Girls compete in regional netball tournament

The tournament, which was held at Surrey Sports Park, was hosted by the national schools group in order to give the girls a chance to test themselves against teams from across the region.

The girls from Shoreham Academy also had the opportunity to meet with other students from Guildford High School and Glenmoor and Winton Academy, as they tested their skill and stamina in the games.

The event was one of three regional tournaments as part of United Learning’s group-wide sports initiative PARIS 2024, which aims to inspire both excellence and greater participation in sports ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.

These activities have already seen girls from across the group’s schools enjoy running, rowing and rugby challenges, with a host more planned over the coming months.

To bring added excitement to this regional netball tournament, the students were joined by Mikki Austin, Director of Netball at Surrey Storm, who led an inspiring coaching Masterclass ahead of the tournament.

The students also had the opportunity to ask Mikki questions about her experience in the sport, and about life as a successful female athlete.

The day was a resounding success, which the girls thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst everyone played some brilliant netball, ultimately it was a team from Guildford High who were crowned champions and awarded the regional trophy.

Gabby Blenman and Amelia Robers, Year 11 students at Shoreham Academy who participated in the tournament, said: “It was a really fun and enjoyable experience, there was a lot for us to take away to improve our netball.”

Hannah Grimsley, PE teacher at Shoreham Academy, also said: "It was a fantastic event that supported our students with high quality evidence for GCSE PE moderation. It also enabled them to develop skills both on and off the court, inspired by the workshop run by Mikki Austin.”

Shaun Dowling, Head of Sport at United Learning, said: “It was fantastic to host our regional netball tournaments this week across the North, South and Midlands, and to see the high level of skill and effort from each of the schools’ teams over the course of the events.

"Most importantly, the feedback from the students and teachers has reinforced how much fun participation can be – at all levels of ability – and the importance of sport and physical activity in our lives. Thank you to all our schools who got involved and especially to our special guests – including Mikki Austin – for providing additional inspiration and insight for our students.”