Football News

Girls’ Football has now become the fastest growing sport at Lancing. Numbers have reached a record high this year and are set to rise again in 2024.

Girls now have the opportunity to take part in football all year round and football is a major sport during the Summer Term. Girls throughout the school now have a chance to take part in regular training within the academic and co-curricular timetable, as well as scheduled matches each week. Girls have taken part in matches at U14, U15, U16 and U18 level and have had some excellent successes throughout the term. They have represented the College well in regional and national level competitions and we are immensely proud of the development of Girls Football this year.

The culmination of a fantastic season ended with the return of Girls’ House Football. 33 goals, 16 matches and 75 girls across five Houses took part in the event – all hoping for House glory. A well-supported event went down to a tense finish when the top two teams from the competition, Sankey’s and Handford, played in a nail-biting final to determine who would be House Champions. Having taken the lead through Hattie Searle, Sankey’s Grace Shearing scored with the last kick of the game to take the match to ‘Golden Goal’. The teams could not be separated, until a moment of magic from Daisy DeaconPotter, whose 25-yard volley sailed high into the air and over the Handford goalkeeper to give Sankey’s an incredible comeback victory. Delight for Sankey’s, heartbreak for Handford, but there was an immense feeling of pride towards all girls who took part. The attitude, work-rate, resilience and skill level exhibited by all pupils was exceptional to see.

Boys’ Football: Looking ahead

Looking forward to 2023/24 there will be more football than ever before. With a fully inclusive programme tailored to maximise the potential of our football scholars, as well provide maximum participation for our recreational footballers, we are excited for the Advent Term.

Our football scholars can look forward to an enhanced programme with 1-to-1 coaching, Individual development plans, performance analysis, and the highest level of coaching from our highly skilled and qualified team of coaches.

With additional enrichment opportunities such as stadium tours, professional athlete visits, nutritional workshops, psychology seminars and position-specific training days, the programme of study for footballers is outstanding. With more fixtures scheduled than ever before, across both our elite and recreational teams, we eagerly anticipate the return of preseason training.

Lewis Benson, Head of Football

Equestrian Update

This year, Lancing has had 12 students competing for the College in NSEA competitions in show jumping, dressage, Eventers’ Challenge, and combined training events. The highlight of the season was qualifying for the Eventers’ Challenge National Championships at Hickstead at both 80cm (via 2nd place at Coombelands in February) and 90cm (via 2nd place at Golden Cross in April) and achieving 4th place overall at 80cm. With over 40 schools competing from all over the British Isles, Tom Mather, Islay Leeming, Grace Haworth, India Myers and Indigo Adamson should be hugely satisfied with their performances across the two days. Islay also achieved 7th place overall in the individual 80cm competition.

Even closer to home, the team took part in the monthly NSEA Pop-Up Dressage League. Monthly rosette winners were Indigo and Apple, Rosalind and Gracie, Romily and DJ and Caius and Margot. Caius, Indigo and Rosalind also all qualified for the national finals in October for their performances throughout the season, with Caius doing so in both Class 2 and Class 3.

Lancing students riding at the Equestrian Centre have this Spring welcomed the opening of two private hacking tracks around our neighbouring farmland, which has contributed to keeping the liveried horses fit. Even our less experienced riders have been able to take part in guided hacks with some of the best views in Sussex.

Dr Simon Norris, Equestrian Team Manager

Hockey News

This term has been a very good one for Hockey at Lancing College. We have witnessed success and strong preparation for the next academic year for both the boys and the girls at all ages, which has been excellent to see.

This term has welcomed our inaugural Summer Hockey League for the Senior students which has seen both boys and girls using Hockey as a fantastic stress reliever throughout a busy exam period. We have also had a very successful preseason for the girls as their preparations for September are well underway, with excitement building for the new season to come.

Looking ahead to next season, we are hoping to continue to grow by furthering the provision of hockey at Lancing College, with an increase in both teams and an expanded fixture card against some new opposition. As a part of the increase in fixtures we are also excited by our entry into the England Hockey National Cup for both the indoor and outdoor events.

David Janes, Head of Hockey