Netball

At Hurst, netball is increasing in strength and depth in every year group and we regularly arrange A, B and C team fixtures. Each year the girls enter three competitions: the National Schools Competition, the Sussex Schools Knock-Out Competition and SISNA, the tournament for independent schools in Sussex.

2007/2008 was an exceptional year for our netball teams and staff.  In the Sussex Schools Knock-out competition, the Hurst 1st VII. U16A, U15A and U14A teams all progressed through to the quarter finals, the first time that 4 Hurst teams have reached that level in the same season, which is a notable achievement for netball at Hurst.

Coached by Miss Sarah Ivemy, (a highly qualified level 2 coach who is currently undertaking the level 3 coaching qualification), the U14 girls won the Sussex title in the National Schools Tournament held at Roedean in November 2007, going on as Sussex champions to win the Regional Tournament at High Wycombe. The girls next represented the South East at the National Championships in Bournemouth in early 2008. Despite a wonderful performance winning 5 out of 8 games, drawing 2 and only losing one game, they missed out on a semi-final place on goal difference by just one goal. This put them in the top five of schools nationally in their first year of netball at the Senior School. Following this high-level experience, the girls then progressed in the other county competitions. They won the U14 SISNA (Sussex Independent Schools) tournament and also the U14 Sussex Knock-Out competition in March 2008.

The U16 team under the guidance of Mrs Rebecca Jutson, Head of Netball (level 2 coach), was also very successful during the season and won the U16 SISNA (Sussex Independent Schools) tournament. The girls went on to win the U16 Sussex Knock-out competition, matching their winning performance at U15 level the previous year.

In the forthcoming 2008/9 season we have entered a 1st and 2nd VII into the Sussex knock-out competition, alongside teams at U16, U15 (two teams this year) and U14 levels.

In September 2008, the College coaching team welcomed the arrival of Miss Rebecca Craig (level 2 and well travelled coach) and the return of Mrs Carol Adams (level 3 coach).  We also have excellent supporting staff and are looking forward to the forthcoming season and the opportunity for the girls to build on their successes.

Recent years have seen the introduction of opportunities to tour, with two small scale visits to Malta followed by last year’s trip to Spain. Our next objective is to arrange a major tour to the Caribbean in 2010.