When Ella and Zoe Lovibond left St Helen’s in 2020, they were already sporting legends in the School. As SHSK sports scholars, not only had they represented the school, local clubs and their county at multiple sports, they had even represented their country as juniors in their sports. Ella is a semi-professional rugby player, former England U20 international and is one of the star players for Bristol Bears Women, runners up in the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby final in 2024. Zoe made her Senior debut against Wales in 2023 and already has three England Lacrosse caps.
Shortly before leaving St Helen’s, the twins featured in an interview for the school sports newsletter, in which they shared their passion for sport as well as their hopes for the future. Nearly five years on, we went back to interview the Lovibonds to find out where their journeys had taken them, and what part sport plays in their life today.
Can you tell us what you have been studying and where you have been living since leaving school?
Ella: Over the last four years I have been studying Engineering Design at the University of Bristol. I graduated in the summer of 2024, and am continuing to live in Bristol where I am now working for Bristol Students’ Union as an elected Sabbatical Officer.
Zoe: Following school, I went straight to Exeter University to study Sport and Exercise Science, then decided to stay on and complete a Master’s in Business Management. I was living in Exeter with my friends during those four years, so it was very enjoyable. I am now back home near Abingdon and working a 9-5 job in Oxford before doing some travelling down under!
Which of your sports have you kept up, and how have you managed the transition to playing for senior teams?
Ella: When I went to uni, I had to choose which sport I wanted to pursue as I didn’t have time to continue doing multiple sports. I chose rugby, which was definitely the right choice for me. I joined Bristol Bears in my first year which was a big transition to senior rugby, but everyone was very welcoming and helped me make the step-up. The coaches were also great at helping me develop my skills and understanding of the game. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Zoe: I decided to stick with lax at uni which I am very grateful for – the club was full of such lovely people and being part of a society was just so much fun. I also transitioned into the Senior England team at the same time as joining uni. This was seriously daunting at first as I was suddenly the youngest of the pack, however, exposing myself to such a different standard of play really helped me develop as a player on and off the pitch.
What have been some of your sporting highlights over the past few years?
Ella: A highlight for me was playing at Twickenham Stadium in the London Sevens tournament in front of thousands of fans and managing to score a try in an England shirt. It was a really cool experience! Another highlight would be reaching and playing in the Premiership Final for Bristol Bears last season.
Zoe: One of my highlights of uni lacrosse was getting to the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) final in my third year, and then beating the great rival Durham! The team trained so hard in the run up to the semis, so it was such an amazing feeling to see all the hard work pay off.
Five years ago, when asked how sport made you feel, you both said it lifted your mood and made you feel happier. You also focused on the enjoyment which comes from playing sport with friends. How important is sport in your life today, and how does it make you feel now?
Ella: I love playing sport as it allows me to take my mind off university work or anything that stresses me out. It’s something that I look forward to after a long day at work and it also gives me a regular routine, which helps me organise my busy life!
Zoe: The serotonin kick that sport and exercise brings is still so key for me today, but now that I am a bit older, I love the way sport can help me switch off from my work and other commitments in life.
Looking ahead, how much do you think sport will feature in your life, and what part will it continue to play?
Ella: I think that sport will always be a big part of my life, whether that’s physically playing sport or if it’s working in a sports-related field later in life. My dream job at the moment is to become a professional rugby player, which would mean I could just focus on rugby and not have to stress about another job at the same time, but unfortunately women’s rugby isn’t fully professional yet.
Zoe: I actively try to do as much sport as I can, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I have recently started picking up on other sports such as running and playing tennis as I love the social aspect that it brings, so hopefully I will continue this in the future!
Zoe, you have been back umpiring lacrosse at St Helen’s as well as doing some coaching, and Ella you returned to play in the Old Girls’ Lacrosse Match in 2024. What was it like coming back to St Helen’s?
Ella: It was really nice to come back to school and see lots of friends that I haven’t seen in ages! I’m especially jealous of the new Sixth Form Centre that we didn’t get to experience. It was great fun to play in the Old Girls’ Match, especially as I haven’t played lacrosse since school!
Zoe: So nostalgic! Watching all the girls play lax on the same pitches as we used to play on has brought back so many fun memories that I will cherish forever… although it does make me feel pretty old!
Who in the sports arena inspires you? Is there anyone in particular you admire and why?
Ella: When I was younger there weren’t many female role models out there, so I looked up to Owen Farrell, but it’s great to see so many female figures in sport now! I would say I look up to some people that I play with such as Amber Reed (Bristol Bears Captain). Amber is so hard working and is such an all-round good human, and I have been to her multiple times for advice in difficult situations. Something that also really inspires me is getting to meet young fans after matches. I remember one time, when I came across a girl who had my name on her shirt and seeing that for the first time was so special!
Zoe: My inspiration is pretty close to home as I really look up to so many of my older teammates in the senior England squad. So many of them have such impressive yet challenging jobs but still manage to find the time to fit in their individual training and be present for those around them. Being a dual-career athlete is tough, so being able to see them balance everything so well inspires me as I go into my work career.
With a growing interest in women’s sport in the UK, notably in football, rugby and cricket, what impact does that have on you as a participant? Do you see any evidence of a larger audience?
Ella: 2025 is a huge year for women’s rugby with England hosting a home World Cup. The drive for this has had a real impact on the game, with increased attention, investment, and visibility. More of my matches are being live streamed on big platforms, with crowds increasing every year which is really cool! It is especially great to see more women and girls picking up a ball for the first time as a result of all this.
Zoe: I think it is so exciting to see women’s sports growing so much at the moment, and to know that it is taken more seriously definitely inspires me as a participant. I was lucky enough to go to the Paris Olympics this year and the crowds for the women’s rugby sevens were so incredible, and being there to experience that energy first-hand was hugely inspiring.
What challenges have you faced in your sporting journey and how have you tried to overcome them?
Ella: Over the past four years I have had several injuries – my ankle, knee and multiple concussions. These have been really challenging to overcome, particularly the concussions as it also impacts my ability to work. Being injured can be very lonely, so I found it important to keep checking in with teammates and coaches throughout. My university tutor was particularly helpful in working with me to manage my workload, as well as being flexible with deadlines.
Zoe: During my final year of university lacrosse, while serving as one of the team captains, I faced a challenging injury that kept me out for a large part of the season. It was incredibly tough to support and motivate the team from the sidelines, however, this experience taught me an invaluable lesson in resilience and strengthened my appreciation for the sense of camaraderie and support that comes from being part of a team.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give yourself five years ago, when you left St Helen’s?
Ella: My main piece of advice that I always give for balancing sport and work is to be really honest with your coaches and your university tutor or manager. Helping them understand your workload and your sporting schedule will help you to balance the two more effectively. I learnt this after a couple of years of university, but now I always make a point to be open about my commitments to avoid any disappointments further down the line.
Zoe: So cliché, but grasp every opportunity you can. Pushing yourself outside your comfort zone is such a good way to develop, and more often than not you will be pleasantly surprised!
What are your individual sporting hopes for the future? Where do you want it to go?
Ella: I am aiming to play for the Red Roses (the senior England team) in the future and would love to play in the Six Nations and a World Cup. I would also love to play for the GB Sevens team in the World SVNS Series, as well as the Olympics!
Zoe: My dream would be to make it to the world stage with lacrosse, whether that be getting selected for the 2026 World Championships or playing Sixes at the 2028 LA Olympics!
Can you share some of the lessons in life which sport has taught you?
Ella: Learning to work well in a team is so valuable, especially as you start new jobs and have to work with complete strangers. Another lesson I’ve learnt is ‘no risk, no reward’. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but either way you will learn from it.
Zoe: My advice is to always be resilient. As long as you enjoy the journey it doesn’t matter if you don’t get selected or chosen for things. This mindset has really helped me to stay resilient to setbacks and enjoy sport for all the many other benefits it provides.
View this feature article and more in the latest SHSK Society magazine.
