Co-Ed Sport Festival Day 3

Day 3 of the Co-Ed Festival of Sport gave our boys and girls the chance to continue exploring new sporting experiences through girls’ football, judo, netball and cricket.

Girls’ Football:

Old Leightonian and Footballer for Bath University, Ellie Pearson, coached Year 7 and 8 girls through some footballing techniques. Shooting was a key topic to the session with Resident Tutor, Jack Gardner, sacrificing himself to some belters in goal!

Ellie gladly expressed: “It’s really nice to come back and see how much girls’ football has grown at Leighton Park ‘and see how many girls are getting involved and enjoying it so much.  I also think it’s nice to see someone external, especially someone who’s been to Leighton Park, come back and still have that love for football and show the growth that you go on from school and can carry on playing. Even though you’re only learning it now, it’s something you can continue for years to come”.

Judo:

Judo was another highlight of the day. Leighton Park’s Judo Co-Curricular Instructor, Olympic Judo athlete Danny Williams, led a session within the week to teach safe judo practices and some moves to our Year 7 and 8 boys and girls. Introducing less popular sports allows our students to find new hobbies, passions, and interests to expand their activities.

U13 Cricket:

The second cricket fixture of the week was a chance for the Fryers to take the pitch, this time against Pangbourne. Pangbourne were up first scoring 88 runs from 16 overs off 7 wickets. Leighton Park followed up with 88 runs in 12 overs off 5 wickets.

Toby Greatwood, Head of Cricket at Leighton Pak, reflected, “Cricket Week gets everyone involved in it; the participation this week been really good from every age group. We don’t do a lot of winter cricket but I think as soon as Cricket Week comes around the interest in it across the School really perks up. The weather this year has been really nice for it too!”

Henry (Year 8) commented “Cricket Week is important because it helps people what wouldn’t necessarily play cricket, play cricket more and so they might find out that they really enjoy it even though they didn’t think they did.”

Staff v Student Netball:

The annual Staff vs Students netball match, this year part of the Co-Ed Festival of Sport, is always popular with players as well as supporters. Even Kaya (Lower Sixth) who has played netball for only the second time ever this week, was keen:  “It’s really exhausting but it’s fun. I played goal keeper and wing defence- the best bit is the rebound, like slapping it away when I was goal keeper!”

The staff were pleased with the outcome achieving 7:1 and 5:3 from the two B team matches whilst the staff A team scored an impressive 9:8 and 9:1 from their games. “It was good fun. It got very competitive but was very sportsmanlike at the same time.” commented PE Teacher, Sophie. Deputy Head, Eddie Falshaw, who also joined in with rounders and girls’ football earlier in the day agree: “It was played in the right spirit. It’s always nice playing with the students, having a chat about different things and talking to different people.”

Sports Prefect, Jemima (Lower Sixth) enthused, “I thought it was really fun to be with the teachers. In a more friendly environment instead of being in the classroom. My favourite part was Eddie’s shooting!”

See our Festival of Sport photos here!