Chronicle Summer 2023

64 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Netball By Head of Netball, Lisa Elkins

Lord Wandsworth College, the 1st VIIs got off to a slow start but the team managed a couple of wins and a draw and a close loss by one goal. Unfortunately we didn’t go through to final standings, but there was unmistakable evidence the squad was improving. Cheltenham was the last game of the term and one of the biggest games for the Teddies 1st VII. Showing great resilience going into the last quarter, losing a player due to injury, the team had to dig deep. They made an incredible comeback, turning ball, forcing errors and slick shooting. The girls fought hard and managed to win the final quarter, with the final score 28-31 to Cheltenham. Captains Coco Timms and Jemima D’Arcy were immensely proud of the team’s performance. 1st VII coach Becky Thomas said she had witnessed ‘some of the best netball I have seen at Teddies in my four years of coaching the senior girls’. All senior teams worked extremely hard, with most teams winning more than 50% of their matches and with three teams only losing one game. The atmosphere has been energetic and competitive, and it’s been wonderful to see the positive attitude of

Netball continued to be a popular choice for pupils and the Teddies Netball Club comprised of 10 teams across seniors and 10 teams across the juniors. Selecting players for the correct teams was a huge challenge with so much talent across both age groups. Teams quickly settled into training and started to prepare for the first matches of the season. It was great to see so many girls enjoying the start of the netball term. Coaches reviewed their squads often, and players had the ability to move across teams throughout the term, offering fair opportunities to all. Over 50 players moved between teams which really pushed the players to work consistently at improving their skills and knowledge of the game in the hope of progression to a higher team. Teddies netball has been a remarkable success across the board.

Senior Girls Teddies 1st VII started their first run of matches with a loss against Bloxham. This did not hold them back for long as they proceeded with four wins on the bounce against Pangbourne College, Magdalen College, Wellington College and Malvern College. The 1st VII also entered a couple of really challenging tournaments, the first

at Bradfield College. Despite mixed results it really helped build the resilience of the squad going forward into a tougher end of the term. Teddies 1st VII coach Becky Thomas delivered sessions to improve defence and attack, technical and tactical ability. The connections were really building in the squad. At their second tournament at

From left to right:, Darcy Harding, Lottie Allen, Isla Scott-Dalgleish, Saffron Day, Imi Routledge, Isla Martin, Imogen Shaw, Kitty Hacking, Isla McAdden, Tallulah Parshall and coach Becky Drury