The Flagpole

After a very successful season, with 24 wins and 136 goals tucked under their belts, the U13 Girls’ Hockey Team boarded the minibus last Friday 11 May to travel to Nottingham Hockey Centre to compete in the National Finals of the Schools In2Hockey Championships.  After winning the County Championships and then qualifying as the Midlands Regional Runners-Up, the girls were well prepared and raring to go.

Pitted against the very best hockey schools in the country and playing in matches that were nine minutes each way, they found the games fast-paced and their opponents well practised.  Playing for Princethopre were Year 8 pupils Issy Bunting, Eve Farquharson, Molly Harper, Jess Mackenzie, Evie Phillips (Captain), Jasmin Rose, Grace Thomas, Lara Tripp-Smith (Vice Captain), Molly Wincott-Thomas and Zoe Wallis.

In the first round the team played four matches, they secured a good win 3-1 against Stockport Grammar School, a draw 1-1 versus Gresham’s School, but went down 1-0 to St George’s College and 2-1 to Redmaids’ High School.  They finished third in the group and qualified for the 5th vs 6th playoff.

The girls put up a strong fight, there was plenty of confident stick work, good tackles and brave defensive play, but despite some strong driving runs their good chances were not converted into goals and the girls went down to Wakefield Girls’ High School 2-0.  The team finished in sixth position overall.  Pleasingly Lara Tripp-Smith was the top scorer in the tournament.

Head of Hockey, Kat Berns, was delighted and commented, "This was the first time that a Princethorpe Girls Hockey team has ever made it through to the Nationals. We are incredibly proud of them.  There is no stopping these girls, they are just amazing.  With a little more training who knows what they might achieve next season.”

Princethorpe College’s Senior and Inter Girls Athletics Team delivered top scoring performances to both finish in first place in the Warwickshire Schools Combined Events.  Hot on their heels were the Inter Boys team whose matching determination led to a deserving overall second place.  It was a super start to the athletics season at the Warwickshire Schools Combined Events, held at the excellent facilities of The Pingles Stadium, Nuneaton, from Wednesday 2 to Thursday 3 May. 

24 schools from across the county sent their best athletes to the two-day event.  Standards were high as competitors aimed to accrue as many points as possible across the track and field events.

In the Senior Girls Heptathlon, the College’s Lower Sixth girls took all the top placings with Hollie Moore finishing 1st after storming round the track to complete the 800 meters in 2 minutes and 49.8 seconds.  Anna Wells was placed 2nd following huge jumps in both the High Jump at 1.33 meters and in the Long Jump at 5.05 metres.   All-rounder Charlotte Silvester claimed 3rd place after performing consistently across all the disciplines, the Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin, Shot, 100m Hurdles, 200m and 800m.  Together the girls’ points added up to a super score and gained Princethorpe overall team first place.

The Year 10 girls also put in a magnificent effort in the Inter Girls Heptathlon.  They attacked the Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin, Shot, 80m Hurdles, 200m and 800m to deliver in all the disciplines. Maddie Glasspool finished 3rd overall, Evie Headland 4th, Mya Lloyd-Thomas 6th and Amelia Cunnington 9th to again clinch Princethorpe the overall team first place.

The Inter Boys had the Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin, Discus, Shot, 100m Hurdles, 400m and the 1500m to contend with in their Octathlon event.  Year 10 Boldi Kordas led the charge finishing in overall 3rd after storming to second place in the 100 metres Hurdles in 19.4 seconds and third place in the 400 metres in 60.2 seconds.  He was followed closely by Sam Wincott-Thomas who finished 4th overall after an incredible 28.96 metres throw in the Javelin.  Ellis Chaplow came 8th overall, a nimble footed middle distance runner, he finished in second place in both the 400 metres in 59.7 seconds and the 1500 metres in 5 minutes 6.2 seconds.   Their hard work earned the College an overall second place team finish.

Director of Sport, Neil McCollin, was thrilled with the early season performances, commenting, “This was an excellent start to the athletics season, Princethorpe’s athletes shone across all the disciplines delivering consistent solid performances in both field and track events to help the College to victory.  Well done to everybody.”

Year 7 pupils James Robinson and Will Antrobus were part of Rugby and East Warwickshire Hockey Club’s Boys’ U12 Team that won the national title in the In2Hockey National Championships on Saturday 12 May.

Played at the Nottingham Hockey Centre the REW Team cemented their place as the best U12 club hockey team in the country. The boys played superbly to win 1-0 vs Old Loughtonions, 4-1 vs Harrogate, 3-2 vs Guildford and 2-1 vs Clifton Robinsons.  They faced a very capable team from Surbiton in a hard fought, nail-biting final, in a match that ended in an incredibly tense 2-2 tie.  The game went to penalty flicks, which REW then won 5-4.

The trophy is now going on a tour of the boys’ schools and we look forward to seeing the silverware at Princethorpe soon.

Two other members of the REW Hockey Club U12 Team currently attend the Crescent School.  Oliver Bell and Chris Gibson are in Class VI, and Chris as goalkeeper saved the penalty flick that delivered the national title.

Princethorpe’s Games Coaches Rachel Mack and Emma Nobes have worked hard coaching the boys here at school and at the Club and for the County.

The Rugby and East Warwickshire U12 Girls’ also qualified for the Nationals and performed nearly as well, coming a very respectable ninth in the country!  Several of the girls in the team also hail from Princethorpe including Jess Evans, Sophie Gray, Tilly Houghton and Alice Whittaker.

Getting to the Nationals was a great achievement in itself, what a brilliant day for so many pupils in the Foundation.

All pupils currently in Year 10 and going into Year 11 may purchase and wear the senior sports kit from 4 June 2018.

For girls there is a predominantly black sports top, skort, tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie.

For boys there is a red top with Princethorpe down the back and a soft shell jacket with fleece lining.

All pupils in Year 11 may also purchase the senior socks which are red as opposed to the black with the school tower on them.

All Year 11 Girls who will be playing as 'seniors', must purchase the Senior polo shirts, skort, socks and tracksuit bottoms.  A letter will be sent home outlining your childs place on the team and the kit which will be required.

Permission for all purchases must be given by the bill payer as either a written note or written in your child's planner.

Nicola Browne
Shop Manager