The Good Shepherd netball team
Fifteen borough primary schools competed in an exciting netball tournament which underlined the growing popularity of a variation of this at-times frantic sport.
The netball Hi-5s competition – open to boys as well as girls – was staged at Godolphin & Latymer; a style of traditional netball which involves every squad member in constantly rotating roles... giving everyone equal opportunities to defend and attack.
Teams earn five points for a win, three for a draw and one for a defeat, with goal difference helping to determine final placings.
Good Shepherd were the eventual victors, beating Lena Gardens 3-2 in a closely fought final.
Brackenbury and St Stephen’s finished in equal third place.
St Stephen’s achieved one of the stand-out results of the tournament, beating Sir John Lillie 8-0.
Brackenbury managed a 7-0 defeat of Flora Gardens, while there were also notable 6-0 victories for All Saints over St John XXlll, and Lena Gardens over Sir John Lillie.
Surprisingly, the entire two-hour competition for Year 5 and 6 youngsters only produced a single drawn match, with St Peter’s and All Saints deadlocked in a 3-3 thriller.
The afternoon’s event, with no more than five active players on court for each team at any one time, was cheered on at the end of the school day by parents, supporters and friends.
Stephen Hughes, Hammersmith & Fulham school games organiser, paid tribute to the staff at Godolphin & Latymer School for helping to make it happen.
“This fantastic and well-organised competition goes from strength to strength. A special thanks to Amanda Newton and Ellen Elfick from the PE department at Godolphin, and the team from the school for their continued commitment to providing high-quality competitions for local primary schools,” he said.
The clamour around the Hi-5s tournament suggests it won’t be long before Hammersmith & Fulham stages another.
Meanwhile, Good Shepherd, in Gayford Road, W12, now go forward to represent the borough in the London Youth Games on Thursday 10 March at the Crystal Palace national sports centre.
