The Under 14 Netball Team

Skill, speed and determination helped the U14 girls from Hurstpierpoint College to power their way through to the winners’ rostrum at the South of England finals of the Sporting Destinations National Schools Netball Competition.

The Hurst girls became County Champions at the November tournament playing against the top Sussex schools and thereby qualifying for the next level of the competition. “Then we came up against Eastleigh’s Thornden School in the semi finals” said Team Coach . Sarah Ivemy. “We had heard how strong they were during the earlier rounds of the competition and the girls were determined to play well against them.  I knew that if we could play our own game and come out on top, then we were in with a very good chance in the final.”

“And that is exactly what we achieved, playing short, sharp and quick netball marked by some excellent shooting and backed by a defence that simply wouldn’t give way despite exceptional pressure from Thornden.”

“The final against Beaconsfield School was, if anything, a tougher match” she continued. “The fact that they contested all three group finals (U14, U16 and U19s) indicates the exceptionally high standards that Beaconsfield are currently achieving.”

The Beaconsfield girls were, like those from Thornden, physically bigger than the Hurst girls but Hurst kept to their original game plan knowing that if they were to win they would simply have to outplay their opponents. “And that” said Team Manager Delia Saunders “is exactly what they did.” “They maintained their structure throughout a punishing match, and played a fluid and fast paced game that forced the pressure back on a Beaconsfield team whose determination to win matched our own”.

“All our children – whatever their level or ability  – are valued and given genuine access to first class sports coaching that is structured to their needs” commented Hurst’s Headmaster, Tim Manly “and it is a tribute to the professionalism of our staff that these girls – playing together for the first time this season  – have achieved such remarkable results”.

The final words should perhaps go to the team’s coach. “They are a very special group of girls and their secret is that they always work for one another as a team. If a shot at goal is missed, the whole team fight to win the ball again and work harder still to drive it back into the shooting circle.  They have developed a quite extraordinary team spirit in a very short period of time and the effort and determination they put into every match have to be seen to be believed; they deserved to win and I know they will acquit themselves well in the National Netball Finals in March.”