Double Tournament Success for Cundall Manor Girls
It’s twice as nice for Cundall Manor School as two of the Girls’ Hockey Teams brought back tournament silverware last week, following two impressive tournament wins. Some of our U13 team today at school Some of our U13 team today at school The U13’s Girls’ Hockey side triumphed against tough opposition at the Durham School Invitational Tournament after securing victory without conceding a goal. Louise Bessey, Head of Girls’ Games Said: “The girls have been outstanding this season. They have come so far and have really enjoyed the time playing together, proudly representing Cundall Manor School.” Captain C. Gill was dominant on and off the field leading her team to an impressive victory. This victory will set them up for the final tournament of the season, The North Final, to be played later this week (Tues 15 March) at Leeds University, where a place in the national finals is at stake. Elsewhere, the U11 Girls’ Hockey team were victorious at the St Martin’s Invitational Tournament and continued their astonishing unbeaten run. The team have yet to be beaten this season and are due to join the U13’s at the North Final, Leeds later this week. Our U11 Hockey team receiving the Tournament plate. Well done team. Mrs Bessey said: “I am incredibly proud of our Under 11’s and their outstanding run of form. The season started well having won the Loretto Tournament in Edinburgh last October and the team appear to go from strength to strength.” She added: “I am sure both teams will represent the school and county with pride this week.” To find out more about sport and other provision at Cundall Manor School, visit www.cundallmanorschool.com
U13 advance to North Yorkshire County Finals
Cundall Manor is proud to announce that its U13 girls’ hockey team has successfully progressed to the North Yorkshire County Finals following an exciting preliminary tournament hosted at the school this week. After a challenging start, the girls quickly found their rhythm, combining sharp finishing from short corners with excellent teamwork. Their consistent performance throughout the day saw them build momentum and deliver some thrilling matches. “The team showed real determination and skill in every game,” said [Coach/PE Department Name]. “Their hard work, focus, and team spirit have earned them a well-deserved place in the county finals. We can’t wait to see them continue their success at the next stage.” Cundall congratulates the U13 team on their achievement and wishes them the very best as they prepare to compete at the North Yorkshire County Finals.
Cricket Success as the Season Gets Underway
Cundall U14 Girls delivered an outstanding performance at the Area Round of the National Indoor Schools Cricket Competition, winning all of their matches to secure qualification for the County Round. The team then went on to finish an incredible third overall — a remarkable achievement, particularly as they were playing against teams from older age groups. With most of the squad eligible to compete again next year, the future looks incredibly promising, and they will no doubt return stronger. The U13 team also impressed, winning two of their three matches and narrowly losing the third. Their strong performances ensured they too progressed to the next stage of the competition. Special congratulations go to Esme and Sophie, who stepped up to compete a year above their age group. Representing the U13 side as U12 players, they demonstrated great confidence, maturity and skill throughout.
Silver Medals at the ISA U11 Nationals
Congratulations to our U11 Boys’ Hockey team who proudly represented Cundall Manor at the ISA U11 National Hockey Tournament, held at the magnificent Lee Valley Hockey Centre in London’s Olympic Park. Competing against leading schools from across the country, the boys demonstrated determination, teamwork and impressive developing skill across a full day of competitive matches. Playing at such a prestigious venue — home to national and international fixtures — was a fantastic experience and a real highlight of the season. The squad showed tremendous spirit in every game, building confidence and resilience as they tested themselves at a high level. Finishing as silver medallists, just behind last year’s winners Copthill, is a superb achievement. We are incredibly proud of their performance and the way they represented the school.
Cundall Celebrates Minnie’s Selection for the Junior Hockey World Cup
Cundall Manor is delighted to celebrate Minnie’s selection for the Junior World Cup with the U21 Women’s Hockey Team. Minnie joined Cundall in Year 5 already playing club hockey for Thirsk Hockey Club, and it didn’t take long for her passion for the sport to flourish during Games at school. She soon began representing Cundall across multiple disciplines — swimming at the ISA Finals at the Olympic Pool, and competing in (and winning) both the Loretto Hockey Tournament and the ISA Hockey National Championships twice in succession in 2015 and 2016, finishing with a clean sheet across all six games. She went on to reach the National Finals at Loughborough, where her team narrowly missed out on victory after a tense penalty shootout. In her final year at Cundall, Minnie and her teammates secured second place in the National U16 Finals — an outstanding achievement made even more impressive as they were an U15 side. Although her school hockey career was cut short by the pandemic, Minnie had already made a lasting impact. During her time at Cundall, Minnie’s talent and determination propelled her rapidly through the England Hockey performance pathway. Alongside her club hockey for Thirsk, she earned selection for the County team, the Talent Academy, and ultimately the England U13 Lions and England U16 National Age Group Squads — all by the age of just 14. Her journey has since been echoed by current Cundall pupil Alistair Broadwith, now part of the England U16 set-up, along with two other pupils, Imogen and Molly, who are currently playing in the Sheffield Talent Academy squad. After completing her A Levels at Repton School, Minnie continued her hockey journey across the Atlantic, joining the University of Virginia and representing the Virginia Cavaliers Field Hockey Team. She has since returned to the UK, studying International Media and Communications at the University of Nottingham while continuing to compete at an elite level. Now, as Minnie prepares to take to the world stage in Chile for the Junior World Cup, the entire Cundall community celebrates her remarkable journey. Her dedication, resilience and passion for sport continue to inspire the next generation of Cundall pupils to follow their dreams — both on and off the field. We look forward to welcoming her back to hear all about her World Cup experience, and we wish her every success as she proudly represents her country.
Rugby and Hockey Loretto Tournament
Loretto Rugby Sevens & Hockey Tournament Cundall Manor’s U11 and U13 rugby and hockey teams enjoyed an exciting and successful day of competition at the prestigious Preparatory Schools & Clubs Rugby Sevens and Hockey Tournament hosted by Loretto School. With 24 teams from across Scotland and the North of England taking part, the event provided an outstanding opportunity for pupils to test their skills, work as a team and enjoy competitive sport at a high level. The girls’ hockey teams delivered some of their best performances of the season. The U11 girls showed remarkable progress throughout the day, finishing 5th overall and being crowned Bowl winners. The U13 girls were in superb form, winning their opening matches convincingly and battling hard against strong opposition to reach the plate final, where they narrowly missed out 0–1 to finish 4th overall. A highlight of the tournament was Florrie’s recognition as U13 Player of the Tournament, chosen from all participating teams – a fantastic achievement. On the rugby pitches, both the U11 and U13 boys demonstrated excellent teamwork, resilience, and improvement as the tournament progressed. The U11 boys grew stronger with every game, while the U13 team started with a strong win before narrowly missing out in the Bowl final. Head of Girls’ Games, Louise Bessey, praised the players’ efforts: “I am incredibly proud of how our teams performed against some very talented opposition. The girls in particular played some of the best hockey we’ve seen this season, and all our pupils showed tremendous spirit and determination throughout the day.” Cundall Manor extends a huge thank you to Loretto School for hosting such a well-organised and enjoyable tournament. The event provided invaluable experience for all involved and has left players inspired, confident and motivated for the rest of their season.
Headmasters XI vs Alumni XI
At the end of the Summer term, we welcomed back our Alumni for a thrilling cricket match, with Fraser McPhearson captaining the Alumni team against Mr Weale’s XI. Fraser made an early impact, taking four wickets in his opening spell. Despite this, strong batting from Dan C and Mr James helped Mr Weale’s team maintain the lead across 50 overs. When bowling, the Headmaster’s side turned the game around with key wickets from Rich C and Tristain S, plus a sharp catch by Ed L, ultimately securing the win. The evening ended with a relaxed BBQ and drinks at one of North Yorkshire’s most picturesque cricket grounds. We look forward to hosting the event next year. Please reach out to alumni@cundallmanor.org.uk if you wish to join the alumni team.
Selected for Yorkshire Talent Academy
Congratulations to Immy and Molly for being selected for the Yorkshire Talent Academy. They will begin weekly training in Sheffield as part of the pathway training for England Hockey Academy.
New Term, New Challenges Conquered
Cundall Manor School marked the start of the Michaelmas Term in its own unique way last week, as pupils from Year 3 through to Year 11 took part in the school’s much-loved triathlon tradition. For the youngest participants in Year 3, the event was their very first introduction to an endurance challenge, tackling a swim, cycle, and run. Completing the course at the beginning of the academic year gives pupils a confidence boost that carries well beyond the sports field and into the classroom. Head of Girls’ Games, Louise Bessey, explained:“The triathlon is about much more than fitness. Pupils discover their own resilience, push through nerves or tiredness, and quickly realise they’re capable of more than they imagined. That sense of achievement translates into determination for every challenge they face throughout the year.” While each pupil takes on the course as an individual, the atmosphere is very much one of teamwork. Pupils cheer each other on, celebrate successes together, and share in the satisfaction of crossing the finish line. For new pupils especially, the event creates an immediate sense of belonging and inclusion. The triathlon is also a reminder that sport is about participation and personal achievement as much as competition. The benefits extend beyond physical activity, boosting self-esteem, well-being, and overall happiness.
U17 National County Championships
Congratulations to Imogen and Molly. This summer they represented North Yorkshire at the U17 National County Championships, going three days unbeaten to secure a place in the final! They came away with a fantastic Silver medal and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievement. We are looking forward to pre-season training starting later this week and an exciting season ahead!