Barbados Sports Tour 2025

Day 1:

The Sports Tour began with an early meet at Heathrow Terminal 3 before the group boarded their Virgin Atlantic flight. Thanks to a strong tailwind, the eventful flight took an hour less than expected, and they landed just after 11:00 am local time in Barbados. After transferring to the hotel, they checked in and met their local reps. There was time to cool off in the pool before a light training session in both football and netball. They then returned to the hotel for a buffet dinner, followed by a short trip to a local supermarket. It was an early night (Barbados time!) ahead of their first full day.

Day 2:

The first full day started with a morning run for some students, either along the beach or through a loop around the local area. Breakfast at the hotel was delicious and provided plenty of energy for the day ahead. The girls headed to the Garfield Sports Complex (home to hockey, tennis, swimming, football, and more) to play a match against a Barbados Combined XI, which turned out to be the U21 national team. Despite the challenging opposition, the girls held their own for large parts of the match, with the main difference being the finishing. The hosts scored early and again at the end of the third quarter, resulting in a 2-0 win, but the girls could be very proud of their performance.

Back at the hotel, the girls found the boys building sandcastles and enjoying the pool. After lunch, the group set off to watch the boys’ first football fixture of the tour. Unfortunately, the scheduled 3G pitch was unavailable, and the alternative pitch was deemed unsafe due to stones and shards of glass. Although disappointed, the boys understood the decision, and the game was rescheduled for Sunday. Instead, they played an in-house match on the training pitch used the previous day. In the evening, the girls went to a restaurant called Kandy, while the boys dined at J Cool. The day ended with a walk along St. Lawrence Gap before lights out.

Day 3:

The day began with another hearty breakfast before the tennis players headed off for two hours of practice on the hard courts at the Garfield Sports Complex. They played various formats, giving the coach a good sense of the players’ standard. Meanwhile, the football boys played their rescheduled fixture from the previous day. It was a closely contested match, with the score at 1-1 at half time, thanks to a penalty goal from Francesco. Despite LP hitting the post through Sam and Guerau, the hosts secured the win with the last kick of the game.

There was time for some poolside relaxation before the girls went out in the afternoon for their first netball fixtures against local club side Shottas. The 2nd team played first in a tightly matched game, going into halftime at 5-5. The game remained close, but the hosts edged out an 11-10 win. The 1st team faced stronger and more physical opponents than they were used to, but they put in a solid performance despite a 40-19 defeat.

That evening, the group enjoyed dinner together, sharing results from the previous matches before taking the opportunity for some photos on the beach.

Day 4:

The day began with an early breakfast before the tennis players headed to their first fixture at the Garfield Sports Complex. The format included doubles, singles, and a mixed doubles match, with all but the mixed doubles being played as first to 9 games.

In the doubles, Alex and Edi secured a 9-5 victory, as did Oscar and Casper with the same scoreline. Zeb and Cameron narrowly lost 9-7, while Aunna was defeated in her singles match 9-3.

The boys then competed in their singles matches, which were closely contested overall. There were wins for Edi (9-6), Alex (9-3), and Zeb (9-0), but narrow defeats for Casper (9-8), Oscar (9-8), and Cameron (9-5) meant the outcome hinged on the mixed doubles match featuring Aunna and Alex. Despite trailing 3-2, they staged a comeback to win 6-3, securing a 6-5 overall victory for LP.

Afterward, the tennis squad joined the rest of the group at The Boatyard for an afternoon of seaside fun, which included a rope swing, water trampoline, and pier diving. The students then returned to the hotel to relax before enjoying dinner together.

Day 5:

The day started with a much needed lie in for staff and students although it was great to see a number of students out running on the road with Simon or on the beach with Matt.

After breakfast the boys headed to a football training session due to their match being moved to a different day. Callum led the students in some fun relays before some 5v5 matches. There was then some time to relax at the pool before the girls final hockey match. The game was against Barbados U21’s again but this time they had a couple of additions. The girls started slowly and didn’t recover and eventually lost 3-0, which was a disappointing end to those in year 13.

While the hockey was going on Callum (with the help of Zeb and Sam) helped coach Paradise FC youth team in a training session, which the locals really appreciated.

In the evening the group went to The Rhum Shop for dinner before watching some girls football training and the locals play a game of Road Tennis.

Day 6:

The day began early for both the tennis and netball squads. The tennis players competed in their final matches, while the netball girls took part in an intensive two-hour training session led by Barbados and England international, Kadeen Corbin.

The tennis match proved to be another tight contest, with LP narrowly edging out a 6-5 victory. All the boys secured wins in their doubles matches, while Edi, Alex, and Casper also triumphed in their singles games. This meant the mixed doubles match featuring Edi and Aunna was rendered a dead rubber. Special congratulations to Alex, who remained undefeated throughout the tour, and to Edi, who impressively won all but one of his matches.

The netball session focused on key tactical elements such as screening, zone defence, and centre pass routines. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the training and were able to apply their learnings in the afternoon fixtures against the Panthers. The 1st team dominated with a 32-2 victory, while the 2nd team secured a strong 21-9 win. Due to the disparity in skill level, the coaching staff made numerous positional changes, ensuring valuable game time for everyone.

Meanwhile, the football boys had a one-hour training session with Callum in preparation for upcoming fixtures. They trained on the astro turf at the Barbados Football Association, working on shape and possession play. In the afternoon, they relaxed with a game of beach volleyball followed by a refreshing swim in the sea, before wrapping up the evening with a group dinner at the hotel. Some students ended the day watching an entertaining local cricket match.

Day 7:

Following an early breakfast, the group set off for a four-hour cruise with Tiami Catamarans. This fantastic outing gave the students the chance to snorkel among turtles and explore a shipwreck. Onboard, they enjoyed lunch, snacks, and drinks before wrapping up the experience with a visit to the gift shop.

Back at the hotel, the football boys prepared for their second fixture—this time facing none other than the Barbados U15 National Squad! Despite the challenging opposition, the boys showed determination, going into halftime 2-0 down. The deficit grew before Zeb managed to pull one back, making it 3-1. A final goal from the hosts sealed a 4-1 result. Regardless of the scoreline, it was a valuable and memorable experience.

The day concluded with a special dinner at the Yacht Club, where everyone dressed in white, rounding off another fantastic day in Barbados.

Day 8:

The day began with an early breakfast, as both the boys and girls were involved in fixtures. The boys headed out for their match against Technique Academy. Despite trailing 2–0 at half-time, the scoreline did not reflect the evenly contested nature of the game. In the second half, the boys continued to press high and were eventually rewarded when Luca pulled one back. However, the game ended 2–1 in favour of the hosts.

Meanwhile, the girls participated in a netball tournament, with both the A and B teams showcasing excellent performances throughout the group stages and knockout rounds. The A team finished as runners-up, earning a trophy and recognition as the best touring team in the competition.

Later, the students enjoyed a refreshing dip in the pool or the sea before heading out to Oistins for an evening of food, stall shopping, and dancing.

See the Sports Tour photo album here!