From inspiring coaching opportunities in school to involvement in regional and international competitions, the end of the autumn term continued to be an exciting time for water polo players at all levels.
Year 12 student Amelia, who is captain of the Girls’ Division Under 18 team, was part of the Junior Women’s Great Britain team that won gold at the EU Nations Cup in Czechia at the end of November.
The Prince of Wales Cup is a tournament for the 60 best male and female water polo players in the country born in 2011. Bolton School players Mateo (Year 9), Ethan (Year 8), Reuben (Year 9), Olivia (Year 9), Beau (Year 8), Taliah (Year 8), Rosalind (Year 8), Florence (Year 9) and Aimee (Year 9) all earned a place in this prestigious competition. Lucas (Year 10), Amelia and recent leaver Josh Dickens (Class of 2024) each coached one of the teams involved. Bolton School Aquatics Coach Mr McGinty was heavily involved in the organisation of this fantastic event.
At the North West Interregional Championships, Olivia and Taliah were also part of the Under 14s team that won the Girls’ competition, while Ethan and Mateo were on the winning Boys’ Under 14s team.
At the Under 16 Talent Games, Boys’ Division Year 10 pupils Lucas and Jimmy and Girls’ Division Year 11 pupils Sonal, Zara and Lillia competed for the North West Talent Centre sides.
Recent leavers Harriet Dickens and Lucy Blenkinship (both Class of 2024) helped England’s Senior Women’s team to a fourth-place finish in the Water Polo World Cup (Division 2). In the autumn term, Harriet returned to school to deliver a coaching masterclass to the Under 12/Under 13 squads on the one evening she was in the country between flying in from America, where she is studying on a water polo scholarship at the University of Michigan, and flying out to Istanbul for the World Cup.
In addition, pupils had the opportunity to learn from Rose Younger, a former Great Britain Water Polo Captain and an important figure in the development of women’s water polo in the UK. She came into school to referee a fixture, and also found time to give a talk to gifted and talented athletes in the Girls’ Division and Primary Division water polo players, and to deliver a session to the Under 13 boys.
Impressive water polo achievements continued at the start of the spring term when, in January, Year 12 student Amelia played in The Nordic League Cup qualification round with Manchester Senior Women’s team. She travelled to Romania and played four matches, winning three and drawing in the last of the set, which then went to penalties. The team qualified in second place as a result. She has also been invited to a training camp in Tenerife with Great Britain Junior Women, which will take place in early February.
