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SPORTS 15
U18 Essex Indoor
Hockey Champions
An U18 boys’ team convincingly took the Essex U18
Indoor Hockey title in a competition played at New
Hall School, Chelmsford on Monday 7 November.
Throughout they played a very controlled game and showed the
highest skill level and ability to break down the opposition teams,
which all employed a very defensive system against the Bancroft’s
side. Captain, Will Hopkins, scored a hat trick in convincing wins
against New Hall (5-0) and Coopers’ Coborn (6-1) with Nathan Rose
and Zayne Avril adding to the tally overall. It was an outstanding
team performance from a teamwhich had not previously played
together as a Bancroft’s indoor side. Coach Andy MacLeod said, “We
have not entered this tournament before and as a school have little
experience of indoor hockey; several of the boys have represented
Old Loughtonian club at indoor tournaments and this experience was
clear in their performances today.”
The boys qualified for the East of England round which was played
in December at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. This proved
to be a very demanding and long day, during which they faced the
qualifiers from Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk,
Suffolk and Hertfordshire.
Rio Gold Medallist
Visits Bancroft’s
We were was lucky enough to have a visit from Olympic
Gold Medallist Shona McCallin on Friday 18 November.
McCallin, who won Gold in Rio as part of the women’s
hockey team, was accompanied by her medal, which
goes everywhere with her.
Firstly, she spoke to all senior pupils about her career: the highs and
lows, the trials and tribulations which culminated in success at Rio
in 2016. She focussed on how she juggled her exhausting sporting
commitments with her school life, particularly during exam years,
and how she recovered from setbacks, such as injury, perceived
failure or England’s performance in the Champions League before
Rio. It was clear as she spoke that there are many parallels between
success in sport and success in other areas of life. Certainly her focus
on determination, discipline and drive applies not just to sporting
achievements.
After this, she met with an invited group of our talented sports
players, from across all sporting disciplines. She led a Q&A session
answering questions about her career, her aspirations, her influences
and her training. Pupils were keen to be photographed with Shona
with her medal and she took time to give advice on an individual basis
to players who are currently working their way through the England
hockey system and hope to follow in her footsteps.
Captain of the girls’ 1st hockey XI, Daffodil Dhayaa persuaded
Shona to allow her to try on the medal, which weighs in at 500g.
Daffodil commented, “Shona is an inspiration to all, on and off the
pitch. From a hockey aspect, her journey to Olympic Gold at Rio
is both admirable and inspiration. I personally aspire to have the
same determination and focus that she does in order to achieve
my own goals.”
Rugby Coaching Awards
Alex Pentecost, U6S
Following on from achieving my
rugby league Level 1 coaching
qualification in 2015, I wanted to
take my depth of understanding of
the coaching process to the next
stage. I undertook a rugby union
Level 2 course designed around the
15-a side game in October 2016.
With this award I will be able to impart my
passion for rugby, in either code, to others via
the medium of discovery learning so giving
the participants the opportunity to maximise
their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses
in a fun environment. This will not only assist
students of rugby but also me, within sport
or in life generally. I would whole heartedly
recommend anyone keen about their sport to
undertake a coaching qualification within that
sport to gain from the benefits it provides.
There may
also be the
opportunity
to earn some
cash when
away at
university!
I have been fortunate enough
to have been invited to deliver sessions to
experienced rugby playing adults and have
been received well despite my young age.