A Successful Sporting Year At Christ College Celebrated At The Sports Presentation Evening

Accompanied by the great and the good from the coaching ranks at Christ College, all the main sports teams were represented in force.

Rugby celebrated the best season in recent memory, culminating the success of the 1st VII at the Cardiff Arms Park tournament in March. Joe Parker was named Most Improved Player, and The Players’ Player of the Year was Jacob Lewis.

Girls and Boys hockey celebrated significant representation at the National Finals, with the Boys U14s and U18s, and the Mixed U12s all claiming their respective National titles! Little surprise that the boys’ Welsh Internationals, Ben Foxley and Wales U18s Captain Ben Wigmore were among those honoured by hockey coach Dominic Phelps, who gave an an impassioned address! Girls’ captain Ariadne Bridge spoke very well to summarise the girls’ hockey achievements, and Sian Lewis claimed the top honour.

Not to be outdone, Netball coach Lynne Webber and captain Elinor Jones, spoke very well in support of another super season for Christ College Netball. Lauren Williams was among those to receive awards.

Boys’ football has had a great season too, ably summarised by captain Jamie Morris. Player/Coach, Tom ‘TJ’ Jenkins received the Players’ Player award and we wish him well as he forges a career in the sport.

One of the top teams this year has been Boys’ Basketball – unbeaten throughout the season, they have carried all before them! Captain Bob Deng gave an excellent address. Kyle Wang was the very modest winner of the Player of the Year, with Tim Hon winning Young Player of the Year.

A number of Christ College pupils have been distinguishing themselves in the sporting arena in recent months.

Last term, Form 4 pupil Amelia Reynolds celebrated her selection for the Wales U20 Athletics squad by being part of the Welsh record-breaking 4 x 200m relay team that beat their England U20 counterparts in an international meet in the National Indoor Arena in Cardiff. She also finished a very creditable 4th place in the individual 200m race. It’s been a wonderful indoor season for Amelia, who is now concentrating on the outdoor season.

Meanwhile, two brothers are pushing themselves and each other towards national and international recognition. Jack and Kitt Stephens came 1st and 2nd respectively in the Pony Club Area 10 Triathlon Winter series.

The Pony Club Triathlon comprises shooting, swimming and cross-country running. As a result the brothers represented Area 10 and competed against competitors from eighteen other areas, at the National Finals being held in Milton Keynes. In addition Jack won a trophy for being the top Junior Tetrathlete in Area 10 in 2013. This was out of all girls and boys and was for shooting, swimming, running AND riding. Later this month, Jack will represent Wales & Borders in the Royal Windsor Horse Show, a reward for his continued success.

Our congratulations also go to Issy Morris and Jess Rayner on their recognition at the 2013 Brecknock & Radnor Sports Awards held at the Pavilion in Llandrindod Wells on March 7th. The event, co-ordinated by Powys County Council’s sports development team, recognises and celebrates individual and team sporting success at all levels in the previous year. Form 4 pupil Issy Morris has been on top form in 2014, storming to the Welsh U17 Indoor 3000m title in January and she followed this up with selection for the Welsh Cross-Country Team for the third year in a row.

Director of Sport at Christ College, Tim Trumper, said: “These achievements are just the tip of the iceberg. These pupils have done exceptionally well in their individual sports but they also contribute so much to our team sports as well. I’ve no doubt that their success rubs off on their team mates and inspire them to new heights too.”

These individual achievements come on the back of exceptional team performances in rugby, where Christ College’s 1st XV enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in recent years which included a notable victory against a Crawshay’s Welsh XV and the success of the 1st VII at the Cardiff Arms Park tournament.

On the hockey front, our 1st XI girls and U16 girls XI have been crowned County Champions and figured prominently in the National Championships. The Boys’ season was rounded off in tremendous style with a hat-trick of victories at the Welsh Schools Championships, at U12, U14 and U18 – a remarkable achievement! Welsh internationals Ben Wigmore and Ben Foxley were instrumental in the success across the season.

Our Netball players are also at the top of their game with a number of pupils earning U18, U16 and U14 county selection. Emma Leute represented Powys U14s whilst Annabel James and Emily Devoy earned selection for Powys U16s. Christ College provided the backbone of the Powys U18s squad with Nan Thomas, Cara McNaughton, Lauren Williams and Bella Fisher all earning selection.

Mr Trumper added: “There is a wide range of sporting opportunities here at Christ College and it’s fair to say that sport is the heartbeat of the school. Our pupils thrive on the sense of achievement that comes from a commitment to sport, on the involvement in a team that trains and plays hard, and they enjoy the friendship and camaraderie that goes with it!”