Trent College Under 14 netballers head to the National Schools’ Netball Finals in Essex next (Saturday 17 March) aiming to provide the highlight in what we hope will be a triumphant week of championship action for its rising sports stars.
As well as the Under 14 girls staking their claim at being crowned the country’s top Year 9 netball team, Our Under 14 and Under 18 boys’ hockey teams will do battle for their respective Midlands championship titles and the right to seal their place in the finals of the National Schools Championships for Boys.
Meanwhile, the Under 13 girls’ netballers also head to Chesterfield for the Derbyshire county championship tournament.
The Under 14 netballers are gearing up for the biggest tournament of their lives when they travel to Basildon to take on the cream of England’s school netball talent after claiming a hard-fought runners-up spot at the Midlands Regional Finals in Northampton in January.
For many of the team it will be their second shot at a national title in as many weeks, with no fewer than seven of the 10-strong squad having also recently represented Trent at the National Schools Hockey Championships for Girls.
Miss Thornton, Head of Netball, believes that experience will stand her Derbyshire county champions in good stead.
She said: “The most important thing when preparing for a competition of this scale is making sure the players are confident and don’t feel overawed by the occasion. The girls have earned the right to be at the National Schools Netball Finals with some determined, gritty performances. The fact so many of them played in the national hockey finals can only help in them understanding what to expect in terms of the logistics of a national event, the likely standard of competition and what it means to represent Trent College at this level.”
Trent feature in Pool B in Basildon, with nine teams contesting a round robin competition with the winners of that pool going head to head with the winners of Pool A for the national crown. The runners up in each pool will contest a third place play-off.
Meanwhile, the Under 14 boys’ hockey team will contest their regional finals at Cannock Hockey Club on Monday (12 March) and the Under 18 boys at the same venue next Wednesday (14 March), the same day the Under 13 girls bid for Derbyshire netball glory.
Congratulations everyone and good luck in all of your forthcoming competitions!