ELITE SPORTS PROGRAMME
Building Confidence for life
Building Confidence for life
Introduction Bishop’s Stortford College, since it’s foundation in 1868, has been passionate about sport. Many Old Storfordians have gone on to represent their university, county or nation. Today, pupils are able to gain one of the best academic educations in the Country whilst pursuing their sporting dreams and potential, as well as ensuring they are Building Confidence for Life as a successful all-round individual with no limitations as to where their future career may go. In the same way we strive to help our pupils reach their academic potential, we also support our Sport Scholars and talented athletes to achieve their sporting goals. By balancing the needs of the individual’s academic studies, where our expectations are still high, and by adapting their timetable (if the need arises) we enable our Elite players to optimise training and practice time within College without detriment to their schooling. Our Elite Sports Programme is designed to optimise the facilities and coaching already available in the core sports of boys’ and girls’ Cricket, Hockey, Swimming and Tennis together with Netball and Rugby. The programme offers training opportunities outside the main term for each sport, with an emphasis on skills development. We also host masterclasses and training sessions from professionals and internationals which have a huge impact on our scholars. Bespoke strength and conditioning plans support our athletes in their chosen sport. The S&C sessions support muscle development, stamina and core strength using equipment in our state-of-the-art fitness centre. Our indoor pool is also used for recovery sessions. Athletes further benefit from a mentoring system which pairs them with a member of the PE & Games Department who will support them in all aspects of their training in conjunction with the pastoral care already in place through their House. Our expert staff, alongside visiting consultants provide tailored advice including sports psychology, nutrition and diet, lifestyle management and physiotherapy support, as required. Benefitting from over 100 acres of well-maintained sports fields, including rugby pitches for each team, the College has recently invested in a new floodlit MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) and crickets nets which supplement the existing two floodlit astroturf pitches, netball/tennis courts and 25m indoor swimming pool. The College enjoys a full and challenging match schedule which features some of the best-known opposition in the region. We believe a competitive fixture list is fundamental to the continuous progression and improvement of our players. Matches are played on Saturday afternoons throughout the school year.
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Building Confidence for life
Cricket Cricket, whilst the major team game for boys and girls in the Summer term, requires training and commitment throughout the year. There are mixed coaching sessions in the College Sports Hall throughout the year; during the Autumn and Spring terms there are two weekly net practices and one strength and conditioning session. Term-time fixtures are played against local and regional school opponents, with our First XI square also used by Hertfordshire CCC. We are an MCC Hub school. The annual First XI fixture against the MCC is one of the highlights of our sporting calendar, with recent College success including two awards for outstanding performance, presented during Test matches at Lord’s. Our leading cricketers are invited to take part in pre-season tours both domestically and overseas, with Eastbourne and Cape Town as the current respective destinations. Our boys and girls have represented Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk at a variety of age-group levels, with many playing for local Hertfordshire Premier Division clubs. We also enjoy close links with Bishop’s Stortford Cricket Club. In 2019 two members of the First XI were named in Wisden.
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Hockey Hockey is a core sport for girls in the Autumn term and for boys in the Spring. Both boys and girls benefit from additional coaching and skills development provided throughout the academic year. Hockey training takes place on our two full size, floodlit astroturf pitches and indoors in the Sports Hall. Our hockey coaches have a wealth of experience and expertise up to National level and have achieved success in leading teams to National finals on a regular basis. Fixtures, both indoors and outdoors, are played against other strong hockey playing schools. Pupils are supported and encouraged where possible, to participate in club hockey for teams including Southgate, Old Loughtonians, Cambridge City and Bishop’s Stortford. Pupils have been selected to participate in the England Hockey Player Pathway, playing representative hockey at every level up to and including Regional Performance Centre, Future Cup and National Age Group Squads.
Building Confidence for life
Olympian Shona McCallin leads a pre-season training session
Masterclass with Dutch International player as part of our bi-annual tour to Holland
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Building Confidence for life
Netball Netball is a core sport for girls in the Spring term with additional elite coaching sessions taking place in the Autumn term. Girls are expected to attend twice weekly strength and conditioning training, alongside supplementary skills development sessions to support match play, throughout the academic year. We have eight outdoor Netball courts, half of which are floodlit, and our fullsize sports hall provides extensive additional indoor facilities in which to train. Our experienced and passionate netball coaches, led by ex-England player, Louisa Watson nee Brownfield, work with College teams and individual athletes towards selection for the England Player Pathway with continued success. Netball benefits from a strong, local fixture list and teams regularly play across Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex and East Anglia. The College also has close links with Mavericks, London Pulse and local clubs including Tegate, Cross Keys, Turnford and Hornets.
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Building Confidence for life
Rugby There is a strong culture of Rugby at the College. All age groups play fixtures with multiple teams fielded during the Autumn Term. Alongside a competitive fixtures list, we enter the NatWest U15 and U18s, with considerable success. During the Spring Term boys also play Sevens, competing in regional and national competitions. Alongside our year-round strength and conditioning programme, the College works closely with those involved with the RFU Academy structure and the representative pathway to underpin our continued success. We are a partnership school with Premiership club Saracens. The College brings in current and exprofessional and international players to facilitate skills development and mentoring sessions and enjoys close links with Bishop’s Stortford Rugby Club. Pupils regularly achieve representative honours including selection to Saracens Development Player Pathway (DPP) and Elite Development Player Group (EDPG), Regional and National squads. Many pupils continue playing club/university rugby beyond school, although a number do go on to play in the National Leagues or at professional level.
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Elinah Phillip, Olympian
Building Confidence for life
Swimming Swimming is a core sport for girls and boys throughout the academic year. The College has a long history of swimming and was one of the first schools in the country to benefit from an indoor heated swimming pool in 1895 (the void for which is now underneath the Ferguson Lecture Theatre). The elite programme is led by Benoit Grattepanche, Head Coach at Bishop’s Stortford Swimming Club, who has supported our pupils through regionals, nationals and the Olympics. Needless to say, the College has extremely close links with BSSC which allows our swimmers to benefit from a first class training programme. Swimmers are supported through a balanced training and academic timetable without compromising either, whilst facilitating adequate rest and recovery time. We also aim to assist our Elite swimmers develop essential skills outside the pool such as effective time management, dedication and goal setting; all vitally important to athletes.  We have an Elite Performance coach with huge knowledge, experience and expertise from club right up to international level which benefits our swimmers competing in County, Regional, National and International competitions.
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Tennis Tennis is the major individual and team game for girls and boys during the summer term. Newly included into the Elite Sports Programme, we provide year-round coaching and hitting sessions together with player analysis and skills development, strength and conditioning, sports psychology and masterclasses. Pupils are able to gain one of the best academic educations in the Country whilst also pursuing their dream and potential on the tennis court. Alongside this, we ensure they have Confidence for Life as a successful allround individual without limitations as to where their future career may lead. Our Head of Tennis is an LTA Licenced Level 4 Senior Club Coach and former U18 County Coach. We have excellent links with Bishop’s Stortford LTC and Sawbridgeworth LTC, including an LTA Licenced Level 4 Performance Coach/Herts County Coach assisting alongside other LTA qualified coaches in the delivery of the Tennis programme. Players enjoy a wide range of fixtures in the summer term as well as local, regional and national competitions.
Building Confidence for life
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Bishop’s Stortford College and the ‘crest’ are Registered Trade Marks of The Incorporated Bishop’s Stortford College Association.
Building Confidence for life
Maze Green Road Bishop’s Stortford Hertfordshire CM23 2PJ Email: general.enquiry@bishopsstortfordcollege.org Telephone: +44 (0)1279 838575 www.bishopsstortfordcollege.org