Kingswood School’s U13A Netball Team have been crowned winners of the 2017 Millfield Prep School Netball Tournament.
An annual event, Kingswood were runners-up in the 2016 tournament and were keen to perform well again this year in this prestigious event.
The team started the tournament at pace but strong teams from both Millfield and The Downs School capitalised on a number of timing errors by the Kingswood players. Following these two early losses the players re-grouped and went into their next round with some new targets. A motivating team talk enabled the players to maintain their confidence and motivation.
During the next two matches Kingswood went from strength to strength. Maya Lane led by example and dominated her opponent. Olivia Singer intercepted some challenging balls, whilst Annie Davis, Edie Morris and Rose Bates denied the shooters space and shooting opportunities. Kingswood beat Sherborne Prep School comfortably 15-1 and The Redmaids’ School in a similarly dominent manner 13-5. These were the wins that the team needed to develop fluency and timing.
In the final two matches of the tournament Kingswood came up against Millfield and The Downs for the second time. What developed was an exciting and epic set of matches in which Kingswood led Millfield for over 10 minutes and came away with a 12-12 draw before beating The Downs 13-8 after a physical and demanding match.
Kingswood came away as winners of the tournament beating Millfield on goal difference. The girls thoroughly deserved their gold medals for an outstanding comeback, having never stopped believing in each other.
Said Head of the Kingswood Foundation, Simon Morris: “We are very fortunate in the South West to have some excellent rivals on the sporting field and the level of play from pupils from all these schools was outstanding. I am extremely proud of the U13A team who, despite a disappointing start, worked together and never gave up. It is this team spirit which clearly carried them through and will stand them in excellent stead for the rest of the season”