touring St Alban’s school from Argentina for the third time, which is always a yearly highlight for the girls’ teams.

King Edward’s had success in XI-a-side hockey but also did well in the indoor hockey circuit. Indoor hockey continues to be very popular amongst the students and the numbers at lunchtime training far exceeds the space available. The demand for places in the team was very encouraging to see and saw a wide range of girls pushing for places. The U16 girls’ indoor team made the South Finals for the fifth time. With an extremely young team the future looks encouraging . The 1st team girls’ indoor hockey side came so close to reaching the South Finals and qualification for nationals. They were unlucky to have missed out on a place at nationals, losing in the semi-final, having played so well throughout the day.

I would like to personally thank all of the coaches and players, because this success is not down to luck but rather to hard work. The coaches have set a high standard throughout the season and the girls have always been able to rise to their coaches’ expectations. It has been a fantastic season and the girls have achieved great results in all age groups.

Thank you to the following coaches for all the work that has gone into putting teams together every week: Mrs Ferrand, Miss Cole, Mr Cross, Mrs Brown, Mr Dodds, Mr Bassett, Mr Khan, Mrs Penn, Mr Rodriguez, Mr Wright, Miss Horn and Mrs Kelly.

Mr Crichton Head of hockey

1st XI Hockey

The girls’ 1st XI team have again shown their drive to succeed and faced challenges head on. Ottilie Beal captained the team for the second year in a row and drew on her previous experience to help her young team. The team first travelled to Sherborne Girls to compete in their annual tournament. They did well, winning their pool matches and finishing top of the pool leading to a tough semi-final versus Canford. Zoe Henderson was a principal player in this match and quickly took the team into the lead. Canford fought back but the defence pair of Ottilie and Marianne cleaned up any chances. KES recorded a 3-1 win and moved to the final against the host side. Sherborne started stronger than KES with Izzy Murphy making a few great saves to keep KES in the match. The 1st XI started the second half stronger and went 1-0 up with minutes left. Sherborne found themselves 1 on 1 versus Isi Murphy in the defensive circle but quick thinking Isi was quick off her goal line to close the space and rush the Sherborne striker. The shot went over the crossbar by the smallest margin, much to the disappointment of the home crowd. KES secured a win and became winners of the Sherborne Tournament for the second time.

The first Saturday match was against Epsom College - a well organised team - and they would dominate the first half. Mrs Kelly had a few strong words at half time and the girls responded well winning 2-0 despite Epsom throwing everything at the girls. The KES calm and team defence of the circle was a massive lesson moving forward for the rest of the season. The

Played: 21 Won: 16 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

girls then played St Alban’s College from Argentina in a mid-week fixture. KES worked well to get a win in a very tough match. The game away at St George’s was a great test for the girls as they were due to play St George’s again later in the season in the Tier 1 competition. St George’s secured a 2-1 victory but many of the younger KES players gained much needed game time and experience against some of the best players in the country. The next match was the Hampshire Cup game held at Southampton Sports Centre. The girls played well throughout, winning all of their games, and facing Peter Symonds College in the final match. This was a game separated by just one goal and the girls managed to find the back of the net with very few chances. They held on to their 1-0 lead until the final whistle to win the Hampshire Cup, putting in a very good performance despite playing without many of their Fifth Year players. The final two games before half term were a 4-0 win versus Seaford and a 6-1 win versus Bryanston. This was a great result with the team playing without Ottilie. A tough match against Canford followed the half-term break. Canford ran out 2-0 winners scoring in the last ten minutes of the match. The team then played Churcher’s winning 3-1, before another win against Dauntsey’s in a high scoring 6-5 game. The final match of the season was against PGS; a game played in great spirit with the KES girls enjoying a large percentage of the ball. PGS scored a goal late in the match but the KES team held on for a 3-1 win.

England Hockey U18 Girls’ Tier 1 Competition

The KES girls entered the newly structured Tier 1 competition this year. Many schools had entered the lower tier competitions but when asked which tier they wished to play in the 1st XI were determined to enter Tier 1. This positive attitude would prove to be a characteristic upon which they would have to rely in many games against some of the best hockey playing schools in the South.

The first game was against Wellington College who had a handful of NAGS players in their team. KES started well with Lizzie Beardsall finding herself in front of goal but unable to convert. This positive start was a good sign and the girls worked well to compete against a very talented team. Although they lost the match 6-1, they were able to take away many positives with many of the girls realising how hard they were going to have to work and play in the rest of the Tier 1 matches. Next followed a tough match against Peter Symonds. The KES girls stuck to the game plan and within a few minutes Rose Schmaltz created an easy chance to put KES ahead. The rest of the first half saw KES take control of the match and create many chances to put even more goals in. The 1st XI continued to dominate the match during the second half and the team was happy with the 4-0 win. Receiving the news that captain Ottilie had broken her hand and would not be able to play until December was a bitter blow. The next Tier 1 game was against St George’s College and, without Ottilie, the girls stuck to the game plan. They worked well with many girls producing some of their best hockey to date. Unfortunately, they eventually lost 4-2. Against Surbiton High School, the match did not go to plan and Surbiton scored some great goals within a few minutes of the start to leave KES struggling. The girls showed real grit and kept working, creating several chances to come back into the match. KES threw everything at the opposition but ultimately lost 10-3. Thereafter followed a 4-3 win versus The Godolphin & Latymer School. Bella scored a trademark rocket in the last few minutes to secure the win. The final match of the Tier 1 competition saw KES take on Kingston Grammar. This match would prove the impact of playing against Tier 1 schools with KES securing an 8-3 win - a fantastic way to end the Tier 1 matches. The school finished 4th in the South pool placing them in the top 16 teams in the country. The loss of Ottilie early into the competition was a massive blow for the team as well as Ottilie. She turned assistant coach and the senior girls all knew they needed to step up - and indeed they did. Zoe and Nyah become key players, controlling and breaking down oppositions with ease at times, and Steph became the midfield rock. The emergence of Lizzie Beardsall was the find of the season with Sarah being a ‘go to’ player in tough matches. There have been so many moments throughout the season in which these players have played above their potential and put the team’s success first. Every player in the squad played a vital role and made a major impact on the squad’s success. This team has been successful on and off the field; they will be a benchmark for future teams. Coaches: Mr Crichton and Mrs Kelly

Squad: Ottilie Beal (C), Zoe Henderson (VC), Isobel Chapman, Roos Schmalz, Nyah Clark, Marianne Brabazon, Sarah Macleod, Elizabeth Beardsall, Ida Goodridge, Isi Murphy, Stephanie Judd, Rebecca Waggett, Bella Davies-Roche, Abbie Morton, Freya Crowley and Sophie Roe.

2nd XI Hockey

The 2nd XI girls’ hockey team played every match with great enthusiasm and team spirit. The team performed better during the week when all players were able to play and recorded good wins against Seaford College, Bedales and Embley Park. The side had a core group of players who provided the backbone of the team. Alice Dyer, in goal, was outstanding all season and proved her worth every match. She made many great saves for her team and truly was a brick wall in goals. Anna, Lucy, Anoushka, Anais, Elizabeth, Lucy T, Emily, Rebekah, Lizzie and Natasha could always be relied upon and Natasha showed her commitment to the team, continuing to play after breaking her finger during one match making some vital tackles. Well done to Sophie Roe and Freya Crawley who played for both the 2nd and 1st team over the season; they

Played: 10 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

showed their worth to both teams and were always a positive influence to those around them. The team was a great credit to the school and themselves and always played with heart and passion. Coach: Mr Crichton

Squad: Anna Schmalz, Lucy Pumphrey, Alice Dyer, Anoushka Umranikar, Anais Ansari, Elizabeth Field, Freya Crowley, Lucy Tait, Emily Procter, Sophie Roe, Rebekah Davis, Lizzie Armstrong, Natasha Thompson, Issy Todd, Maisy Rossdale, Millie Parsons, Sophia Olive, Harriet Wheeler, Amelia Harris, Elli Gingell and Isi Murphy.

U16 Hockey

This hockey season has been thoroughly enjoyable and, despite the rainy days, there had been triumphs and unfortunate losses. The girls played every match with much enthusiasm and character against some very tough opposition. They showed great commitment to the team and a core group of girls played every week. Unfortunately, for varying reasons, there were a few games cancelled throughout the season. However, the girls continued to work well during games lessons and after school training sessions retaining their humour throughout. Well done to Rosalind Dye who played goalkeeper. She played some amazing matches remaining positive throughout, and making some spectacular saves. I look forward to working with this group of girls as they move into senior hockey next year.

Played: 6 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

Coach: Mr Crichton

Squad: Rosalind Dye, Bella Roe, Emily Smith, Olivia Tudor, Isabella Tam, Anna Aksenova, Martha Sullivan, Olivia Tilley, Ellie Small, Xanthe Thompson, Julia Schmalz, Alice Leather, Katie Smart, Emilia Walker, Lucia Rugge-Price, Hannah Procter and Tamsin Morris.

U15 Hockey

The girls have developed brilliantly as a squad this season. Their technique, skill, and, frankly, competitive instinct improved throughout the autumn term. With different demands on their time as they faced the challenges of the Upper School for the first time and other commitments, Thursday after-school training sessions were a quiet affair. Nevertheless, we rarely had to cancel a session and were always able to work on a skill whether we had 4 or 12 players. On quieter evenings, we joined forces with the U14 squad and the Fourth Years should be proud of their ability to adapt, show leadership and encouragement towards the younger students. Ruby Slowen was an excellent captain and really led the team throughout the season. Further development took place during games lessons with the hockey staff creating inventive drills to improve understanding and technique. My personal thanks goes to Mr Bassett and Jameel who supported us in lessons, coming up with fun, challenging drills to engage both brain and body. I have witnessed progress in every player and I hope each girl feels even more confident than she did at the beginning of the season. Imogen Miller and Annabel Stonadge really supported Hannah Procter and their captain and became an impressive defensive unit. The season began with a brilliant 4-1 win against Epsom in the glorious September sunshine. Next came matches against St George’s, Weybridge and Lord Wandsworth College. Two Saturdays, two very balanced games in the field but two losses. These were two games that perhaps the side shouldn’t have lost, and very easily could have won, but that ended in 2-3 and 0-2 defeats respectively. Against Seaford, the girls put in a convincing display, leading the opposition 5-0 at the half-time whistle. The Seaford defence tightened up in the second half but the U15s managed to slot one more past the goalie, completing an impressive display. The following weekend the team headed to Bryanston. The squad had lost several key players to the U16 side but some

Played: 11 Won: 7 Drew: 1 Lost: 3

brilliant girls stepped up to complete the team sheet and produce an emphatic 4-0 victory. April Richards demonstrated much determination and tenacity and was able to capitalise on some excellent midfield work from Charlotte Roberts and Lottie Ashton. After the half-term break, the girls faced their toughest match of the season, again unfortunately, losing valuable players, including Morley (GK), to the older sides. Although they fought valiantly, they lost, almost inevitably, 1-4 to Canford. However, I must take the time to thank Sofia Godsland-Ladislao who agreed to play in goal for us and therefore allowing the game to go ahead. Once again, the girls bounced back and were able to win their last three Saturday fixtures with some excellent performances; a 4-0 win over Churcher’s, 1-0 against Dauntsey’s and an emphatic 6-1 victory beating local rivals PGS. Some brilliant goals were scored in these final weeks, but a special mention needs to go to Emily Ardern-Jones, who scored 7 of those 11 goals, including the crucial goal over Dauntsey’s which won the game. I was delighted that Lola Dibden and Katie Ryan finally scored the goals they’d been pushing for over the months. Unfortunately, the final match against King’s Winchester ended in a 0-0 draw but did not dampen the overall season. I hope the players enjoyed their U15 season, and wish the girls all the best with their hockey in the future. Coach: Mrs Brown

Squad: Emily Ardern-Jones, Lottie Ashton, Emily Buckland, Ella Danby, Lola Dibden, Rhea Fernandes, Sofia Godsland-Ladislao (GK), Izzy Hall, Imogen Miller, Anna Morley (GK), Grace Orton, Orla Paterson, Hannah Procter, April Richards, Charlotte Roberts, Katie Ryan, Catherine Shore, Ruby Slowen (C), Annabel Stonadge and Alice Turner-Hall.

U14A Hockey

The girls started the season off well playing in the annual Sherborne Tournament. Their performance was even more impressive considering the side were playing in an U15 tournament and there were three U13 players included in the team. The girls topped the group stage, winning all three games 5-0, 3-0 and 2-1 against Warminster, Exeter and King’s College They faced Taunton School in the semifinals - a game that went to penalties but that the team unfortunately lost at the shoot-out.

The squad played Epsom College in their first block fixture. Epsom were an extremely well-polished side and this, combined with KES not getting out of the blocks, led to a substantial loss for the girls. They faced an equally tough test against St George’s College in the next Saturday fixture but faired far better in a close contest which they lost 4-2. The side then went on a good run of form, having learnt their lessons from the previous games, beating Seaford (5-1), Bryanston (4-0) and progressing through the Hampshire Cup to secure 2nd place in the competition.

The U14 As played a remarkable game against Churcher’s College which the girls dominated. Unfortunately for KES, the Churcher’s goalkeeper was in fine form. Controversially, the girls managed to find the goal they required, only for the final whistle to have been blown, one second

Played: 13 Won: 7 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

prior to the ball crossing the line! Unfortunately, in hockey, the time ends regardless of the phase in play.

The girls travelled to Woking in a confident mood for the regional tournament. They put in some fine performances and managed to get through the group stage in second place following a 1-0 win, 0-0 draw and 2-0 loss. Unfortunately, they then met a very strong Kingston Grammar School in the quarter-final and were knocked out of the competition. They should all, however, be very proud of their achievement in making it into the last eight schools in the south region.

Coach: Mr Bassett

Squad: Katie Ardern-Jones, Millie Boyes, Kiran Kaur, Sophie Kent, Sabine Potter, Charlotte Akerman, Charlotte Beardsall, Sophie Blaydes, Celia Brabazon, Annabel Coltart, Melanie Georgiou, Claudia Hargreaves, Daisy Kendall, Matilde Mathies, Ava Neilson, Isabelle Nutbourne, Eleanor Oakley, Lucy Robinson, Nell Sarton, Elinor Sharp, Charlotte Stembridge, Tessa Tomson, Georgina Wheeler and Erin Woo.

U14B Hockey

The U14B girls have worked tirelessly throughout the season demonstrating eagerness to improve, alongside an impressive commitment to both matches and training. The team really enjoyed representing the school and should be commended for their efforts and enthusiasm.

The season started with a tough game and resulted in a 5-0 defeat against Epsom College. The second fixture was away to Kingston Grammar and this saw the girls lose 3-0 to a superb side. Against St George’s, the girls fought hard for a draw and it was a pleasure to see how cohesive the team had become. Unfortunately, this did not last, as they then suffered a 4-0 defeat against Seaford. The team was attack heavy for this game and this meant players who were not generally defenders had to play within these positions. The U14Bs then faced Bryanston School; this was the best the girls played; they communicated well and made some commendable saves.

After the half-term break, the team faced a string of away fixtures. They drew 0-0 to a confident Canford side with some excellent passages of play, in which they worked the ball well and pressed the opposition at every given opportunity. Unfortunately, due to illness, the team turned up to Dauntsey’s with only nine players, enlisting the help of two of the First Year players to complete the squad. Regrettably, we lost this fixture 5-0 but the scoreline was not a

Played: 10 Won: 3 Drew: 2 Lost: 5

true reflection of how well the team adapted to new players. In our final away fixture, we faced our local rivals Portsmouth Grammar School. The girls lost 2-1 in a nail-biting game but came away feeling proud of their performance. Happily, the U14B girls finished their season with a 3-1 victory over The Kings’ School Winchester.

I have been so happy to see how far the girls have progressed during this term, and look forward to what the next hockey season has to bring for them in 2020.

Coach: Miss Horn

Squad: Adele Congreve, Annabel Coltart, Ava Neilson, Bea Blake, Becca Vaughan, Charlotte Akerman, Charlotte Wallis, Destiny Annan, Elspeth McFarlane, Eva Waktare, Isabelle Nutbourne, Isla Osman, Kira Woodd, Lucy Walker, Skye Kiessling, Sophie Blaydes, Sophie Carter, Sophie Hews, Sophie Kileff, Taya Prokopchuk and Zofia Osgood.

U13A Hockey

This has been a mixed season for the U13A hockey team. They have had moments of brilliance but have found it hard to be consistent due to injury and many of the team having other commitments. As a squad, they do show a great deal of potential with fantastic analytical skills and desire to improve. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching them progress, face challenges together, and work hard as team. They are a pleasure to coach and I hope they will continue to enjoy their hockey. The first game of the season saw the girls demonstrate their skill set by beating Lord Wandsworth College 10-1. This was an excellent display of speed, teamwork and resulted in many goals. Unfortunately, the following weekend things did not go their way. In the last of the summer heat at Epsom, the girls made some great passes into space but lacked the speed from the first game. Both goalkeepers played very well and KES were unfortunate to concede from an accidental lift shot to lose 2-1.

The next game was against Farleigh, a game in which the girls played fantastically, moving the ball with speed and putting constant pressure on the opposition. They learnt a great deal about marking the opposition but unfortunately finished with a draw, in a game they should have won. The most intense, exciting and rewarding game of the season was against St George’s College, Weybridge. The girls were determined, put constant pressure on the ball and their passing was strong. The decision-making and angles in the D were excellent, resulting in KES being the only team this season to win against one the of best hockey schools in the country, 5-2.

Played: 15 Won: 8 Drew: 1 Lost: 6

The final game before half-term was against Gordon’s School. Having never played them before, everyone was unsure what to expect. However the U13 As dominated, showing high levels of athleticism. The short corners were excellent leading to a 6-0 win. After half-term, the side played St John’s Leatherhead in what was a game of two halves. The squad created space well and moved with speed in the first half but St John’s were quick and strong in the second half resulting in a loss. The Hampshire In2Hockey Tournament provided some mixed performances. The girls won four out of five of their pool matches to finish in 2nd place in their group. Unfortunately, they drew the semifinal match and missed out on going to the final on penalty flicks, finishing in 3rd place in the county. The match against Churcher’s took place with a slightly depleted team due to injury. The girls linked up well but lacked width resulting in a 3-2 loss, followed by a 3-0 loss to a strong Dauntsey’s side. The final game of the season saw the girls motivated to play well as a team and finish on a high. Their confidence really shone through and they moved the ball quickly, passing and driving into space resulting in an 8-0 win.

Overall the girls should be proud of what they have achieved this season, the progress they have made and the resilience they have shown. However, I do believe there is more to come from this group. Coach: Mrs Penn

Squad: Sophie Kent (C) Katie Ardern-Jones (VC) Sabine Potter, Kiran Kaur, Rhyseren Taylor, Millie Boyes, Jemima Sullivan, Isobel Roberts and Ellie Orton.

U13B Hockey

The season got off to a fine start with a comfortable win over Lord Wandsworth College but then the girls suffered three back-to-back defeats, albeit by small margins and against strong opposition. Undeterred, the girls trained hard and were receptive to advice from their coaches. This allowed them to reach half-term with two excellent wins, and particular mention must be made to the 5-1 win at Gordon’s School where the weather conditions were atrocious. The long half-term break meant that the girls were slightly below par when St John’s Leatherhead visited Wellington. However, they only lost by the odd goal in five in what proved to be a highly entertaining game. Defeat against Churcher’s College the following Saturday was very undeserved but there were no excuses for our 7-1 thumping by Dauntsey’s a week later. On a bitterly cold morning the Dauntsey’s girls bullied us throughout the game and thoroughly deserved their chocolate cake at the end of the match. The final game of the season was against PGS and the girls really hit top form winning 6-1 guaranteeing local bragging rights for at least a year.

It has been an absolute pleasure for me to coach this group this term. They have always given 100% effort, both during matches and practice sessions, and have been encouraging and supportive towards each other.

Played: 10 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

Coach: Mr Cross

Squad: Emily Egerton-Hou, Darcy Randle, Jessica Dodd, Emily Knowles, Cara Lea, Ellie Orton, Allie Bassett, Scarlett Moody, Katie Braakenburg and Gracie O’Brien.

U13C Hockey

This has been another great year for the U13C team. Their commitment to training and fixtures, whilst juggling many different responsibilities, has been fantastic. They have impressed me greatly with the development of their competitive spirit, working tirelessly as a team to improve week on week. They have found it hard, at times, due to not always having a goalkeeper, but have certainly learnt the importance of this position. Many thanks to Katie Braakenburg and Emese Frajka-Williams who have found a great deal of talent in goal. The girls have had some challenging fixtures this U13D Hockey The season started with a 4-4 thriller away at Epsom College where there were already signs that this year group clearly had a lot of strength in depth. This was confirmed the following Saturday when the girls lost by the only goal against strong opposition from Farleigh School. Unfortunately, their next opponents, St George’s Weybridge, were far more experienced and deservedly put us to the sword. After half-term, the girls battled hard in appalling conditions at Gordon’s School and, despite having about 15 shots on target, somehow ended up with a 0-0 draw. St John’s Leatherhead were their next opponents and gave the KES girls a lesson on finishing in the D. The final away match was against Churcher’s College in which the girls were unlucky to lose by the odd goal

Played: 8 Won: 2 Drew: 3 Lost: 3

term against strong hockey schools but have impressed me with their resilience. They worked tirelessly to ensure a 2-2 draw with St George’s Weybridge, which they should be extremely proud of. Their first win of the season was against Gordon’s School, with the girls managing to score 3 goals and not concede any at all. I hope the girls have enjoyed the season, developing their skills and representing the school. I wish them luck next year and will miss working with them. Coach: Mrs Penn

Squad: Katie Sloane, Avantika Umranikar, Olivia Higenbottam, Gracie O’Brien, Millie Hills, Tamara Haq, Isobel Holliday, Lucia Poletti, Josie Salter, Roisin Allen, Katie Braakenburg, Nithusha Baheerathan and Emese Frajka-

Williams. Played: 7 Won: 1 Drew: 2 Lost: 4

in three. The final game of the season was a very encouraging 1-0 win over PGS.

I have been delighted with the girls’ attitude this term: come rain or shine, victory or defeat, they have played with smiles on their faces and have been a pleasure to coach.

Coach: Mr Cross

Squad: Tessa Aresca, Defne Nebol, Roisin Allen, Sasha Sherrin, Bronty Thomas, Khadeejah Butt, Lucia Poletti, Tamara Haq and Ishani Raichura.

U12A Hockey

The U12 A team have really impressed this season. From the very first match it was clear they had talent and a positive approach to their training and development. They started the season off with a great win against Lord Wandsworth College; the team came together effortlessly and they gave the impression that they had been playing together for years, not days. As the season progressed, the girls’ game play matured and they got fitter and stronger which put them in a good position to take on opposition from Farleigh and Gordon’s, coming away with convincing victories. The attacking combination of Immi Akerman, Elisabeth Mathies and Amelie Rugge-Price proved very effective, with all three players demonstrating impressive skills and tactical awareness beyond their years.

Played: 8 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 4

The U12s were not so successful in the results against St George’s, Epsom College, St John’s Leatherhead or Churcher’s but it was clear that the girls were improving and learning every week. The team finished off their season well with an end-toend final match against Dauntsey’s that ended in a 2-2 draw - a fair result.

I am certain that the team will go on to have great success as they continue on their hockey journey through the school and I look forward seeing them play in future years.

Coach: Mrs Ferrand

Squad: Holly Chambers (GK), Harriet Field, Immi

Akerman, Elisabeth Mathies, Megan Barriball, Flora Rugge-Price, Amelie Rugge-Price, Isabelle Sheppard, Emily Strike, Isabelle Henderson and Emily Carrall-Wilcocks.

U12B Hockey

The girls began their hockey season by setting themselves a target; to score a goal in their first game against Lord Wandsworth. With some great teamwork, and lots of determination to make this happen, they went above and beyond this, beating their opponents 10-1. The game gave them lots to work on but the positivity and drive from the players and their desire to improve was outstanding. The following three fixtures saw the girls unfortunately face some defeats, but they still managed to score some goals and made huge improvements throughout, in terms of their tactics and hockey knowledge. The girls started to use their spacing on the pitch to their advantage, with some great passes into the D. This resulted in some spectacular goals against Hampshire Collegiate School, in some very cold conditions, and a 3-1 win. The end of the season saw the girls suffer a further couple of defeats in games which either side could have won. Nevertheless, goals were scored at both ends and both the attack and defence worked hard, putting into practice drills and skills from games lessons and training. Another successful team effort saw the girls defeat Gordon’s School 6-2, in a game in

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

which all players performed well. The girls have made huge progress in every match they have played and making decisions about substitutions has been challenging. However, this has also meant that all the players have had a very similar amount of pitch time. They have rotated their playing positions, including goalkeeping, allowing them to experience a variety of positions. I am looking forward to seeing the girls develop over the coming years and would like to congratulate them all on such a great first year. Coach: Miss Cole

Squad: Isabelle Coshott, Edie Johnson, Hattie

Knapman, Ava Wright, Ruby Wiltshire, Emily Carrall-Wilcocks, Lily Fisher, Emily Strike, Heidi Waite, Anu Bamodu, Olivia Spooner, Lana Holroyd, Isabelle Henderson, Rosa Shepherd, Jemima Hughes, Holly Chambers and Megan Barriball.

U12C/D Hockey

The attitude from the U12 girls this season has really impressed, both at training and on match days. For a number of the players, hockey came as a new sport but the girls quickly picked it up and made excellent progress throughout the season. The commitment, resilience and drive demonstrated by the players undoubtedly contributed to their development, and they should all be proud of the progress that they made throughout the season. I very much hope that they all continue to enjoy their hockey as they progress through the years at King Edward’s.

C Team Played 7: Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

D Team Played 6: Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

Coach: Mrs Ferrand

Squad: Sophie Tarafdar, Simran Lally, Rosie Lyndon, Alice Higenbottam, Evie Waud, Olivia Spooner, Catherine Tarmey, Lana Holroyd, Becky Saunders, Ayushna Mishra, Heidi Waite, Peggy Tomson, Hennie Burlton, Tessa Kimmance, Sophie Holebrook, Anu Bamodu, Jess Windram, Lily Walker, Olivia Larkin, Sophie Goriainova, Sofia Dewsbury, Jemima Hughes, Poppy LloydJones and Jasmine Mehta.

Netball overview

Once again, we find ourselves reaching the end of the netball season for 2019/2020. The sport continues to grow and see more and more girls across the different age groups attending training sessions and taking in any extra sessions put on by their coaches. This term KES competed in 129 fixtures across all 21 teams with most age groups able to fill an A, B, C and D team on Saturdays for both home and away games consistently. This allowed a substantial number of girls within their age groups to attend training sessions, practise in their games lessons and experience the competitive areas of sport both during mid-week games and weekend fixtures/tournaments.

The U13s and U15s both competed in the Independent National Schools’ Cup. The U13s had a tough first draw against St Catherine’s, which was challenging so early on in the year. There was lots for the girls to take from this fixture and, after much hard work in their training sessions, they drew against Millfield in the first round of the plate. The progress made by the team was excellent from their first fixture to their second. They showed resilience, commitment and gave 100% to try and implement what they had been set to do on the court.

The U15s got off to an excellent start in the competition. The first fixture saw them travel to just outside Richmond Park and the team rose to the challenge and played a stunning game of netball. There was great team morale with a mixture of U15 and U14 players making up the squad. There were some excellent turnovers in defence and some great work in attack to secure the success rate from the turnovers. The girls won this game 67-27. The second round saw the side allocated a bye and they passed straight into the third round to face Talbot Heath School. The team was missing a couple of the girls from the first round due to injury and illness and, after a highly competitive game, they lost by 7 goals to exit the competition.

The U14s, U16s and U18s all competed in the county rounds of the National Schools’ Competition. This round of the competition is always challenging across all age groups. The U18s fought off some tough competition in their tournament mid-week and narrowly missed out on the semi-finals in the tournament. The U14s and U16s both had teams containing some fabulous netball players and were set for a tough day in their Saturday event. Both teams played excellent netball and were able to come away with a lot of wins from the tournament. Both age groups were reliant on the last fixtures of the tournament to determine their final standings and qualification to the regional round of the national event. The U14s played Farnborough Hill in their final game and, although they didn’t come away with the win this time, the willpower and strength of character, individually and as a team, was clear for all to see and I was extremely proud of their performances throughout the day. The U16s had a great tournament going into their last game v St Swithun’s to determine who would qualify in first and second place as unbeaten. They remained calm and collective as a whole and came away as tournament winners with an undefeated record in the county round. At the regional tournament, held a few months later, the U16 team was once again met with some tough competitors. Throughout this whole experience the girls were very professional and mature and worked together as a strong unit. This team was made up of a real range of ages and talented netball players and they narrowly missed out on qualifying for the National Schools’ finals by 1 point. I am still in awe of how all the girls performed in pre-season training, friendlies and during the tournaments themselves.

This netball season was unfortunately cut short meaning we missed out on fixtures against Bradfield College, PGS and the older years were unable to run their training session with Stroud pupils after their fixture. I am hopeful that we can rearrange our Old Edwardians’ evening and the highly anticipated Staff v Leavers match!

We visited Belfast once again this year with some of our U13 players, during which time they were coached by the one of the Northern Ireland players who featured in both the Commonwealth and World Cup squad in the past few years. The development of the girls’ netball was phenomenal in such a short space of time. This is an excellent experience for the U13s which will continue to run alongside some long-haul tours for the senior girls in the upcoming years.

Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been part of yet another great year of netball at KES. This includes parents, who have driven the players to and from various venues for fixtures and their continued support from the sideline in all weather conditions, the staff who give up their time to run training sessions in the school week, attend fixtures at weekends and those who have helped with the running of the tours which allow a range of girls to experience netball at a level suitable to them.

The forthcoming fixture programme is already looking very busy and strong with some new opponents to play, some more mid-week fixtures and entry to national events making it very competitive, I am very excited and look forward to seeing everyone back out on the netball courts.

1st VII Netball

This has been an outstanding season for the 1st team and one that will certainly be remembered. In the 10 years that I have been at the school and working with the senior squads, this is by far the most talented group of girls that I have had the pleasure to coach. The commitment that the girls have shown to training, personal fitness and to each other, was second to none and certainly contributed to their phenomenal season.

The season started with a comfortable win against Churcher’s College which served as an excellent preparation match for the Seaford College Netball Tournament that followed the weekend after. This is the first year that we have entered this tournament and it did not disappoint. The team took on strong opponents from Lancing College, Brighton College, Hurstpierpoint, Churcher’s, Seaford and Epsom. The girls played some excellent netball and finished second in the group losing only to Brighton College which meant they took on Canford in the semifinal. Despite their best efforts the team lost by one goal, meaning they finished the tournament in a respectable 3rd place.

The season continued with wins against Lord Wadsworth and Gordon’s School leading into the much anticipated triangular against Dauntsey’s and a rematch with Canford. The girls were very determined to come away with a good result after the close defeat in the Seaford Tournament. With Charlotte Dunkley shooting with pinpoint accuracy and Zoe Henderson’s strong leadership and outstanding court play the team came away victorious from both fixtures. The

Played: 14 Won: 12 Drew: 1 Lost: 1

girls were elated and it gave them great confidence going into the Lord Wandsworth Tournament the following weekend. Having won the tournament last year, and with some key players missing, there was added pressure on the girls to perform. The seamless transition of Zoe Henderson from the defensive circle into the shooting circle demonstrated the depth of talent in the squad. The team stepped up to the challenge and won all their games meaning they went on to play Seaford College in the final. This is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting games of school netball I have ever experienced. At full time, the result was 10-10 so it went into extra time, followed by golden goal. After an end-to-end battle, Nyah Clark put up her final shot of the day and it went in to secure the win for the tournament title for the second year in a row.

The girls and I were disappointed that the season came to an abrupt end and I am certain that they would have continued on their winning streak, but at least it ended on a high. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team for a very enjoyable season and one that I will remember for many years to come. I very much look forward to hearing about their individual successes in the future.

Coach: Mrs Ferrand

Squad: Zoe Henderson (C), Ellie Dunlop (VC), Millie Parsons (VC), Freya Crowley, Claudia Leeming, Sophie Khan, Charlotte Dunkley, Nyah Clark, Ottilie Beal, Diba Mansourian and Abbie Morton.

2nd VII Netball

The 2nd VII had a fantastic season and showed some great netball skills and commendable team ethics throughout the season. This was particularly evident during the challenging matches. At times, the girls had to adapt from game to game. They frequently lost players to the 1st team but this did not seem to phase them and every single player stepped up to the challenge, concentrating on what had been set for them to achieve within each quarter.

The girls had a tough start to the season with two narrow losses against Churcher’s and Bryanston. Against Bryanston, the girls played with great determination throughout the match and adapted their court play as and when they needed to. They remained calm and controlled but with just 20 seconds left on the clock, they lost the ball and then the opposition had the centre pass. They lost the match by just 2 goals. They were able to take a lot away from this game and went on to win against

Played: 9 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

Lord Wandsworth by 4 goals and beat Gordons 22-2.

The girls continued to perform well and give their all to training, games lessons and team cohesion on Saturdays. They finished off the season at the Lord Wandsworth Tournament where they won their group to play in the final. They narrowly missed out on victory in this match finishing as runners-up in the plate tournament. Coach: Miss Cole

Squad: Stephanie Judd (Captain), Carol Naoum Ateya, Tamsin Morris, Abbie Morton, Issy Todd, Olivia Tilley, Rebecca Waggett, Sophie Roe, Amy Boyle, Sophie Bassi, Milly Phipps, Jasriah Mandair, Grace Loveridge, Amy Tunney, Catherine Thompson, Elizabeth Beardsall, Lucy Pumphrey, Lena Mills and Xanthe Thompson.

3rd VII Netball

In a season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, the scores gained before lockdown do not reflect the valiance and endeavour of this group of netballers.

They began the season as players who had not worked together before, and the first match against Churcher’s ended in a 12-18 defeat. The Bryanston result of 21-34 was not flattering either, but the girls did win one of those quarters and had some real flashes of brilliance, before they would then lose concentration. The Canford and Dauntsey’s matches were part of a triangular fixture at home. Despite the Dauntsey’s results being closer than those against Canford, the side still suffered two defeats. Therefore, it was lovely to secure a 22-9 win over St George’s, Weybridge, who were a strong side.

It can be difficult being the 3rd VII, as there is inevitably a lot of movement in the squad, as players move around the three senior teams. This lack of consistency can be tough on your stats! However, I have hugely enjoyed working with this dynamic and exciting group of young women, who played hard in both success and defeat, and I thank them for their dedication to the sport, and am sad that we were unable to give the Upper Sixth leavers the send off that they deserved.

Played: 5 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

Thank you to those who gave seven or five years of netball to KES and good luck. A huge thanks to Sophie Roe: often player of the match, and a superb captain to boot. Coach: Ms Smith

Squad: Sophia Bassi, Grace Loveridge, Xanthe Thompson, Emilia Walker, Lizzie Beardsall, Erika Lace, Lucy Pumphrey, Lucy Tait, Catherine Thompson, Anoushka Umranikar, Amy Boyle, Milly Phipps, Sophie Roe and Amy Tunney.

U15A Netball

The 2020 season was a wholly enjoyable experience.

It would be remiss of me not to allude to the extraordinary circumstances with which we were faced during the latter part of our netball term. When it got really tough, the tough remained resolute; the guidance, care and support offered to all the players, parents and coaches from Miss Cole, Mrs Ferrand and Mrs Penn, during the most challenging moments of this COVID-19 crisis, was phenomenal.

Outstanding and consistent playing performances from the likes of Evie Bulstrode, Charlotte Ashton and Orla Paterson gave every competitive game a real touch of class. A highlight of the term was our outstanding (yet bruising) encounter with Bryanston School.

As a coach, you really rely on those experienced and reliable players to cement on the court the skills practised during the wet and cold after school training sessions. Leadership from our senior players such as Kate Dunn, Lola Dibden and Grace Orton made for a very productive environment. The U15B team had a fantastic season, demonstrating great netball skills and team ethic throughout. All the girls pulled together to work hard in the more challenging games that they faced. They started the season with a narrow loss to Churcher’s College, losing by 3 goals, but came bouncing back the following week with a tough game against Bryanston. The whole team dug in deep, played with versatility and succeeded in coming out triumphant, winning by 2 goals. The girls adjusted weekly to their coach and playing styles, as well as team changes amongst themselves, but nothing seemed to phase them. Their commitment to training, and the ability to take these newly learnt skills and put them into game situations, was amazing to see. The final fixture of the season saw them once again have to work hard until the very last whistle against Lord Wandsworth College. The game was goal for goal until a great turn over in defence saw the U15Bs go 2 up just as the final whistle went.

Played: 11 Won: 8 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

Even though numbers at training were, at times, questionable, those that committed to the programme really developed their netball and social skills as the term progressed. Coach: Mr Powell

Squad: Ella Danby, Orla Paterson, Kate Dunn, Charlotte Ashton, Evie Bulstrode, Diba Mansourian, Lola Dibden, Grace Orton and Myah

U15B Netball

Ganjavian-Connor.

Played: 8 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

A fantastic end to a season; one in which everyone worked hard and made it very enjoyable. Coach: Miss Cole

Squad: Katie Ryan, Izzy Hall, Rhea Fernandes, Annabelle Oddoye, Ese Okitikpi, Ruby Slowen, Annabel Stonadge, Pheobe Rogers, Myah Ganjavian-Connor, Yzzy Murray, Amy Oldfield, Ella Danby, Susie Bence, Sanya Khurana.

U14A Netball

The season started with a friendly against Priestlands. The girls worked hard and the game provided an excellent warm-up for the County Tournament and start to the season. The County Tournament was postponed in October and was finally played at the end of November in wet and cold conditions. The girls impressed with how they rose to the speed of each game and dealt with a great deal of pressure and the awful weather. They beat PGS, Portsmouth High School, Churcher’s, Priestlands, Kings’ and Brookfield, but, unfortunately, lost an extremely close game to Farnborough Hill and then the match against St Swithun’s. The girls were disappointed not to progress to the regionals and clearly do have the potential to go further. However, this was an excellent learning curve for them. After Christmas, the Saturday fixtures commenced and the girls played Churcher’s in more wet and windy conditions. Ava and Daisy played WA for the first time and demonstrated a great deal of potential. Mel and Elinor defended extremely well, resulting in a considerable win 24-9. The following weekend the team played Bryanston. The girls were apprehensive, having never played this side before, but used this to their advantage to ensure they played an excellent game. Izzy ended up playing in centre for the first time, with Georgie at GK, and they did themselves proud by responding positively to every piece of advice offered. The team’s speed of passing and timing of interceptions was admirable, resulting in another excellent win 30-14. The subsequent match was against Gordon’s, another school that the U14A team had not played before. Unfortunately, the side was missing three key players. The girls had to step up, show their versatility and adapt. They learnt a

Played: 16 Won: 13 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

Squad: Sophie Kileff (C), Melanie Georgiou (VC), Elinor Sharp, Erin Woo, Isabelle Nutbourne, Georgie Wheeler, Daisy Kendall, Ava Neilson, Lucy Walker and

Claudia Hargreaves.

great deal from the match and continued to fight throughout, doing their school proud.

The final weekend before half-term saw an excellent triangular against Canford, Dauntsey’s and KES take place. Sophie, Daisy and Ava shot extremely well, moving around the circle and making the most of every opportunity. Lucy showed great fight, marking tightly, and Elinor made interception after interception. Erin was powerful and strong and maintained control of both games. The day finished with a 1 goal win over Canford and 33-15 win over Dauntsey’s.

The final game of the season (although we didn’t know it at the time) was against Lord Wandsworth. During this game, the girls displayed a great deal of independence and teamwork. All were determined to maintain a considerable lead. Sophie captained extremely well and it was fantastic to see them analyse as a team and set themselves targets, illustrating the progress made throughout the season and resulting in a 29-12 win.

This season has been challenging for the girls due to them having many other commitments but they have risen to every challenge. A special mention to Claudia Hargreaves who is a key member of this team. She has been severely injured throughout the whole of the netball term and I know the girls and myself cannot wait for her return. These unfortunate absences have allowed the girls to grow and develop their netball skills by becoming more versatile players which will aid them a great deal as they move up the school. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with this bunch of girls and wish them all the best of luck next season.

U14B Netball

The B team started the season with a close match against Churcher’s College with Charlotte taking the lead as captain. As this was the first fixture of the year both teams were understandably hesitant, and it took some time to find their rhythm in the game. By the last quarter, the King Edward’s girls were more at ease and they started to make good use of the space. The following were nominated as players of the match; Sienna for her great shooting and Lucy Robinson for her dominance mid court. Unfortunately, the girls lost by just four goals, but they showed great promise for the remainder of the season. The following weekend saw the girls face a tough Bryanston side. This was a difficult fixture, as the team were faced with a number of injuries, but the girls kept their heads up and continued fighting until the end. Taya and Nell were able to maintain their momentum throughout and were awarded players of the match. Particular mention should also be made to Emily who showcased her versatility by moving into the GA position. She had great movement and consistently made herself available by coming forward for the ball. The girls lost this fixture but there were many positives to take away from the match. The third match of the season saw the girls face Gordon’s School at Hill Lane. A special thank you should be made to Destiny who stepped up in defence from the C team and she was a great asset. Emily and Sienna worked well together in the attacking circle, dodging effectively to lose the defence and they both shot consistently, scoring twenty-three goals. Matilde was assertive in defence and there was some excellent close marking and intercepting from Charlotte. Unfortunately, Eleanor was injured mid game but she made an impression in defence in the first half. The girls kept their cool in order to secure their first win of the season; it was a great game to watch. The triangular fixture against Dauntsey’s and Canford is always a good test.

Played: 7 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

Charlotte was accurate in her shooting and Phoebe was strong in defence. Kira worked hard in mid court to ensure we kept possession. The girls played very well in both matches and successfully secured a win against Dauntsey’s. The final match of the season saw the girls face Lord Wandsworth. The match was nail biting to watch with the girls winning by just one goal on the final whistle. Lucy Robinson showed her determination by playing with an injury and Lucy Walker was excellent as WD and she made lots of interceptions; turning over the ball. The conditions were less than ideal but the girls remained positive throughout and fully deserved the win. A lovely way to end the season.

Coach: Mrs Walls

Squad: Nell Sarton, Eleanor Oakley, Lucy Robinson, Kira Woodd, Charlotte Stembridge, Taya Prokopchuk, Sienna Mandair, Emily Pizzey, Matilde Mathies, Phoebe Mufushwa, Destiny Annan and Lucy Walker.

U14C Netball

Throughout the season, the team played well and fought hard showing excellent resilience and good sportswomanship. They defended well with Phoebe Gregory making it tricky for the opposition to access the circle in every game. The centre court play was fast-paced and the team made excellent interceptions, with Sophie Carter always finding space, Charlotte Akerman making sound passes and Zofia Osgood getting free in the circle. The girls developed their communication and talked to each other to make for great play up the court. The triangular fixture with Dauntsey’s and Canford was exciting and the girls showed strength and versatility, encouraging each other throughout. The team finished the season, unknowingly, on a high. U14D Netball Unfortunately, there were two games cancelled for the U14 D team this season but this group of girls should be extremely pleased with their unbeaten season. The two games they played (against Churcher’s and St George’s College, Weybridge) resulted in excellent wins. All the players have been committed to training and their fantastic work ethic has allowed them to go from strength to strength. They work well as a team; all have developed their shooting skills and movement around the court, making them a force to be reckoned with. Their

Played: 5 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

They gained a strong 16-9 win over Lord Wandsworth College. Phoebe Gregory, Isla Osmond, Annabelle Coltart and Charlotte Stembridge were awarded players of the match. Coach: Mrs Penfold

Squad: Destiny Annan, Adele Congreve, Annabel Coltart, Sophie Carter, Phoebe Gregory, Zofia Osgood, Isabel Smith, Charlotte Akerman, Isla Osman, Eva Wakatare, Kira Woodd and Celia

Brabazon.

Played: 2 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 0

positive spirit has made them a joy to coach and I have enjoyed seeing them progress. I hope they will continue to enjoy playing netball and look forward to seeing them develop further. Mrs Penn

Squad: Elspeth McFarlane, Sophie Hews, Ottilie Saunders, Charlotte Wallis, Sophie Cowan, Samantha MacNaughton, Tessa Tomson, Adele Congreve and Mahira Sumra.

U13A Netball

The U13 age group have been exceptionally strong this season, with remarkably high numbers at training sessions on Tuesdays, and over forty girls getting the opportunity to represent the school on a Saturday. They have not only shown determination, but also increased fortitude due to the miserable winter we have had. It is because of this determination, coupled with their natural ability and talent, that I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching the U13s this season.

Our first match of the season was against local rivals, Churcher’s. This was mentally a tough fixture for the girls and the game was ‘goal for goal’ throughout. The players showed their competitive spirit and the game ended in a 10-10 draw. The following weekend they played Cheam School, who were a strong, athletic and powerful side. Despite KES missing two of their key players, they fought throughout the match and adapted their play to get around a strong opposition. In the final quarter, vital defender, Ellie Orton, unfortunately had to come off due to a re-occurring injury. With no subs, we had to pull a member of the U13B up but the girls lost this match 13-10. However, I was so impressed with how well the girls played that a defeat really did not matter.

In our first home fixture, KES played Ryde School. The girls were dubious about their ability as last season’s fixture had been cancelled due to bad weather. However, it was soon evident that the U13A side had no reason to be dubious as they won the game convincingly 30-7. Their winning streak continued as they played another fixture at home against Gordons School, winning persuasively 22-8. The final game before half term saw KES play an away fixture against Dauntsey’s School. The U13As had to adapt the way they played due to the extremely strong winds which

Played: 8 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

meant only chest passes would suffice. This was a nail biting match (as coach and umpire) and it was only in the last 4 minutes that KES managed to pull away, eventually winning the game 12-10.

After half-term, in their penultimate game, they travelled to St George’s College, Weybridge. With thunderstorms starting just before the game, the girls had to play inside on a smaller sized court, playing 10-minute halves. They moved the ball around the court well, but St George’s made it hard for them to score under pressure; KES were also missing a shooter for this game. Another injury for dynamic defender Ellie Orton, meant the overall result was an 11-9 loss. However, this was the best I had ever seen the girls play and it was remarkable to see how far they had come since the start of the season.

The final game of the season was against Lord Wandsworth College during which the girls secured a win 26-4, with amazing performances from both players in defence. The team have had an outstanding season and have progressed immensely from last year. To only lose two games during the season (and these by two or three goals) is phenomenal. Overall, the girls’ goal difference was 65; a great statistic which is a credit to their excellent shooting and solid defence. It has been a pleasure to watch them grow this year and I look forward to watching their success continue into next season.

Coach: Miss Horn

Squad: Sophie Kent (C) Ellie Orton, Kiran Kaur, Katie Arden-Jones, Katie Sloane, Jemima Sullivan, Cara Lea, Rhyseren Taylor, Lily Fisher and Millie Boyes.

U13B Netball

It is unfortunate that there was disruption to the end of the netball season, as all the players had shown significant progress as individuals but they were also coming together well as a team.

The term started with a narrow win against Churcher’s. I was impressed with the level of resilience all the players showed in some very cold and wet conditions. Sofia was an absolute trooper playing in defence for the majority of the match, providing excellent support for Millie who was also outstanding. Darcy was also flexible and gave a fabulous performance as GD. The next match was considerably more challenging, against Cheam. A competitive and talented opposition, the girls struggled against their impressive defence. Regardless, the whole team kept up their hard work throughout, with some notable goals scored. Sabine was a welcome addition to the team for this match. Her communication, along with that of Emily and Isobel in the D, was most impressive. The shooters in particular have improved their teamwork throughout the season. The next fixture, against Ryde, allowed the players to gain some much needed confidence. The girls recorded a very comfortable win, and it was great to see them all communicating with each other. Tamara had a particularly good game in WD. Sofia had a chance to shine as C and has really come into her own in this position. It was lovely to have Gracie and Izzy join the team for this fixture. Probably one of the most evenly matched games of the season was against Gordon’s. The girls played beautifully together showing how much

Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

they had grown as a team. The communication was there and they pushed themselves throughout, resulting in a well-deserved win. Again, there was lots of movement in defence positions, and I am so thankful that the girls have all been so flexible with their positions when needed. Dauntsey’s was a challenging match and not helped by incredibly strong winds! There was some fabulous defence from Izzy and Millie and some truly excellent mid-court play from Darcy, Avantikar and Tamara. Unfortunately, the strength of the opposition meant the girls never managed to get into their stride. After the half-term break, the players were ready to get stuck in to some more netball. The match against St George’s was tough and not helped by playing on a surface that meant the game was incredibly fast. It was great to see Rio join us as centre. The goals KES scored were fantastic; some truly excellent shots made by Isobel. Lord Wandsworth ended up being the last fixture of the season and what a game it was! Although there was frustration at times, all of the players kept their focus and performed admirably. Darcy was a wonderful captain – supportive and encouraging throughout. It ended with a comfortable and suitably deserved win. Well done to all the captains Emily, Darcy and Millie, who have all been mature and dedicated in their approach throughout. I would personally like to thank all the girls for a very enjoyable term of netball.

Coach: Miss Downing

Squad: Emily Egerton-Hou (C), Millie Boyes (C), Darcy Randle (C), Tamara Haq, Isobel Roberts, Sofia Thompson, Sabine Potter, Isobel Holliday, Avantikar Umranikar, Rio Gawne-Cain, Gracie O’Brien and Jemima Sullivan.

U13C Netball

This was a tough season for the girls. Numerous changes to teams, illness and girls regularly playing up meant the C team suffered some disruption. However, they played well in every match and can be proud of how they coped with the challenges. They responded well to training and were able to implement techniques and strategies learnt on the court. The girls supported each other, both in U13D Netball The U13D team worked incredibly hard this season with some very tough opposition in a number of their games. The team won two of the five matches they played, 8-2 to Cheam School and 10-5 to Gordon’s School. Vipusha Kamalarajah, Kate Quigley and Lauren Barnett all did an excellent job at captaining the team throughout the season and, despite some challenging weather, progress was made in all areas of the sport. It was most pleasing

Played: 6 Won:3 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

their play and with their communication and always remained positive regardless of the outcome.

It was a pleasure to work with such enthusiastic and eager netballers, I wish the girls all the best for the 2021 season.

Coach: Mrs Hall

Squad: Scarlett Moody, Josie Salter, Nithusha Baheerathan, Gracie O’Brien, Isobel Holliday, Jessica Dodd, Avantika Umranikar, Tessa Weinstein, Lucia Poletti, Katie Braakenburg, Lauren Barnett, Millie Hills, Amelie Rugge-Price, Flora RuggePrice, Hennie Burlton, Ava Wright, Vipusha Kamalarajah and Sasha

Sherrin.

Played: 5 Won:2 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

that for all the matches we fielded a full enthusiastic team and also, on occasion, had substitutes to stand in when we needed them. Despite the final match of the year being cancelled, the whole team should look forward to moving up an age group next year; they play well together.

Coach: Mrs Blow

Squad: Defne Nebol, Vipusha Kamalarajah (C), Kate Quigley (C), Lauren Barnett (C), Roisin Allen, Khadeejah Butt, Simran Khaira, Tessa Aresca and Nithusha Baheerathan.

U12A Netball

The U12 netballers started training in September and every week there was a good turn out across the ability range ensuring that by the start of the season in January a number of the girls were already in a routine and developing their skills in preparation for the first match. All players were upbeat throughout the season, training numbers were continuously high and the atmosphere at matches was both positive and fun.

The first match of the season for the U12 A team was against St George’s. As a very similar school to KES, and with a number of known players, the girls fully expected this to be a tough match. The pre-season training came through with superb shooting from Lana, Ava and Hennie and strong defence from Anu and Lily meaning St George’s struggled to make it onto the score sheet.

The girls faced Cheam School at home the following week but due to the conditions the game had to be limited in time. This was a shame as the teams were closely matched and the game ended in a draw. The last match in January was against Ryde School with Upper Chine. With a couple of key players missing, it was a rearranged squad who took on the visitors but, having settled into their new positions, the team went on to produce a good win. There then followed two good wins against Gordon’s School and Dauntsey’s. Speed of play through the centre court led by Megan, Flora and Amelie, kept the opposition moving and often left them on the back foot.

Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

After half-term, the team took its first knockback against St George’s in London. The girls worked hard throughout the game, taking each quarter one at a time and finding ways to tackle the very strong opposition. The loss on paper was not a reflection of the game itself which maintained its end to end flow and was hard fought with many turnovers.

The tournament at Churcher’s was excellent fun with pleasant weather and a number of fantastic matches against teams that the school would not normally have the opportunity to play. The girls lost one match in their pool against Alton and played the eventual winners, Tormead, in the semi-final leaving them 3rd/4th out of the 11 teams. The final match of the season was against Twyford School on a very wet Monday afternoon. The girls were in good spirits, despite the weather, and the match was close with Twyford only taking the win in the last quarter.

The U12 A squad have been a pleasure to work with regardless of the combination of players and position they were placed in. It was a shame the season finished early and I wish them the all the best next year. Coach: Mrs Henderson

Squad: Anu Bamodu, Megan Barriball, Hennie Burlton, Holly Chambers, Harriet Field, Lily Fisher, Lana Holyroyd, Edie Johnson, Amelie Rugge-Price, Flora Rugge-Price and Ava Wright.

U12B Netball

It has been an absolute pleasure coaching the B team this season. They have had a fantastic season and the girls have shown continuous progression throughout. All the players have worked consistently hard and displayed huge progress in their skills each week. The girls’ upbeat demeanour and enthusiasm every Saturday was amazing. They started the season with an encouraging victory against Churcher’s 4-1 and managed some other very impressive wins against Ryde School, Gordon’s and Lord Wandsworth College.

Whilst there were well-earned victories, there were also some weeks that the side was faced with tough opposition resulting in a couple of close losses. No matter what the overall score, it was clear that the girls grew stronger as a team every week and always supported each other’s progress. All of the players showed vast improvements in their footwork,

Played: 8 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

defending and attacking during training sessions and were able to implement this in their games. Within the first couple of weeks you could see visible progress in the girls’ passing and communication, enabling movement of the ball across court to flow significantly better. They developed a strong skill set in their positions and this allowed them to have a strong defending and attacking team. It has been an excellent start to playing senior school netball.

Coach: Miss McGregor

Squad: Edie Johnson, Harriet Field, Heidi Waite, Immi Akerman, Megan Barriball, Becky Saunders, Rosie Lyndon, Elisabeth Mathies, Catherine Tarmey, Ava Wright, Sophie Holebrook, Isabelle Henderson, Isabelle Coshott, Emily Carrall-Wilcocks and Lana Holroyd.

U12C Netball

The girls began with a great match against Churcher’s. The teams were well matched in ability and Evie and Sophie performed well as shooters. In the match against Cheam, the girls’ lack of opportunity to play together was evident against a team that had been formed for much longer. The match against Gordon’s School was extremely close with Becky developing her shooting skills considerably. Many players showed real U12D Netball These young ladies should take great pride in their continued positive attitude whilst playing the five netball fixtures at the start of this year. Unfortunately, they lost in all of their matches but during each game they showed great determination, teamwork and smiles throughout. I was very proud of all of them. During the home match at the beginning of January, the girls started off well, scoring all of their ten goals early on. It was, therefore, a shame to see Churcher’s College take the victory right at the end with their last few winning shots. A similar situation happened the following weekend. KES scored the first goal of the game but the opposition then placed nine in a row to finish.

Played: 7 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

improvement over the course of the season and it was a pity there was not the opportunity to play the last scheduled match. Ruby, in particular, demonstrated her willingness and flexibility to play in any position. Some players of the match nominated were Isabelle S, Isabelle C, Evie and Isabelle H. I look forward to seeing how they all improve next year. Coach: Miss Yerbury

Squad: Sophie Holebrook, Isabelle Coshott, Emily Carrall-Wilcocks, Isabelle Sheppard, Sophie Goriainova, Evie Waud, Livvy Mitchell, Emily Strike, Ruby Wiltshire, Rosa Shepherd, Becky Saunders, Heidi Waite, Isabelle Henderson, Olivia Spooner, Jess Windram, Jemima Hughes, Catherine

Tarmey and Amelia Kozlowska. Played: 5 Won:0 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

Against Gordon’s School, the girls were fully focused and had new tactics within their positions. With some changes of team members, they were adamant they would to try to win the game. Despite losing 4-12, Sophie Tarafdar worked tirelessly in her role as captain and was voted match player of the match. With a change of positions, and extra hard work during training sessions, the girls retained their positive attitude throughout the afternoon away game at Dauntsey’s School but suffered a 20-1 defeat. Away to St George’s College, not once did I hear the girls say they wanted to give up. I watched them try so hard with even more enthusiasm once again, but when we lost with 3 goals to 36, I must admit I had tears of frustration in my eyes.

With all this said and done, I thoroughly enjoyed guiding them through these wintry weekends and feel they should be holding their heads up high and shouting; ‘King Edward’s never give up!’, and we will be back again trying even harder next year. Coach: Mrs Peterson

Squad: Phoebe Ashton, Sofia Dewsbury, Zhiqing Gao, Sophie Goriainova, Alice Higenbottam, Jemima Hughes, Hattie Knapman, Simran Lally, Olivia Larkin, Jasmine Mehta, Livvy Mitchell, Rosa Shepherd, Emily Strike, Olivia Spooner, Sophie Tarafdar, Peggy Tomson, Lily Walker, Ella Wateridge, Evie Waud, Mia Williams, Ruby Wiltshire and Jess Windram.

BOyS’ SPORT AT KES 2019-2020

Rugby overview

The game of rugby continues to develop at KES with more boys playing the sport. With A, B and C teams in many of the year groups, all players are having the opportunity to play the game by representing the school. This continued upward trend in the rugby programme seems to be a consistent theme and one that all staff believe in and are committed to.

The season started for the 1st XV with the traditional pre-season training in August which culminated with the 17th South Coast Kings Tournament. Other year groups engaged in a series of pre-season training camps in preparation for their first competitive games of the campaign. The Kings Tournament was well attended with many schools making this a traditional part of their season preparation. The weather was perfect and energised all participating players. Everyone engaged with

the “free and fast” ethos of the competition and displayed some great attacking skills. It was a fantastic event which was made so much better by the support of the Hampshire Society referees who took charge of every U18 game, the KES grounds team who produced incredible pitches and the catering staff who kept everyone fed and watered all day. Special mention must go to Mr Kent who managed all the tournament scheduling during the event, Mrs Paul who co-ordinated all the administration leading up to the competition and, lastly, the KES teachers who supported and encouraged our players throughout the day.

Rugby at King Edward’s is as much about experience and teamwork as it is about results. There was a real improvement in the “squad mentality” this year and our B team coaches are to thank for this continued

growth in playing numbers. Their enthusiasm and organisation in fielding full teams every week was fantastic; Mr Duncan, Mr Aellen, Mr Sinclair, Mr Rosenberg and Mr Nicholls have put a huge amount of effort into continuing to build strong B/C team cultures at KES.

The autumn term was blessed with perfect rugby playing weather which saw all our teams participate in the early rounds of their prospective national and county cup competitions. Individual players from several teams were also beginning to create a name for themselves among a variety of representative teams; we had Hampshire caps for Daniel Wickes, Will Chambers and Archie Callaghan. The senior squads boasted pleasing numbers during this season; 18+ at training. Their hard work throughout the season, typified by players such as Sam Thompson and Oliver Showell, brought its rewards; back-to-back wins against both Barton Peveril College and Bournemouth School were notable highlights. The First Years were mostly small but, nevertheless, skilful, quick, and as determined as you could hope for. Mr Kent, Mr Aellen and Mr Nicholls crafted three squads full of energy and skill and they pulled off some mighty victories. The U12A team recorded an impressive equal share of points for and against with five wins from their nine games. The U13 squads made excellent progress throughout the season, growing in skill and speed and performing well against some tough opposition. It was good to have Mr Duncan back at KES after a break; his energy, patience and enthusiasm were vital in launching our players into the next phase of their rugby education. Our U14 teams were stoic in all aspects of the game; a phenomenal win against MCS was a notable event. Mr Laverty has directed some passionate, industrious and energetic players with real guile throughout the term. They were a pleasure to coach and they were gentlemen off the field after each fixture.

Mr Penn, who was ably assisted by Mr Aellen, managed the very talented U15 teams. The vast majority of their ten Saturday games were fiercely contested with Mr Penn’s charges winning eight and their cup run was only cut short due to a strong Churcher’s team.

Mr Collinson worked hard with the U16 squad. This set of U16 players knuckled down and worked industriously throughout the season. Several players from this squad represented the 1st XV which speaks volumes of the toughness of many of these young men. I would like to personally thank the staff and players for their hard work. Coaches demand high standards which our players respond to accordingly. The students understand the need to put their heart and soul into representing the school and this is rewarded with the positive experiences that they receive and, in a less direct way, from the results that they are achieving. I look forward to seeing more players representing the school, and as many parents as possible coming to support. Mr Powell Head of Rugby

1st XV Rugby

Despite appearances, the 1st XV rugby season was an incredible mix of energy, courage and skill.

Our pre-season training in August set us up well for the South Coast Kings Tournament in which we were unfortunate not to record a win but played with bravery and established, what would become, a team ethic that would put other school teams to shame. The tournament was a great opportunity for new players; Dan Gollings was particularly impressive in his new KES 1st XV shirt.

As the season got underway, the first round draw for the NatWest Cup pitched us up against our old adversaries Peter Symonds College; we played extremely well and narrowly missed out on leading as we went in for half time. The second half saw the numbers and physicality of the PSC squad begin to wear us down but, as is the story of the entire season, we never took a backward step.

Great wins over Bournemouth School, Ryde and Barton Peveril College exemplified the perseverance of so many of our players; numbers at training were always strong and I almost never had to beg players to play!

The coaching support from Mr Duncan was exceptional and he is hugely responsible for our attacking shape and the fitness our players maintained throughout our fourteen tough games. I cannot thank him enough.

Lastly, it is always emotional to bid farewell to our senior players in the Upper Sixth; many of these young men have committed themselves to the rugby programme at King Edward’s for seven years and have represented the school with honour and pride. I am so unbelievably proud to be associated with all our rugby players at KES and I will be tracking the progress of our leavers with interest as they go forth onto the next phase of their rugby education.

Coach: Mr Powell

1st XV Player of the 2019-2020 Season: Ed Kellett Most Improved Senior Player of the 2019-2020 Season: Wojciech Magier

Played: 14 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 9

Squad:

Will Barker, Edward Kellett, Oliver Showell, Luke Ward, Sam Burton, Alex Georgiou, Henry Gwilliam, Ewan Horn, Tom Henley, Nick Damley-Jones, Patrick Keith, Sam Thompson, Oliver Wilson, Adam Woo, Dan Gollings, Henry Tudor, William Waring, Michael Shenouda, Will Booth, Will Brench-Jones, Oscar Self and Wojciech Magier.

U16 Rugby

After an excellent U15 season, this group was looking forward to new challenges and building on the foundations laid down in 2018. However, despite some good performances the results were ultimately disappointing.

The first game of the season, against the Oratory School, started very brightly with KES taking a 10-0 lead. However, a couple of mix-ups between new combinations gifted the opposition some soft tries and KES eventually lost 29-20. The next fixture, against a touring side from Argentina, was another exciting and well-played match but with KES losing by the same score. There was better news against Ryde, where KES proved much too strong and ran away with the game 56-0. However, this game saw the start of a string of injuries to key players that cost the team any kind of momentum. The fixture against Dauntsey’s saw KES field a side without any subs, and finish the game with fourteen players after an injury to Aaron Henderson. The next fixture, against Lord Wandsworth College, saw Dan Newman break his ankle, and between these injuries and a number of concussions, KES struggled to field a competitive side for several weeks. A heavy loss to Churcher’s was followed by a single point defeat to PGS and the season ended with another defeat to Oratory. All in all, there were five games there for the taking that were let slip away, so it was a chastening experience after the glory of the U15 season.

Played: 8 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

Coach: Mr Collinson

Squad:

Kerem Nebol, Jim Pearce, Jack Light, Andrew McFarlane, Oscar Groves, Ree Okitikpi, Eric Bentham, Archie Callaghan (C), Billy Smith, Aaron Henderson, Alistair Howard, Jack Warrener, Huw Dunlop, Will Daniels, Caleb Hillier, Harry Stembridge, Jack Lyne, Charlie Massey, Archie Kilpatrick, Dan Wickes, Will Chambers, Max Mehta, Ben Butson, Cameron Yates, Jack Wells and Dan Newman.

U15A Rugby

The U15A team have been magnificent this season. Numbers at training have been high each week, and this group has a huge amount of potential. The players have impressed me with their endeavour and work ethic.

The side attended the South Coast Tournament for the first time this season and were met with a tough group. The eventual top three finishers for the U15 age group were all in the pool. However, the boys met each and every challenge with determination and kept playing until the end of each game.

The fixture against The Oratory School was the catalyst for a change in fortunes and mind-set from the boys. They developed a steely edge to how they approached each tackle, ruck, lineout, scrum and carry, which would set them up very well over the coming matches. One of the key factors in this was the partnership of Harry Day and Joe Thompson in the centre as well as Ben Morgan, Jack Williams and Joshua Kerr in the engine room. They were simply outstanding all season long.

The next game, against Ryde, was one of the highlights of the season. The U15s were down at half-time and the boys identified that they were giving their opponent’s fly half too much time and space to play, and he was making them pay with kicks and threatening runs. In the second half, the back-row of Sam Golledge, Bruno Jesney and Dom Fernando targeted him and the boys managed to wrestle the momentum back from Ryde. With three minutes to go, KES were down by 6 points with an attacking lineout on their 22 metre line. The boys set up an excellent driving maul, which made ground and then, out of nowhere, Dom Fernando burst free to score under the posts and take the win on the final whistle. The determination of the team was outstanding in this fixture teaching the boys that they can come back from any situation if they keep playing with intensity and for each other.

Dauntsey’s, Lord Wandsworth College and Embley Park (formerly HCS) were next on the fixture list. The boys kept their standards high winning the Dauntsey’s fixture 27-5. Hugo Dunkley, Alex Kipps, Sam McIlroy, Mathieu Loran and Harry Bristowe, in particular, were excellent in this game. In the match against Embley, all the training and high standards the boys set for themselves as a group, came together and they were ruthless. The boys played with freedom, and at speed, tackled ferociously and did not give Embley any time or space to play or get a foothold into the game. KES eventually cantered to a 76-5 win with Ata Yilmaz impressing with his running on the wing.

Played: 10 Won: 8 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

A cup game against an incredibly strong Churcher’s College side was to be the only blip of the season. At 20 minutes in, the scores were all square at 0-0. However, with half-time fast approaching, the U15s conceded three quick and very soft tries. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the tries kept coming and the boys went on to lose the game to an unflattering score line which did not reflect the overall performance.

The season ended with an almighty flourish; a convincing win against Magdalen College 31-5 and a brutal game against The Oratory (away from home) which KES won 29-19.

The performance of the term was against PGS! The squad were utterly dominant, and in control of the match, after the first half. Ethan Woods, Ollie Williams, Bruno Jesney, Sam Golledge, Charlie Shannon and George Coltart all put in their performance of the season with brutal carries and tackles throughout. Unfortunately, after half-time the boys missed several key tackles and slowly PGS clawed their way back into the game. The U15s kept running hard. Monty Randle kicked superbly out of hand and Harry Day was also excellent off the tee. He ran the show at fly half with maturity, skill and exceptional decision making. The boys went on to score with 5 minutes remaining to play and weathered the final storm from their opponents to claim the team’s first ever win against PGS!

I would like to thank all the players for such an enjoyable season. Your energy, work ethic and willingness to learn has been inspiring and I will be following your rugby journeys with great interest over the coming years. Thank you, also, to all the parents for travelling to watch your sons play. I really appreciate your support and I know the boys always get a lift from you being on the touchline. Finally, I would like to thank the team captain, Dom Fernando. He has led from the front, both with ball in hand, as well as in defence. His maturity, leadership and team talks have been truly outstanding and have been a major part of the team’s success.

Coach: Mr Penn

Squad:

William Armstrong, Harry Bristowe, George Coltart, James Cummings-Candal, Harry Day (VC), Hugo Dunkley, Dominic Fernando (C), Samuel Golledge, Bruno Jesney, Joshua Kerr, Alex Kipps, Mathieu Loran, Sam McIlroy, Ben Morgan, Monty Randle, Charlie Shannon, James Tall, Joe Thompson, Jack Williams, Oliver Williams, Ethan Woods and Ata Yilmaz.

U15B Rugby

The U15B rugby team continued their excellent progress from last season and played a brand of fluid attacking rugby throughout the season. Despite a number of cancelled games, there was always an excellent level of attendance and commitment at training, which bodes well for the future. A number of players in this squad have already begun to play at A team level and there are many other players who will have much to contribute to KES rugby in the coming seasons.

The first two games of the season were beset with drama as last-minute tries from Owen Wiseman and Ata Yilmaz secured victory against Halliford and Dauntsey’s. The season then entered a more challenging phase as the group were tasked with taking on Bournemouth School’s A team. After a promising start to the game, cracks started to form in defence and Bournemouth ended the game as comfortable winners. The boys then travelled to Churcher’s College, who have a formidable depth of talent in rugby at this age group. Nevertheless, KES gave a spirited performance and gained their opponent’s respect. Indeed, there were calls for television replays following Murray Boyle’s disallowed try. The match against Magdalen College began in a disappointing manner when lacklustre tackling led to their team running in five tries in a very one-sided first half. However, the team again showed both its talent and never-say-die tenacity by scoring three tries in the second half. The highlight U15A Rugby Team Photo

Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

of the game was, undoubtedly, Harry Cotterell’s excellent individual try where he showed a great side-step and pace to scamper in under the posts.

The season concluded with an outstanding 61-0 victory over Portsmouth Grammar School. Will Taylor created panic in their defence every time he touched the ball and scored a number of excellent tries, Olly Herbert was also outstanding with his distribution and kicking a constant threat throughout. My thanks to Will Armstrong who captained the team with distinction throughout the season. Significant credit should also go to Matt Dodd who made a return to KES rugby this year with some outstanding individual performances in the back row. I have hugely enjoyed coaching the boys over the last two years; they have been an absolute credit to the school and I look forward to watching them develop in future seasons.

Coach: Mr Sinclair

Squad:

Kym Anderson, Will Armstrong, Murray Boyle, Charlie Hand, Oliver Herbert, Josh Kent, Tom Lugton, Nolan Erard, Owen Wiseman, Ata Yilma, Will Taylor, Tom Norman, Harry Cotterell, Kamran Dhariwal, Daniel Burrows, Daani Nayyar, Charlie Shannon, James Tall, Nirujan Baheerathan,

Barnaby Saer and Matt Dodd.

U15B Rugby Team Photo

U14A Rugby

The philosophy for the U14 squad this season was directed towards improvement; primarily to improve as rugby players, both in terms of skill level and decision making on the field. To this end, we employed an inclusive policy whereby all players named in the squad for a match played at least one half of match time, and everyone was encouraged to solve on-field problems for themselves.

The general level of commitment from all the U14 players was very good with 30 – 40 players regularly turning up to training sessions, a fact that remained consistent throughout the season. From the early matches, the commitment of the players was never lacking as they threw themselves into every tackle and every attacking opportunity. They were rewarded for this commitment with some good performances, some excellent wins and an improved playing record.

From the very start of the season James McIlroy impressed with his blistering pace, and desire to get involved with the physical aspects of the game. In the first fixture, away at Halliford, he scored two long range tries in a match that was close until the final quarter when Halliford’s better fitness levels ensured they came away as winners. The following game was more problematic for the boys as they met an extremely impressive Oratory side who had themselves enjoyed significant success in national sevens competitions. Although the side lost heavily on a hot afternoon, players such as Max Smith never gave up and the U14s were rewarded with a consolation try at the end.

The team then enjoyed a winning run for three matches against Ryde, Dauntsey’s and Bournemouth School. It was during these matches that they started to play some excellent, expansive rugby. All players understood the way the team was trying to play (utilising the speed of the backs). This was demonstrated admirably, away at Dauntsey’s, with

Played: 10 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

Squad:

John Alphin, Savinu Ariyawansa, Sam Attfield, Archie Bell, Max Bouras, Sam Buckland, Ethan Chapman-Sheath, Ollie Cornwell, Sam De Hartog, Rory Duncan, Freddie Elliot, Hugo Evans, Luca Gualano, Tim Harris, Euan Holm, Oscar Hudson, Andre Hughes, Archie Lavin, Harry McIlroy, Ryan Moreau, Fraser Reynolds, Nic Simons, Max Smith, Kobe Stavonhagen, James Thompson, Joseph Warrener and Jamie Wickes.

James scoring what was, for me, the try of the season. Player of the season, Andre Hughes, was also showing everyone why he was such an important player for the team.

It was disappointing that this winning streak did not continue. However, the boys learnt a lot in the close games against Churcher’s and the rematch against the Oratory School, which, although ending in defeat, were good quality, tough games of rugby. Thereafter followed two further defeats against Lord Wandsworth and Portsmouth Grammar.

The team’s best performance of the season came against Magdalen College School when the U14s came away as 28-26 winners after a close game. The most pleasing aspect of this game was the notable focus that the KES players throughout. Luca Gualano’s leadership, and calmness under pressure, were key here, as was Jamie Wickes’s energy and willingness to move the ball. Throughout the encounter, KES remained the more disciplined side and this proved crucial in a match which was always likely to be won by a handful of points. The boys sealed victory with a try, five minutes from the end of the match. However, Madgdalen looked as if they were going to steal back the lead when they ran from their own 22 metre line in the closing minute. Although their right winger hit the half way line with a clear run to score, Andre came from nowhere and tackled him into touch.

The U14 team is clearly one with significant potential for improvement. If the players are committed and willing to work hard to improve their game, they can be a very successful team in the future.

Coach: Mr Laverty

U14B Rugby

It is very encouraging that over the course of the season, thirty-four different boys have represented the school in a fixture, even though in some ways it has been a tough season. Of these players, ten went on to represent the A team. It is also very pleasing that the U14Bs scored in most matches and thirteen different players scored tries. Several boys have grown to enjoy rugby for the first time, having moved to KES this year. If there was a strength in the U14B, it was their willingness to keep going and the quality of some of their tries scored was excellent. Some players were always available and willing to play in any position; Dylan Burrows was probably the best example of this; moving effortlessly from flanker to centre to fullback. In some fixtures, the side struggled with little possession but tackling improved, as did the ability to compete at the breakdown.

The final match against the Oratory School was probably the best of the season and it was great to finish with a win. The three tries scored in the match came after several phases of possession showing the team’s ability to recycle the ball and involve many players. Thomas Waggett scored his first try for KES, reaping the reward for great support play, and Fraser Reynolds capped an impressive season with an individual score from number 8. The defence was also excellent in this game; keeping Oratory scoreless at the end of the first half. The boys’ pleasure in stopping them on the line, following up a great tackle by Benjy Groves, was probably my highlight.

Played: 9 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

Thanks to those parents who supported home and away matches through the season.

Coach: Mr Aellen

Squad:

Freddie Fox, Michael Wong, Euan Holm (C), Fraser Reynolds, James Booth, Tim Harris, Oliver Daniels, Oliver Wilkinson, Thomas Waggett, Dylan Burrows, Matthew Evans, Ryan Moreau, Marcus Wray, Peter Burnand, Blair Galloway, Elias Simojoki, George Roche, Sam Tyson, Benjy Groves, Kobe Stavonhagen, Ollie Ginns, Sam Buckland, Callum Jacob, Nick Dodd, Sam Gavin, Oscar Hudson, Max Bouras, Freddie Elliot, Gabriel Suttie, Hugo Evans, Jamie McManus, Luca Gualano, Nic Simons and Savinu Ariyawansa.

U13A Rugby

The season started with an encouraging trip to the Milfield Preparatory Tournament where the boys battled well, resulting in a good victory against Clifton School in their final game. The first Saturday fixture, against Oratory Prep School, was a wellfought affair with KES having the majority of the possession but being undone by a flying winger. The following weeks followed a similar pattern. The boys lacked the ability to stop their opponents’ most explosive players and, although KES were a much smaller side than many of the teams they faced, it was disappointing to miss so many one-on-one tackles. This is an area that has to be addressed next year. Magdalen College saw an excellent first half-team performance with outstanding play from Rory Kilpatrick, Ben Kipps and Nathan Foot. It was therefore very heartening to see the team play so well against Churcher’s College and then beat The Oratory School in the last games of the season, especially coming off the back of so many defeats. This showed that there is undoubtedly potential for next season and I look forward to seeing how they progress over the coming years.

Played: 11 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 10

Coach: Mr Mixer

Squad:

Harry Appleton, Oliver Chambers, Cassian Fernando, Ben Kipps, Jamie Mundy, Oli Williams, Max Pemberton, Efe Nebol, Charlie Spanner, Rory Kilpatrick, Matthew Watson, Freddie Collins, Caspar Underwood, Joe Lambert, Nathan Foot, Max Addison and Thomas Dyer.

U13B Rugby

This was a challenging season but the boys are to be commended on their commitment and hard work throughout.

The first game was against Halliford School and finished in a 10-20 defeat. The team suffered further defeats over the course of the season to PGS, Lord Wandsworth College, Churcher’s College, Dauntsey’s School and Magdalen College School. However, not all the season was spent on the back foot and the players showed what they could achieve when matched against players of a similar physical size and stature.

Against the Oratory Prep School, early in the season, the boys showed good creativity and skill level to score 10 tries winning 50-10. Later in the year, they gained an even more emphatic victory 60-10 against Ryde School.

Often, if a side that does not have physical attributes upon which they can rely, then players will develop their skill level to such an extent that they become better rugby players in the long run. I strongly believe that this will be the case with this group of individuals as they move through the school and that a number will go on to represent the 1st XV when they reach the Sixth Form.

I have enjoyed working with the boys and wish them well for the future.

Played: 9 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

Squad: The following boys played in at least 3 fixtures:

Max Addison, Robin Ali, William Atkinson, Harry Channell, Tom Dyer, Oscar Eales, Nick Footit, Harry Gaster, Kit Goodridge, Ben Hughes, Kamran Jamil, Jamie King, Joe Lambert, Ben Malloch, Will Norman, Casper Underwood, Noah VigorRobertson and Matthew Watson.

U12A Rugby

This was a most enjoyable season for all involved. The latest intake of First Year boys soon showed themselves to be enthusiastic and even on the coldest darkest days of the season in mid-November there were still over 40 boys training after school; this speaks volumes for their commitment and enthusiasm.

The season started with the annual trip to Millfield and, as ever, the festival was incredibly beneficial in clarifying key aspects of play upon which the boys needed to focus. From early on it was clear that this group of boys was receptive to feedback and to trying to implement the guidance they were given. It took a while for the players to settle into senior school sport and its need to have intensity from the start of every match. Left to their own devices to warm up, it took a while to get going and this partly contributed to the early defeats to the Oratory Prep School and Dauntsey’s. These two teams played with more speed and a greater intensity and the boys needed to learn from this quickly. The early part of the season did see a comfortable win over PGS, demonstrating the potential that existed in this side. A further 35-10 win over Ryde school showed further glimpses of the team’s potential. The final game against Bournemouth School was played in poor weather conditions, and turned into a bit of a scrappy affair. Although KES were dominant for much of the game, a failure to take chances almost cost the side the match. However, the boys did create a chance with five minutes remaining to hold on for a narrow victory.

The first game after half-term ended in a 10-10 draw with Lord Wandsworth College. The boys demonstrated more control than the opposition and, given a few more favourable referee decisions, the result might have been more positive. That said, they did start to show the ability to control possession

Played: 11 Won: 7 Drew: 1 Lost: 3

and a desire to compete physically. The side put in a physical display against Churcher’s, defending well on a narrow pitch and taking two chances that came their way, to win 10-5; in truth they could have scored more with better composure on the try line. The following week the U12s took on an undefeated Magdalen College side and were on the front foot from the off. An excellent defensive display put the opposition under pressure and they could not get the ball to their speed merchants. KES scored in the first two minutes, by pushing them backwards, and doubled the lead in the first half. The spectators were treated to an excellent display of rugby as both teams showed commitment beyond their years. KES scored a third try early on and resisted a resurgence from MCS (who scored twice) to ensure a 15-10 KES win.A triangular with Churcher’s and PGS followed in which, once again, the boys beat PGS, before Churcher’s got their own back from their defeat two weeks previously. The season finished with a convincing display of attacking rugby against a gutsy Oratory School side and the boys were pleased to finish with a 40-0 victory.

I have enjoyed working with this group. They have demonstrated enthusiasm, commitment, a good skill level, a growing physicality, improved defensive awareness and a maturity to their work. I am sure they will go on to have a number of successful seasons and turn into very good rugby players as they reach the top of the school.

My thanks to all the players for their hard work, to the parents for a lot of fantastic support and to Mr Rosenburg and Mr Nicholls for their considerable efforts with the B and C teams which gives this year group real depth.

Coach: Mr Kent

Squad: The following played at least 3 matches for the U12A team:

Harry Osman (C), Ben Mayes (VC), Max Bellman, Eddie Bulstrode, Ethan Burt, Monty Callaghan, Edward Ducker, Lucas Fairweather, William Gosling, Xander McGinn, Ioan McNaughton, Monty Osgood, James Roe, Lucca Stead, Jasper Thomas and Sam Wells.

U12B Rugby

The season started with the annual pre-season training sessions before school started back at the beginning of September. The vast majority of the year group turned up and were keen to show off their skills. What was most encouraging was their enthusiasm and desire to improve.

The U12B team played a full set of fixtures, against a variety of opposition, this season and have made a very promising start to rugby at KES. What has pleased me most is the continued improvement of the team’s performance, the willingness of the players to take on board advice, and the way in which they have conducted themselves both on and off the rugby pitch.

The first game of the season, after only a couple of training sessions, saw the boys take on a very well organised Oratory Prep School. In what turned out to be a thrilling match, in which a number of KES players helped the Oratory School due to injuries, KES eventually lost 6-4. The end-to-end nature of the match, and the closeness of the game, was to become a common theme throughout fixtures.

The next three games saw the team earn two comfortable victories against local rivals PGS, 7-3 (which included a hat trick of tries for Monty Callaghan) and Ryde School, 6-1. The third of these matches saw the team earn a hard fought victory in a closely contested and pulsating game against Dauntsey’s School, resulting in a 5-4 win with Tom Ford scoring a hat trick.

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

The second half of the season proved to be more challenging in terms of the quality of the opposition, but the players’ attitudes and willingness to give everything until the final whistle shone through.

The team suffered defeats in a very close match against Lord Wandsworth College, 6-5, in appalling weather conditions and a well-organised Churcher’s College side, 2-1. Injuries and availability also started to have an effect as we also lost to a strong Magadalen College team, 4-1, and both our fixtures in a triangular tournament against PGS, 4-2, and Churcher’s College, 4-0.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the boys who have represented the U12B team this year, as well as their parents for the positive support that they have given the players and myself. It has been great working with you all and I hope that you continue to enjoy playing rugby, representing the school and develop your skills in the years to come.

Coach: Mr Rosenburg

Squad:

Rufus Adeney, William Allen, Darren Biney, John Boyle, Harry Bristow, Monty Callaghan, Samuel Cole, Edward Ducker, Thomas Ford, Ben Ginns, William Gosling (C), William Graydon, Felix Hamilton, Max Henderson, Edward Isaac, Joshua Kileff (C), Tanush Kumar, Ioan McNaughton, James Mobley, Arthur Molden, Ayinen Ramanan, Adrien Salino, Lucca Stead and Luke Sullivan.

U12C Rugby

The team’s first fixture was a 14 try spectacle, with KES running out 8-6 winners. They played with infectious enthusiasm and a desire to put into practice the many things they had learnt during training. From a crunching tackle in the first minute, the whole team got stuck into their running, passing and tackling.

The boys’ second fixture ended in a narrow defeat to PGS, 7 tries to 6. With a few new faces on the team, they set about the game with plenty of enthusiasm and a determination to use the space offered by full sized pitch. The highlight was how they were able to recycle the ball after being tackled. The moment of the game was a try-saving tackle when it looked like the PGS player had made the corner.

After an interval of 8 weeks without a school fixture, filled with 3 energetic training sessions at Wellington, the team put in their performance of the season at Churcher’s College. This was a dominant performance by the squad, scoring 5 tries in the first half and then racing out to 7 in the second half, before the opposition scored two consolation tries towards the end.

A narrow defeat followed, 4 tries to 3, against Magdalen College School in very wet and muddy conditions. MCS ran the ball much better than KES, proving able to string a few phases together and scoring in the corners. KES had plenty of possession and yet were too crowded in midfield, resulting in the U12C quicker players receiving the ball standing

Played: 6 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

still. KES did score a magnificent try in the corner following a flowing 7-phase move from their own half.

A fine team performance saw KES run out winners by 7 tries to 4 against PGS on the final day. In attack, the boys were looking to move forward quickly and this resulted in some fine individual breaks and good recycling from the tackle, rucks and mauls. In defence, the tackling was robust and the defensive line was quickly up on its opponents.

It was a tall order to go straight into a second game against Churcher’s, who were looking to avenge their defeat a fortnight before. The boys were definitely tired and were short of substitutes with illness and promotions to the B team affecting the squad. The team put in a lot of effort but couldn’t prevent Churcher’s running in 2 tries without reply.

Well done to all the boys on an excellent season and I look forward to watching their continued progress on the rugby pitch next year.

Coach: Mr Nichols

Squad:

Shravan Arunkumar, Charles Baker, Max Bean, Darren Biney, Alfie Bishop, William Buckland, Ed Cole, Samuel Cole, Kishan Dulai, Henry Ellis, Euan Galloway, Sam Garrett, Theodore Huynh, Tanush Kumar, James Mobley, Arthur Molden, Arun Panaech, Luke Sullivan, Fred Turner and George Underhill.

Hockey overview

Once again, hockey at King Edward’s took many steps forward during the 2020 season. There was notable success at all levels, as the game continues to develop and we become a regular in the newly structured tier system. KES entered Tier 1 for a number of teams, with great success. The school continues to add more teams and play more fixtures across the board. The numbers at training every week were remarkable with the U12, U13 and U14 sides having over 45 boys at every session regardless of the weather. A special mention must go to Mrs Kelly for getting 98% of the boys a match with the E,F or G teams. The percentage of wins and draws was increased showing a good balance in teams, on a strong fixture card. This is a credit to the coaching staff and boys. The depth of boys’ hockey was demonstrated in the ability to be competitive across a number of different age groups in national qualifying tournaments. The 1st XI had a great run in the U18 Tier 1 West pool, finishing 3rd in the pool and missing out on a national quarter-final place due to goal difference. The U16 side had a good run in the U16 competition having had some great wins early in the competition. They were knocked out after some questionable umpiring. The U14 boys did well in their Tier 1 South heat but, again, the goal difference saw the boys exit the competition. The boys continued to be challenged during games sessions and after school training. The high level of attendance at after school training was a great advert for the popularity of the game at KES and the range of levels of hockey on offer; from the high performance players to the team players in the lower teams.

King Edward’s is a high performance centre for England Hockey and we are very pleased to have had a number of boys attend the Monday night sessions and many players making the Futures team and NAGS squads, with Rory Penrose making the U18 NAGS team.

Indoor hockey was again very popular. Both teams were seeded for the South which proved to be the downfall. The boys struggled with the limited game time and having a slow start in the heats, and thus missed out on the qualification for the South finals.

I would like to thank the coaching staff for helping put teams out each week, as the term is short and intense requiring many teams per week. The large number of boys playing is a credit to the staff who have always been positive and have created a culture of hockey amongst the boys. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season ended early. Thank you to Mr Gilbert, Mr Jackson, Mr Wight, Mr Rodriguez, Mrs Kelly, Mr Dodds, Mr Kent, Mr Penn, Mr Sheppard, Mr Bassett, Mr Hyder and Mr Barley.

Mr Crichton Head of Hockey

1st XI Hockey

The boys took part in the England Hockey Tier 1 Championships this season, which involves the top hockey schools in the country. KES were placed in the west conference, which involved away trips to Dean Close and Peter Symonds College with home fixtures against Millfield, Marlborough College and Canford. The season started before Christmas with the visit of Millfield. With preparation time not ideal, despite a number of training sessions, KES struggled to get going in what was the first match of the season. In addition, with the 2018/19 season’s 1st team made up predominantly from the previous Upper Sixth, it was a completely new-look 1st team. In a game where KES produced numerous chances, the lack of structure led to a number of breakaway goals for Millfield, culminating in a 4-2 loss. When looking purely at match statistics, the scoreline was difficult to understand. However, it was clear that a new system and structure was required for the team to make the most out of the season. Following a team meeting and further training sessions, a new system was introduced for the squad, which would be employed in the second Tier 1 game of the season away at Dean Close. On paper this would be the toughest game of the season for KES, playing against a school side containing several junior internationals on a dark and gloomy late afternoon in Cheltenham. KES started off the game well in their new more disciplined structure with Soren Golding and Euan Etheridge protecting the defence well in midfield. This would allow the mercurial Rory Penrose, Ollie Lander and Ned Goodridge more freedom when counter attacking forwards. KES knew that they would need to protect the circle well and counter attack at pace in order to get anything out of the game. Despite superb structure and discipline, and numerous top drawer saves by Alex Georgiou in goal, KES conceded two first half goals. However, KES did create chances of their own with a couple of short corner saves being made by the Dean Close goalkeeper. Just before half-time, Rory Penrose carried the ball forwards with intent, finding Ollie Lander who executed a

Played: 11 Won: 6 Drew: 1 Lost: 4

Squad:

Oliver Lander, Torin Atchley, Noah Cooper, Euan Etheridge, Will Evans, Pierre Forster, Alexander Georgiou, Soren Golding, Charlie Harden, Tom Henley, Rory Holm, William Jackson, Rory Penrose, Rufus Taylor, Ned Goodridge, Hugh Wilkinson and James

Williams.

reverse stick shot with perfect technique into the bottom corner of the goal to bring KES back into the game at half-time. KES were buoyed by their first half performance which was a huge step up in standard from the Millfield game. The same team principles were confirmed at half-time, with the importance of solid defensive structure and reactions to turnovers conveyed at the break. The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Rory Penrose being the main creator for the KES side winning a number of short corners with his quick hands in the opposition circle. Unfortunately, the boys were unable to convert the short corners that were created. As time went by, KES began to tire due to the work rate that was required in order to hassle and pressurise Dean Close. This led to more space being available for Dean Close on turnover and two further goals being scored to make the final score 4-1. Despite the scoreline, this was a superb performance by a young KES 1st team against one of the top hockey schools in the country.

The KES side were straight back into the Tier 1 competition after Christmas with the visit of Canford. In a more comfortable first half, KES led 2-1, despite conceding first. Will Jackson equalised with a slight deflection, before Rory Penrose took KES into the lead. It was clear KES had learnt a great deal in the first two games of the season and were building nicely. KES continued this improvement at the start of the second half when Charlie Harden scored his first career goal from a short corner rebound to make the scoreline 3-1. At this stage, KES were comfortable with the back four of Tom Henley, Charlie Harden, Will Evans and Noah Cooper passing the ball confidently around the back. However, with the situation not looking as positive for Canford, they decided to apply far more pressure on the KES defence. This led to a number of uncharacteristic mistakes by the KES players and numerous unforced turnovers. Despite this, Canford were kept at bay by some superb saves by Alex Georgiou in the KES goal. Noah Cooper was also proving his qualities, making fine interceptions and tackles in the KES circle.

With five minutes remaining, Canford made the breakthrough that they required, leading to a very nervous conclusion to the game. With Kes defending with all eleven players in the defensive twenty-five, you could feel a Canford equaliser coming. However, the 1st XI managed to force a turnover and counter at pace to force a short corner in the opposition circle. Rory Penrose stepped up and converted, in what was a huge moment in the season. As the game re-started the final whistle went and KES achieved their first win of the season.

The beauty of a league competition means that you can really develop as a team and keep improving. Every game highlights areas to work on. The second half of the Canford game showed the importance of defending the circle well and composure when under pressure. Fortunately, KES would have a number of Saturday and mid-week fixtures in order to prepare for their next Tier 1 game against Marlborough College. These games could be used to work on principles and tactical structure without the pressure of being in competition. KES lost mid-week to Kingston Grammar School 3-1 in a scrappy game, before putting in a better performance against St John’s, Leatherhead to win 3-2. The composure of the defence whilst in possession was much improved during the St John’s game. However, this was not the case the following week against Magdalen College. A huge number of lessons were learnt in the Magdalen game, with a few key players missing for KES. The game showed the importance of every player in the side and how individuals always need to do their job and have the confidence in their own ability to do so for the team. It was clear that with players missing, the structure perhaps needed tweaking to better suit the players available, combined with more responsibility and leadership being shown by the whole team. You will often learn far more through the disappointment of losing than through easy wins, and the Magdalen game was one of the best learning moments of the season.

With the season now evenly poised, KES would see back-to-back Tier 1 games at the end of January. KES put in a mixed bag performance against Marlborough College to win 6-5. KES were clinical in front of goal but very sloppy defensively and conceded far too many short corners. Rory Penrose scored 4 goals, with Ollie Lander and Pierre Forster scoring one each in what was a decent performance by the forwards. KES would need to outlet the ball from defence and build up the play far better as a team in their next match vs Peter Symonds who were in 2nd place in the league.

KES took on local rivals Peter Symonds in a hotly contested affair. KES took the lead through an unbelievable goal by Ned Goodridge who fired the ball off the inside of the post on his reverse stick from the collar of the circle, whilst moving at pace. Peter Symonds equalised soon after make the score 1-1. With KES midfield talisman Euan Etheridge on the sidelines due to an unfortunate ankle injury, Ned Goodridge dropped back into his more accustomed position in central midfield where he demonstrated a true captain’s performance, challenging for every ball. Rory Penrose was continuously dangerous, linking up well with the rapid Rory Holm who was a threat on the break. KES again took the lead through a well converted short corner scored by Rory Penrose. However, Peter Symonds again equalised before half time and continued to apply pressure on the much-improved KES defence. The second half became more cagey than the first half, with mistakes creeping in for both sides. Peter Symonds scored the important third goal to take the lead. Rory Holm had a couple of half chances on the counter attack, but KES were struggling to create decent opportunities in what was a less open second half. The good news was that in this high-pressure environment, the KES defence were continuing to improve their ball retention and outletting. KES were getting particular success down the left-hand side through Noah Cooper and Will Jackson. With time running out, and the KES side still one goal down, the flow of the game changed with KES attacking continuously. Peter Symonds were now the side that were struggling to cope with the pressure applied on them. With five minutes remaining KES forced a short corner, and up stepped Rory Penrose who flicked the ball high past the Peter Symonds goalkeeper, delivering another key goal at an important moment. KES threw everything forwards for the remaining five minutes to claim the winning goal and the 3 points they were looking for. Unfortunately, due to some last ditch defending by Peter Symonds, KES were unable to grab the winner.

The draw against Peter Symonds meant a 3rd place finish in the West League, and an anxious wait to find out if KES would make it through to the quarter finals as a lucky 3rd place finisher. Unfortunately for the second season running, the 1st XI KES would miss out of the top 8 by goal difference. However, the season can only be looked back on as a success due to the huge improvements the side has made during a short period. KES would see out the season with the team performance of the season against Churcher’s College (4-2) and another decent win against Seaford College (4-3). The boys used these games to play a slightly different system (3-2-3-2) in order to get more players in higher areas of the pitch and to create more support when attacking. The KES side adapted brilliantly to another system which will lay the groundwork for what will hopefully be a successful year next season. Ned Goodridge has contributed a huge amount to the 1st team as captain this season, leading by example with his attitude and work rate in midfield, whilst adding a touch of quality to the play.

2nd XI Hockey

The 2nd XI have been a great group of boys to work with this season. Their commitment to training (in games), passion and desire in matches have been outstanding throughout the term.

The season began with a tough away trip to Canford. The boys showed brilliant spirit, continuously working hard throughout, but Canford were too strong in the end. The following game was against a good St John’s, Leatherhead side and KES dominated the game from start to finish. The boys were quick to pounce on anything loose and their passing game was magnificent. They ended the match as 6-1 winners.

Magdalen College were next and again the boys put in an excellent performance. They created lots of chances but struggled to convert. Magdalen only entered the KES ‘D’ on three occasions and scored each time. The boys ended up losing the game 3-0 which was not a fair reflection of their efforts.

Churcher’s College was much the same story after the half-term break. The game was evenly poised at 1-1 at half-time and the feeling was that whoever scored first would go on to win. Unfortunately, that was not KES. Churcher’s dominated the 10 minutes after half-time scoring 4 goals in 3 minutes and ending the KES 2nd XI resistance.

March brought a change of fortune. First came a game against the Winchester College 1st XI side and the boys were superb in a very evenly matched contest. They were sharp in attack and solid at the back and restricted Winchester’s scoring opportunities. They ended the game as deserved 2-1 winners; an excellent performance against a good opposition.

Played: 6 Won: 2 Drew: 1 Lost: 3

The final game of the season came against a strong Seaford College side. Both defences struggled to contain the free-flowing attacking hockey on display. KES scored first through Fourth Year pupil, Mathieu Loran, but conceded minutes later. The team thought they had scored the decisive goal through another Fourth Year player, Thomas Norman, mid-way through the second half, but this was short lived. Seaford College equalised with 5 minutes to go. Both sides continued to throw everything at each other and the game ended in a deserved draw.

I would like to thank the Upper Sixth for all their efforts this season and to thank them for their commitment to KES 2nd XI hockey. I hope they continue to play in the next chapter of their lives. However, a special mention needs to go to Finn McCullagh and Tom Lockyer for their commitment and organisation as co-captains. They have been pivotal in getting players to play and ensuring that all instructions were communicated throughout the season and I cannot thank them enough for all their help and enthusiasm.

Coach: Mr Penn

Squad:

Nick Damley-Jones, Samuel Smith (GK), Sam Kendall, Will Booth, Tom Hand, Torin Atchley, Sam Burton, Tom Lockyer (C), Pierre Forster, Finn McCullagh (C), Henry Gwilliam, Theo Roberts, Patrick Keith, Rufus Taylor, Noah Inada-Kim, Henry Tudor, Anthony Rogers, Oliver Wilson, Matthew Duke, Hugh Wilkinson, Josh Williams, Archie Stokes, Daksh Bhatnagar, Marcus Beresford, William Jackson, Adam Woo, Noah Cooper, Sam Young, Finnian Coleman, Mathieu Loran and Thomas Norman.

U16A Hockey

Rarely has a team approached a season with such enthusiasm. Buoyed by a successful and enjoyable hockey tour to Holland in the October half-term, and also by some competitive indoor matches, the boys were well prepared. All understood the roles of players in a 4, 3, 3 formation and, despite the protestations of our skillful centre-forward, it was clear who was going to play in each position.

Harry Stembridge’s rise as captain reminded us all of the fine work done by Australian cricket captain Tim Paine. A player’s player, and leading by example, Harry’s competitive edge and fine interpersonal skills made him a fine choice. This was never more so than when he read the situation perfectly to pop up on the far post at possibly the most important moment of the season.

The boys certainly did not lack confidence against Canford, starting strongly, controlling the game and winning handsomely. They missed a few chances against Kingston Grammar but never looked like conceding in a good defensive display. In the National Cup competition, having had a bye in the first round, Cranleigh (away) was a tough fixture. In the game of the season, the boys played very well passing quickly and accurately in a blood and guts cup tie to dream of. Feisty and determined, everyone defended aggressively giving our opponents little chance of settling. The bench erupted after a fine KES strike to the far post only to be shocked by the fast break Cranleigh equalizer. But then the fullback came, against all the odds, to arrive at the far post and somehow deflect the ball in. I trust the lads will remember this moment and will be talking about it at Edwardian reunions in years to come.

Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

This fine start to the season could not be maintained. MCS were good and athletic but KES underperformed and were deservedly beaten. An uninspired but workmanlike performance against Bedes School took the team to the last 16 of the National Cup and an away tie at Churcher’s College. This was another high quality match with the lads giving everything. At 1-1 the game was evenly poised and then Churcher’s scored with a magnificent deflection.

The fact that so many of the planned fixtures were cancelled, meant that the tour matches were even more important as this allowed the side to have enough games to make good progress. Despite some limitations, the U16 A team of 2019/20 was able to compete with some of the top school sides in the country. The boys trained well and were well focused on match days too. At their best, they retained the ball well, switching channels when necessary and getting the ball forward with style and control. They bought into the press too and looked shocked to see their opponents turn over possession time and again. Most important of all the boys simply loved playing hockey!

Some have already tasted the fine coaching, teamwork and camaraderie of senior KES hockey. I urge all the players to keep improving and be part of a great senior squad next year.

Coach: Mr Bassett

Squad:

Theo Beech, Sam Young, Harry Stembridge (C), Aaron Henderson, Freddie Coulson, Finn Coleman, Matthew Dyer, Isaac Chapman-Sheath, Archie Kilpatrick, Sam Mediratta, Flynn Denman, Dan Wickes and Alex Brain. Also played - Owen Ramamoorthy, Giles Bailey, Harry Bristowe, Dominic Fernando and Josh Kent.

U16B Hockey

The season saw six regular matches at the weekend and five shortened encounters at the County Tournament. The Saturday fixtures saw the U16B team produce some entertaining hockey and resulted in three wins and a draw. They started the campaign with an open and exciting match against Canford with both teams showing plenty of skill and determination. A match played in a fabulous spirit saw Canford defend strongly and with depth, picking the ball up convincingly in midfield and creating the better chances. KES offered some expansive play at times, with good individual skill on display but the boys needed to be a little more cohesive in linking through the midfield, something that would develop over coming weeks. Grateful for a good run out the previous week, KES welcomed Kingston Grammar to Wellington. With spirits high, the first half saw a lesson in how to retain possession and switch the channel delivered by the visitors, who perhaps should have scored more than a single goal as reward. The second half saw KES step up in midfield, close down the possession game and replicate Kingston’s success in turning the ball over with the second or third man working together. The U16 Bs had much more of the ball in the second half and deservedly scored an equaliser. Ten more minutes and this expansive game could have gone either way. An away day to Magdalen College School resulted in a more even match than the scoreline suggests with plenty of action in midfield. KES played with pace down both wings which created the majority of the

Played: 11 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 6

chances and, coupled with some clinical finishing, the final score flattered the away side somewhat. Dan Wickes scored a hat trick amidst the goal flurry in the first half. The midweek outing to the County Tournament gave the U16B an unusual opportunity to pitch themselves against local 1st teams, which explains the tricky nature of the day out when facing some sides who would then go on to progress in the National Tier 1 competition. With some decent play throughout the day, the side produced some hockey to trouble the opposition and a single win during the afternoon was enough to progress to the next phase. As it turned out, academic commitments prevented the side fulfilling this challenge, but they moved towards the end of the season with two more matches before curtailment of the fixture list due to the impending lockdown. The pick of these matches saw a minibus journey, full of interesting tunes and chat, to the very hospitable Warminster School. This was a chance to put much of the good work throughout the season into action. We certainly enjoyed the better of possession and hat tricks followed for Sam Mediratta and Charlie Massey, who ended the season as top scorer. My thanks in particular to skipper Owen Ramamoorthy, who made match day administration very straightforward, the vicecaptains for their commitment to midweek training and to the whole squad for some enthusiastic play and calmness in the face of on-pitch adversity throughout the season! Coach: Mr Sheppard

Squad:

Charlie Massey, Owen Ramamoorthy, Huw Dunlop, Billy Smith, Duncan Little, Oscar Groves, Charlie Duffin, Toby Jeffes, Beau Darrer, Giles Bailey, Sam Boyland, Tom Mason, Sam Mediratta, Oliver Alford-Evans, Alexander Brain, Jack Hampshire, Alex England, Daniel Wickes, Charlie Hand, Fin Kilpatrick, Theo Beech, Simon Ladd and George McGinn.

U15A Hockey

The boys’ U15A side had a successful season with many players developing their individual game and their tactical awareness. The boys played a few new combinations, with Harry Bristowe moving to the free player and Josh Kent into midfield. The team would play the majority of the season without Oli Lander – recently promoted to the 1st team. Playing without the previous season’s key player was a chance for some new players to make a name for themselves. Harry Bristowe stood out from the start and he was able to control the match and marshal the team with great maturity. The next player to take his chance was Josh Kent who moved to midfield giving the team a creative workhorse in this area. Dom Fernando proved to be a real threat going forward and scored some epic goals. The squad numbers were small but new players were added as the season progressed. The find of the season was Bruno Jesney. Short of a player at training for an exercise, we asked Bruno to help out. He took his chance and started every subsequent match. He has a great attitude and proved to be an influential player. The team started well with a hard-fought draw away against Canford. This was to set a great foundation for the style of play and the ability of the team when working to a game plan. Kam scored near the end of the match to secure the draw. The first cup game in the Independent Schools’ U15 Competition was away to Seaford. The boys started well and played some great hockey in the first half to go into the break in the lead. Seaford fought back in the second half but KES hung on to win 4-1 and move into the 2nd round. The following match was against MCS from Oxford. MCS proved to be too strong and the boys learnt a few tough lessons, ultimately losing 5-2. The 2nd round of the ISC was against Churcher’s. The side had a home ground advantage and the boys

Played: 9 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 3

started well with a goal by Dom in the first minute. KES dominated the match but struggled to convert their chances. The match turned around when a goal against the run of play brought the scores level. Churcher’s then took control of the match but KES managed to weather the storm until the final whistle. The boys went on to win the penalty flick competition and move into the 3rd round after a very tense match. The team finished off the first half of the term with a 5-2 win against Warminster. Once again, Dom showed this ability with some wonderful goals against a very good goalkeeper.

The first game after half-term was the 3rd round of the ISC against St George’s College. The team did not start well and found themselves 4-0 down at half-time. A tough half-time team talk saw the boys start the second half with much more purpose. They started to play with freedom, put two goals in the net and created chances. Unfortunately, the time ran out and KES lost 4-2 and were knocked out of the cup.

The team then had the opportunity to play in the U16 Tier 3 England Hockey Competition. The boys started well and were able to compete against their much bigger opponents. It was a great test for them and they proved their worth many times in the games. Oli Herbert took a few big knocks and kept getting up to work for the team. The boys eventually finished in 5th place with a few games being decided by 1 goal. The season was cut short due to lockdown but I would like to say a big thank you to the boys for a great season. Each player played a major part in the team’s success and created many great memories.

Coach: Mr Crichton

Squad:

Harry Bristowe (C), Josh Kent, Harry Loveridge, Kamran Dhariwal, Charlie Hand, Fin Kilpatrick, Oliver Herbert, William Armstrong, Joe Thompson, Dominic Fernando, Bruno Jesney, Kym Anderson, Oliver Lander, Matthew Carrall-Wilcocks and Mickey Johnson.

U15B Hockey

The results do not lie, nor do they tell the complete story. In what was undoubtedly a tough season, perhaps most pleasing was the boys’ willingness and enthusiasm to turn up to training and enjoy playing some hockey. Over thirty boys played a competitive fixture, which is particularly impressive given that the season was cut short, and it was great to see a number of boys develop into core U15B players.

The highlight of the season came at the start of February with a deserved 5-1 victory over Embley A team. Playing with energy and ambition, the side gave their opponents little time on the ball, constantly pressing them into mistakes. Thomas Norman had a fantastic game, making numerous driving runs down the right-hand side and scoring two excellent first-half goals. Although they rode their luck at times in the second half, the game was effectively sealed through a potent counter-attack that Tom Andrews precisely finished at the goalkeeper’s near post.

Further victories proved elusive but there were many other memorable moments during the season. A partially frozen pitch meant the U15Bs played a delayed, half-pitch match against St John’s School, Leatherhead. What resulted was a thriller full of unstructured end-to-end action. Twice KES fell behind in the first half and twice the team hit back, first through Bruno Jesney and the second through Daniel Burrows. St John’s took their opportunities in the second half to open up a two-goal lead but the side’s persistence and enthusiasm did not wane with Tom

Played: 8 Won: 1 Drew: 1 Lost: 6

Andrews scoring late on to give hope. Unfortunately, time was against the boys as they fell narrowly short. Against Churcher’s College, they showed great solidity. Sam Golledge and Jack Williams led the way in defence and Mathieu Loran slotted home from close range in a 1-1 draw.

The final game of the season was against Seaford College and proved to be another entertaining endto-end match in which the players showed great attacking endeavour but neglected their defensive responsibilities. They fell to a 4-2 defeat, with Will Taylor on debut providing an unforgettable assist late in the game. An aerial pass left their defence flatfooted and after some expert ball control, Thomas Norman left their goalkeeper with no chance. In order to become more successful next year, this squad will need to better balance attack with defence and I expect that they will enjoy rising to the challenge.

Coach: Mr Barley

The following boys represented the School at U15B team level in at least 3 fixtures: Squad:

Kym Anderson, Tom Andrews, Findlay Bell, Ivor Berry, Daniel Burrows, Will Donnison, Hugo Dunkley, Samuel Golledge, Bruno Jesney, Mickey Johnson, Mathieu Loran, Tom Lugton, Robert McKenzie, Ben Morgan, Thomas Norman, Mathias Potter, Wilf Sutton, Samuel Venable and Jack Williams.

U15C Hockey

This has been a fantastic group of boys to work with at after school training and during games lessons. There was great improvement throughout the season with many players getting the opportunity to move up to the U15B team. The side had an unfortunate start to the season with a loss to Canford after dominating the first half. They did not take their chances and Canford capitalised on theirs to win 3-1. The team then lost to MCS, with a few key players missing. However, the boys did well to beat Warminster U15B 4-2 in their subsequent fixture; a match that they enjoyed as it was a very tight game with KES scoring a few goals in the last minutes to win the match.

Well done to all boys for their commitment this season; this has shown in their improvement.

Coach: Mr Crichton

Squad:

Mathieu Loran, Tom Jackson, Tom Collins, Sam McIlroy, Isaac Haq, Ivor Berry, Robert Ingram, Nirujan Baheerathan, Will Taylor, Tom Lugton (C), Robert McKenzie, Wilf Sutton, Samuel Venable, Daniel Burrows, Jack Williams, Nolan Erard and Thomas Norman. Played: 3 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

U14A Hockey

In what was a disjointed and disrupted season, the U14 A team showed great character on the pitch and saved the best of their hockey for the county and regional tournaments. The first weekend saw KES come up against a very talented and well drilled Canford side, who unfortunately proved too strong, running out 4-0 winners on the day. As the next game at Kingston Grammar School was cancelled due to a frozen pitch, the side went into the Hampshire Cup with only one game under their belt. Despite the lack of match time, the boys had trained hard on a new formation and tactics for the mid-week tournament. In the first game, KES started exceptionally well and put their opponents, Portsmouth Grammar School, under immense pressure from the first whistle. Two early goals confirmed the three points and gave the boys a much needed confidence boost for the rest of the day. A more scrappy game followed against Kings’ School, Winchester, but the team showed a great level of fight and determination to come out victorious. In the third game of the day, KES faced Lord Wandsworth College, and, despite another strong start, KES were not able to capitalise on some early possession and chances; a late short corner goal gave LWC a 1-0 win. In the final game of the afternoon, KES needed a point to qualify for the regional competition, and it is safe to say that the boys kept their best performance until last. A special mention to Ben Mayes and Rory Duncan for their part in the 3-0 win against Churcher’s College. This final result placed the boys 2nd in Hampshire and so they progressed to the South Tier 1 regional rounds.

After their success at the Hampshire Cup, the U14 A team struggled against an impressive Magdalen College School, losing 0-3. Another cancelled game against Sherborne School denied the boys a chance to bounce back from this defeat, and they had to wait a further week to face Warminster School. In what was a close game, Karam Lally nicely deflected an accurate cross from Hugo Evans to put KES 1-0 up with ten

Played: 6 Won: 0 Drew: 3 Lost: 3

minutes to play. KES had defended excellently all game, however a late break away led to an equalising goal for Warminster. Next came Churcher’s College and, despite the comfortable win in the Hampshire Cup, the boys could not repeat the result, coming out on the wrong side of a 2-3 thriller with Rory Duncan and Thomas Waggett scoring for KES. A disappointing 1-1 draw against Seaford College the following weekend showed the importance of ensuring that consistency in all parts of the game is key to success at this level.

The boys travelled to Eton College for the South Tier 1 regional round. KES scored first against Ardingly College but a stronger second half performance from the opposition led to both teams sharing the points. A dominant team effort versus Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School gave KES a 3-0 win. Individual mentions must go to Sam Buckland, Sam Webb and Rory Kilpatrick who played exceptionally well, in addition to Ben Mayes for a brace of stunning strikes. In the last group game, the boys came up against the eventual tournament winners – Whitgift. In open play the boys matched Whitgift play for play and really showed their class; Ethan Chapman-Sheath was outstanding in goal. In the end, two well placed drag flicks from short corners were the difference in a well fought 2-0 loss. Despite a successful afternoon, the boys missed out on the next round on goal difference, coming 3rd in the group. I could not have been prouder of the way the boys came together and showed they could hold their own and compete with some of the best teams in the country.

The final two games of the season were cancelled against St George’s College, Weybridge, and Portsmouth Grammar School. Both the county and regional tournaments showed the potential that this U14 Team has, and, with more match experience and consistency in their performances, they will be able to build upon their results this year. I wish them all the success in the future.

Coach: Mr Hyder

Squad: Sam Buckland,

Rory Duncan, Hugo Evans, Luca Gualano, Tim Harris, Andre Hughes, James Quigley, Luka Thomas, Sam Tyson, Sam Webb, Michael Wong, Callum Jacob, Marcus Wray, Nick Dodd, Ethan ChapmanSheath, Ben Mayes, Rory Kilpatrick, Oliver Daniels, Karam Lally, Sam Attfield, Matthew Evans, Zakariya Ahmed and Thomas Waggett.

U14B Hockey

The U14 B had an excellent season with only two narrow losses which, on a different day, they could easily have won. The team had a regular set of sixteen boys at every match. The KES side were too strong for Winchester College, MCS and Seaford and recorded two draws against Churcher’s and St John’s Southsea.

Competition for places in the U14 age groups was a sign of the strength in the year group and the U14 B team had many boys pushing for a place in the A team. The work rate and determination at training and matches was evident and showed how passionate the boys were for the game. It was great to see some boys new to the sport and some players move from group 5 to group 2. The progress this team has made over the season is a credit to the attitude and competitive nature of these individuals.

I look forward to seeing them develop as they go through the school. Special mention must go to Nick Dodd who played in goal for the U14B and A team and outfield for the U14A team. He proved his worth and played outfield for the U14A team in the South heat. The season was unfortunately cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic but I hope the hunger for success that the boys have demonstrated through the season will continue next season.

Played: 7 Won: 3 Drew: 2 Lost: 2

Coach: Mr Crichton

Squad:

Savinu Ariyawansa, Jamie Wickes, Freddie Elliot, Robby Wood, Freddie Fox, Sam De Hartog, George Roche, Euan Holm, Callum Jacob, Dylan Burrows, Nick Dodd, Kobe Stavonhagen, Joseph Warrener, Fraser Reynolds, Harry McIlroy, Marcus Wray, Luka Thomas, Matthew Evans, Thomas, Waggett and Oliver Daniels.

U14C Hockey

This has been a special group of boys to work with this season. Their love for hockey was evident in their attendance at after school training with over eighteen boys available to play on Saturdays. If the side had faced a match with the U14B team it would certainly have been a good game as there was little difference in the sides. There was a good mix of players; some were new to the game and whilst others were more experienced. The team had a few fixtures cancelled but were able to play four matches. The team enjoyed good wins against St John’s, Leatherhead, Churcher’s College and Seaford College and drew against MCS.

Well done to the boys for such a good season and for their commitment to hockey over the term. I fully expect a few of the boys in the U14C team to play 1st team hockey in the future as there are so many talented players to watch out for.

Played: 4 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 0

Coach: Mr Crichton

Squad:

Oliver Wilkinson, Joseph Culver, William Read, Theo Shaw, Gabriel Suttie, Blair Galloway, James Booth, Ini Brain, Max Smith, John Conor Alphin, Amaan Soomro, Elias Simojoki, Peter Burnand, Zakariya Ahmed, Venura Ranmandala and Kobe Stavonhagen.

U13A Hockey

It was a joy this year to teach such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of boys who, regardless of scorelines or opposition, rarely let their heads drop. The first game of the season highlighted the lack of team experience against a well drilled West Hill Park school. However, the game proved to be a very fast learning experience as both the team and I got used to the systems and tactics that would persist throughout the year. Having then watched West Hill Park get beaten by a rampant Churcher’s we were expecting to be on the receiving end of a large defeat. However, for the first time, the boys really showed the grit and determination that, for me, largely defined them this season. Kilpatrick truly showed his potential as a superb player, tackling hard, distributing the ball well and scoring some marvellous goals. His title of captain was well deserved, and in every game he led by example – something the boys benefited from greatly.

Against Magdalen College the side played very well, in spite of the strong opposition. Kipps and Fernando were solid in defence and distributed well, making solid tackles. Kilpatrick again dominated the middle with industrious workrate and a hat trick that reflected his performance. Dyer showed his value time and again, making good early passes, and both Hunter and newly promoted Collins came on up front to hassle the defence and track back well. Singh Dasmahapatra is a talented young player and throughout the season contributed extremely well. In this game he was skilful around the D and penetrated key areas of the pitch well.

Played: 17 Won: 10 Drew: 1 Lost: 6

Our strong start put us in a great position for the county round of the In2Hockey national competition and it was here that we played, by far, the most flowing, skilful and complete hockey of the whole season. The format of ten minutes one-way hockey is always a challenge and yet we worked hard and stuck to the established systems to leave us on top of the group. Once again Kilpatrick was completely solid throughout. His distribution was excellent and he frequently worked back and won the ball very effectively. He was an inspiration as captain, proving himself extremely effective as both full back and centre half. First Year pupil, Ben Mayes, was drafted in to play due to the tournament allowing younger players and he had a great day. He was extremely effective at centre half where he tackled and distributed beautifully. He also turned on the skill, regularly cutting through the middle and spinning onto his favoured reverse for an accurate and well struck reverse. Dyer showed positional knowledge beyond his years, tackling back doggedly and being a real handful in the left midfield role that he dominated all season. He threaded numerous passes through to the forwards and also cut in to the D very well, frequently demonstrating a cool, calm and collected finish - a first time flick into the roof being a notable example to be proud of.

The semi-final was a tough fought battle that ended in a draw – fortunate as we had missed a few opportunities and they had threatened our goal. However, it was here that, once again, ChapmanSheath proved what a quality keeper he is by saving 3

strokes to put us in the final. He was solid throughout the season and frequently made a string of goal-line saves, one after the other. It is a skill to make the initial save, but a different level to save the next two, or sometimes three shots, after that. The final was played in great spirits and the flowing, determined hockey on show was a fair reflection of the potential the squad had – a 4-3 victory saw them progress to the regional round of the national competition.

Shortly after the tournament, Kipps was injured leaving several new boys to try and fill the gap in defence – all who tried made very good accounts of themselves and deserve praise for stepping up a level. However, in subsequent games we never quite managed to find the same quality or flow, which resulted in a mixture of results. That said, I was thrilled that the boys really showed some grit in the last game of the season played against a strong Lord Wandsworth College where Kilpatrick was injured The Under 13 B team had a good mix of results this term and really improved in the matches that they played in; it is a shame that they were not able to play more matches towards the end of the term, however there was a definite improvement in the boys’ skills and positional awareness throughout the season. The first match was against Churcher’s College. It was a really good opening match with the boys winning 4-0 There were some great goals from Nathaniel Foot and a Freddie Collins hat trick. The boys played with real energy and the passing and positional play improved during the game. The next game was against West Hill Park and the boys tried to work on using the space of the pitch and moving the ball quicker to stretch the opposition. This worked well and they moved the ball quickly around the pitch; the final score being 5-1 to KES with goals from Nathaniel Foot, Aman Patel (two goals), Freddie Collins and Kit Goodridge. A slight dip in form saw the side lose to Magdalen College 5-2 and then Embley 4-0 but that didn’t discourage them from playing some really attractive hockey and scoring a couple of great team goals against Magdalen. As the

U13B Hockey

early on and was unable to come back on. In spite of losing a key player, the boys dug deep and in the dying seconds earned a deserved 1-0 victory.

Overall, this has been a season to be proud of, one in which the potential of the squad was elegantly demonstrated in winning the County Tournament. It is frustrating that the regionals have been postponed, but I for one am keeping my fingers crossed that it can be rescheduled as I genuinely believe that this side could progress to the national stage.

Coach: Mr Jackson

Squad:

Rory Kilpatrick (C), Thomas Dyer, Aashish Singh Dasmahapatra, Archie Chapman-Sheath, Cassian Fernando, Hamish Hunter, Ben Kipps, Freddie Collins, Nathan Foot, Harry Gaster, Nathaniel Saer, Olly Knight, Paddy Boyd, Tom Marsh and Ben Mayes.

Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

season developed, the boys’ hockey really started to improve massively and the passing and switching the ball from side to side was really good to watch. They also played some quick direct hockey via some nice passing between opposition players. Tom Marsh was consistently on form in goal and pulled off some spectacular saves. Against St John’s College, Southsea the improvements and lessons learnt from the previous defeats saw the boys really come out and play a fast paced and ruthless match winning 13-4. They registered a loss against Churcher’s College in what was a close game before their final match against Lord Wandsworth College. This game saw the boys dig deep and fight back to win a close fought encounter 2-1, with crucial and well taken goals from Nathaniel Foot and Aman Patel. The boys demonstrated some of their best hockey this season, moving the ball quickly and with purpose to end the season on a high even though the season had been prematurely cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

I would like to thank all the boys who have been involved in the squad for their hard work in the games lessons and afterschool training sessions. Their dedication really has helped them all improve individually and as a team and I wish them all the best for their hockey next year.

Coach: Mr Dodds

Squad:

Freddie Collins, Nathan Foot, Aman Patel, Kit Goodridge, Olly Knight, Paddy Boyd, Henry Day, Tom Marsh, Nathaniel Saer, Ben Hughes, Harry Gaster, Max Pemberton, Joe Lambert and Archie Chapman-Sheath.

U13C Hockey

The boys had a great season this year and were all disappointed not to have had more fixtures. As is evident from the squad list, there was a lot of movement between the teams as pupils found their levels and made progress throughout the season. It is a credit to those who played regularly that the team spirit and cohesion in each game was good, in spite of the changing faces. The side had a fantastic number of quality goalkeepers this year, and Joe Lambert was definitely one of them. He has a great eye for the ball and made numerous good saves, often during crucial parts of the game, that enabled the team to keep their heads up and a victory to be assured. The back line was always solid, with both Chambers The amount of enthusiasm on show in the team this year was surpassed by none. Every chance the boys got to be out on the pitch, practising or playing, was taken and the general ethos of playing not only to win, but also to enjoy it, was fully adhered to. As can be seen from the number of boys who had the chance to represent a 7-a-side team I tried hard to include all those who wanted to play. Lambert was promoted early on the role of keeper, but his place was incredibly well filled by the all-rounder Sharma and very natural Addison. Omer, Malloch and Vigor-Robertson were all regulars whose commitment to the squad, and ability to fill in on a late call up, was very much appreciated – well done boys! Hughes orchestrated the middle when playing and deserved his call up to the C and B teams. Chacko’s work ethic and determination meant he contributed extremely well. The highlight of the season was undoubtedly an extremely closely fought battle with Magdalen College that saw KES come out 5-4 on top – Bravo!

Played: 5 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 1

and Mundy providing a season long partnership that proved hard for any opposition to break. Channel was industrious in the middle and his positive and enthusiastic approach frequently kept the cohesion and determination of the team on track. George Goodridge showed he is a very capable centre forward and scored many goals with Spanner making a move from goalkeeper to pitch player and being very handy at both.

Overall this was a promising season that bodes well for the change to 11-a-side hockey next year.

Coach: Mr Jackson

Squad:

George Goodridge, Harry Channell, Kit Goodridge, Oliver Chambers, Jamie Mundy, Max Pemberton, Joe Lambert, Caspar Underwood, William Fletcher, Harry Gaster, William Atkinson, Matthew Watson, Tom Marsh, Charlie Spanner, Aman Patel, Junhao Liu, Ben Hughes and Nathaniel Saer.

U13D Hockey

Played: 4 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

Coach: Mr Jackson

Squad:

Zayd Omer, Ben Malloch, Noah Vigor-Robertson, William Atkinson, Sam Chacko, Raaghav Sharma, Ben Hughes, Joe Lambert, Matthew Watson, Max Addison, Oli Williams, Aman Patel, Caspar Underwood, William Fletcher, Daniel Hill, William Norman, Jamie Mundy and Junhao Liu.

U12A Hockey

What an outstanding season for the U12A boys’ hockey team. The boys were enthusiastic, hardworking, dedicated to their commitments on a Saturday and demonstrated some real flair on the hockey pitch. They had a very competitive fixture list, which really tested the boys and it has been incredible to see their progress throughout the season.

The season started away at Churcher’s College and this was always going to be a tough start for their first outing as a team. However, the boys really demonstrated what type of team they wanted to be. After going 5-2 down, the KES team worked hard and regained possession to finish the game 5-5. I was certainly impressed by their attitude. I think it is important to mention the excellent leadership qualities of their captain, Ben Mayes, who demonstrated early on that he was prepared to lead his team to achieve some excellent performances and consequently some fabulous results.

Kingston Grammar School were the next challenge. KES were leading at half-time but Kingston Grammar came back hard in the second half and this forced the boys to really find out how resilient they were under pressure. They worked hard to finish the game 5-5 against outstanding opposition. Ioan McNaughton had a tremendous first game for the A team and found his way onto the score sheet twice.

Another two performances to note were against Warminster School (away) and Magdalen College School (away). After a long journey and early start against Warminster School, the KES team bounced off the bus and were ready to get going. An excellent

Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 2 Lost: 1

performance resulted in some well-executed set plays and possession, securing a convincing 12-4 victory for the side. The game against Magdalen College School was a tight game where play was shared, and the performance was end to end. Goalkeeper Sam Wells had to make some spectacular saves to keep the U12 As in the game. The final score was 4-3 to KES.

There were also fixtures against Lord Wandsworth College and the return leg against Churcher’s College. The boys were victorious against an older Lord Wandsworth College team winning 9-1 but lost to an extremely tough Churcher’s College team 9-4.

The U12 A team have been great role models for the rest of the year group. The school hosted a hockey festival at Wellington with teams from Trojan’s Hockey Club and many of the A team players captained the teams. Their encouragement, advice and support of all of the players was first rate and they should be very proud of themselves.

It was a shame that the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic because the boys would have really liked an opportunity to take on Portsmouth Grammar School and St George’s College. We will look forward to playing them next year.

Well done boys on an excellent season!

Coach: Mrs Kelly

Squad:

Ben Mayes, Sam Wells, Edward Ducker, Ayinen Ramanan, Edward Bulstrode, James Roe, Lucca Stead, Monty Osgood, Ioan McNaughton, George Underhill and Arthur Hancox.

U12B Hockey

The U12B side had a very solid season and, although they faced some very tough opposition at times, produced some outstanding performances and made excellent progress. It was unfortunate that the season was a little disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic and issues with the motorway but, nonetheless, the team have so much to be proud of. The development of these players has been remarkable and I am sure many of these boys will be playing A team hockey at some stage of their KES hockey career. The captaincy of the B team was shared throughout the season and it demonstrated to the coaches that within this group of players there are some very fine leaders.

The boys started the season with a 1-1 draw against a very good Churcher’s College team. This was a hard-fought game and the boys were pleased with the result. Their first win (3-1) of the season came against a strong team from Kingston Grammar School. The boys had to sustain much pressure from their opposition but managed to secure victory after some fine saves by goalkeeper, Nemanja Theriault, late on in the game. The second win of the season came against Magdalen College School 3-0. Captain on the day, Josh Kileff, demonstrated excellent leadership qualities and encouraged his team throughout. Monty Osgood also put on a fine display of defending when the side were under considerable pressure from the Magdalen side.

The boys were defeated by St John’s College U12A team and also by Churcher’s College on the return leg. Both games were very close and the players learnt much from these encounters regarding possession and defending. The last game of the season was

Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

against a Lord Wandsworth side and the boys were triumphant winning 4-1. Captain on the day, Harry Osman, was very impressive; calm and steady on the ball leading to a number of the KES goals.

It was a shame the boys did not get to finish the season because they would really have liked an opportunity to take on Portsmouth Grammar School and St George’s College. We will look forward to playing them next season.

Well done boys – a fantastic season!

Coach: Mrs Kelly

Squad:

Nemanja Theriault, Max Bellman, Arthur Hancox, George Underhill, Edward Isaac, Darren Biney, Theo Congreve, Josh Kileff, Harry Osman, Monty Osgood, Luke Sullivan, Xander McGinn and Samuel Cole.

U12C Hockey

The U12 C team worked incredibly hard this season despite having a tough start to their campaign. They were keen to improve and they always arrived at training with an eagerness to improve. Many of the players progressed to the B team at some stage in the season and this really reflects the trajectory of their development. The boys had a close game against Churcher’s College to start the season and, after much possession and many opportunities, lost the game 1-0. However, I was impressed by how quickly they progressed. Some notable performances throughout the season were against Magdalen College and Warminster School where the boys drew both of these games 2-2 and 0-0 respectively. Defensively the boys were strong and they were unlucky not to convert any of their chances in front of goal; they should feel proud of their achievements.

We were sad that the season was abruptly ended due to the coronavirus pandemic but the boys, I am sure, will relish in the opportunity to play St George’s College, Portsmouth Grammar School and King’s School next season. The players also enjoyed the hockey festival that was held at School and this was an excellent opportunity for them to develop their match play.

Played: 6 Won: 0 Drew: 3 Lost: 3

Squad:

Rufus Adeney, Max Bellman, Darren Biney, John Boyle, William Buckland, Ethan Burt, Monty Callaghan, Sam Cole, Theo Congreve, Lucas Fairweather, Ben Ginns, William Graydon, Dash Halfpenny, Felix Hamilton, Theodore Huynh, Edward Isaac, Xander McGinn and Sam Redhead.

U12D Hockey

The U12 D team had an absolutely outstanding record this season and, considering the amount of player rotations that occurred, they should feel very proud of themselves. Some of the boys playing within this squad had not played hockey before and I am immensely proud of the progress they have made. All boys had an opportunity to represent the school if they so wished, and many of these boys also enjoyed the hockey festival that was held at KES with Trojan’s Hockey Club. The enthusiasm within this squad of players was incredible and the numbers available meant that we could field an U12 E and F team. This was fantastic and the boys enjoyed their own specific training at Hockey Club, which allowed them to really make progress. The U12D team had some fantastic performances and convincing wins against Churcher’s College, Kingston Grammar School, Warminster School and Lord Wandsworth College. It was a shame the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic but I am sure the boys will look forward to next season with just as much determination and motivation as demonstrated this year.

Played: 6 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 0

Coach: Mrs Kelly

Squad:

Rufus Adeney, William Allen, Shravan Arunkumar, Charles Baker, Aleks Birdsall, Alfie Bishop, John Boyle, Harry Bristow, William Buckland, Ethan Burt, Monty Callaghan, Ed Cole, Kishan Dulai, Henry Ellis, Tom Ford, Euan Galloway, Sam Garrett, William Gosling, William Graydon, Felix Hamilton, Max Henderson, Theodore Huynh, Edward Isaac, Tanush Kumar, Arthur Molden, James Mobley, Arun Panaech, Viraj Raichura, Alex Roots, Lopez De Silanes, Adrien Salino, Tom Sharp, Sajjan Singh, Jasper Thomas, Aviral Yadav and Zhenghan Yuan.

As the coach responsible for the U12 hockey teams this season, I can wholeheartedly say how proud I am of every one of the players. They have all progressed so much and, for many of the boys, this was a new game for them. The dedication and commitment to improve as a year group has simply been outstanding. It has been heart-warming to note that 60 out of the 69 boys in the Year Group have participated in hockey this season playing for the school. This has to be a record high for participation and I am very excited to see how this talented year group develop as they progress through their school career. An excellent season, some fabulous progress and all were motivated to succeed. Well done boys!

1st XI Football

The 2019/20 season marked a turning point for KES. Playing in the Hampshire Colleges League 1, the team showed that they could compete with the bigger colleges in the county. All the players involved should be pleased with their mid-table finish. When pitches allowed, the team were able to demonstrate their passing and movement and always aimed to play football in the right way. The team was predominantly composed of Lower Sixth students and should be aiming for promotion in the 2020/21 season. 2019/20 also saw two fixtures for the KES 2nd XI against Richard Taunton’s 2nd XI. Two highly entertaining games were played, with the opposition just edging it over the two legs. It was wonderful to be able to field a 2nd XI side and the aim will be to have more matches next season.

A huge thank you must go to all the players involved and the selection of weekly match reports reflect their ability and enthusiasm for the game.

Played: 15 Won: 7 Drew: 2 Lost: 6

Coach: Mr Brown

Squad:

Marcus Beresford, Will Daniels, Joel Fox, Josh Gordon, Kai Hammond, Rory Holm, Noah InadaKim, Will Jackson, Ralf Lloyd, Zak Martyn, Theo Roberts, Anthony Rodgers, Will Tall (C), Zach Tidby, Ollie Van Aalst and Ethan Webster.

Player of the season: Josh Gordon Top scorer:

Marcus Beresford (9)

Elite Sports Performer Programme

There are over 50 students at King Edward’s who are competing at regional level or higher. The Elite Sports Performer Programme was established to provide these students with an additional support system to assist them in achieving their potential within their chosen sporting field, whilst also fulfilling their academic potential. Students on the programme have enjoyed expert strength and conditioning in the form of a series of workshops to aid them with injury prevention, as well as ensure continuous development. Along with these sessions, they have also had a number of talks to assist them in performance at elite level, giving them the extra edge. Unfortunately, due to the closure of school in March, several talks from our Senior Sports Scholars to the Lower School had to be postponed. We know that when these occur they will be invaluable to the younger pupils in gaining a deeper understanding of the skills required to maintain high levels of academic success alongside elite sporting achievements, as well as how to cope with trials, setbacks and success.

Talks this year have included: • Sports psychology • OE and professional cricketer,Joe Weatherley • Sports injury prevention • Olympic medallist Sir Ben Ainslie • Sixth Former and ladies Chelsea and England footballer, Arabella Suttie

• OE and GB power lifter, Ellie Steel. Mrs Penn Elite Sports Performer Programme Co-ordinator

Cover designed by Mr G Piggott.

King Edward VI School Wilton Road . Southampton . Hampshire SO15 5UQ Telephone: 023 8070 4561 www.kes.hants.sch.uk