16 October 2024
Mrs Caroline Treacy, Director of Sport
As we reach the end of a busy and exciting first half term, there have been many sporting highlights.
We’ve welcomed new staff members, who have hit the ground running and made a great impact. Mr Birtles, Head of Hockey, Teacher of PE Miss Beaumont, who’s in charge of cross country, and Woldingham alumna Miss Akintunde, our Sports Graduate, summed up their experience of Woldingham to date, saying, “The girls have been incredibly responsive to coaching and feedback, and their camaraderie has been inspiring. It’s been wonderful to see how our students engage across a diverse range of sporting opportunities, fostering teamwork, personal growth, and a strong sense of belonging.”
From impressive team performances to individual achievements, students have shown outstanding dedication and passion. Here’s a round-up of what’s been accomplished so far.
Momentum builds for hockey teams – Mr Josh Birtles, Head of Hockey
It has been a busy six weeks for our hockey teams, with over 40 fixtures, including a pre-season tournament in Nottingham, three cup games, the U14 Surrey Regional Tournament, and hosting the Senior Indoor Qualifiers. Momentum is building across all age groups. An impressive 120 girls have represented the school in competitive hockey fixtures at a variety of levels, demonstrating Woldingham’s commitment to building participation whilst pushing excellence.
Our U14 teams have made commendable progress, beginning to develop a deeper understanding of the game. The U14As (main photo) had a stellar run in the T2 County Tournament, finishing unbeaten. The team now looks forward to the upcoming England Hockey T1 Plate fixture after half term, where they hope to build on this success. The U14Bs have had great success in fixtures, cementing the strength of the year group.
Our senior teams have shone, displaying remarkable quality and adapting seamlessly to new playing styles. A standout moment came in the first round of the U18 Tier 2 Cup, where the 1st XI team (pictured in gallery below) demonstrated incredible resilience to clinch a thrilling victory against Worth on penalty strokes. This hard-fought win highlighted the team’s determination and skill.
Our 2nd XI has also shown significant growth as a cohesive unit. The team is gearing up for a regional tournament after half term and there is lots of potential to work with.
Our U15s have been putting in the hard work during training, leading to noticeable improvement each week. They capped off the half term with an impressive team performance against Colfe’s, showcasing development and teamwork.
The U13s have had a competitive start to the year, with many girls stepping up to represent the school. The U12s have also thrived, successfully fielding three teams, which has been very exciting.
As we head into the second half of term, our hockey teams are poised for even greater challenges, with more cup and regional fixtures upcoming. I'm excited to see what we can achieve.
Netball teams off to a flying start – Miss Lauren Hindley, Head of Netball
The netball season kicked off with a weekend trip to Condover Hall for the U14A and Senior U14 teams. The Senior teams, comprising players from Year 11 to Upper Sixth, utilised the weekend to gel as a cohesive unit. With several new combinations and players stepping up, the trip was instrumental in fostering camaraderie and ensuring a smooth transition for those moving into higher age groups. The team refined strategies, strengthened on-court communication, and worked on team dynamics in preparation for the packed season ahead. For the U14A team, the weekend was all about competition. The girls displayed remarkable netball skills and plenty of determination as they progressed through a tournament that spanned the weekend. They made it to the cup competition on Sunday afternoon, showcasing their talent and teamwork early in the season.
This half-term has seen an impressive level of participation, hard work and commitment across all netball teams, with 32 fixtures already completed and five tournaments entered.
A standout event was the Year 7 District Tournament, which Woldingham hosted. The top courts were alive with energy as 24 teams participated, meaning over 150 girls enjoyed the game in a spirited and competitive environment. The scale of the event was a fantastic showcase of the enthusiasm and talent for netball in the region, and Woldingham was proud to be at the heart of it, fostering a love for the sport among our younger students.
Another highlight has been success in the Sisters in Sport Competition. This prestigious tournament sees schools from across the country competing at a high level. Our U13, U14, and Senior teams have all advanced to the third round, and our U12s to the second round (see photos below), a testament to hard work, talent, and competitive spirit. There is much anticipation for the next stages, where our teams will face even tougher opponents.
Exciting start to the year for swimmers – Mrs Tina Cornelius, Head of Swimming
We are incredibly proud of Year 9 swimmers Zoe, Odette, Tarryn, and Isla (pictured in gallery below), who demonstrated excellent teamwork and determination at the recent ESSA Surrey Relay event against stiff competition. In the freestyle relay, they secured an impressive 9th place out of 20 schools, and in the medley relay they finished 6th. This was a fantastic achievement in such a competitive field, where they were racing more experienced Year 10 swimmers in the intermediate category. We look forward to seeing them build on this fantastic achievement.
This term has been an exciting one for our new Year 7 swimming team. Competing in three tough galas, the girls have shown significant improvement with each event, consistently achieving personal best times and gaining valuable race experience.
Swimmers in Years 7 and 8 have displayed remarkable progress. Despite facing stiff competition in their first few galas, they have taken the challenge head on and delivered impressive performances. Their hard work and dedication are paying off, as many have shaved seconds off their personal bests, showing steady development in speed, technique, and endurance.
Powerful performance at Prior's Field Cross Country – Miss Fiona Beaumont, IC Cross Country
In an impressive display of talent and determination, 14 students in Years 7 to 9 showcased their athletic prowess at the recent Prior's Field Cross Country event, as well as demonstrating commendable commitment and spirit. There was a standout performance from Daisy L, Year 9 (pictured below with Miss Daley), who demonstrated excellent strategy, as well as skill and dedication, to clinch 1st place in her year group.
Our Year 8 team also deserves a round of applause for finishing in an impressive 3rd place in their year group. Their collective effort and teamwork were instrumental in this success, proving that hard work and collaboration can lead to outstanding results.
This event was a fantastic opportunity for our students to compete, support each other, and represent the school with pride. We look forward to celebrating more achievements in the future.
Students achieve sporting successes outside school
Special congratulations to the following players on being selected for sporting squads and programmes:
Daisy O, Year 9: U14 Surrey Hockey
Charlotte B, Year 9: U14 London Hockey
Oli D A, Year 9: U14 London Hockey
Tife O, Year 8: U13 London Pulse Netball
Emilia B, Year 9: U14 London Pulse Netball
Thea W, Year 9: U14 London Pulse Netball
Amaya S, Year 9: U15 London Pulse Netball
Delphie M, Year 9: Elite Academy Netball Programme
Ria P, Year 7: U12 Kent County Cricket
Leonora S, Year 11: U16/8 Middlesex County Cricket
Lara S, Year 11: P28 Irish Swim Next Generation Olympics Squad
Phoebe B, Lower Sixth: U18 Kent County Golf
In addition to her success at Priors Field, Daisy L, Year 9, finished in a superb 3rd place in the U15 Surrey Cross Country League.
Alice K, Upper Sixth, was part of the GU17 London County hockey team that won last season’s Southern Areas Championship. Coached by Scotland and GB International Lee Morton, the team was unbeaten all season.
Year 11 show jumper Gracie H took part in week of competition at the CSIP big and small tours in Lier, Belgium in September. Competing against riders from all over the world, Gracie achieved multiple clear rounds on both ponies across the week, picking up top 3 and top 10 placings, as well as a win in the CSIP small tour final with Ralph to finish the week.
