“We have had a very good first term” admitted Hurst’s Director of Sport Rob Kift “with our boys and girls winning some 8 County Championships covering netball, rugby and boys’ hockey.
Hurstpierpoint College has long been renowned for its love of sport and friendly atmosphere but recent years, under the leadership of Headmaster Tim Manly, have witnessed a revolution in the school’s ambitions across the board; academically, culturally and of course in sport.
“We have made extraordinary efforts to widen the franchise” said Kift “to ensure the reality of Tim Manly’s commitment that no-one is left unwillingly on the bench. In the Senior School alone, we now put out nearly twice as many teams as we did 5 years ago with many B, C and even D teams performing well, and regularly. At the same time, we have put the right resources in place to ensure that the quality of our play improves at every level.”
The results appear to confirm his confidence; Hurst has performed exceptionally well even against schools who play their major sport for more than one season (Hurst, like some other schools, plays each major sport for one term only).
In netball, Hurst’s U15 and U19 teams won both the Sussex Independent Schools Netball Association (SISNA) competition and then the even tougher County Knock Out Championships (for which both State and Independent Schools compete) at both U19 (just beating their old rivals Imberhorne) and U15 (beating a powerful and committed St Bede’s) categories. Rebecca Scott, Hurst’s Head of Girls’ Games applauded the commitment of all the Hurst squads. “Hurst’s netball season starts in January” she said “and so we have to work very hard and fast to bed down tactics, strategies and game plans but thankfully playing hockey during the previous term means that fitness is rarely a problem”.
Like netball, Hurst’s boys’ hockey season begins in January and the adjustment curve after a term of rugby is quite steep. In the words of Chris Wilson, Hurst’s Head of Hockey “We do total immersion hockey from Boxing Day plus 1, we have to. The competition out there is mighty powerful and gets better year on year.” And to the credit of Wilson, his coaching colleagues and principally, of course, their committed squads all this hard work has clearly paid off. In February Hurst’s U14’s first became West Sussex Champions and then - by beating traditional and traditionally skilled rivals Eastbourne College - all County Champions. This sequence of success was swiftly followed by the U15’s (also meeting Eastbourne in the final) and then by the U16’s who just defeated a highly skilled and fiercely competitive squad from Lewes Old Grammar School.
Rugby is Hurst’s primary boys’ sport from September to Christmas so rugby tactics and strategies are not in the forefront of every pupil’s mind come March. That said, Hurst U13’s won the County 7’s tournament early in the month and this served only to increase the pressure on them as, only a week or so later, they went into their County Cup final against a talented and determined squad from Windlesham School. “It was the tough match we expected” admitted Dave Valentine, their coach and Head of Boys' Games at Hurst Prep. “We scored very quickly and Windlesham’s response was immediate, creating pressure that triggered some brave defensive work before Hurst bounced back to ensure that both teams had their fair share of possession. We finished the first half – and indeed the game - ahead by 10-5 and whilst we dominated much of the second half, we had a couple of difficult moments and missed a few opportunities. Both teams emerged with great credit but my real pride is that every member of the squad made a major contribution to the achievement of this rare double – both County 7’s and County Cup winners.”
On 16th March 2011 Hurst became:
U13 RUGBY COUNTY CHAMPIONS
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having already been crowned County 7-a-side Champions
U15 BOYS' HOCKEY COUNTY CHAMPIONS
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U19 GIRLS' NETBALL COUNTY KNOCK OUT CUP CHAMPIONS
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Click here to learn more about their Sussex Independent Schools Netball Association (SISNA) tournament victory on 10th March
U15 GIRLS' NETBALL COUNTY KNOCK OUT CUP CHAMPIONS
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Click here to learn more about their Sussex Independent Schools Netball Association (SISNA) Tournament victory on 10th March
On 21st March 2011 Hurst became:
U16 BOYS' HOCKEY COUNTY CHAMPIONS
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On 14th February 2011 Hurst became:
U14 BOYS' HOCKEY COUNTY CHAMPIONS
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17 May 2012