St Clare’s School in Porthcawl has had a busy and successful sporting year. Pupils from the Preparatory School through to the Senior School have achieved in team games and individual sports.
Athletics
St Clare’s School were again crowned Small Schools Champions at the Welsh National Catholic Junior Schools’ Athletics Championships. Pupils gained a silver medal in the Year Three 4x60m sprint relay and the year 5 boys 4x100m relay team won a bronze in their final. Outstanding individual performances were put in by Morgan Holt– shot putt bronze and Joe Richards who gained a high jump bronze. Charlie Jones won a brilliant 1500m silver medal. Pupils also competed in five other finals.
From the senior school Sian Walker who came 2nd in the shot putt and Richard Magness who came 3rd in hammer impressed in the Glamorgan Valleys Schools Junior Championships. Robert McGregor Year 12 (pole vault) and Tom Rees Year 10 (hammer) and were selected to represent Glamorgan Valleys Schools at the recent Welsh Championships in Cardiff.
In this years Colts (Year 7) competition 3 boys were outstanding. Sam Jones gained a 300m Silver Medal. Sam Richards a shot putt Bronze Medal and, Joshua Munday gained a hammer Bronze Medal.
Basketball
Year 8 pupil Hannah Bluck was selected for the Welsh Under 15 basketball team. Hannah is also an aspiring Welsh ladies footballer. This year she has played for Treforest Ladies and is a member of the Wales Development football squad.
Football
Prep School pupils played in a recent 5-a-side tournament at Porthcawl Primary. The St Clare’s girl’s team played particularly well. They swept aside all opposition and won their final. Outstanding performer on the day was Siobhan Locke who scored 18 goals in the whole tournament.
Point to Point success
Year 5 pupil Grace Dalton won her Pony Race in a recent Laleston Point to Point meeting. Grace is becoming a very accomplished rider and won her race convincingly, ‘hacking up’ the competition.
Cricket
For the first time in the history of St Clare’s the under 11 Cricket Team reached the South Wales Finals of the Asda Kwik Cricket Competition. The South Wales Final was held at the SWALEC Stadium in Sophia Gardens. The St Clare’s team won 2 games and lost 2 – one of which by just one run. Squad members Tom Cogbill and Chris Matthews have represented both Mid Glamorgan Schools’ and the Wales Under 11 teams this year.
Cross Country
Two junior school boys have been particularly impressive this season. Lance Burn became Bridgend Schools Year 4 2009/10 Cross Country champion. From the start of the season Lance showed clear determination in winning his races. Charlie Jones battled hard all year and became runner up in the Year 6 competition.
Tennis
This year, six Prep school tennis teams progressed to the South Wales Finals held at both Bridgend Rec and the David Lloyd Tennis Centre in Cardiff. The St Clare’s Under 13 girls team progressed unbeaten to the Mid Glam Schools’ final to be played in September.
Golf
Three St Clare’s boys, Nathan Schmidtke, Jacob Thomas and George Mead, represented St Clare’s at the ‘ShelterCymru’ Golf Tournament in July at Builth Wells.
Rugby – ‘Five Go Forward for Bridgend’
Five Senior School boys have been selected for their ‘Bridgend Rugby Osprey Player Pathway’ age group teams. From next season Sam Jones and Sam Richards will be part of the Under 13 set-up. Jack Hubbard-Miles for the Under 14s and both Jacob Thomas and Richard Magness will form part of the Under 15 Dewar Shield squad.
St Clare’s Junior School rugby squad has had a fine season culminating in a 40 -19 win in May over Llangrallo PS in the Bridgend Junior Schools’ Wyn Evans Shield at Waterton Cross. The brand of running rugby played in the final and for the whole of the season has been outstanding.
Sam Mahoney was selected by the Bridgend Schools’ Under 11 group as Squad Captain. An ever present player in the district ‘A’ team Sam went on to represent West Wales versus East Wales at Ebbw Vale RFC in May. Sam was presented with his Welsh jersey and tie at the recent Bridgend Under 11 Schools’ rugby presentation. Sam also received a Welsh cap.
Head of Sport and PE in St Clare’s School, Stephen Martin commented,
“Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard and achieved so much this year for their school, their teams and themselves. At St Clare’s we pride ourselves on offering access to different sports and activities to all of our pupils throughout the year and the individual and team successes we have had this year reflect the passion and commitment that our pupils develop for sport in St Clare’s”.
