Double sports success for academy students

It marks a great first term for the Academy PE staff and pupils who have also recently been awarded the Sports Mark Gold accreditation in recognition of their commitment to extra-curricular activities, interschool sport and intra school competitions.

The Year 7 Rugby team travelled to Blackburn Rugby club where they came out on top in the North Lancashire Rugby tournament involving 16 schools across the county.

The side won all five of their games and coach Gordon Kidd said it was ‘a great achievement.’

He added: “Many of the boys involved are members or have recently joined Garstang RFU Club and have benefited from the added experience.”

In football, the Year 11 team also picked up back to back wins in the district south school group stages. Their performance set them up for a grand final against the winners of district north, Baines High School.

The side left it late in the game to level the scores, leaving it 3-3 at full time and winning the resulting penalty shootout in dramatic fashion.

The school’s girls Year hockey team have also been busy on the field, visiting Hodgson Academy for a series of training sessions and games, winning one and drawing another.

Their coach Miss Shepherd said: “The girls worked incredibly hard, using their accuracy and control when passing.”

Speaking on the recent team successes and the sports accreditation Miss Katie Rainbow, head of girls’ PE, added: “This is a wonderful endorsement of the sporting achievements of our students across a full range of activities and all year groups.

“It also reflects the hard work and commitment of the PE staff, particularly in their support of extra-curricular sporting activities.”

Last year was the school’s most successful for sport in recent times, winning 13 district and county trophies and runners up in seven competitions.

Miss Rainbow added: “Our achievements were across nine different sports which is testament to the amount of competitions that the department enter and are prepared for.”