Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
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Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Founded in 1554
School Sports Newsletter Summer 2019
Have a Safe and Fun-Filled Summer Holiday
Just when we think that our CRGS students can’t show any more talent, they surprise us!
They have such a fantastic work ethic both on and off the field. On the sporting stage, our
students never give up - their determination and good sportsmanship are infallible as they
take on many new challenges and sports. This year we have seen the continuing rise in both
girls and boys Handball, Table Tennis and Tag Rugby and many more. Most recently, we
were once again crowned District Athletics Champions and our Year 7 girls were victorious
at the Lancashire School Games.
There have been three amazing trips since Christmas - the ski trip to Sierra Nevada, the
Year 7 Isle of Man Sports Tour and the sports trip to Greece for Years 8 and 9.
While there are many students who represent the school in various sports, there are many
more who attend clubs and practices just for the fun and enjoyment. It is great to see the
vast majority of our students trying something new or making every effort to improve their
skills. Well done everyone on a brilliant year at CRGS!
Sports Personality Awards 2019 Well, what a night! Almost 300 people attended this prestigious evening to celebrate the sporting prowess of our very own CRGS students. We really cannot express enough the fact that they are an absolutely incredible group of young people who fully deserve an evening of celebration, to showcase their talents. Bella and Michael were our hosts and did an excellent job! The evening started off with some fundraising, which included a raffle, a silent auction and a golden bucket, not to mention the tuck shop and bar, that were kindly organised from start to finish by The Friends Association. On the night, we raised almost £1,000 to help fund improved PE and Sport equipment, so we owe another big thank you to all of your time, help and generous donations. A high number of deserving students were nominated for the awards, making it truly difficult to decide on the eventual winners. Many students in Year 8 received their Junior Colours for their commitment to school sport, alongside those in Year 10 who proudly received their Senior Colours - a great accolade!
Sports Personality Awards 2019
Badminton
Badminton is one of the many sports in which our students have excelled over recent years. This
year, the Under 14 girls took home the silver medal from the District event and we are also
delighted to report that both the Under 16 girls and Under 16 boys both took home Gold and the
coveted District trophy. The boys managed to go one step further by also winning the Lancashire
Red Rose Competition, earning the crown as Lancashire Champions for the second year
running! A special mention should be given to George Hand, Harry Singh, Ariyan Balachandran
and Isaac Johnson for this wonderful achievement.
Badminton is an extremely popular extra-curricular activity at lunchtimes, regularly attended by
over 60 students. We would like to thank Mrs Wilkinson for helping to run the club and give her
expert coaching. A badminton club is also run on Thursday nights, which also proves to be really
popular. It is fantastic to see so many of our students staying after school to enjoy the sport. We
are very grateful for the effort and dedication of Dr Ellis who gives up his time to provide this
opportunity.
Climbing
This year we have had the chance to enter
some different sports, with six Year 7 and 8
boys representing the school at Climbing.
We are very proud of how well the boys did
and they brought home the silver medal!
Boys’ Football
The A teams have once again showcased some
excellent Football this year, despite the shocking
weather and a string of long-term injuries. Although the
teams missed out on the silverware this year, they are
determined to train and play harder to make sure it
doesn't happen again next year.
The two boys’ B teams kept up our proud heritage in
the annual ‘All Stars Cup’ against St Wilfrid’s, winning both Year 7 and 8 matches.
The Senior 1st XI got through to the last 16 of England and finished a respectable 4th in the
North West Colleges League.
Year 11 Football Report - by Josh Bailey
The season hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Having won the league and cup in Year 10, finishing
runner-up in the county cup and reaching the last 8 of the national cup; it is safe to say it has
been an underwhelming year. A commitment to school
exams has seen members of the squad deplete for the most
part and despite needing only one more win to complete a
back-to-back league success, we were unable to play the
game due to language exams. The same game was
scheduled as a league/cup double header, so it saw us
concede in the semi-final of the cup too. The squad has
provided us all with some amazing memories over the 5
years at CRGS, most notably the National Cup Final match
at The Madejski Stadium, home to Reading FC, when in Year
8. The squad has always been dedicated, but football understandably had to take a back seat
this year – a great measure of the type of students they are. It is hoped that many will want to
continue with their football at Sixth Form next year. Josh Bailey has been a role model captain,
instrumental in all their successes; superbly backed up by Archie Aspinwall who has been the
most consistent footballer that Mr Hutchinson has had the pleasure of coaching. Lucas Hearle
has emerged as a strong, athletic and intelligent centre back and is very much in the running to
lead the back line next year in the Sixth Form team. All players deserve credit for their excellent
contribution to boys’ football. Mr Hutchinson would like to name Joshua Loan-Clarke as his most
valuable player over the 5 years.
Year 9 Football
This season has seen further progress for the Year 9 team. There has once again been some
fantastic football played and some huge improvements among individual players. The shape of
the team has changed a little and players have moved around, often excelling in new positions.
Huge improvements have been made by Sasi Karthikeyan and Hamad Amin, with Reuben
Johnson remaining a rock at the heart of the defence. Sean Buckley, Kitt Nelson and Harrison
Rickard have all been selected for the District Team and it is only a matter of time before others
join them next year. Perhaps the most memorable victory of the year came with the 5-2 defeat of
local rivals; St Augustine’s. Finally, the team realised their potential against a side that has
always had a physical advantage. Despite this victory, the team have come runners up in the
league losing narrowly to St Christopher’s. The District Cup Final was a repeat of this league
decider and CRGS were arguably the better team. Despite a late fightback and a few very good
chances missed, the team just ran out of time and finished runners up. Despite not taking home
any silverware this year, there is a lot for them to be optimistic about going into Year 10. We are
hoping that the team will continue to get faster and stronger and be able to match the physicality
of other teams. Once this is combined with the footballing ability, there will be no stopping this
group of very talented performers.
Girls’ Football
This year the Girls’ Football teams have had a mixed season. The
Under 16 team had a difficult draw in the early round of the English
Schools Cup and the Lancashire Cup. They didn't allow that to
deter them and they went down fighting in both, losing 1-0 to Holy
Cross and Haslingden High School. They played much better in
the league games and were victorious against Mount Carmel and
Ribblesdale. We should also mention their fantastic well-spirited
game against St. Augustine’s, which ended 6-6 with Scarlett Smith
smashing home a volley from a well-executed corner to equalize.
The Under 14 Girls team which consisted mostly of Year 8 girls
had to play their cup game in appalling conditions against a
team travelling from Lytham. The game was end-to-end and
CRGS took an early lead, looking steady on their feet. A brilliant
strike from the opposition to level the game unsettled our girls,
which proved difficult to come back from, meaning the game
ended in a 4-1 defeat.
The Under 13 Girls had some great success this season, as
they won the District Tournament and went on to represent
Accrington Stanley in the next round, where they played against
other teams representing Manchester United, Wigan Athletic and Preston. The girls really
enjoyed the experience and have learnt a great deal from it.
They also won through to the finals of the six-a-side indoor tournament held at the BRIC and
finished a very respectable third overall.
The Under 12 Girls played well in their first ever match for the school and were drawn away in
the second round of the English Schools Cup against Archbishop Temple, being narrowly beaten
in an enthralling game which ended 2-1. The newly formed team were able to take away lots of
positives; they now know what to do in order to develop for the future.
Basketball
In the Lancashire Schools Basketball League, our
Under 14 girls reached the finals, after winning all
of their group games and scoring an amazing 96
points! They played against Southlands High
School in a thrilling final, where they outshone the
opposition and won the match 32:13. As well as
the team being crowned Lancashire Champions,
Rhian Towers received the individual accolade as
Player of the Match; a big congratulations to her. Next year, most of this team will represent at
the under 16 level and we have high hopes of winning that trophy in 2020.
Year 11 Boys
Driven on by Oliver Lancaster and Harry Wood, the squad made great progress this year,
competing to a high level in the Lancashire Cup competition. Despite not progressing from the
group stages, the squad showed great skill and fitness throughout all three group matches and
scored some great baskets. The squad comprised of both Year 11 and 10 students and
competition for places in the squad was high. Will Birch, Jamie Teare, Sulaiman Hussain,
Dermot Twizell, Dan Hindle & Saif Raja all contributed to a hard-working and disciplined squad.
We hope to see the squad continue their commitment whilst at the Sixth Form.
The Under 14 Boys qualified for the quarter finals of the Lancashire Cup but unfortunately
were knocked out in a tough game.
Rounders
In their first season of Rounders at CRGS, the Year 7
girls were keen to learn the rules and improve their
skills. Over 30 girls attended practice and enjoyed
playing in both sunshine and rain. The team was
selected and went to the District Tournament with no
preconceptions. The first game saw the girls win by
one rounder, perhaps a little too close for comfort.
After a team talk the girls felt more confident going in
to the next few games, where they improved with each
bowl. They made it through to the final against St.
Augustine’s and after putting their nerves aside, they
started to hit the ball all over the park to take the win and be crowned District Rounders
Champions!
The Year 8 tournament was a little more closely fought and
the girls struggled to score many rounders, but their fielding
was brilliant. They finished in a very respectable third place.
The Year 9 girls were not going to be outshone by Year 7 and
went to the tournament with high hopes. With some very tight,
slick fielding and some intelligent batting the girls were
crowned champions and had also earned their right to
represent the Ribble Valley at the Lancashire School Games.
Table Tennis
Students from Year 7 and 8 took part in the annual District
Competition at Hyndburn Leisure Centre and as always represented
the school with pride. The standard
was high, particularly in the boys’
competition, where we were able to
field two very good teams. As you can
see from the photographs, the event
was very successful for both the boys
and girls. The boys’ team were
crowned Ribble Valley Champions
and the girls went one step further by also earning the title as
overall District winners!
Leadership
Our GCSE and A-Level students have been out in to the
community to help lead sporting events around the local
primary and secondary schools, as well as at District
events. This year, they have helped to lead the morning
events of Sports Day in school. Our A-Level students
were on-hand to ensure that the District Athletics went
smoothly. We always receive extremely positive feedback
from outside agencies and this year was no exception.
Well done to all of our leaders once again.
Netball
In November, our Under 19 Netball team were crowned Lancashire
Champions for the second year running. Following this brilliant
achievement, they went on to represent Lancashire at the North-
West finals in Formby. The team were absolutely amazing and
finished second, qualifying for the National Finals in London! Here,
they scored 71 goals in their group, finishing on 24 points, which
landed them at 4th position; narrowly missing out on a place in the
semi-finals. Overall, CRGS finished in 7th place, which is outstanding at a National competition.
This is the highest achievement in the history of CRGS Netball teams. Netball at Main School
came to an end in February and our teams were all really successful. Our
Year 7, 8 and 10 teams all finished in a superb
2nd place in the District league, but the
outstanding performance of the season came
from the Year 9 team who did the double;
winning both the league and tournament. This
team is fantastic; consisting of brilliant individual
athletes, who also show their incredible ability to
work well as a team. We expect them to continue their winning streak
again next year!
Gymnastics
Two of our students have had some excellent results competing in Gymnastics. Katie Rimmer
recently took part in a Level 7 National Gymnastics Competition in Milton Keynes and was
competing against gymnasts from across the UK. She was awarded a Gold Medal (1 st place)
for her floor routine. Phoebe Mitchell competed in the Gymnova Cup Artistic Gymnastics
Competition on Saturday at Oakhill School in the Over 13s group. She won gold on floor, silver
on beam and silver on vault. Her combined score placed her as the Over 13 Gymnova Cup
Champion! A brilliant achievement for both girls. They are also
looking forward to coaching in gymnastics and are progressing
towards gaining their qualifications.
We aren’t always aware of the sporting activities that our students
engage in outside of school, so please email us so that we can
showcase their talents!
Tennis
One of our unsung heroes quietly working his way up the ladder in Tennis is
George Hand. George has recently been selected for the Under 18
Lancashire team, which is a fantastic achievement.
Recently, George played at The City of Liverpool Open, Grade 3 Regional
event and along with his partner, he won the 16 and Under Doubles title.
He was also very successful in the “Open Men's” Grade 4 County
tournament - he won his first singles event in Leeds. George is also an
outstanding Badminton player and he has once again captained the Under
16s to the Lancashire title this year. He is a brilliant GCSE PE student and
we wish him every success in the future.
Girls’ Cricket
The girls’ cricket season started early with the indoor
events, which means practice for summer already was
underway in November! All of the teams have been really
successful this year,
enjoying indoor,
outdoor, soft and
hardball Cricket.
Most recently, the
girls have been
travelling across the
County to play in the
‘Chance to Shine’
Soft Ball Cricket tournaments. The first round was in
Crosby, followed by a trip to Bury Cricket Club for the
Under 15 Girls team. Although it seemed the perfect day
for Cricket with the sun shining, unfortunately the girls
found the level of competition a little too strong. They
enjoyed the experience nonetheless. The Under 13 girls
travelled to Urmston Cricket Club, where they sadly had a shaky start and lost the first game.
However, they managed to settle their nerves and play some fantastic cricket, leading them to
eventually become winners to qualify in representing Lancashire at the North West regional
finals. The girls were initially a little nervous, as this was the highest level that some of them
had played. But the fixtures had been set and the tournament was underway. Our first game
was against Blythe School in Shropshire, where the nerves showed and the girls were narrowly
defeated. The standard and level of skill was extremely high across the teams, meaning it was
a close competition. It wasn't until the last game that they finally won a game. They finished off
in 4th place in the North Regional Finals. What is important to mention here, is that the girls had
played the winning team in the final round and managed to beat them quite convincingly, so
the girls should be extremely proud of themselves.
Boys' Cricket
Under 12 Cricket
The newly established squad finished the season losing to a
very strong and consistent Merchant Taylor squad. Losing
in the quarter finals is nothing to be disappointed with!
Captained by Adam Hewitt, who has been such a
composed and mature role model, the boys made easy
work of their previous round opponents, all whilst always
maintaining respect for their opponents. Owen Armstrong
and Ubaidaullah Qasi spearheaded the bowling whilst Adam
and Jahan Zore (Vice Captain) commanded with the bat.
Attendance at lunchtime practices have been the best of all
year groups. Harley Harrison was a very consistent wicket
keeper, whilst the likes of Jed Davies, Matt Fleming, Daniel
Syson and William Joyce have progressed enormously.
Next season can’t come quickly enough.
Many of our students have represented their District at
Cricket and this year, both Harrison Rickard and Adam
Hewitt have also been selected for Lancashire and we wish
them the best of luck!
House Competitions
Each year, the House Competitions get bigger and better - this year was no exception. House
Rounders, Netball, Basketball and Dodgeball were some of the many competitions to take
place. Sports Day was the biggest House event of the year which did not disappoint (see the
Sports Day article).
Next year will see the addition of a new House, ‘Turing’, which will enable even more students
to compete and add excitement to the competitions.
Sports Hall Athletics and Super 8 Athletics
The Athletics season started in the usual fashion,
with the Year 7 Super 8 competition which we
have won for the last 5 years. Despite only
having a few weeks to practise and select a
team, we came up with the winning formula and
dominated the event once again. We are
delighted to say we won the title in style and both
the boys’ and girls’ teams went on to represent
the Ribble
Valley at
the Lancashire School Games in Blackpool. This is
always a tense event to watch and perform in, as it is
almost impossible to judge how the team are doing until
the final results are in. There were some stand-out
Districts in the boys’ competition, but our team
appeared to hold their own in the field. Unfortunately
they didn’t win a medal this time, but just to reach the
County finals is a brilliant achievement. The girls’ event
seemed much more closely fought and not one District
appeared to clearly stand out, until the final event of
the day; the relays. Emilia Dunn, Pia Williamson-
Jones, Nell Barton and Rose Best were outstanding,
winning their race by a country mile! The girls waited
nervously as the scores came in at the closing
ceremony. To our absolute delight, the girls won the
gold medal and were crowned Lancashire School
Games champions!Lancashire School Games
Many of the District tournaments are now a gateway for
qualification to the Lancashire School Games held at
Stanley Park in Blackpool. The event is a huge display
of sporting talent from across all corners of the County,
with many outstanding athletes. As well as the Super
8’s teams, the Year 10 Boys’ Volleyball team, Under 13
Girls’ Tag Rugby
team and the
Year 9 Rounders
teams all
qualified for the
School Games
finals, after each
of these teams became District Champions. Although
the girls’ Super 8 team were the only team to get a
medal, both our Under 13
girls’ Tag Rugby and Year
10 boys’ volleyball teams
were given the ‘Core
Values Award’. This was presented for demonstrating teamwork,
respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship. For two out of
four of our teams at the games to receive this award is
unprecedented and something that we are extremely proud of.Sports Day 2019
All of our students took
part in the Sports Day in
some way or another,
whether that be the
morning events or the
traditional afternoon
events. Every student
deserves
congratulations. The
atmosphere was electric, as the Samba band lifted the spirits
of the crowd and in turn helped the athletes to perform at
their very best. Records tumbled and personal bests were broken all around the track and field.
It was great to see the participants and spectators wearing their school House colours in
support of their team. Our Year 7s showed that they didn't lack in confidence and in their
debut, produced some fantastic displays of sporting excellence.
Tilly Pollard and
Jed Davies broke
the Discus and
Triple Jump
records
respectively, but
they weren't the
only ones to break
records. Rhian
Towers leapt an
incredible 9 metres
and 43 centimetres in the Triple Jump, breaking
the Year 9 girls’ record, Joss Waiting in Year 8 completed the
1500 metres in 5 minutes and 37 seconds, while Abigail
Earnshaw ran the 800 metres in 2 minutes and 32 seconds,
breaking the Year 10 girls’ record. These records have stood
for quite sometime and these students will now go down in
CRGS sporting history. The day ended with Roosevelt
claiming the most points throughout the day, so they earned
the crown as Champions!
VICTOR & VICTRIX LODORUM WINNERS 2019
YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10
Jed Davies Robert Sutcliffe Sasi Karthikeyan Kitt Douthwaite
Harrison Allcock Katie Baird Rhian Towers Joe Heeley
Nell Butterworth Anna Dabrowska
FORM COMPETITION 2019 Records Broken 2019
7R 1st 8C 1st
7G 2nd 8G 2nd Year 7: Tilly Pollard Discus 20.62
7S 3rd 8R 3rd Jed Davies Triple Jump 9.20
7C 4th 8S 4th
9R 1 st
10S 1st Year 8: Joss Waiting 1500m 5.37
9G 2nd 10G 2nd Year 9: Rhian Towers Triple Jump 9.43
9S 3rd 10R 3rd
9C 4th 10C 4th Year 10: Abigail Earnshaw 2.32
Overall Champion Form RThe Gary Robinson and Leukaemia Trust Awards
Every year, the Gary Robinson and Leukaemia Trust Awards are presented to one girl and one
boy from across the district, who have shown participation at an extremely high level and who
have the greatest potential to go on to enjoy success in their sporting
endeavours. Each school nominates one girl and one boy and the overall
winner is decided by a vote from each school. The PE department have
always agonised over which two students to nominate, as the standard of the
sporting students at our school is consistently exceptional.
This year, the PE department finally settled on nominating George Wilkins for
the Gary Robinson Award and Abigail Earnshaw for the Leukaemia Trust
Award. George is an excellent student who contributes to many aspects of
school life. His main passion is Ski Racing. He was selected for the National
Schools Training Squad and attended a week long training camp in Norway
this year. He is also part of the fastest boys’ school team in the North West,
the 4th fastest school team in England and the 6th fastest school team in
Great Britain. He has been the winner of the under 16 boys series in Stoke
twice, he has also received a Bronze and Silver medal at the Rossendale
Race Series and 3 Gold medals at the under 18 Pendle Series. George has
also been appointed Club Captain for the Ski Rossendale Race Club,
meaning he is responsible for looking after new members and helping to
coach prospective skiers.
Abigail Earnshaw has been a credit to the school throughout her time at
CRGS. Her main talent and passion lies in athletics, but Abigail has
consistently attended almost every extra-curricular activity on offer. While her favourite event is
the 800 metre, Abigail has represented Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley at the Lancashire
Schools Cross Country every year. She was also part of the Preston Harriers team that
finished second in the country last year, in the National YDL competition. Abigail has
represented Lancashire at Sports Hall Athletics, and the Lancashire Athletics Association at the
North of England Championships. She has won medals at a number of Lancashire
championships in the 800 metre and also qualified for the English Schools Championships in
this event. She is ranked 5th in England for 600 metre indoors at under 15 and 2nd in
Lancashire for the 800 metre at under 17. She has run an English Schools qualifying time of
2:16 and is currently ranked inside the top 30 nationally, whilst being at the bottom end of her
age group! She has been an such an integral part of the school athletics team, receiving a gold
medal in the 200 metre and 800 metre at the District event in Year 7, 8, and 9 and in the 300
metre and 800 metre in year 10!
There was some really tough competition for the awards this year. We recently found out that
despite George’s impressive credentials, he was unfortunately pipped to the post by a boxer on
the GB pathway. We are delighted to announce that Abigail however won the vote, and has
been named the winner of the Leukaemia Trust Award, 2019! Congratulations Abigail!
Girls Leadership and Marketing Squad (GLAMS)
The GLAMS have been working hard this year and after the Lancashire Conference have put in place
some new activities for our students to enjoy. Firstly, the girls decided to purchase some box fit
equipment and put on a Friday lunchtime club for Year 10 and 11 girls. The club was enjoyed by a good
number of girls who learnt some simple pad work activities and worked on their fitness, as well as
having fun.
Following on from this, GLAMS set up a club exclusively for Year 7 Girls who perhaps wouldn't usually
attend a sport club. The aim of the club was to help the girls build confidence and enjoy activities in an
informal and less competitive setting.
Feedback is always positive and the girls are gaining in confidence. In September, we will be looking to
recruit new GLAMS in order to bring fresh ideas and new opportunities for girls in sport and further
develop our campaign, which is ultimately to get more girls active.District Athletics 2019
The run up to the District Athletics Championships is always a busy one. Training begins in
earnest after the Easter break and the students dust off their spikes. The big day arrived and
the good old British weather tried to dampen our spirits. It was a grey, cold wet day but we
travelled to Wilsons Playing fields with high hopes of gaining the title once again.
As the heats progressed, CRGS were looking strong and qualified for many of the finals, yet
The Hollins and St. Augustine's were also looking good. As the day progressed, the weather
worsened but that seemed to ignite the fight amongst the students and they quickly began to
bring in the medals. We had qualified for seven out of eight of the relay finals, so it was looking
like we had the chance to score lots of points. Sadly, disaster struck with both our Year 7 and
Year 10 Boys’ Relay team, they looked like they were storming to victory, but the Year 10s
dropped the baton and couldn't recover and the Year 7s couldn't quite make the baton
changeover in time. The rest of the teams really exercised their talents, meaning we were well
placed to retain the title. It has to be mentioned that our Year 7s in their debut season seemed
unfazed by it all and managed to win gold in many events. The team were tremendous on the
day and were once again, for the third year running, crowned District champions! As you can
Gold Medal Winners
see in the photographs, a massive medal haul helped
seal the victory. Special mention must go out to Tilly
Pollard, Jed Davies, Tommy Davis and Abigail
Earnshaw for winning the individual District Champion
title for their age category. We also managed to take
the Gold in all four girls’ Relay Finals and the Year 8
boys stormed to victory as well!
Individual Champions 2019
Winning 2 or more Golds
4 x 100m Relay ChampionsSkiing
In October, eighteen students from Year 7 to Year
13 represented CRGS at the English Schools Ski
Association Finals in Norwich and won in style!
They then went on to represent England in
November at the British Schools Final in
Edinburgh, where they performed exceptionally
well. In March, we competed in the annual schools’
North West Ski
Race at Pendle Ski
Club. Fourteen racers came first in the Sixth Form Team, and
both the Upper Senior Team and the Lower Senior Team
competitions. Tom Greensmith in Year 11, George Wilkins in Year
10 and Charlie Wilson in Year 8 were selected to travel to Norway
for a Skiing Camp in recognition of their outstanding talents (see
below).
The final skiing competition of the year was just last month, when
our Under 14 Girls’ and Under 19 Boys’ teams represented the
school at the ESSKIA English Schools’ Indoor Snow
Championships. This is a really intense day, where an individual’s
overall standing is determined by less than 30 seconds of racing!
Both teams were outstanding and each received Silver medals on the day; an exceptional
achievement.
ESSKIA Training Camp, Norway
In September last year, several teams from CRGS entered a regional ski race,
organised by ESSKIA (English Schools’ Ski Association) held at the Stoke Ski
Centre. Other regional races were held across the country and lead to National
and British competitions in Norwich and Edinburgh. ESSKIA analysed the times from the
competitions, as well as previous knowledge of the skiers and invited six of the skiers from
CRGS to attend training camps in Geilo, Norway. These students were George Wilkins, Charlie
Wilson, Tom Greensmith, Joel Whitfield, Scarlett Culver and Georgia Singh.
On these camps, six days were spent skiing on snow. The first three days were spent developing
GS (giant slalom) skiing, which isn’t really possible in England, and the last three days on slalom
skiing. These camps help children develop their skiing on real snow using video analysis and
timed runs. There is also the possibility of being selected to represent the country at the
International Ski Federation Races. For me, I got the opportunity to ski race on real snow with
great coaches who helped me improve my technique and it would be great to go again next year.
By Charlie WilsonSwimming
Under 13 Swim Team
Four boys and four girls made up a very strong Year 7 and 8 swim team for the District
Championships in January. Scarlett O’Neill, who is no doubt a future athlete, stole the show for
the girls with some incredible performances, but was well supported by Eva Bowen, Maisie Jo-
Riley and Isabelle Nash. The Year 7 girls, new to the event, were made up of Nell Butterworth,
Ali Holmes, Hannah Webster and Danya Brown. They fought hard for team CRGS and scored
good points. The boys’ team was big and strong. Faraaz Bhatti, full of nerves on the day,
impressed everyone, coming 2nd in the notoriously difficult Butterfly race. Faraaz was supported
by Joseph Booth, Charlie Wilson and Ben Harris. The team finished an admirable 2 nd place
overall, which is a very good start, considering they can aim to go one higher next year. The
Year 7 boys’ team, also impressed us with their swimming and we look forward to next year
when they compete for more medals. James Wilkinson was superb and won his heat and was
well supported by a team full of heart and technique. Harry Shackleton, the Football team
captain, Eesa Hussain and experienced swimmer Charlie Holme all scored well. Well done, team
CRGS.
Our very own Ben Turland continues to swim and his team came an amazing 4 th place in a
recent swim meet at National level. They remained at 3 rd place until near the end and were
racing against men from private swimming schools and universities from around the country -
some of which will be competing at the Commonwealth Games. This just shows the standard at
which Ben is able to compete - amazing!
Rugby
In Rugby, our Under 13 girls narrowly came second at the District Tag Rugby competition, but
were still eligible to represent the District at the Lancashire School Games, where they finished
in 11th position. A brilliant result at a County level in such a new sport for the girls.
The Year 7 boys’ Rugby team finished the year in style when
they took part in the Clitheroe Rugby Club match versus
Ribblesdale. Two teams took part and they both won their
two matches. Everyone in the team contributed to a display
of some fantastic Rugby skills. Following the matches,
students were invited to play for the club (if they didn’t
already have a team) and several students are now playing
outside of school.
The enthusiasm with which Year 7 have taken part in Rugby
this year has been fantastic and they have made some really
encouraging progress. The highlight of the year was winning
the Lancashire Emerging Schools’ tournament, which we
reported on in the Winter Edition. It is impossible to single
out any star players as all members of the squad should be
extremely proud of their achievements. We are already
looking forward to next year.Sports Tours at CRGS
Year 7 Football and Netball Tour Isle of Man 2019
The annual Year 7 Sports
tour was the best we have
ever had! Not only was this
helped by the fantastic
weather we were so lucky to
have, but the extra day
added to the tour meant we
could play an additional
fixture and see other parts
of the beautiful Island. So
this year, we set off on the
Thursday and arrived in good time to play our first fixture against our
hosts, King William’s College. The Netballers played some great
games and came away victorious; the Footballers weren't to be
outdone and they too ensured they came away with wins. The next
morning the teams were up bright and early for breakfast before heading out to Ape Mann
Adventure and a bit of tree top trekking. What a fantastic morning it turned out to be. Our
students faced their fears and climbed high into
the treetops before zipping back down to the
ground. After a spot of lunch back at College we
headed over to Ramsey to play against Ramsey
Grammar School. With confidence being high we
were able to be victorious in the games. Then it
was time for relaxation and our evening meal at a
Mexican restaurant followed by some 10 pin
bowling. Miss
Sutcliffe showed
her style and flare
with her bowling technique to have strike after strike!
After an exhausting day it was time to board the coach back to
King William’s for a good night’s sleep ready for our early
morning fixture against Castle Rushen High School - usually our
toughest games but yet again the CRGS teams played some
excellent games. The afternoon was for relaxation, swimming
and L
laser blast, Jed Davies and Rose Best seemingly the sharp shooters. After all that excitement
and activity we headed to La Piazza for
the best pizza in town. Finally back to
King William’s for our final night and up
bright and early for breakfast and packing
ready for the journey home. An
exhausting but fantastic trip once again.
All our students represented CRGS with
integrity and honesty and, once again, we
are very proud of them.Sports Tours at CRGS cont. Ski Trip 2019 The Ski trip departed in February half term to Sierra Nevada, Spain for a week-long trip of ski school and excursions. The ski school instructors were amazing and helped many new skiers stay on their skis and tackle the slopes. One of the favourite parts of the trip for some was the disco, complete with sombreros. Apart from skiing, the students had fun on the snow park where they could use snow scooters, toboggans, snow tubes and much more. But the highlight was the night skiing where students were able to free ski under the moonlit sky! Students were put to the test towards the end of the week by challenging themselves on the slalom race. Max Davies proved to be the fastest! We look forward to next year’s ski trip to Vermont, New England! Greece Sports Tour 2019 This July, 42 of our Year 8 and Year 9 students, along with 6 members of staff, travelled to Loutraki, a small seaside town close to Athens, Greece. Our hosts at the nearby Sportcamp organised our leisure time with their facilities and our fixtures against local Netball and Football teams. Three Netball teams and two Football teams embarked on the tour not quite knowing what to expect. Temperatures were above 35 degrees and the sunshine was beautiful but the conditions made it difficult to play competitive matches. However, the students took it in their stride and were excited for what was ahead. Before the evening fixtures began, we had time at Sportcamp to refine our skills and do a little training and also to use the facilities. Basketball was an option but Beach Volleyball proved to be extremely popular, with both staff and students teaming up to enjoy some team bonding and friendly competition. We returned to the hotel for a quick freshen up and then on to the beach for a little rest and to soak up the sun before the games.
Sports Tours at CRGS cont.
Greece Tour 2019 cont.
The first fixtures turned out to be tough with some strong Netball competition. In Greece,
Netball is in the development stages but the country’s students are clearly very good
Basketballers and they transferred their skills with great success. Our three teams played very
well in difficult conditions and our A team managed to overcome them to win their first game.
The Footballers managed to play some great Football despite the heat. We now know they
have two referees on the pitch too! After the games it was back to the hotel for a late tea,
shower and bed ready for the next day.
Our next day was a trip to the 2004 Athens Olympic park, The Melagavi Lighthouse, the
ancient Temple of Hera and then on to the glorious Heraion Lake, a hidden gem with crystal
clear water where we enjoyed more beach volleyball, swimming in the warm water and a lovely
lunch at the waterside restaurant. To finish off the evening we visited the finest ice cream
parlour in town and had a stroll along the promenade.
Saturday was Game Day, similar to Thursday, where we undertook
some training, followed by Beach Volleyball, use of the pool and
Trampoline hall at Sportcamp. The Netball games were closely fought
and were nail biting to watch. Our
C and B teams came very close
and our A team gave the Greeks
students a real lesson on how to
play Netball the right way! Not to
be outdone, the Footballers were
more than ready to be victorious
on Greek soil, and that they did.
Charlie Havard opened up the
scoring with a great goal, quickly followed by another
and then Rory Teare scored a screamer in the top
corner from a long range free kick to seal the victory.
As quick as a flash, our final day arrived with a city tour of Athens and the Acropolis. What an
experience that was! The site closes at 1.00pm and we really got a good understanding of
why: the intensity of the heat and the sun. The site itself was amazing and our students
thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Once we left the Acropolis, we walked through a flea
market on to our restaurant where we had a lovely 3-course Greek meal at Vyzantino
Restaurant in Plaka before heading off to the Panatheniac Stadium, one of the most amazing
sites that brings the history of the Olympics to life. After soaking
up the history and the atmosphere it was time for some retail
therapy at the huge 5-storey Athens Mall before heading off to the
airport for the flight home. A final note on this most amazing of
tours is that we received some lovely feedback from a member of
the public who was on our flight to Athens. He had taken the time
to email school and congratulate our staff and students on how
well behaved and respectful our party was. We do also
wholeheartedly agree with this and it is wonderful to know this has been observed. Well done,
everyone!Examinations Twitter
Good luck to all our students who are now awaiting
exam results. As ever they all worked really hard Please continue to follow us @crgspe to keep
throughout the year and deserve to do well. up to date with fixture information.
We look forward to starting the whole process again In addition, we now have Twitter for GCSE and
in September with new cohorts and can’t wait to get A Level PE students. We strongly encourage
started following a good break over the summer! students to follow us @crgspetheory to help
improve their wider reading and knowledge of
the subject.
Sports Awards 2020
We would like to give an extra special Thank You to
our parents and local businesses for providing the Please also continue to retweet us and get your
prizes for Sports Awards Evening. friends to follow!
It seems a very long way off the next Awards
Evening but we would be very grateful for any prizes @crgspe
and donations in advance of the event to help make
it an even bigger and more successful evening!
Fixtures Reminder
We really appreciate the support of parents and carers in picking up students and allowing them to
take part in so many fixtures. Please remember that we now publish our intended fixtures for the
following week on our website. Please check these every Friday to help you with organising your
hectic lives!
Feedback
We are always looking to improve Physical Education and Sport at CRGS and value feedback from
students and parents. We are always on the lookout for coaches who can come in and provide clubs for
students, so if you know anyone willing to give up some time to help, please let us know!
We are always on the lookout too for new equipment so if you are able to help with this we look forward
to hearing from you.
We greatly appreciate everyone’s continuing support and we are looking forward to another exciting
year of success and participation at CRGS.
There will be another Newsletter at Christmas but in the meantime please do keep up to date by
following us on Twitter @crgspe and by regularly checking the school website www.crgs.org.uk
ENJOY A LONG AND FUN-FILLED SUMMERYou can also read
