The Chronicle, Summer 2019

38 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Netball By Beckie James, Head of Netball

The Netball Club enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in recent years, with an impressive 59% win rate across all teams. As well as a large number of wins, the Club worked hard to develop a positive and focused training environment, which played a big part in helping the teams to perform on match days. Seniors There were only three senior players from the 1st VII of 2018 this season, with the majority being Upper Sixth last year. This meant it was a season of rebuilding, but the team jelled quickly with some talented Fifth Formers moving up into the squad. Lola Timms captained the team brilliantly alongside vice- captain Livi Tomacelli and we came away with six wins and five losses. Lola and Livi, alongside senior players Rose Fawcett and Poppy Sullivan, helped to create a very enthusiastic and motivated training squad who were determined to improve and to succeed. They welcomed the Fifth Form into the squad and

Dean Close and Bradfield College. A special mention to defender Hannah McCrum who received the greatest number of player of the match awards. The 6th VII and 7th VII only had a few games between them but when they got the chance they competed well on court. Particularly of note was the 6th VII against Wellington College where they narrowly lost 12-13 in what was a thrilling match. Shooters Daisy Persaud and Eliza McCrum stood out in this game. Juniors The U15A squad had a very successful season and were undefeated in their block fixtures. They built on their strong season in Shells and with the addition of the versatile Nellie Needham, they impressed on the circuit. Consistent stand out performers were Saskia van der Heiden at GS and Anna West at GD. The U15B squad had a much improved season from their Shell year, winning six, drawing one and losing two of their block fixtures. A highlight of the term was their 13-10 win over Cheltenham College, where Izzy Hall was recognised by the opposition and awarded Player of the Match. A special mention should also go to Ella McBrien, who captained the team so maturely throughout the term. The U15C squad had a positive season and a very impressive team spirit both at training and in matches. They came away with a creditable six wins and two losses, including a number of very convincing score lines. Special recognition goes to Sasha Wolcough and Lara Brech for their strong mid-court partnership. The U15D squad worked hard throughout the term, coming across some experienced teams and suffering some tough score lines. Their resilience and determination paid off, though, in an excellent win against Wellington College 16- 13, which was the highlight of their season. Well done to captain, Raya Alsalloum who provided wonderful encouragement to her teammates and helped them become more confident on court.

their encouragement and support definitely helped grow the confidence of their younger teammates. The physical style of play from the Fifth Form centre court combination of Sasha Withers Green, Sophie Tompkins and Tiggy Jones was invaluable to the intense gameplay we were striving to produce. In addition, Aniella Weinberger and Daisy Helling worked tirelessly on their shooting accuracy across the term, attending early morning sessions. With this core of players still around for the next couple of seasons, it will be exciting to watch how this team progresses. The 2nd VII were unfortunate not to come away with more wins. They came up against some very strong 2nd teams and did well to hold their own. Like the 1st VII, they are dominated by younger players, so it will be interesting to see how this team develops. One of the highlights of their season was a toughly contested 24-20 victory over Dean Close where the girls held their nerve under pressure to come away with the win. Player of the Match was shared between Freya Burdon and Lily Helling. The 2nd VII made massive improvements in both their individual and team game over the course of the term and have strong foundations on which to build next year. The 3rd VII came up against some very tough sides and had to work hard to play the ball around, maintain possession and take their shots on goal when they had the chance. They took wins against Bloxham, Cheltenham College and Malvern College in what were physically demanding matches with Grace Flynn, Florence Howard and Rose Bourdillon awarded Player of the Match respectively. The 4th VII had a great season, coming away with a number of convincing wins. Most notable was a 31-7 win over Stowe where Amelia Brooks was awarded Player of the Match. The team trained hard over the netball term and made massive improvements from their performances last season. An enthusiastic 5th VII worked well throughout the term, with a strong emphasis on fun, fitness and teamwork in their sessions. They played six matches, taking wins against Stowe, Cheltenham College,

1st VII Captain Lola Timms in action v Dean Close