A huge well done to the U14A squad who represented SHSK at the English School National Finals.
HelKats displayed some excellent teamwork and resilience throughout the tournament. Annabelle (Year 9) reports on the match:
“Going to Nationals was one of those experiences I know I’ll never forget. We’d worked so hard to get there, winning the Oxfordshire county tournament and then battling through a much tougher regional competition. We lost to Brookfield in the group stages, only to face them again in the final but this time we managed to win showing our whole team’s determination. We were going to Nationals. That moment really was the result of hard work.
We all travelled up to Sheffield the night before, with everyone a little nervous but full of excitement. We all had SHSK ribbons and ‘Lock in’ temporary tattoos to remind us how we had focused in the finals at regionals. The tournament day was incredible. Walking into the huge arena, knowing that everything was being recorded and live streamed, made us understand the reality of this achievement. We came out strong in the morning against some really tough sides and our whole team worked really well together throughout the court. By the afternoon, we were definitely feeling it, but with the support from our coaches and parents we pulled it back and finished on a high with a really close exciting match against Streatham and Clapham High.
However, the whole day was about so much more than results. It was about how much we had grown as a team, the hard work, our coaches and friendships that got us there. The atmosphere was unreal with music playing, everyone buzzing, fuelled by sugar and adrenaline. It’s something we will always be proud of being part of – a day and a team, we’ll always remember.”
