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The St Swithun’s community was celebrating recently, with pupils achieving exceptional results across both netball and lacrosse — and national recognition for the school’s sporting excellence.
St Swithun’s School was named a finalist in the prestigious Independent Schools of the Year Awards for Sporting Achievement, a reflection of the school’s continued strength and commitment to girls’ sport.
Adding to the celebrations, the 1st netball team were crowned county champions, progressing to the upcoming regional competition. This is an excellent accomplishment in a county renowned for its strong netball talent.
The newly formed team battled seven other schools in an intense day of competition, producing a mix of narrow wins, close defeats and hard-fought draws. With the top three teams finishing on equal points, victory was ultimately decided by goal difference — and St Swithun’s took the win ahead of runners-up KES. Both schools will now go on to the regional rounds in late January, where the top two teams qualify for the National Finals.
Head of netball Nikki Lloyd said: “The girls demonstrated superb teamwork and resilience throughout the day. Their accurate shooting, diligent defence and tireless energy in the mid-court were a joy to watch. To win in such a competitive field is a fantastic achievement.”
Meanwhile, St Swithun’s lacrosse teams also shone at the South West Rally, with the U19 1st and 2nd teams both claiming the top spots — the 1st team for the second consecutive year and the 2nd team for the fourth time in a row.
The 4th team notched up notable victories against other 3rd teams, while the 3rd team ended their campaign with a confident win over Godolphin in the 3rd/4th place play-off. The 2nd team enjoyed a fiercely contested final against St Helen’s and St Katharine’s, securing a 2–1 victory.
The 1st team showed exceptional grit and determination after a challenging start to the day. They produced some of their best lacrosse of the season, beating last year’s national champions, QAS, 4–1, and powering past Marlborough 7–1. In a thrilling and high-quality final against an unbeaten Godolphin side, they held their nerve to take a 4–3 win — and with it, the U19A Championship trophy for the second year running.
Director of Sport Jon Riley said:
“It has been a fantastic few weeks for all our teams. Their focus and teamwork truly embody the St Swithun’s sporting spirit.
“We are passionate about giving every student the opportunity to play sport and be active and to marry that up with some excellent results from our leading teams is a testament to the students’ drive and determination.”
The commitment to building active lives at St Swithun’s continues with the ongoing build of a major new indoor sports facility. The first phase involves the construction of a tensile roof over four re-sited tennis/three netball courts, as well as a strength and conditioning suite, changing facilities and a spectator gallery. The phase is running to schedule with the aim of opening in summer 2026.