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Nearly 100 hardy pupils from 12 local primary schools battled through some testing conditions last Wednesday to compete for the Hi-5 Netball Trophy, as well as the opportunity to represent Thanet at the Kent School Games finals later in the year. The group stage winners, St Josephs and St Peters, contested the honours in a thrilling final, which eventually saw St Joseph's steal a 1-0 victory thanks to an early second half goal.
Other schools taking part were Draper's Mills, Garlinge, Cliftonville, Upton, Christ Church, Northdown, Bromstone, Palm Bay, St Laurence and Holy Trinity Ramsgate.
Sue Mileham, Vice-Chair of Thanet Passport, said, 'This was a fantastic event that was enjoyed by players and spectators alike. We wish St Joseph's luck at the Kent School Games finals and would like to thank Dane Court for hosting the event.'
Yet another sport has been added to the Thanet Passport calendar, as infant children from 11 schools took part in the first 'Coola-to-Hoola' festival. The 6 and 7 year-olds had to complete a variety of Hula Hoop challenges. As well as the traditional keeping a hoop going round the waist for one minute, they also competed to see who could bowl a hoop the furthest. The highlight of the festival however was seeing which team could pass themselves through a hoop the fastest - without letting go of their hands!
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, thanked St George's Primary School for hosting the event and said, 'This is a brand new sport for us, but one we will definitely be holding again next year. The children not only had a great deal of fun doing it, but also showed great levels of skill and fitness for ones so young.'
The schools taking part were St Joseph's, St George's, Newington, Chartfield, Draper's Mills, Birchington, Priory, Callis Grange, Newlands, Garlinge and Bromstone.
Runners from twenty-four schools took part in the second Thanet Primary Schools Cross Country event of the year at Quex Park on Saturday. A cold wind did not help the times, but the rain held off as 876 youngsters crossed the finishing line to collect their medals.
Hope Elliott from Chilton led the way for the Year 3 girls, whilst Luke Foster from Upton won the boys' race. Upton also saw success in both the Year 4 races, as Leotie Gabriel and Seth Brock won gold. Natalia Austin from St Joseph's finished half a minute ahead of her nearest rival in the Year 5 girls' race and Tadhg McGrath from St Lawrence College led the way for the boys. In the final races of the day, Lola Sutton from St Joseph's finished first whilst Louie Propcopi from Birchington powered to a fantastic time of 5 minutes 30 seconds over the 1500 metre course.
Chairman of Thanet Passport, Gary Rees, said, 'The Cross Country is always one of our best supported competitions and it is great to see so many children taking part, roared on by their families. Thanet Athletics Club are to be congratulated on their superb organisation, as well as Quex Park for hosting the event.'
Yet another sport has been added to the Thanet Primary Association for School Sport calendar, as 6 local schools battled it out to become the first winners of the Thanet Primary Schools Badminton Shield.
Initially the teams received coaching in a variety of skills, thanks to veteran coach Brian Simpson and members of the Dane Court badminton team. This culminated in a final knock-out competition which was eventually won by St Joseph's.
Chairman of Thanet Passport, Gary Rees, thanked The Ursuline School for hosting and said, 'It was amazing to see how quickly the young players responded to the expert coaching and improved their skills. We are also pleased that yet another sport has been added to our portfolio.'
The other schools taking part were Chartfield, Draper's Mills, St Peter's, Newlands and Christ Church.
St Joseph's Primary School proved to be all powerful as they carried off this year's Baypoint Netball Cup, overwhelming Upton 'A' 7-2 in the final. Eight teams from 7 primary schools battled it out in two qualifying groups, and although Northdown managed a 2-2 draw with the eventual winners, St Joseph's far superior goal difference meant they topped their group. Upton 'A' won all their group games and runners-up St Nicholas-at-Wade went on to claim third spot overall with a 2-0 win over a tiring Northdown. Millie Vass from St Joseph's was named 'Star Player' of the tournament as every player was presented with a commemorative medal.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'This was a fantastic event that was enjoyed by players and spectators alike. We are especially grateful to the Baypoint Club for sponsoring the event and St George's Primary for hosting and letting us use their brand new facilities.'
Other schools taking part were Palm Bay, Holy Trinity & St John's and St Peter's.
The third annual Thanet Primary Schools Dance competition, organised by Thanet Passport, saw a record entry of 11 teams. The teams of 7-11 year olds ranged in size from just 1 to 22 dancers, with a variety of genres represented from street dance to ballet.
The judges, who had the unenviable task of marking the performances, found it hard to split the teams who were judged on range of criteria, including fluency, control, originality, rhythm and synchronisation. However, the judges were unanimous in awarding the title to Palm Bay, with St Peter's a close 2nd and St Saviour's 3rd.
Whilst waiting for the results the dancers and spectators were treated to a marvellous energetic performance from local dance crew Wisewoods, who are UK under 16's Street Dance Champions. Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'This competition has grown and grown over the past 3 years and we were all impressed by the high standards of dance on display.'
Other schools taking part were St Joseph's, Haddon Dene, Northdown, Newington, Chartfield, Draper's Mills and St Ethelbert's.
The Les Riggs Cup, the Thanet Primary Schools FA's premier competition, saw a one-sided final this year, as a powerful Minster team overwhelmed Upton to carry off the trophy. Minster started brightly, and it was only thanks to the brilliant goalkeeping of the Upton keeper that the game remained goalless. However, midway through the first half Minster finally broke the deadlock with a well worked goal, which was closely followed by a second. The second half followed a similar pattern with 2 goals from James Newstead, 2 from Manny Cuttress and 1 from Maddox Clemo, leaving the final score at 5 goals to nil.
The Consolation Cup Final, which was played simultaneously, was a much closer affair. Cliftonville surged into a 2-0 lead, before Palm Bay hit back with 2 goals of their own. The match saw numerous chances at both ends and despite Cliftonville claiming the lead once more, Palm Bay fought back to level just before full time. In extra-time Cliftonville took the lead for the third time, through Aidan Miller, and despite one or two late scares they held on for a 4-3 victory.
Les Riggs himself, former Gillingham player and Margate Manager, presented the trophies and medals. Gary Rees, TPSFA Secretary and Thanet Passport Chairman, commented, 'The standard of skill on display was impressive, matched only by the levels of sportsmanship displayed by all the players and spectators.'
Upton Junior School proved to be all-conquering in this year's Quicksticks Hockey tournaments, as they carried off both the Year 3/4 and the Year 5/6 titles. Organised by Thanet Passport and held at the Chatham & Clarendon Federation School, primary school teams from across Thanet met to show off their hockey skills and see who would be crowned as District Champions. Following a series of group games, the top 2 teams played off for the trophies on offer.
In the Year 3/4 competition Upton powered through their group, winning every game, before overwhelming Birchington in the final by 3 goals to nil. The play-off for 3rd and 4th place saw Salmestone and Garlinge sharing the spoils after a 1-1 draw.
The Year 5/6 competition was much tighter, with group winners Upton and Palm Bay contesting an exciting final. Palm Bay took an early lead, before Upton hit back to equalise and then quickly score a second. Palm Bay then had several chances, but Upton clung on to emulate their younger team mates. Once again the 3rd and 4th place play off ended in a draw between Salmestone and Holy Trinity Ramsgate.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport said, 'The quality of the hockey on show was very impressive. Congratulations to Upton, who I'm sure will do us proud as they go on to represent Thanet at the Kent School Games. Thanks must go to Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School for their support and Ramsgate Trophies for sponsoring the medals and winner's shield.'
Other schools taking part were Newlands, St Gregory's, Ramsgate Free School, Chilton, Newington, St Peter's, St Joseph's and Northdown.
In one of the most thrilling finals of recent years, St Saviour's and Chilton traded blow for blow, before the team from Westgate eventually claimed the title of Thanet Primary School Handball Champions by 5 goals to 3.
In an exciting competition, organised by Thanet Passport, the initial group games were keenly fought by the 12 local primary schools who attended. In Group 'A' Upton came within a whisker of defeating eventual winners St Saviour's, with a goal in the final second rescuing a draw for the eventual winners. This proved decisive as Upton came second in the group by just a single point with St Peter's in third place. Group 'B' was just as tight and although Dame Janet comfortably beat Chilton, an early defeat to Newlands cost them the chance to progress. In the play-off for 3rd and 4th position, Upton beat a tiring Newlands side 6-2.
Organiser and Chairman of Thanet Passport, Gary Rees, thanked King Ethelbert's Secondary School for hosting and their Sports Leaders for timing and scoring. Gary added, 'All the schools showed fantastic sportsmanship and the standard of play was great to behold.'
The other schools taking part were Cliftonville, Draper's Mills, Holy Trinity & St John's, Palm Bay, St Joseph's and Newington.
Thanet Passport is always looking to add new sports to its inter-school programme, and this year Table Tennis has been introduced for the first time. Held at St George's Secondary School, teams from 6 local primary schools battled it out to see who would take home the inaugural title of Thanet Table Tennis Champions.
Initially the schools were divided into two qualifying groups, with teams of four players seeded according to ability. The top seeds in each team played each other on a round robin basis, as did the second seeds and so on. Group A saw a very close contest between Palm Bay and Upton, with the latter topping the group by just 1 point. Group B was far more straightforward, as St Peter's won 11 out of their 12 rubbers. The final was just as much a stroll for the powerful St Peter's team, who beat Upton 4-0. The play-off for third and fourth place between Palm Bay and Chilton was much closer, ending up 2-2. However, Palm Bay finished 3rd with an overall points difference of 59 to 57.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'The quality of table tennis on display was extremely high amongst all the competing schools, as shown by the number of tight matches. We are pleased that yet another sport has been added to our calendar and we are grateful to the sports leaders from St George's who umpired and scored so proficiently.'
Other schools taking part were Newington and Christ Church.
On a cold evening the quality of rugby shown by the 8 primary schools taking part in the annual touch rugby tournament hosted by Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School served to warm the hearts of all the spectators. Holders St Peter's looked to be heading for another final until they met St Joseph's in their final group game, which saw their local rivals edge a thrilling game by 2 tries to 1. Group 2 was won by St Saviour's, with Christ Church finishing second.
The final seemed to be heading St Saviour's way, as they powered into a 2-0 lead, but St Joseph's pegged them back before a the Team from Westgate scored a decisive third try. A last minute consolation from St Joseph's set up a nervy finish, but St Saviour's still full ofrunning as the final whistle went. St Peter's and Christ Church shared 3rd spot after a 2-2 draw in their play-off match.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'We are grateful to the staff at Chatham House for organising this fantastic event, as well as their young sports leaders who refereed and scored all the matches. Each year the quality of primary school rugby is improving in Thanet. With England improving this year it is good to think that we are helping lay the foundations for continued success in the future.'
Other schools taking part were Minster, Newington, Newlands and Chilton.
The cups were flying as 6 local primary schools battled it out for the title of Thanet 'Speed Stacking' Champions. Sometimes called Sports Stacking, the aim of the game is to assemble specially designed stacking cups into a series of set patterns against the clock. This year's lower school champions were St Laurence Juniors, whilst St Peter's won the Year 5/6 competition, narrowly beating Newington. Other schools taking part were Minster, St Anthony's and Chilton.
The Thanet Primary Association for School Sport (Passport) helped organise the event and their Chairman, Gary Rees, said, 'This is a highly enjoyable event that helps children develop concentration, dexterity and fine motor skills, as well as their hand-eye co-ordination. This in turn has many knock-on benefits, especially in striking sports such as cricket, tennis, rounders and squash.'
After two exciting mornings of competition, only a handful of points separated the leading teams, as Upton Juniors just pipped St Saviour's Juniors to the title of overall Sportshall Athletics champions. Over 400 boys and girls from 12 local primary schools took part in this year's events at Ursuline College, organised by Thanet Passport and run by Thanet Athletics Club.
The young athletes had to complete a series of demanding disciplines, ranging from obstacle relay races to standing long jumps and javelin throwing. The Girls' competitions could not have been tighter, with St Saviour's winning both the Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 titles, whilst Upton finished second in both. The tables were turned in the Boy's competitions, as the Upton boys proved to be the difference in amassing just 20 points more than their St Saviour's rivals to win in both age categories and thus finish first overall. The battle for 3rd place was also keenly fought, with Salmestone, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Northdown and St Gregory's carrying home the bronze medals. Other competing schools were Chilton, St Peter's, Newington, Bromstone, Cliftonville and Minster.
Thanet Passport Chairman, Gary Rees, said, 'People who think that youngsters today are only interested in video games should come and see just how good these young athletes are at running, jumping and throwing. I know that every competitor will treasure their medal, regardless of where they finished, and that Upton will do Thanet proud when they represent us at the Kent School Games later this year. I would also like to thank all the volunteers from Thanet Athletics Club for giving up their time to help run this fantastic event.'
The balls were flying as 14 local primary schools vied for the title of Thanet Dodgeball Champions. After a series of exciting group games, the winners from each group met in the semi-finals. Holders Bromstone were unbeaten up to that point, but lost 2-1 to a rapidly improving Upton team., The other semi-final was just as tight as Northdown against Newlands also went to deciding game before Northdown emerged victorious.
The final was hard fought, with accurate shooting from both sides being matched by some clever dodging and spectacular catching. Neither team was really able to dominate the other, but when the final whistle blew Upton had just one more player left each time and so grabbed the trophy by 2 games to nil.
Thanet Passport Chairman, Gary Rees, said, 'Dodgeball is a relatively new sport in this country but the children absolutely love it! Last year just 7 schools took part and this year the number of participants has doubled.' As well as all the players receiving a commemorative medal, Passport also presented the 8 Sports Leaders from King Ethelbert's, who officiated all the matches, with special VIP (Volunteer in Passport) badges.
Other schools taking part were Christ Church, Newington, Chilton, St Peter's, Palm Bay, Salmestone, St Joseph's, Minster, St Nicholas-at-Wade and St Saviour's.
St Saviour's proved too powerful for all their rivals as they grabbed the title of Thanet Primary School Basketball Champions. Thirteen teams from Primary Schools across the island initially battled it out in two qualifying groups, with the winners and runners-up going on to contest the semi-finals. Group 1 was won comfortably by St Saviour's, who won five games and drew just one. The remaining places were in doubt until the very last game, with Upton just edging out Garlinge and Palm Bay by a single point. Group 2 was even tighter, as St Peter's and Bromstone finished level to relegate St Joseph's into 3rd place, once again by just a point.
The semi-finals saw St Saviour's power past Bromstone by 3 baskets to nil, whilst Upton held on to record a narrow 1-0 victory over St Peter's. In the final Upton, who had drawn 0-0 with St Saviour's in their group, were hoping to go one better, but St Saviour's soon hit their stride and ran out convincing 3-0 winners. They will now go on to represent Thanet in the Kent School Games finals.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'The quality of basketball on display was extremely high amongst all the competing schools, as shown by the number of tight matches. Well done to Tony Bailey and his St Saviour's team, who I am sure will do the Thanet District proud at the county finals.'
Other schools taking part were Salmestone, Northdown, Minster, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Newlands and Newington.
The sun shone on 'Super Saturday,' the showpiece event of the Thanet Primary Schools Football Association, as 35 teams from primary schools across Thanet met at Upton School to contest for 8 trophies. All 350 young players received medals during an event that was notable for the excellent sportsmanship that went hand-in-hand with high quality football over a period of 4 hours.
Teams played in an initial group stage before separating into pools of similar ability to determine the winners. The main Super-Saturday Champions Trophy went the way of Upton, in a hard fought group that featured some high quality football. The Champions Cup was won by a free-scoring St Ethelbert's team, whilst Chilton's A team carried off the Challenge Cup. St Gregory's A prevailed in the TPSFA Cup and St Laurence took home the TPSFA Shield. Upton's C and D teams could not be separated and so shared the TPSFA Bowl, whilst Dame Janet B not only won the Plate trophy, but the school also won the prestigious Fair Play Award.
Thanet Passport Chairman, Gary Rees, said, 'Thanks to the hard work of the Upton Sports Team, aided by the TPSFA committee and the Thanet Primary Association for School Sport, this event was both enjoyable to play in and to watch. All of the children who played today are winners, in terms of improving their skills and their health and fitness, not to mention the pride of representing their schools.'
The first silverware of the school year was handed out at Upton last Saturday, as over 100 girl footballers from 11 Thanet Primary Schools battled hard for supremacy. The initial group stage came down to goals scored in Group 1, as Haddon Dene advanced at the expense of holders Upton. In Group 2 Northdown were unbeaten as group winners but equal second placed St Peter's and St Saviour's could not be separated and so a play-off was required, which St Saviour's won comfortably by 3 goals to nil.
Both the subsequent finals were extremely close, with Haddon Dene winning the DW cup thanks to a single goal by JJ Speller. Similarly, the TPSFA Cup also finished 1-0 with Ella Downer grabbing the winner. Haddon Dene now progress to the Kent Finals.
Other schools taking part were Chilton, Cliftonville, Draper's Mills, Holy Trinity & St John's, Palm Bay and St Ethelbert's.
Secretary of the Thanet Primary Schools FA and Chairman of Thanet Passport, Gary Rees, said, 'All of the girls enjoyed themselves greatly and every player went home with a medal to show their families. We wish Haddon Dene all the best at the Kent Finals where I am sure they will do Thanet proud.
Holders Upton retained maintained their stranglehold on the Thanet Primary Schools FA Passport Cup, winning for the fourth year in a row. This was the event's 25th year, making it one of the longest running all girls football competitions in the country and as always it was keenly contested by all the schools that took part.
Just like the Euros, the competition began with a group stage, after which the winners and runners-up progressed to the quarter-finals. Eventual winners Upton won all their matches, whilst other group winners were Haddon Dene, Palm Bay and Cliftonville.
In the quarter finals Upton overpowered Christ Church 3-0 and St Peter's beat Palm Bay 3-2, with the winning goal coming in the last minute. Haddon Dene cruised to a 2-0 win over Dame Janet 'A' whilst Cliftonville and Dame Janet 'B' played out a tense 0-0 draw after extra time. Dame Janet then prevailed 2-1 in the subsequent penalty shoot-out.
In the semi-finals Upton continued their dominance with a 5-0 victory over St Peter's and Haddon Dene beat a tiring Dame Janet side 2-0. In the final however Haddon Dene themselves ran out of steam as the Upton juggernaut ran in 4 unanswered goals. Other competing schools were Chilton, Newington, St Joseph's and Draper's Mills.
Organiser and Chairman of Thanet Passport, Gary Rees, said, 'This is one of my favourite events of the year, not least because of the great sense of fun that the girls display. I can't believe that I have been organising this event for a quarter of a century. We actually have girls playing now whose mothers played in it many years ago!'
Some people say that cricket is dying in schools, but anyone who watched any of the Kwik Cricket events organised by Thanet Passport over the past fortnight would surely agree that it is alive and well in Thanet primary schools. In total over 300 children took part in the three events, which kicked off with a festival for Years 3 and 4. This was an opportunity for the younger children to practise their skills against other schools in a series of friendly games and develop a feel for the game, as well as taking home a participation medal.
The tournament for the Year 5 and 6 Girls was played with equal enthusiasm. Initially the 8 participating schools were placed in two groups of 4, with the two group winners playing off to decide who would take home the trophy. Both Northdown and Christ Church were unbeaten after the group stage, but it was Northdown who proved the stronger in the final, winning by 25 runs.
Similarly, the Mixed competition, which featured 12 teams, was hard fought in the group stages. Heading in to the final round of matches Bromstone, Christ Church and Northdown had all won 3 out of 4 games. However, Bromstone powered past Northdown and, although Christ Church also won, it was Bromstone who progressed due to winning their head-to-head game.
The other group was also decided in the final match, with St Peter's and Minster putting their unbeaten records on the line. Ultimately it was Minster's bowling that proved decisive, which then set up an intriguing final against Bromstone, last year's winners.
Cheered on by enthusiastic supporters from both schools, the final went down to the final over, as Bromstone hauled themselves back into the game after a disastrous start. Needing 5 runs to win, Bromstone lost a wicket with the first ball of the final over and with one ball remaining 3 runs were still needed, as a tie was of no use due to Minster having lost fewer wickets. Minster held their nerve and the final Bromstone batsman was run out attempting a suicidal second run. Both Northdown and Minster will now go on to represent Thanet at the Kent Finals at Canterbury.
Thanet Passport Chairman, Gary Rees, said, We are grateful to the support given by Margate Cricket Club and hope that many of these youngsters will be so enthused by playing this great game that they will want to carry on by joining a local club.'
Other schools taking part were Salmestone, St Gregory's, Newlands, St Anthony's, Dame Janet, Newington, Palm Bay, Draper's Mills, St Joseph's, Holy Trinity & St John's, Chilton, Cliftonville and St Nicholas-at-Wade.
Over 250 children from 7 local schools took the chance to show their athletic prowess in the annual Quad Kids athletics event, which was held at Dane Court and supported by their Sports Leaders. Organised by Thanet Passport, the youngsters all got to try out 4 different athletic events, a 50 metre sprint, the standing long jump, a vortex howler throw and a gruelling 400 metre run. Whilst St Mildred's carried off the honours in both the boys' and girls' competitions, Bromstone, Palm Bay, Cliftonville, St Joseph's, Callis Grange and Salmestone also sent along keen squads of Year 2 pupils and every child was presented with a medal.
Passport Chairman, Gary Rees, said, 'We are very grateful to Dane Court for the use of their facilities. Their Sports leaders were fantastic and as a result all of the children had a great time.'
The young tennis stars of tomorrow were on show at the Thanet Primary Schools Tennis Championships for Years 3 and 4, which were held at Margate Tennis Club and organised by Thanet Passport. Teams of 4 from the 7 competing schools all played each other in a series of doubles matches, which eventually saw Dame Janet crush all of their opponents by winning every single rubber. Upton finished second with St Peter's in third place.
Passport Chairman Gary Rees said, 'Tennis can be quite difficult to master and it was great to see these youngsters playing with really high levels of skill. Congratulations to Dame Janet, who will now go on to represent Thanet at the Kent School Games. Thanks to Margate Tennis Club for hosting and Dane Court Grammar School, whose sports leaders helped score and umpire.'
Teachers and sports coaches from local primary schools were able to see what future talent they possess, as over 150 players from Years 3 and 4 got the chance to impress by representing their schools at a football festival organised by The Thanet Primary Association for School Sport (Passport). Boys and girls from 17 schools across Thanet enjoyed taking part in a series of friendly matches. Every child was presented with a medal at the end, whilst one player from each school also received a special medal from sponsors East Kent College for teamwork, effort and sportsmanship.
Passport Chairman Gary Rees said, 'The children not only played with great skill and determination, but also with a great sense of fun. We are very grateful to Margate Football Club for their support, as well as our sponsors East Kent College whose sports leaders also led the warm-up sessions and officiated all of the games.'
The Annual Junior Schools netball tournament at Hartsdown Academy was keenly fought this year between the 23 teams that took part. Sponsored by Thanet Passport and organised by The Thanet Netball League, the children competed in 3 groups initially which then determined their place in the Winners group, the Intermediate group or the Plate group. Some great netball was played by all with some close finishes.
Overall winners Upton A played extremely well and were unbeaten, with St Peter's coming a close second. Christchurch Crusaders retained the Intermediate trophy with Minster second. The Plate group winners were St Laurence B with St Peter's B as runners-up.
Haddon Dene Red were the deadliest shooters, as they won the trophy for scoring the most goals - 40 in total, whilst St Nicholas-at-Wade won the timed shooting cup. The Most Sporting Team award, as decided by the umpires, went to Minster. Finally the J&L Overall Star Player Winner deservedly went to Edi from Northdown Red.
Linda Bushell, Thanet District Netball League Chairman, thanked everyone involved, especially the umpires and helpers from the League. Linda said, 'I have seen all 3 of my daughters compete in this event over the years and each year it just gets bigger and better.'
Other schools competing were Holy Trinity Ramsgate, Cliftonville, St Saviour's, Palm Bay, Chilton, Holy Trinity Margate and Bromstone.
This year's Thanet Primary Schools Rugby League competition was the tightest ever, as 3 schools finished level on points at the end of the group stage. On countback it emerged that Minster had scored 17 tries to retain the trophy they won last year, with St Peters and Upton equal second having scored 16 tries each. Organised by The Thanet Primary Association for School Sport (Thanet Passport), this is the third year that Rugby League has featured on their calendar for Year 3/4 children.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'It is great to see such a relatively new sport in primary schools being enjoyed by the youngsters involved, who all enjoyed representing their schools and who showed great running and handling skills.'
Other schools taking part were Northdown, Cliftonville, St Joseph's and The Ramsgate Free School.
For the third year in a row Christ Church Juniors led the way in the Thanet Primary Schools Mini Squash tournament, which was held at Thanet Squash Club. Teams of 8 players from 6 local primary schools had to complete a series of squash related activities and games to improve their skills, which were then put to the ultimate test in the deciding game of 'Squicket.' The powerful Christ Church team emerged as overall victors in the Year 5/6 competition, with St Peter's second. The future also looks assured for the Ramsgate school, as their youngsters also carried off the Year 3/4 title, with St Peter's sharing second place with St Joseph's.
Gary Rees, Chairman and Administrator for Thanet Passport, said, "Squash is a relatively new game in primary schools and it is great to see these youngsters playing and improving all the time. Thanks to Thanet Squash Club for hosting and Dane Court for providing 10 sports leaders to support the children throughout the day. Good luck also to Christ Church, who will now go on represent Thanet at the Kent School Games in both age groups.'
Other schools taking part were Northdown, Newlands and Upton.
Appropriately on St George's Day, the England Cup for the overall winners of this year's Thanet Primary Schools '6 Nations' Rugby Tournament was won by Christ Church Junior School with a 100% 'grand slam' winning record.
Initially the 22 teams from 16 Thanet Primary Schools were placed in random groups, with the 5 group winners then playing each other for main trophy. The other teams still had plenty to play for in their second round groups, as altogether there were 6 trophies on offer, each one named after one of the 6 nations. The Italy Cup was awarded to the most sporting team, with Northdown deservedly retaining the trophy they won last year.
In the first group stage Christ Church 1's narrow victory over Upton 1 by 2 tries to 1 proved decisive, as they comfortably won all of their remaining matches to top the group. However, there was consolation for Upton in finishing second as they powered through the second stage to win the Wales Cup. The Ireland Cup and the Scotland Cup were carried off by St Peter's and St Joseph's respectively, both winning all 4 of their final stage games. The France Cup was a much tighter affair, with Northdown prevailing over Upton 2 by dint of having scored one try more, after the 2 teams had finished level on points.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'We are grateful to the staff at Baypoint for hosting this fantastic event. The trophies were allocated according to the finishing positions of the 6 Nations this year, so congratulations to Christ Church on taking home the England Cup. They will now progress to the Kent School Games finals where I'm sure they will do Thanet proud. The quality of primary school rugby in the district is improving all the time and with England winning this year's 6 Nations it is good to think that we are helping lay the foundations for success in the future.'
Other schools taking part were Dame Janet, Holy Trinity Ramsgate, Minster, Palm Bay, Cliftonville, Bromstone, Holy Trinity & St John's, St Gregory's, Birchington, St Nicholas-at-Wade and Garlinge.
In a tense final, Upton overcame local rivals St Peter's by 3 goals to 2 to take home the title of High-5 Netball Champions, but extra time was needed to separate two evenly matched teams. Tallulah Stevens, who also represents Upton at football, showed that her shooting in netball was just as deadly as she completed a hat-trick in extra time to snaffle the trophy away from last year's winners.
Twelve Thanet primary schools were divided into two qualifying groups to contest this year's event. St Peter's and Upton both won their groups with 100% records to set up the exciting final. Other schools taking part were Haddon Dene, Holy Trinity & St John's, Cliftonville, Salmestone, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Northdown, Bromstone, Palm Bay, Minster and Holy Trinity Ramsgate.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport, said, 'This was a fantastic event that was enjoyed by players and spectators alike. We wish Upton luck at the Kent School Games finals and would like to thank Dane Court for hosting the event.'
In these days of increasing child obesity it is refreshing to find an organisation that is helping to buck the trend. The Thanet Primary Association for School Sport, or 'Thanet Passport' as it is more popularly known, helps organise and supports all primary school sports festivals and competitions across the District and the figures are impressive.
Since its formation 7 years ago, Thanet Passport now has annual participation figures of more than 9000. Over 4000 pupils a year, that's a third of children attending primary school in the Thanet District, have taken part in at least one of the 70 Passport events and festivals. 25 sports are currently on their calendar - American football, athletics, basketball, cricket, cross country, dance, dodgeball, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, netball, orienteering, rounders, rugby league, rugby union, skipping, speed stacking, squash, swimming, table tennis and tennis. New sports are being introduced all the time with others in the pipeline, such as volleyball, sailing and archery.
Chairman of Thanet Passport, Gary Rees, a former local Headteacher and PE co-ordinator, is one of the founders of the organisation. He is justifiably proud of what has been achieved in such a short space of time and said, 'Primary school sport in Thanet has always been strong, with teachers and sports coaches giving freely of their time to run after school clubs and organise teams. However, there was a great deal of duplication with every sports association having their own committee, treasurer and secretary. Because these associations were working in isolation there would occasionally be a clash of dates for events, which was frustrating for staff, parents and pupils alike, particularly if a child was very sporty. This no longer happens and our calendar, which goes out a year in advance, also allows schools to plan in their trips and sports days accordingly. Basically we have taken over all of the administration, which has freed up school staff to do what they do best - educate and coach.'
Gary continued, 'We are a totally non-profit making organisation which is run by a dedicated committee of primary school practitioners. With the support of The Ursuline College we have set up a unique model of inter-school sporting collaboration in our area that has drawn nationwide attention. Every single primary school in the District has joined Passport, including one private school. For a small annual fee they receive our calendar of events, a regular update giving details of forthcoming events and instead of having to pay affiliation fees to various organisations, such as the Football Association, this is now done centrally. We have been able to negotiate discounts, organise first aid cover, venues and coaching, plus we provide certificates, trophies and medals. One of the hallmarks of Thanet Passport is the distribution of medals. We have discovered that our medals are much sought after by the children and this encourages increased participation.'
The work of Thanet Passport was recognised last year at the Thanet Sports Awards, where the organisation received the 'Unsung Hero' award. Gary commented, 'This was a great surprise, but it was very gratifying to have our work recognised. However, as our organisation has grown we have become victims of our own success. Although schools pay a small annual affiliation fee, regular sponsorship is now needed to ensure sustainability, expansion into new sports and provision of equipment and coaching. Key partners in our work are Thanet District Council, Margate Football Club and Broadbiz Web Services, and we also receive valuable support and sponsorship from Ramsgate Trophies and Your Leisure.'
'Our aim is to get as many Thanet children participating in sport as possible, regardless of ability. Fair Play and Team Work is encouraged at all times, as well as the development of skills. Nonetheless, the winners of many of our events do go on to represent Thanet at County Finals, often with great success. We have also established strong links with local sports clubs, such as Thanet Athletics Club, Thanet Wanderers Rugby Club, Margate and Broadstairs Cricket Clubs, Margate FC and Margate Tennis Club. It is particularly satisfying to see many of our youngsters, whose enthusiasm for a particular sport was kindled at primary school, going on to compete at local, county and even international level. If we can get children adopting a life-long commitment to sport and healthy lifestyles then we are satisfied that we are doing a worthwhile job.'
In an exciting final, Upton retained the Thanet Primary School Year 5/6 Quicksticks Hockey Shield by the narrowest of margins as they beat St Gregory's 3-2. Twice Upton led and twice St Gregory's equalised, but, with the winning goal arriving with only a minute to go, this meant that the clock wound down before a third equaliser could be found to force extra time. However, St Gregory's can be proud of their performance as the entire team was made up of Year 5 children, which augers well for next year.
The game to decide third and fourth position was not quite so tight, as Northdown comfortably defeated Minster by 3 goals to nil. All 10 competing schools started off in 2 qualifying groups. Upton powered through their group by winning every game, only conceding one goal to Northdown in the process. St Gregory's also only conceded one group goal in a 1-1 draw with Minster. However, this was the only game in which they dropped points as Minster also drew two of their other games to claim the runners-up spot. Other schools competing were Christ Church, Salmestone, Palm Bay, Chilton, St Peter's and Newington.
Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport said, 'The quality of the hockey on show was very impressive. Congratulations to Upton, who I'm sure will do us proud as they go on to represent Thanet at the Kent School Games. Thanks must go to Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School for their support and Ramsgate Trophies for sponsoring the medals and winner's shield.'
The Les Riggs Cup, the Thanet Primary Schools FA's premier competition, saw a one-sided final this year, as a powerful St Saviour's team overwhelmed a plucky St Peter's side by 7 goals to nil. Although St Peter's started brightly, forcing a couple of early saves from the St Saviour's keeper, it was only thanks to the brilliant goalkeeping of his St Peter's counterpart that the game remained goalless. However, midway through the first half St Saviour's finally broke the deadlock with a well worked goal, which was closely followed by a second. With the half time score at 3-0 the contest was as good as over and despite both sides bringing on all their substitutes in the second half the pattern remained the same. Once again the St Peter's keeper performed heroics in keeping the score down and was rightly presented with the Man-of-the-Match Award, despite the 7-0 scoreline.
The Consolation Cup Final, which was played simultaneously, was a much closer affair. Palm Bay took an early lead, before Garlinge hit back with 2 goals of their own. The match saw numerous chances at both ends and at full time the sides could not be separated with the score standing at 3-3. In extra-time Palm Bay thought they had secured victory, only for Garlinge to equalise in the final minute. Thus a 4-4 draw saw the trophy shared.
Les Riggs himself, former Gillingham player and Margate Manager, presented the trophies and medals. Gary Rees, TPSFA Secretary and Thanet Passport Chairman, commented, 'The standard of skill on display was impressive, matched only by the levels of sportsmanship displayed by all the players and spectators.'
In the tightest of finals, Salmestone Primary School won the Year 3/4 Quicksticks Hockey tournament by a single goal against Palm Bay.
Organised by Thanet Passport and officiated by sports leaders from Chatham House, the 10 competing teams started in 2 qualifying groups, with the winners of each group contesting the final. Salmestone won all of their group games, with a 2-1 victory over Upton in their final game proving decisive. In similar fashion Palm Bay were also unbeaten, just edging St Peter's into second place in the group by dint of a 1-0 win. It was therefore unsurprising that the final was extremely tight, until a breakaway goal by Jack Flint secured the title for Salmestone.
The playoff for 3rd and 4th place saw an equally competitive game, with Upton and St Peter's sharing the honours after a 2-2 draw. Gary Rees, Chairman of Thanet Passport said, 'Congratulations to Salmestone, who I'm sure will do us proud as they go on to represent Thanet at the Kent School Games. Thanks must go to Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School for their support and Ramsgate Trophies for sponsoring the medals and winner's shield.'
Other schools competing were Christ Church, Northdown, Chilton, Cliftonville, Newington and the Ramsgate Free School.
Great gymnasts start their careers early and, with the support of the Thanet Primary Association for School Sport (Passport), the annual Infant Gymnastics Festival certainly enhanced the passion of all the 6 and 7 year olds that attended. Teams from Haddon Dene, St Mildred's, Bromstone and Ellington along with hosts, Callis Grange, were able to experience a range of gymnastics apparatus, including balance beams and the dreaded asymmetric bars! Working with Emma Smith, a top gymnastics coach, and aided by sports leaders from East Kent College, the young gymnasts all improved their levels of skill, before the morning was rounded off perfectly as each school performed a prepared routine.
Thanet Passport Chairman, Gary Rees, presented all of the children with a commemorative medal and said, 'The keenness of these young gymnasts to improve their performance was a delight to behold and who knows, we may have sparked a future Olympic gymnast as a result.'
In one of the most exciting handball finals of recent years, Upton came back from 4-2 down to beat the reigning champions St Peter's 5-4, with the decisive goal being scored in the last second of the game. As Thanet Primary School Handball Champions Upton will now progress to the Kent County Finals later in the year.
In an exciting competition, organised by Thanet Passport, the initial group games were keenly fought by the 10 local primary schools who attended, with St Peter's and Upton winning their groups convincingly. In the play-off for 3rd and 4th position, Christ Church beat a tiring Bromstone 3-0.
Organiser for Thanet Passport, Dan Allen, thanked King Ethelbert's Secondary School for hosting and their Sports Leaders for officiating and scoring. Dan added, 'All the schools showed fantastic sportsmanship and the parental support was brilliant. The standard of play was great to behold.'
The 10 schools taking part were - St Peter's, Christ Church, Upton, St Gregory's, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Chilton, Northdown, Newlands, St Saviour's and Bromstone.
Eleven Primary Schools took part in the annual Year 3/4 Tri-Golf Competition at Ursuline College last Friday, organised by Thanet Passport. The pupils all had to complete a circuit of 8 activities that tested their chipping and putting skills as well as their ability to work as a team. Professionals from Manston Golf Centre were also on hand to give expert advice to the next generation of golfers! Salmestone Primary School racked up the points as they powered to the title, and will now go on to represent Thanet at the Kent School Games finals.
Suzanne Gough, School Games Organiser, said, "The level of skill today was exceptional, but I was particularly impressed by the great teamwork throughout the event."
Schools taking part were Chilton, Salmestone, Cliftonville, Christ Church, Northdown, Newlands, Newington, St Saviour's, St Peter's, Garlinge and St Gregory's.
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