Summer Sporting Achievement
A busy term of sport has seen impressive performances and notable triumphs across the school.
Rugby’s first XV won the Walton Thomas Cup playing against Bradford Grammar and will be visiting Yorkshire next season to defend the trophy. Jack (Year 12) succeeded in being selected to tour with the U18 England Squad in South Africa this summer.
In hockey, the U13 team placed an impressive 6th in the England Hockey Tier 2 regional finals whilst the U16s narrowly missed out on the national finals in the Tier 3 regionals. Year 10’s Amelie and Amelia are wished much luck in their trials for the England Hockey Talent Academy in September.
The first XI shone in the ISSA competition semi-final in football and the second XI completed a brilliant season unbeaten. Khari (Year 11) continues to be a standout player with Arsenal and will be joining them full time next year. The five girls’ football teams have flourished, competing in a staggering 34 fixtures, with more to come next year.
Cricket has seen similar success with Year 7’s James rising through the ranks despite his young age: he scored 89 not-out against Dulwich College and took his place in the first XI against the Leathersellers at the annual match, where he took a wicket and scored the winning runs. Teacher of PE Mr Rameaux highlighted that it is rare for Year 7s to play in the 1st XI and “very few have had the impact James has had”. In county cricket James is equally promising, where he scored maiden 101 not out, and with an impressive batting average of 55, Colfe’s remains excited to see James’ progress. In other news, an impressive 16 teams were fielded this year in girls’ cricket.
It has been an exciting term for the boys’ tennis team, who qualified for the Kent County tennis finals, and similarly for the U13 girls’ and boys’ teams, who will be playing in the LTA leagues finals shortly.
In the world of aquatics, 12 swimmers competed at the ESSA summer open, where Henry (Year 12) won double gold in his events and Eva (Year 7) won bronze and silver. Issy (Year 9) has an invigorating month ahead representing London in waterpolo both at the U16 Interregional in Liverpool and at the National Talent Centre Games in Birmingham, while the National Talent Centre have selected Year 7’s Esme and Ralph for their U14s Programme. Year 12’s Jakab and Jack are also to be congratulated for their selection to the U19s GB waterpolo squads.
Not to be outdone, Colfe’s teachers have also set excellent sporting examples this year. Teacher of PE Gemma Nurse’s England Masters hockey team won gold in the Home Nations tournament and are training for the World Cup in New Zealand in November, while fellow staff member Teacher of Business, Economics and Politics Nathan Carter competes for GB in Aquabike, including at the European Aquabike Championships in Portugal.
The Junior School has also had cause to cheer: a strong squad of swimmer competed in the ESSA summer open, with particularly impressive performance from Olivia (Year 6), Ben and Harry (Year 5) who won several medals between them. In football the U10 boys narrowly missed victory at the Reigate 6-a-side tournament, having won the highest score of the tournament in the semi-final and remaining unbeaten against Dulwich Juniors, RGS Guildford, Reigate St Mary’s and Chinthurst. Junior School Head of PE Andrew Knowles praised the team’s “outstanding character and tactical knowledge throughout the day”.
Athletics has seen considerable success for Colfe’s this year, with 20 pupils selected to represent Greenwich in a London Schools Event. Congratulations are in order for Heidi (Year 9), who was crowned champion at the London Schools Combined events, and for Harry (Year 10), who took the bronze.
In further athletics achievements, Heidi and Gabby (Year 11) were selected for the Regional Combined Events championships, and Sam (Year 11) and Gabby were selected to represent London at the England Schools National finals. The school also had four formidable teams through to the Regional England Schools Competition, in which Miya (Year 7) won both her track and field events. As the term draws to its close, the internal Colfe’s athletics championships were a fitting finale with over 300 pupils competing – a new school record – and many personal bests and school records being broken.
Director of Sport, Nicci Rayes, praised the “fantastic effort”, tenacity and skill of all pupils involved in sport this year, saying, “you are all winning in your own unique ways and this is what makes teaching you all such a pleasure”.
