We enjoyed a fantastic season of Senior Netball!
In October, we welcomed teams from Rugby School as part of their Northern Ireland netball, hockey and rugby tour. Unfortunately, we lost both matches but enjoyed the challenge at the start of what was to be a very busy few months of play. The matches against Rugby identified weaknesses in our skills-base and in our game-plan. Therefore, we knew there was much to do if we were to enjoy any success in the Intermediate and Senior League as well as the Cup competitions.
The girls trained early on Saturday mornings and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school. In this practice schedule, the girls demonstrated a huge commitment to netball and the school. Frequently they were also involved on Thursdays after school, if a match fixture demanded it. We are grateful for the quality coaching many of the girls have received directly from the Valley Netball Club and indirectly from Holywood Netball Club. It is only in effective partnerships between schools and clubs that the standard of netball in Northern Ireland will be able to reach performance level.
At all levels, Belfast Royal Academy progressed to A League this season. We knew this was going to be a challenge but also knew that if we were to improve our performance, we needed to be playing against some of the strongest sides, and we did!
The Intermediate team started their League campaign with a convincing win against Wellington College and again with victory over Belfast High School. Unfortunately this successful start did not continue with the girls losing to Dominican College, thus ending their League season. In the Intermediate Cup we were drawn against one of the strongest sides, Our Lady and St Patrick’s, Knock. The team played with real determination right to the end of a very difficult match, but lost by 29 goals to 15. This defeat meant progression to the Northern Ireland Schools’ Intermediate Plate competition, but this campaign came to an end in a very exciting match against Limavady Grammar School. The final score of 23 goals to 21, to Limavady, reflected the closely contested match.
The girls in the Intermediate Squad were joined in their Cup and Plate competitions by two girls from the Junior team. They made a significant contribution to the skill and determination of the Intermediate squad and to Lucy Dugan and Jess Kidd we say, ‘Thank you’!
The Senior team was drawn in a very strong section of the Belfast Schools’ Senior A League and won only 1 of the 5 matches in the section. However, defeat brought a new determination for the Cup campaign. The team reached the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Schools’ Senior Cup, following a well-earned, 21 goals to 17 win over Mount Lourdes, Enniskillen. However, Cookstown High School, having three International players on the team, proved to be a challenge too great and we accepted the defeat of 43 goals to 13 unwillingly, but with a new resolve to sharpen our game in the new season.
This season the Senior team benefited from the arrival of Nikita Cheyne into the LVI Form. Nikita proved to be an energetic, skilful and committed member of the squad and when illness meant she was unable to play or train, we really missed her! We are pleased she is now fit and look forward to her continued invaluable contribution next season. We were also very glad to welcome Suzanne Flanagan to the Netball Club for the first time this season. She attended every practice, was keen to learn and very quickly proved to be an essential part of the defence on the Senior team.
Becky Stewart was the only player from MVI on the Senior Squad and we thank her for her commitment to netball during her two years at B.R.A. and wish her well in her studies at Warwick University.
