Head of Sport, Mr Benstead, has paid tribute to Trent College’s talented young sports performers at the end of a hectic Lent term during which many of our teams and individuals shone on the national, regional and county stage.
No fewer than four Trent College teams reached their respective National Schools Finals’ –U14 girls’ netball and hockey, U18 boys’ hockey and indoor hockey – while the school ended the term with one Regional Championship-winning team and six County Champion teams.
In addition risng hockey stars, Kim Leiper and Chris Proctor, were both selected to represent England Under 18s at their respective Easter Four Nations European Tournaments last week. Chris scored in a dramatic penalty shoot-out as England boys won tournament gold in Holland while Kim helped England girls claim bronze also on penalties in Germany.
Second row rugby union prospect Nick Gray, son of Scotland’s 1990 Grand Slam hero Chris Gray, represented Scotland Under 17s against England at the end of March while Jamie Spencer-Pickup was crowned British Schools’ Judo U42kgs champion, adding to his Nationals and Midlands’ titles earlier this year. Meanwhile Elena Frankland (squash), Jenny Pickering (speed skating), Oliver Davidson (swimming), Olivia Kelly (golf), Ziggy Chmiel (canoeing) and Jack Dickinson (rugby) continue to impress in their respective county, regional and national age-groups squads.
Last month also saw Trent College host the inaugural Olivia Murphy U16 Netball Tournament, named after England’s double Commonwealth Games bronze medallist netball star who herself was in attendance at the event along with another former England player Julie Malinski. The tournament welcomed six teams, including two from Trent College plus Derby High School, Robert Sutton Sports College and Ockbrook School.
Mr Benstead admits barely a day passed during the term when we weren't acknowledging another notable achievement.
He said: “All the staff and students who have been involved in what has been such a memorable term of sport for Trent College deserve massive praise and congratulations. As well as the more high profile achievements we have also gained equal satisfaction from seeing pupils like Freddie Hopkisson be named Player of theTournament at the Oakham U12s’ 7-a-side Hockey Festival while we still have the U18 boys’ National Schools’ Hockey Finals to look forward to in Cannock at the end of April. I think the fact our sports teams perform so consistently well is due to the strength in depth of competition for places we have at each age-group in each sport, namely that our B, C and D teams remain competitive. Without this our A teams would not be as strong.”
