Blue & Gold shine at Games
Team Bath Netball’s U15s produced some brilliant performances as they finished sixth overall at the 2021 School Games.
The Blue & Gold, coached by Superleague stars Rachel Shaw and Kirsty Harris, only missed out on a place in the semi-finals on goal difference after finishing third in Pool A.
They continued their fine form in the placing matches by beating a North East team 38-11 and Saracens Mavericks 30-27, which extended their winning streak to four matches after well-earned pool victories against Severn Stars (24-20) and Leeds Rhinos (23-19).
That meant the last match of a busy weekend would determine who finished fifth overall but it was London Pulse who had the edge, winning 23-19. Team Bath’s only other defeats came in their opening pool matches against Manchester Thunder and Wasps, who went on to finish first and third overall.
Alice Clark, Ashleigh Mae Browne, Daisy Pointon, Ella Williams, Phoebe Moloney, Holly May, Hope Jordan,
Izzy Baker, Libby Claire Worrall, Louisa Gibbins, Merryn O’conaill and Neve Mortimer made up the Team Bath squad, whose team manager was Kelly Browne.
Find out more about Team Bath Netball’s talent development programme, offering high-quality local coaching to teenage netballers across the South West, by visiting netball. teambath.com/futures-pathway.
Thirty-four athletes from Somerset have returned home after competing at the 2021 School Games National Finals – a major multi-sport event for talented young athletes across the UK.
It was the first multi-sport event for young athletes following the lifting of lockdown restrictions, celebrating the athletes’ achievements in working hard to maintain training and motivation over the last year and a half.
Over 1,300 athletes competed across ten sports at the School Games, four of which included disability disciplines.
The 34 young athletes followed in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the event before going on to
senior international success. Alumni who competed at Tokyo 2020 include Adam Peaty, Kathleen Dawson, Alex Yee, Amelie Morgan, and more.
At the event, the athletes experienced the excitement of competing at the highest level, living in a dedicated Athletes’ Village on the Loughborough University campus and taking part in the School Games ceremony.
Of the 34 athletes, eight managed to
win a medal - three gold, one silver and four bronze.
The young athletes, ecstatic with their performance, left Loughborough University on a sunny Sunday evening, clutching their medals along with memories to last a lifetime.
The 2021 School Games National Finals is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and is delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.