a superlative sporting term
lAST wEEK, kING eDWARD'S MADE HISTORY BY WINNING THE ROSSLYN PARK NATIONAL SCHOOLS SEVENS UNDER 18 VASE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
The Rosslyn Park Sevens event is the largest school rugby tournament in the world, and so it was an extraordinary achievement to lift the trophy and a testament both to this group of boys and also to what has been building inside the rugby programme at KES for years. The achievement rounded off an incredible year in which the same team ranked in the top 20 UK schools in the Daily Mail U18 Rugby Trophy.
As official commentators at Rosslyn Park Sevens, NextGenXV were quick to applaud the team’s efforts over two days, “After a strong fifteen-a-side season it has felt as though something special has been brewing at KES Bath; last Tuesday at the Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens it came to fruition. It is a rare thing to be able to make people that don’t know you proud, but that was the overwhelming sensation from the touchlines - particularly in the final against Cheltenham College - as this group of young men showed not just tremendous skill and wonderful play, but also immense bravery, determination and passion. Every single one of them deserves to be incredibly proud of themselves, and the wider school community should be as well; it is a remarkable achievement. School sport is about memory making, and these boys have made one that will last a lifetime. Hats off too to the coaching staff, not least Sean Lilley and John Tidball, who have poured their hearts and souls into this team. A fantastic achievement.”
Alongside the success of the U18s, the U14s also topped their table at Rosslyn Park, advancing to the second day; the U16s went unbeaten and just missed out on the second day on points difference; the U18 girls delivered extraordinary performances against renowned rugby schools and the U13s experienced their first taste of a major senior Sevens tournament. The School’s reputation in Sevens was further enhanced by the inaugural KES Sevens Tournament a few weeks ago, which attracted a competitive field including Wellington College, Beechen Cliff and Millfield.
Success in sport can be measured in a myriad of ways. At KES we are always reflecting on our progress, and we aim to give our pupils the opportunities to experience enjoyment of the game, the values and responsibilities of being part of a team, the benefits of commitment and hard work, the thrill of victory alongside the lessons of defeat and to foster a love of the game that will last a lifetime. This philosophy was very much in evidence during this term’s boys’ hockey programme.
The regular Saturday fixture programme has evolved, and we frequently compete against the strongest hockey schools in the area, as well as hosting many of them at our annual Hockey Festival, which this year celebrated its 40th anniversary. We have also made excellent progress in various tiers of the England Schools Hockey Championships, with teams regularly reaching the Regional Finals and beyond and a growing number of players selected into the GB Hockey Talent System and National Age Group Squads. Pupils at the lower end of the School have performed extremely well this season, confirming the potential is there for us to produce yet more pathway players in the future.
The netball season has also been a thrilling one. Starting with pre-season training in January, staff and pupils have embraced the ethos of 'ENGAGE, CHALLENGE and ENJOY.' The programme has seen great levels of engagement, with nearly 200 pupils representing the School in Saturday fixtures. Across the term, 160 matches have been played, eight tournaments competed in, and countless lessons learned. Team highlights include the U12B, C and D teams going unbeaten and the U13A and B teams losing just one game each, with the A’s comfortably retaining their KES Invitational Tournament trophy. Everyone has fully embraced the season and been rewarded with huge developments across all the year groups.
Throughout the School, teams have focused on refining core attacking and defensive principles, successfully integrating individual skills into match play. Our netball programme's game-sense approach promotes vital qualities such as decision-making, independence and leadership. These skills not only enhance performance on the court but also equip players of all abilities with transferable tools in their daily lives. Our teams have once again achieved remarkable success this season, solidifying KES netball's reputation as one of the premier programmes in the South West.
There has been more tournament success in football, in what has arguably been the best football season in the School’s history. With over 60 boys signing up to play each week, there has been plenty of talent and potential to utilise in the School’s representative teams. The 1st team squad achieved their best ever set of results (climbing to 23rd position out of 245 other schools nationally in the SOCS Performance League) with 13 games played, nine wins, three draws and only one narrow defeat, and the season highlight is still to play out in the U19 Boys Somerset Cup Final on the evening of 28th April, to be held at Portisfield Town FC.
Whatever form it takes, at KES we believe that encouraging young people to participate in sport is a fantastic way to ensure they have fun, stay active and develop the physical skills, mental resilience and character traits necessary for leading successful and fulfilling lives. These qualities remain central to the mission of the PE and Games department.
Mrs Gwilliam, Director of Sport
