A netball team at a leading Sunderland school have been named the city’s netball champions after a double championship win.
Pupils at St Anthony’s Girls’ Catholic Academy, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, are current champions after winning the City of Sunderland Netball League and the City of the Sunderland tournament.
The team have not yet been beaten since it was formed in 2019, when the girls joined the school in year 7. The team have demonstrated excellent commitment training weekly and playing matches.
Laura Cliff, a PE teacher at St Anthony’s, said: “Our year 9 netball team demonstrate excellent skill, teamwork and commitment which are important skills to not only succeed in sport but in life too.
“Sport plays a fundamental role not just at our school but as an education trust as a whole which is why all of the Trust’s schools provide a varied physical education curriculum and wide range of extracurricular activities.
“This includes the opportunity to be part of teams across a range of sports, from football and netball to swimming and tennis.
“The girls have gone from strength to strength since the netball team formed two years ago and they are playing phenomenally well.
“They thoroughly deserve to be double champions which is an excellent achievement – well done girls.”
The netball team consists of Abigail Bramley (C), Eva Shields (GA), Tilly Moore (GD), Olivia Grant (WA), Millie Easson (GS), Neve Gomes (GK) Esme Naile (WD), Niamh Kelly (WA), Freya Stockley (WD), Olivia Rose (GS), Isabella Ramshaw (WD), Lily Padget (GK) and Natasha Nnaji (GK).
Abigail Bramley, age 14 and Eva Shields, also 14, who are joint captains of the netball team, said: “We are thrilled to be captain of the year 9 netball team. Everyone’s hard work during training has paid off and we hope to continue to succeed in future years.”