Hurst's 'Olympic hopefuls' awarded their National Caps

Three Hurst Girls are making their mark in the world of football and this week received news that their contribution has been recognised by the Independent Schools Football Association Girls (ISFAG).

In a letter to Hurst’s Headmaster, Tim Manly, ISFAG’s President Richard Jordan stated that “Lucy Kings, Claire Wilson and Grace Couchman had all represented the ISFAG National Team last year and were a credit to Hurstpierpoint College in both the way they played and in the way they conducted themselves”.

With his letter, Mr Jordan enclosed a National Team Cap for each of the three girls and asked that Tim Manly present the caps on his behalf. “It was an enormous pleasure to give them the news, to award them with their National Caps” said Mr Manly, “and to tell them that I was especially proud of the President’s comments about their conduct both on and off the field; sportsmanlike behaviour is at the heart of the sporting ethos here at Hurst.”

The President also praised the efforts of Hurst coach and Academic PE teacher, Alex Battison, in launching and running the girls’ football squad at the school. Alex began this work just over a year ago yet, by as early as last October, had created a powerful squad that performed magnificently in the National Independent Schools 6 a side Football competition. Here, the team reached the final where they met the mighty Latimer Upper School whose squad included three girls from Premiership Academies. “They defended fiercely and mounted some outstanding counter attacks against Latimer”, said Mr Battison, “but despite the entire team playing at the top of their game they finally lost 2-0 to their outstanding and more experienced opponents. We all hope to do even better next year!”

In his concluding paragraph, ISFAG’s President Richard Jordan, thanked Tim Manly personally for supporting girl’s football at Hurstpierpoint and for enabling them to follow the ISFAG Development path which could well, he said, “see one of your pupils playing in the London Olympics in 2012”.