Our Boccia team, along with five Sports Leaders, headed to Penrith Leisure Centre on Friday 9th May, for the long-awaited County Boccia Finals.
The Leisure Centre was buzzing with activity when they arrived with both primary and secondary school students from around the whole county warming up in readiness. The primary and secondary school competitions were being run alongside one another.
There were nine secondary schools competing and at 10.30am promptly the games got underway. Our Boccia team played superbly in their pool games against Kirby Stephen, Nelson Thomlinson, Dowdales and Branthwaite. They worked brilliantly together, carefully discussing tactics with each other before the delivery of each ball. The extra practices they had attended in the run up to the competition had clearly paid off. The team won every match convincingly and earned themselves a place in a semi-final.
In their semi-final they met Workington Academy who had come second in their pool. The game was tight with some excellent play from the Workington players, but our team kept their cool and took the victory.
WHS were now through to the final where they met Cartmel Priory School. This was another close fought match but Cartmel played some amazing Boccia and took the win by three points to zero.
Our team were a little disappointed but happy that they had won silver and a place in the North-West Regional Competition in Liverpool in June. This was especially lovely for Andrew, the team captain. He will be leaving William Howard shortly to go on to university but it means he will be able to play in one more competition before fully leaving the school. Luckily, this competition is after his exams.
Huge congratulations to the team – Andrew, Samuel and Emily.
A huge well done must go also to our Year 8 Sports Leaders – Leo, Zach, Olivia and Isla and to Vlad in Year 7. They officiated throughout the day with great enthusiasm. Zach even dressed up as the Active Cumbria Mascot, Spirit, for part of the day.
Thanks should go also to all the Sports Leaders who attended from other schools and to Active Cumbria and Hannah Paling (HP Activities) for making the day possible.
