ENGLAND RUGBY STAR PRESENTS TROPHIES AT WARMINSTER SCHOOL

Bath inside centre Olly Barkley, recalled by England for next month's two-Test tour to New Zealand, was guest of honour at Warminster School’s Sports Awards on Friday evening. Barkley, who has been capped 21 times for England and picked up Bath Rugby’s Players Player of the Year Award last week, switched roles and handed out prizes to Warminster’s top senior sportsmen and sportswomen.

Emma Langford and Mike Patterson picked up the prestigious Service to Sports Awards and Emma also scooped the Player of the Year Awards for both Girls’ Hockey and Tennis. Katie Johnson was Player of the Year in Netball. Amongst the boys, Tom Munday was the top senior sportsman, collecting the excellence honours in both Football and Cricket, whilst Chris Patterson and Jacob Karlberg won the awards for Tennis and Hockey respectively and Ryan Collins-Thomas was the Player of the Year in Rugby.

Chris Knight, Director of Sport at Warminster School, praised the hard work of his Staff and coaches, which has enabled Warminster to field B teams at all levels, as sport goes from strength to strength at the School. A special presentation went to the former Head of Girls’ Sport, Maggie Frost, who was retiring from coaching at the School after 28 years. The current Head of Girls’ Sport, Nik Matthews, praised “her dedication and commitment” and told the students and guests that Maggie had been, “an inspirational teacher to generations of girls at the School, enabling many to achieve recognition at county, national and international level.” She was retiring from coaching at a time when the School had its most talented group of girls. Fittingly, the Girls’ Hockey team was awarded the final trophy of the evening, the Team of the Year Award.

The students, guests and sponsors from local businesses had gathered to celebrate a number of sporting successes this year. The senior rugby team had a successful tour to Ireland in the autumn and the senior football team reached the semi-final of the Wiltshire Cup, losing a thrilling game to the New College Academy side at Warminster Town’s ground in November. In the spring season the footballers recorded notable wins over Beechen Cliff and Sherborne and the Boys’ Hockey team also recorded wins over Sherborne and QEH for the first time ever. The cricket team remains unbeaten since its move to the Samborne Road ground last year.

In his speech, 26 year old Barkley congratulated the sportsmen and sportswomen present, before giving the students an insight into the life of a professional rugby player. Describing himself as something of a ‘tearaway’ as a youngster, he explained how, at sixteen, his parents sent him to boarding school, which had been the making of him. It was there that his talent for rugby was discovered, although he claimed that he was by no means the best player in his school team.

Barkley advised the students to keep a broad outlook on life, explaining that at eighteen he turned down the opportunity of a professional contract with Bath in order to travel the world. On his return, he had had seven wonderful years at Bath and his decision to leave the club this summer, for rivals Gloucester, was based on a desire to broaden his experience by working with new coaches and playing alongside new players.