Newsletter
This Week in Pictures…
Early morning mist at Priest Hill. Captured by Mr Colombage.
Learn • Achieve • Enjoy • Succeed
Glyn School, The Kingsway, Ewell, Surrey, KT17 1NB
T: 020 8716 4949 F: 020 8716 4999 E: [email protected] W: www.glynschool.org
Dates
for
Your
Diary
Friday 29 January – Glyn PSA Disco for students in Years 7 and 8 - 7.00pm to 9.00pm
Week commencing Monday 1 February - House Badminton all week
Week commencing Monday 1 February - House Geography (tbc)
Monday 1 February - Enrichment Lecture - 3.30pm to 4.30pm (please see details later in this Newsletter)
Tuesday 2 February - Enrichment Lecture - 3.30pm to 4.30pm (please see details later in this Newsletter)
Week commencing Monday 8 February - Head Boy and Head Girl Applications
Monday 8 February - Enrichment Lecture - 3.30pm to 4.30pm (details to follow)
Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 February - School Production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Friday 12 February - Year 7 MFL Spelling Bee in The Proctor Hall
Friday 12 February - School closes at 3.10pm for half term holiday
Red Carpet Event - BBC School Report and
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Last night, Glyn hosted its first ever red carpet
event. BBC School Report students hosted the
event to promote the upcoming Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory whole school production.
The event premiered an exclusive trailer,
interviews with the cast and crew, awards, and
even a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
themed game. The event saw The Proctor Hall
being transformed into a Hollywood-style venue
with an actual red carpet.
BBC School Report students played various
roles, from interviewing the cast and presenting
the show, to organising and managing technical
aspects of the event. The students have been
working tirelessly over the last two weeks to get
this event together, and their hard work
definitely paid off.
The BBC School Report students hosted and covered the event in preparation for their News Day which will take place
on 10 March. This will see the participants function in a live news room for the day; preparing and presenting stories
in real time.
We are now all looking forward to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and would encourage you to buy tickets, if you
have not already done so.
Miss Jeyarajah and Miss Keoshgerian, English
The Friendship Engineers Group - Getting to Grips with Photography!
This week The Friendship Engineers Group enjoyed a photography workshop and we would like to pass on some helpful
hints to other students who are interested in photography.
Anyone can create moody creative photography; all you need is a camera or a smart phone camera, a torch, a dark
room, some toys and some visual imagination. Look at our great examples:
Top creative tips from the Friendship Engineers Group:






Use the torch to create eerie shadows.
Keep the torch out of the shot.
Keep the background or backdrop plain.
Experiment with different viewing angles with the camera.
Experiment with different toys and objects.
Have fun!
The Friendship Engineers Team
Forthcoming Enrichment Lectures
Students, parents and carers are invited to two
Enrichment Lectures next week:
Monday 1 February
‘Leukaemia under the microscope’
3.30pm to 4.30pm in S11 - presented by Mrs Pearson
Tuesday 2 February
‘Bilingualism; anti-ageing cream for the brain’
3.30pm to 4.30pm in L2 - presented by Miss O’Shea
I do hope you will be able to join us for these enriching and thought-provoking lectures.
Mr Bell, Head of English
Year 10 Geography Trip to Naples – Deadline to pay deposit is
31 January
The deadline for paying the £100 deposit for the Year 10 Geography
trip to Naples in October is 31 January. We will be booking the
flights for this trip on 1 February, so it will not be possible to add
more names after 31 January.
If you wish to discuss any details of the trip, please email Ms Butler
at [email protected]. If you wish to discuss payment for the
trip, please contact Mrs Lowes or Mrs Smith in the Finance Office on
020 8716 4938. Thank you.
Ms Butler, Geography, International Status Lead, Duke of
Edinburgh Coordinator
The LRC Book of the Week - Department 19 by Will Hill
A secret supernatural battle has been raging for over a century and it is getting more
dangerous. When Jamie Carpenter's mother is kidnapped by strange creatures, he finds
himself dragged into Department 19, the government's most secret agency. Fortunately for
Jamie, Department 19 can provide the tools he needs to find his mother and to kill the
vampires who want him dead. But unfortunately for everyone, something much older is
stirring and it is something even Department 19 can't stand up against.
“This is a great story about vampires. It has a lot of twists and turns and is very dramatic
and gory!” Patrick Humphris 8 Abbey
Available to borrow from the LRC!
Holocaust Memorial Day - Year 9 Talented and Gifted Webcast
On Wednesday, Glyn’s Year 9 Talented and Gifted (TAG) students commemorated Holocaust
Memorial Day by taking part in the Holocaust Education Trust’s first ever nationwide
webcast. This was a unique opportunity to link up with 400 schools across the UK who were
watching a live webcast of Rudi Oppenheimer's testimony.
Rudi is a Holocaust survivor who works with the Holocaust Educational Trust on outreach
programmes for schools. He spoke about his life before the Nazis came to power in Germany
and how their rule affected the life of his family throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The theme
of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day was ‘Don’t Stand By’ and Rudi spoke about how this
idea motivates him to continue telling his story to young people today. He urged us to speak
up for what we believe is right and for those who require our support. Our students are well prepared for their studies on
the Holocaust and have now had a chance to hear the first-hand testimony from a survivor which has given them a
relatable perspective on these events.
Students were clearly moved by this event and many wished to review the day for this newsletter. Below are thoughts
and reviews from two of our students.
Miss Cortizo, Head of History
"Listening to Rudi was very thought-provoking as he explained how he had survived and the constant movement around
Europe that we was forced into doing. It made us all feel very grateful for the things we have today and how there is no
prejudice that can affect us nowadays in Great Britain". Dylan Knott 9B
On Wednesday 27 January, thanks to the Holocaust Educational Trust, 10 Year 9 students who are in the Talented and
Gifted group in History were allowed to watch a live stream whilst a holocaust victim told his story. Rudi Oppenheimer
gave a talk to over 400 schools in the UK. He explained his story of courage and fear as Nazi Germany swept the Jews
from their houses and placed them in horrible camps. Rudi was born in 1931 in Berlin. He was living in Berlin when the
Nazis spread through Germany, taking all the Jews. The family moved to their uncle and aunt's house in London whilst
their dad searched for jobs in Berlin. This is when Eve, his sister, was born. The Oppenhiemer family now had a British
born baby and this would prove life-saving for them in the near future. When Rudi's father found work in the
Netherlands, they moved with him. The Nazis were in control of the Jews there, so their rights were slowly cut and
eventually they lived under strict, separate rules which had very little liberty. His school got smaller as children were
taken away into the transit camps and then extermination camps. The Oppenheimer family were considered as exchange
Jews because of Eve's nationality, so they stayed in their homes and so thankfully spent less time in the camps.
Nevertheless, the family suffered many months in a transit camp called Westerbork and also some months in
Bergen-Belsen (with Anne Frank). When they woke up on a train to an extermination camp, the train was captured by
Russian guards and they were back in Britain in the next month.
Rudi answered questions on Twitter, but unfortunately there were so many that none of ours were answered.
Nevertheless, the event still made a memorable experience for the students.
Rudi's story is an inspirational message for what we can learn from holocaust survivors and the Holocaust Educational
Trust: "Don't stand by". Ewan Badcoe 9SB
Glyn PSA Notices
Foreign Coins and Notes - Thank you!
We have just cashed in your recent donations of foreign coins and made £142.62 for the school!
Thank you for your help with this simple fundraising scheme. We are now collecting towards our
next lot and will need another 10kg of coins, please!
You can help without really having to put your hand in your pocket by simply sorting out any old
foreign notes and coins left over from holidays and business trips. Many people have some old foreign currency, either
notes or coins and perhaps some old UK or Irish decimal coins. It sits in pots and drawers and is unlikely to be used again,
especially if it is from countries where the currency has become the Euro. The PSA would like all worldwide current
currency in notes or coins and any of the older currency such as the German Marks, Spanish Pesetas, old UK Shillings, old
UK decimal coins including Ireland, Channel Islands, Scotland, Isle of Man and £5 or £2 coins. Old half or full crowns and
silver or brass coloured 3 pence pieces can also be exchanged. You can even donate old farthings and pennies 1d or 1/2d.
The coins and small notes cannot be exchanged in the UK, and old Spanish Pesetas cannot be spent in Spain, so they are
of little value to anyone. The PSA can turn your old money into a valuable donation. It is estimated that there is £100
million in old or foreign coins across the UK that could be used for good causes, so please dig out yours and get it to Glyn
Student Reception today!
If your business would be willing to have a collection box on our behalf, please get in touch with the PSA at
[email protected] for collection leaflets and posters.
Secondhand Uniform, Books and Revision Guides
We would like to thank everyone who has made donations of second hand uniform and GCSE A/AS
Level revision books to the PSA. Our stock of secondhand blazers and PE kits is running low. If you
would like to donate any items of uniform that your son or daughter no longer requires the PSA at
Glyn School would be very grateful to receive them. Please hand your donations into Student
Reception. If you are thinking of donating a number of items we will even collect, if that makes things easier for you.
Any donated items will be made available for other families to buy and could make a real difference to other parents and
carers. All monies raised through the sale of secondhand uniform will be used to provide funding for extra resources at
Glyn School. Your support of the PSA is very much appreciated.
If you require any secondhand uniform or have donations to be collected, please either email us at [email protected]
or message/post on our Facebook page, which also lists the current stock of secondhand uniform:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/GlynSchoolPSA
Small Electrical Donations - Mobile Phones and Video Games
Thank you for your donations so far this year; we have had laptops and DVD players donated. If you
have unwanted jewellery, scrap gold or gadgets such as mobiles, cameras, video games, games
consoles, laptops, DVDs or MP3 players lying around the house, we would love to have them. If you
would like to donate any items to the PSA at Glyn School, please hand your donations into Student Reception. We are
also happy to collect any large items. All monies raised through the sale of these donations will be used to provide
funding for extra resources at Glyn School. Your support of the PSA is very much appreciated. [email protected]
Off-Road Driver Training 16+ (Now on Parent Pay
The PSA are very lucky to have been donated vouchers for RoadCraft Off-Road Driver Training held at
Mole Business Park in Leatherhead on Sundays. This provides a course of junctions and road layout in a
safe environment. These vouchers give 16 year olds the opportunity to start their driving practice before
their 17th birthday. Training starts approximately a month before their 17th birthday. They don't even need to hold their
provisional licence. The vouchers are only £60 and provide 3 hours off-road training. RoadCraft has been established for
over 15 years, helping to qualify over 50 instructors and 1,000s of pupils with an ethos of teaching to a higher standard
and safe driving for life, not just to pass the test. Their unique off-road course teaches pupils to handle the car
confidently and to be prepared to start a safe and complete driving experience. Having the off-road course considerably
reduces the number of hours needed for on-road lessons.Then if you choose to commit to a course of 10 lessons on road
with Roadcraft, you will receive an additional hour off road with a free lesson of 45 minutes on-road. RoadCraft lessons
are £210 for 10 lessons. They also have both male and female instructors. Other driving schools are charging £40 per hour
for this off-road driving. These vouchers make ideal presents and they are now available to any friends or family, as well
as Glyn students. Please email [email protected] or more information.
Glyn PSA
[email protected]
Sports News
Glyn Rugby - Wet Weather and Wasps!
Glyn Rugby returned over the weekend with a block
fixture against Ravenswood School.
Despite the rain, play went ahead on pitches that were
just about playable! Having been beaten across the
board against them last year, the boys were
determined to show how much they had progressed.
There was aggression and passion shown in all
encounters and, although only one win was recorded,
the points difference compared to last year’s results
was significantly closer. To make things sweeter, the
win came for the U15As (10-7) who had lost by over 40
points last year, which is a real testament to the way in
which they and Glyn Rugby is progressing. A full list of
the results can be found on the school website:
http://www.glynschoolsport.org/
Players of the Weekend: Harvey Dewar – U15B, Jack Dennis – U15A
On the topic of rugby progressing at Glyn, the U16s were fortunate enough to meet and be
involved in a coaching session run by current London Wasps player, Alex Lozowski, this
Wednesday afternoon. We were provided with the contact through our very own Mr Irving
(Science/Rugby Coach extraordinaire) and we cannot thank him enough.
Alex ran a fantastic session on ‘identifying space in attack’ for an hour and a half with the
group of over 40 boys.
Despite the torrential rain and gale force winds (if it’s not raining, it’s not training!),
everyone threw themselves into every aspect of the training session and demonstrated
their commitment to following Alex’s coaching and showing what Glyn sport is all about.
There was a really positive feeling within the group afterwards, and I can safely say that
Glyn Senior Rugby is in safe hands with the calibre of players coming through.
Until next week.
Mr Scorgie, Master in Charge of Rugby
Sixth Form Netball
On 28 January Glyn travelled to Archbishop Tenison’s School, Croydon, where we
played two consecutive matches in heavy rain. The girls played four quarters of eight
minutes each. Glyn started strongly and gained five goals, but Archbishop Tenison
were equally as strong and levelled with us to get a 5-5 draw by the end of the first
half. Glyn were getting tired towards the end of the first half so, with a few changes
of positions, we started the second half with some fresh sets of legs. Archbishop
Tenison were a challenging team to play against, but Glyn held their own with a final
score of 11-11. Well played to all the girls. Thank you to Mrs Mabbott for umpiring.
Team: Caitlin Penn, Georgina Wenk, Alice Moody, Olivia Keen, Josie Adcock, Lauren Waller, Ciara Purvis, Sophie Jones and
Sophie Yeates. Player of the Match, as voted by Archbishop Tenison, was Lauren Waller.
Caitlin Penn 13 St Benet
In the second match Glyn won 8-5. This was a good reflection of how the girls worked together and
maintained control of the game. The lead was all down to Chloe’s excellent shooting for which she also
gained Player of the Match for her outstanding performance! Our defence also worked tirelessly to
ensure the ball rarely entered the opposing team’s goal third and managed to make many interceptions
as a result. The mid-court players continued to make sure the transfer of the ball across the court was
as seamless as possible, with minimal interruption by Archbishop Tenison. A massive thank you to
Mrs Mabbott for taking us, umpiring, coaching and supporting us throughout!
Team: Chloe Clifford (GS), Sophie Yeates/Lauren Waller (GA), Nadia Giorgi (WA), Ciara Purvis (C),
Connie Breeden (WD), Charlotte Hope/Josie Adcock (GD), Lizzie Hillier (GK). Player of the Match,
as voted by Archbishop Tenison, was Chloe Clifford.
Sophie Yeates, 12 Merton
Year 7 Football - Richard Challoner U12B 1
Glyn U12B
11
Despite the severity of the score, the hosts were perhaps not as poor as the goal tally suggests. The main difference was
the organisation and player-for-player ability ratio amongst the Glyn team. Whilst Challoner possessed four or five able
footballers, Glyn boasted a teamful! The writing was on the wall, or the scoreboard to be precise, when the
ever-industrious Harry Regan pounced in the opening minutes to put the visitors ahead.
The solid defensive organisation from keeper, Ben Cunningham, and the back line of Sam Ward, Toby Appleyard and Alfie
Walters, ensured any possible threat from Challoner was competently and skilfully dealt with. Glyn's custodian exemplified
the quality on show with excellent distribution and control of his area. It was also telling that he WAS a goalkeeper; the
hosts unfortunately could not really boast the same! As an added hindrance to the host’s net tender, the goals were full
sized.
Cunningham was admirably supported by the other three who were also instrumental in the controlled and structured
build-up of Glyn's attacking play. Further forward, the willing William Marshall ploughed the right-hand side with purpose
and industry and delivered several excellent crosses as well as adding midfield grit when needed. Luis Dyer and Mackenzie
Hurrell dominated possession in the centre of the park as the former notched a pleasing hat-trick and the latter weighed in
with two of his own. Their combined and incessant foraging provided a constant threat.
Kian Dennis and Harry Regan were the willing front runners. Regan also grabbed a hat-trick; one a delicious header from a
delightful Sam Ward cross and Dennis added his name to the score-sheet with a fortuitous finish. Louie Ayling, sporting a
retro 1930’s plus fours look, was fully deserving of his goal as the boys ran riot and Toby Appleyard, fleet of foot, surged
forward from his central defensive position and let fly with an excellent shot that left the Challoner keeper flailing.
The only blot, if indeed one can be pernickety to make such a claim, was the inability to keep a clean sheet. Although in
fairness, not even Non-Bio Persil with Comfort Conditioner could have helped its cleanliness as a 35-yard screamer flew
into the top right-hand corner of the goal as Cunningham remained marmoreal. The gripe? At least four Glyn players were
still in Challoner’s half. Organisation at all times chaps!!
In all, a thoroughly dominant performance, with all players making important contributions throughout. The Roving
Reporter’s dual role on the day rolled back the years as his sagacious and incisive comments (verbally expressed, rather
than written!) were carried out almost to the letter. Far more challenging opposition surely wait before the season’s end,
but with the impressive range and depth of ability within the Year 7 ‘B’ and ‘academy’ squads, whoever the challengers
may be will need to be mighty strong to overcome such a talented bunch of players!
Man of the Match: William Marshall
Glyn’s Roving Reporter
Year 7 Football - ESFA National Cup - Last 16
Glyn U12B 8 Northampton School for Boys 0
The Year 7 ‘B’ team surged majestically into the quarter-finals of the National Cup with a thumping 8-0 victory over
Northampton School for Boys.
The visitors came to Priest Hill suitably confident, having recorded a string of convincing results themselves, but nothing
could have prepared them for what followed! Although they possessed a giant central defender who certainly would not
have looked out of place in the Sixth Form (!), the home team were not in the least intimidated and, in fact, gave this
Colossus a torrid time for most of the match. With a fairly brisk wind blowing diagonally end-to-end in their favour Glyn
dominated the first half exchanges and the quality and intricacy of the football produced must have astonished the
Northampton boys and staff. Only the woodwork (twice) and a couple of fluffed shots prevented the hosts from
commanding an early and decisive lead.
The deadlock was eventually, and most would say inevitably, broken after 15 minutes when a devastating passage of play
involving most of the team eventually saw the opposition’s disorientated full back turn Harry Regan’s driven cross into his
own goal. This instigated an exquisite passage of play leading up to half time when Glyn mesmerised their opponents by
producing a quality of football that belied their young status. A further three goals, each extraordinarily beautiful in both
production and execution, left Northampton ‘shell-shocked’. The gracefully peripatetic Kian Kane bagged two and the
imperious Ollie Gant drilled home another, thus giving Glyn a fully deserved 4-0 lead. Northampton did trouble Glyn twice
during the half but on both occasions the cultured defensive nous of the brilliant Toby Appleyard and the brave
athleticism of keeper Alex Body prevented any incursions.
With the wind in their favour during the second period, the visitors did come into the game more, but the collective
defensive organisation throughout Glyn’s ranks ensured Alex Body was emphatically protected. Indeed, he did not have a
shot to save in the second half, such was the host’s irrepressible togetherness. In similar fashion to the first period the
opening 15 minutes provided a lull in terms of goals and although the visitors did invade Glyn’s defensive half far more
regularly, nothing was created. The wind was obviously playing its part but it did not prevent Glyn from producing and
delivering the now expected quality of passing football. From the cultured and intelligent support play of the defensive
back line of Sam Ward, Alfie Walters and Toby Appleyard, to the industry, craft and coruscating footwork of Harry Regan,
Luis Dyer and especially, Kian Kane, Glyn dominated in a way that Latin scholars may refer to as undiquesecus.
Kian Dennis was a constant threat on the left flank and in Ollie Gant, Glyn possess the epitome of forward artistry and
vision: Glyn’s answer to Jamie Vardy! Important cameo roles by Charlie Sharp, Finley Phillips and Mackenzie Hurrell
re-enforced the home team’s superiority and their impressive contributions must have been hard to take as far as the
opposition was concerned: Glyn made it very clear they did not have a single weakness.
Whether it was tiredness or disconsolation, the weary boys from Northants capitulated in the final 15 minutes and
conceded a further four goals. Gant added another; his second; Dennis fired home a fully deserved goal, and Regan
rounded off another eye-catching and pugnacious performance with two goals of his own, including the team’s eighth just
as the final whistle blew.
This was a phenomenal performance and one that must make manager, Mr Tanner, extremely proud. Northampton School
for Boys were certainly not a bad side and it was clear they had the potential armoury, but in drawing Glyn, it was
‘a bridge too far’. The chasm in ability and teamwork was evident and it spanned the entire pitch. Amongst many
excellent performances, one stood out: Kian Kane’s indefatigability, his adroit and deft movement, both on and off the
ball, and his unerring eye for goal made him the unquestionable Man of the Match.
And so to the quarter-finals; dare one say only two games away from
the National Final. Providing the remaining participants don’t cheat,
(and there have been many who have tried against Glyn!), and this
group of boys remain focused, modest and self-effacing in their play
and performance, they have a very good chance of matching the
other five Glyn sides who have reached this pinnacle in English
Schools’ Football, thus making the school the most successful non
‘academy linked’ school in the history of the competition!
Man of the Match: Kian Kane (a performance of near perfection!)
Glyn’s Roving Reporter
Sportsman of the Week - Henry Melrose, 9C
I had the pleasure of teaching Henry in Year 7. Although he would be the first to say that he is not the
most naturally gifted athlete, Henry really does bring a lot of enthusiasm to Games lessons at Priest
Hill. I was therefore happy to see him in my group again this year.
Henry has learnt how to tackle hard in rugby, and his understanding of what to do when and where on
the pitch has improved in every lesson. Henry came to the fore in football where he and his small group
become the best back four in the whole group and were able to command the penalty area fully and
reduced the amount of goals scored against their team in the lesson.
Henry understands all aspects of PE and is able to analyse and explain areas for improvement in both himself and others.
As a teacher, it is a great privilege to have students, like Henry, who always try as hard as they can, no matter the
weather or sport they are doing.
Well done, Henry. Your enthusiasm and dogged termination are highly commendable attributes.
Mr Hawkes, PE, KS4 Coordinator
Young Officials Award - Badminton Officiating
Joe Priest, Ewan McTaggart, Sonny Slinger,
Marcus Levett, Jamie Doherty, Robert Sydenham,
Uzair Ali, Sophie Jones, Sophie Yeates,
Lauren Waller
On Monday, the above Year 12 students attended a
'Young Officials Award' course through Badminton
England by Carol Bilton, an external assessor. This
was to enhance the AS PHED 2 Officiating section of
their PE course and could also be added to students’
CVs.
The course itself gives candidates a chance to
understand the nuances of umpiring and line-judging
a Badminton match through theory and practical
based elements. Areas covered were: court
management, officiating matches, collating scores,
line-judging, organising tournaments and general court etiquette.
All students applied themselves very well and by the end had improved their knowledge significantly. Our thanks to Carol
Bilton for delivering the course and to Mr Menagh and Mr Taylor for helping to organise the participants prior to Monday.
Mr Colombage, Master in Charge of Badminton
Year 7 Academy – Inter-School Badminton Match
Glyn v Southborough School - 27 January 2016 at Glyn
Pair 1: Charlie Keeley (Capt) + Alastair Sidlin,
Pair 2: Kian Dennis + Clovis McCulloch,
Pair 3: Manujan Manivannan + James Francis
Last Wednesday witnessed the unearthing of emerging Badminton talent at
Glyn as the Year 7 Academy played its inaugural match in the sports hall.
The ethos of the Academy itself, set up alongside those of Table Tennis,
Football and Rugby, was to allow students not in school squads to still be able
to play within a slightly less formal environment. In order to test skills and
tactics learnt, matches against Southborough and Ewell Castle had been
arranged, with Blenheim yet to confirm a date for a further fixture. It was
agreed between managers that each pair would play ‘best of 2’ sets, thus
promoting three different outcomes as opposed to the more official two.
A nimiety of excitement belied one or two butterflies as the team warmed-up
and the start time loomed. Round 1’s first set saw very keenly and evenly
fought contests and there was not much in it as Glyn just managed to pip their
opponents in the end. Charlie and his team then hit their straps and pulled
comfortably away to secure all three rubbers. The home team continued their dominance at the beginning of round 2, but
as that particular section of the match progressed, Southborough staged a mini come back as Manujan and James’s pair 1
opponents forced them to work harder for their points. On court 3, the away side’s pair 3s rallied (no pun intended) and in
a thrilling 2nd set, took it 21-19. Meanwhile, Charlie and Alastair, who were combining very well as a pair, made light work
in their rubber.
Glyn now took a 6-0 lead into the final round and although the overall match was won, we continued to press for a more
impressive margin of victory and within the next 15 minutes, our pair 1 and 2’s had recorded further two set wins, leaving
pair 3 to close out. This proved to be the most exciting encounter of the afternoon and despite losing the first set 21-12,
the Southborough duo came back in a nail biting, neck-and-neck all the way final set. At 20-20, everyone held their breath
as the visitors served in a ‘sudden-death’ situation: after a superb rally, Southborough clinched it with a powerful
overhead shot.
An impressive start to the Academy players’ match careers was authenticated by consistent team work, camaraderie, grit
and determination coupled with great promise. Having already taken part in a school squad match in 2015 as a non-scoring
player, Charlie brought his fledgling experience to bear with a cool and calm approach, matched by his partner Alastair.
Kian and Clovis cleverly combined the power of the former, particularly when smashing, with the ‘never say die’ attitude
of the latter. Lastly, but not least, Manujan displayed great shot selection whilst James was tremendous in defence. It is
encouraging to know that there is a burgeoning framework surrounding the first team squad and that there is clearly going
to be healthy competition for places as currently untapped talent continues to flourish.
A big thank you to parents and carers who came to lend their support from the gallery, plus Mr Churchill who was quick to
heap praise on the imposing new nets.
Well done indeed to all players.
Mr Colombage, Master in Charge of Badminton
Wishing you a restful weekend.