Boys’ Hockey

This term, the focus of boys’ hockey has been based on our core values of enjoyment, confidence and respect, underpinned with the high-performance behaviours of altruism, bravery, and commitment. It has been wonderful to see so many players striving to be the best they can be, both in training and in matches, and for all teams to have developed their own scoreboards of success throughout the season.

Targets were set at the beginning of the season, such as styles of play and values, that were developed in training and brought into matches. The 1st XI decided to play with simplicity, ruthlessness, and positivity. The squad played some excellent hockey this season and were unfortunate to have fallen on the wrong side of some very close matches. Guy Salisbury (Fgh) and Ollie Dring (LH) both made their debuts for the 1st XI and have been excellent additions to the squad. Their tireless work rate, determination, and energy each week has been infectious. I am sure they will continue to set high standards next year.

Vice-Captain Milo Hoad-Reddick (F) also made his debut this year, settling into the team very quickly and, despite having previously played as a forward, adapting incredibly well to his new role as centre-back alongside Captain Sebastian Wheeler (B). Both developed a strong understanding and partnership during last term, and continued this into the Spring Term. Highlights of the season included our matches away at Rugby and Bedford, which are always tough places to go. The squad had been buoyed by their performance from the previous Saturday against a strong Stamford team. Having trained with great intensity in the week, they got off to a quick start against Rugby, taking a well-deserved lead after a slick short corner routine. Not long after, Lewis Cobb (WB) finished with composure to make it 2-0. Some more excellent build-up play from defence through to attack meant that the score was 3-0 to Uppingham at half time. Despite some late pressure by Rugby in the second half, the boys finished the game 3-1 and were rightfully delighted.

The next match was Bedford. Having looked at their results, we knew we were in for a tough match; however, with confidence high from the previous week, the boys again started brightly showing great teamwork and attacking flare. Guy Salisbury (Fgh) bagged himself a brace of goals before half time with a well-taken drag flick and then a sublime solo goal, finishing with an upright reverse on the move. At half time, the score was 2-1 to Uppingham. Unfortunately, a couple of lapses of concentration meant we conceded in the second half, but Sam Bateman (Fgh) calmly slotted home a third goal and Thomas Samworth (B) produced some outstanding saves in goal to ensure we left Bedford with a win. Special mention from this match must go to William Cardozo (F), who produced a commanding performance in midfield and controlled the tempo of the game beautifully.

Throughout the whole hockey programme there have been huge successes. The 2nd XI made it through to the Midlands Finals. They have also only lost three matches all season, with some fantastic team performances against Stamford, Oakham and Stowe. The 3rd XI has grown in confidence over the course of the season, picking up wins against Rugby and Stowe. The U16As have played some beautiful attacking hockey this season, scoring 30 goals. It has been a pleasure umpiring a few of their games this term and I have no doubt some of the squad will play an important role for the 1st XI in the coming seasons. A special mention to the U15 pupils that joined the U16 squad for their Cup and subsequent Plate run: Toby Nichols (WD), Jago Bucher (B), Matthew Key (WB), William Macdonald (F), Edward Beaumont (M), Oscar Payne (WB), and Angus McKay (B). The U16Bs have also shown great camaraderie and tenacity this season, with excellent performances against Oakham, Rugby, Bromsgrove and Stowe.

The U15A team have been a delight to coach this term. They have had a very progressive and successful season, playing with flare, intelligence, and passion, although the boys have come across some stiff competition. A particular highlight was their 5-1 victory over Rugby, with Oscar Payne (WB) scoring a birthday hat-trick. This game proved to the boys how well they can play as a team, even when up against a strong opposition. Since then, they have carried this forward and have put in two further strong performances against Bedford and Stowe, securing two more wins. The squad finished the season with a strong game against Oundle. The U15Bs have worked on their breathing technique within the huddle this term to bring them “back to blue” within their mindset. This group focus has resulted in superb nail-biting wins against Stowe and Stamford. The U15C team have made great strides with their technical and tactical ability this term and have approached training in the right manner, led with great enthusiasm by Mr Knott.

The U14A team have shown that the future is certainly bright for boys’ hockey. They started their season very positively, winning their first game 4-2 against a strong Trent College team. It was a great time for the team to all learn their roles and responsibilities before their upcoming cup match against Oakham. This win gave the team good momentum and they managed to win the U14 County Cup Final vs Oakham 4-1, qualifying for the Midland’s Finals tournament later in the term. Captain Rory Wilkinson (SH) and Vice-Captain Alfie Rymer (WD) kept the team motivated as they went on to win their next three fixtures (Stamford 4-1, Rugby 4-2, Leicester Grammar 9-1) which set us up nicely for the their fixture against an also undefeated Bedford School side. The boys managed to keep their composure during the fixture, and with some calm finishing from Thomas Welch (WB), the squad earned a deserved 4-0 victory over Bedford. This was in no small part due to the hard work and dedication all of our defenders had put in all year to come away with their first clean sheet of the season. The squad represented the School and themselves exceptionally well at the Midlands Finals, narrowly missing out on a semi-final spot. They have put in terrific performances throughout the term and have shown excellent team spirit, really buying into the programme. At the end of the season, they had won seven out of 12 matches, scoring 35 goals, and only conceding 13. We will watch with anticipation to see how they progress. The U14B team have worked hard during training this term, and have approached each session with the right attitude. The U14Cs have made good progress throughout the season, with a few of the boys moving up to the U14B team. They have worked hard on their technical and tactical play and have been a joy to coach. The U14D team have trained well as a group in the week and have made good progress, especially as quite a few of the boys were new to hockey this term. They have enjoyed playing 11-a-side competitive matches on a Saturday.

A huge thank you to the coaches and staff who have made this term as successful and enjoyable as it has been.

Enthusiasm and anticipation for this year’s season started as soon as we finished last year’s National Competition, and Friday evening Lacrosse Club has been well attended by girls in all year groups.

An icy January meant a very late start to the season for the 1st X, but the girls began the season showing the teamwork and team pride of a group that has been playing together for months. Hattie Medhurst (Sa) impressed everyone in her first game as goalie, making saves left, right, and centre, and both Phoebe Wilkinson (C) and Amelia Wordie (C) put their bodies on the line in defence to help Uppingham earn a hard-fought draw (6-6).

A week later, Uppingham hosted Stowe’s 3rd X, where once again defensive determination proved to be a real strength for the team and kept the game close. It was our team’s midfield that drove the team to victory (5-2) in the 2nd half, exemplified by the unreal resilience of Katie Henderson (Sa): after getting hit by a hard shot by a Stowe player, she carried on playing and even scored during the ensuing penalty. The win against Haileybury (10-4) was another highlight of the season, with Jemima Curran (Sa) scoring a whopping five goals as she ran through the opposing team with ease time after time.

The girls showed immense dedication, determination, and teamwork throughout the whole season, and it all came together at the National Schools Championships in March. The first day of Nationals is always hard. We played against some of the top teams in the country and had to celebrate what small successes we could find, such as Isabella Wakeford’s (Sa) disallowed goal against Bolton. These small successes helped to bring the team together, and we ended the day with an intense win (2-1) over Queen Margaret’s – this time Isabella’s goal counted and was the game-winner!

We started the second day of Nationals by coming 2nd in our group, with a particularly satisfying win (2-0) in a rematch against Tudor Hall, in which Clara Middleton (J) finally ended her scoring drought in great style. The highlight of the match was the Round of 16 knockout match against Dunottar. Jemima Curran (Sa) electrified the team and their supporters by scoring ten seconds into the match, and the team kept up sustained pressure for the rest of game, winning (4-2) in the Nationals knockout stage – a first for lacrosse at Uppingham. A subsequent loss to a skilled St Bartholomew’s team, despite Charlotte Bingham’s (J) beautiful left-handed goal, did nothing to dent the team’s excitement at what they had achieved. The girls had an amazing season, and should be incredibly proud of how they developed, both as individuals and as a team.

The 2nd X improved leaps and bounds over the course of the season. The girls’ unwavering enthusiasm allowed them to bounce back from a tough opening loss to Oakham (3-10) to a much closer defeat (7-9) against a strong Tudor Hall team. Their continued development showed in a scrappy win (7-5) against Haileybury, where their defensive wall really began to take shape. The 2nd X finished their season on a high, avenging their opening loss to Oakham with a win (11-9) that saw India Wyatt (C) and Kelly Smit (C) absolutely dominate the draw circle after every goal.

Across the entire season, girls on both of our teams demonstrated the consistent enthusiasm, positivity, and love of the game that make lacrosse such an amazing group of girls to be a part of.

Eleni Malhan (L) Netball Captain

Miss Joseph Director of Netball

The 1st team have shown excellent grit and determination after a busy season full of very physical and tough contests, pushing us all to adapt and develop as the season progressed. This was aided by position-specific masterclasses from England netball players, video analysis sessions and athletic development.

At the County Netball Tournament in November, a promising tone was set, where we narrowly missed out on a place in the Regional Finals due to a draw against the eventual winners of the County Round. This strong performance meant that we were excited to see what we could do as a team when our season began in January.

We started the term with a day of pre-season training, which was hugely beneficial in grouping us together and setting our vision of what Uppingham Netball means and how we as individuals fit into our team. This day evidently resonated with the team as we started the season with a substantial and confident win against Stamford, who we played again two weeks later and almost doubled our previous winning score - showing our vast improvement in just a few weeks.

We then played Bromsgrove – a notoriously challenging team – which resulted in an eight-goal defeat. Every player gave their all and we were all extremely proud of our performance, with a lot of contest for ball and high shooting accuracy. This followed with more well-contested matches, with a few unfortunate losses that were very close at half-time but slipped away from us during the final quarters.

It has been inspiring to see how willing this team is to adapt to opponents and be ruthless on court. Knowing that, as individuals, we have the full support of those around us has been something we set out as a goal from our first session together, and we have carried it with us throughout the season with our teamwork, understanding and deep-rooted respect for each other. It has been rewarding to see this and holds netball in a strong place for the future.

It has been a privilege to lead the 1st VII this year and watch the girls never give up or drop their heads, despite some results not going our way.

Throughout all the age groups, there have been many achievements in netball this term. The 4th VII enjoyed an awesome unbeaten season, and the Under 16s had an extremely strong year with impressive results against tough opposition. It has been great to see their teamwork and exemplary sportsmanship, which they should all be very proud of.

Overall, netball has had a very successful season, both in terms of results and personal and team development. The future of Uppingham netball is definitely looking strong.

After a strong and promising end to the 1st XV’s season, the U18s had a welldeserved Christmas break. This allowed everyone to recover from a busy first term, whilst physically and mentally preparing for the gruelling term of 7s; a completely different game.

The initial weeks of training were particularly tough, getting everyone up to speed with match fitness and tactics. We faced adversity with the frozen pitch conditions, leaving us unable to train. Despite this, the boys persevered with some intense fitness work. We had mini tournaments every Saturday, with the U16s mixing into three teams to simulate a match environment and remind us how arduous a real tournament is. Just before half term, the U18s had a friendly against Rugby School as their first outing, displaying phenomenal skillsets with a first taste of contact and learning good lessons for the ‘global pass’ event later in the term.

In this tournament at Rugby, the U18s played three games. A loss to Bromsgrove in the first game woke us up before a closer encounter with Mount St Mary’s in the second game, followed by a huge performance with the boys beating Rugby on their home pitch. Whilst we had a lack of subs, the grit and determination highlighted our bravery as well as our commitment as a team. The half term then rolled around, allowing a full week of complete rest for everyone to fix up and relax.

Coming out of half term, the teams were fit and ready, starting with the U14s travelling to Oundle School for a mini tournament. They returned with two good wins to show that they were playing some solid rugby, shining a light on a very promising future.

On 5 March, the U16s and U18s made the short journey to Oakham for the first real 7s tournament of the term. The U18s were in Group A with Framlingham, Campion, Oakham and The King’s School, Macclesfield. A tough first match against Campion provided a wake-up call, but the boys battled well to come away with a 24-10 win – all made possible by a try-saving tackle from Robert Ryan (LH) that epitomised the team’s energy for the day. In the next game, the boys stepped up a gear. The pairing of Tom Ray (M) and Jake Brunner (B) seeming to control all airspace by claiming every kick-off, setting the boys up for a solid game of rugby and some incredible play, and leading to a comfortable victory against Framlingham.

Our next game was the local rival, Oakham. A huge first four minutes from everyone set the tone for the match as we managed to edge out to an early lead before the pressure turned. We managed to ride this section of intense pressure into half-time with some amazing scramble defence to stop them from scoring just before the break. We then reclaimed some newfound momentum to seal the win comfortably 34-7, leading into the final group game against The King’s School, Macclesfield. A top-of-the-group clash saw a gutsy performance from all the Uppingham team, however sadly falling 1 try short at 26-21 meant we took 2nd in the group. The plate semi-final was next against Bloxham School. A slow start conceding a couple of tries early in combination with a few injuries put us on the back foot, but the warriors who remained on the pitch really dug in, with a lastminute try from Henry Regis (M) in a heroic final team attack giving us the win. In the Plate Final, we met a strong Stowe side. After a demanding day, the boys continued to show the values of altruism, bravery and commitment right to the end, shown amazingly by Guy Salisbury’s (Fgh) brace of tries, but it wasn’t enough, and the final went to Stowe.

For the U16s, after a slow start with a loss to Bromsgrove in the first match, they dialled it up, winning against Felsted and Campion comfortably before finishing off the group with a 30-20 win over Framlingham to put them 2nd in the group. It was brilliant to see some of the new and electric U15s rising through the ranks, stepping up on the big stage. In their Plate semi-final, they comfortably beat Stowe 31-7 before an excellent performance in the final against Oundle. The team were victorious with a 33-12 win, giving Captain William Crossfield (SH) great pleasure in bringing home the Plate as winners.

After two strong showings at Oakham, both teams looked forward to the last week of term when all three teams (U18s, U16s and U14s) headed to the Rosslyn Park National 7s Tournament to compete in some competitive groups. The U16s and U14s made it through to day two, narrowly missing out on reaching the knock-out stages.

As term finished, the U18s went to Rugby School to take part in the International Festival of 7s Tournament. In a group with some of the best U18 teams from around the world, Uppingham played against Michaelhouse (South Africa), Blackrock College (Ireland), Llandovery College (Wales) and Waseda High School (Japan). After an amazing weekend, the 1st VII came home with the Bowl following a 24-17 win over Waseda Jitsugyo High School (Japan). A tremendous global occasion and fitting end to our 7s season.