SPORTS AWARD EVENING 2015- 30th June

Sports Awards Evening 2015

Congleton High School’s 8^th annual Sports Awards Evening took place tonight (Tuesday 30^th June), which celebrated another fantastic year of sport.

The evening started with a delicious three-course meal for the guests, award winners and their families, provided by Year 10 catering students. After the meal the awards ceremony took place, which was an opportunity for CHS to celebrate the sporting success of students both inside and outside of school. Over 120 students were presented with awards including Contribution to Sport, Extra Curricular Awards, Player of the Year, Athlete of the Year and Sports Person of the Year.

Mrs Salt, curriculum team leader for PE, started the evening by saying again what another busy and successful year of sport it has been at Congleton High School. She said that this was “one of the best years for sport with success continuing to grow along with the school’s sporting reputation”, with CHS either winning or finishing runner-up in 25 competitions and tournaments so far this year. Mrs Salt also praised the sporting enrichment opportunities that the school has to offer including last year’s rugby tour to France and the inaugural watersports trip which sets sail on Friday.

Within ten minutes of the awards ceremony starting it was evident why Congleton High’s PE department has so much success in a wide range of sports. Over 30 students were invited to the stage, all of them play for either football academies, compete in sport at county and regional level with some students even setting national times.

The evening’s special guest was British international wheelchair fencer and motivational speaker, Adrian Derbyshire. You will not hear many stories like Adrian’s and students, staff and parents found his talk truly inspirational. He has definitely left an impact on everyone at the awards evening. He visited the school earlier this year to speak to year 9 students and you can read his story here.

Adrian has spoken to 49,000 young people, visiting over 600 schools in 11 different countries over the last year trying to inspire others and he challenges students “to be the best that they can be” and be positive role models for one another whilst following his motto of “Inspire. Believe. Succeed.”Adrian said that it was wonderful to see that this ethos is at Congleton High School.

He said that “nothing is given to you, you have to work for it and you have to make sacrifices, work hard, be determined and disciplined.”

Adrian ended with the following statement, “if I can manage to battle my disability, never mind all my sporting achievements, what are you doing. Just imagine what you can achieve.”

Team of the Year Award

Boys: The boy’s team of the year went to the year 9 and 10 indoor rowing team, who won the Sandbach Schools’ Partnership indoor rowing competition earlier this year and then competed in the Cheshire and Warrington School Games.

Girls: It was difficult to choose the winner of the girls Team of the Year Award this year with a number of teams excelling in netball. However, the award went to the year 9 netball team, who won both the league and South Cheshire Netball tournament for the third successive year.

Daniel Sturridge Rising Star Award

The Daniel Sturridge Rising Star Award is named after former CHS student and Liverpool and England striker, Daniel Sturridge and this year went to another England football international, Amy Rodgers. Amy plays for Everton Academy and is in the under-17 girl’s team; she is also a qualified referee and represented England under-15 ladies last month against the Netherlands. She has also helped the under-16 CHS girl’s team to reach the English Schools Cup Quarter-Final and Cheshire Cup semi-final.

The Lynda Arnold Award

The Lynda Arnold Award, named after a former PE teacher, is for outstanding contribution to school sport. This year the award went to Tom Hampton, who has shown outstanding contribution to school sport throughout his time at CHS. Mr Naylor said that Tom has had a “passion for sport from a young age and over the last seven years he has been committed to sport, Congleton High School and the PE Department.”

From when he first started at Congleton High, Mr Naylor recalled how he stood-out from the other footballers in the year. He is a very talented all-rounder competing for Congleton High in multiple sports including football, rugby, athletics and cricket. Tom also has a passion for skiing and has received two offers to become a ski instructor in both Austria and Canada. A worthy winner of the Lynda Arnold Award.

Mrs Salt concluded the evening by thanking the PE staff and all the other teachers who have contributed to school sport over the last year. I just want to thank Mrs Salt and all the PE staff on behalf of all the students for all their hard work and support they have given over the last 9 months as without them the CHS wouldn’t have had half as much success this year.

Written by Adam Bailey