Rochester Grammar School (RGS) has achieved a remarkable milestone by progressing to the England Handball U15 National Finals following their outstanding victory at the South East Regional Championship.
Over the past few academic years, the RGS Physical Education (PE) Department has been dedicated to integrating the contact sport of Handball into the school curriculum and offering it as an extracurricular activity. This initiative has been greatly supported by the Medway Falcons Handball Club, whose volunteers have played a key role in its development.
Handball is a dynamic team sport that involves two teams of seven players who compete to score goals by throwing a ball into the opposing team's net, primarily using their hands. The game is fast-paced and requires a blend of skills from football, basketball, and netball. The objective is to outscore the opposing team within the game's duration.
At RGS, Handball is delivered as part of the curriculum through the PE Department's Invasion Games topic, which helps pupils develop transferable skills applicable to various sports. The enthusiasm and enjoyment experienced by pupils during these lessons led the school to collaborate with Medway Falcons Handball Head Coach, Iwona, to establish an afterschool Handball club for all year groups.
The Handball Club, held twice a week, has seen many of the school’s pupils join the Medway Falcons Handball Club in the local community. Their dedication and incredible skills have also earned several pupils' places in the England Handball South East Development Academy, with one pupil even joining the U17 GB squad.
This academic year has been particularly successful for the RGS U15 Handball team. They began by winning the Medway Secondary School Games Handball competition, defeating seven local schools to become Medway Champions. This victory qualified them for the England Handball Kent Schools Competition, where they triumphed over five county teams to become Kent Champions. Most recently, the team defeated eight schools from across the South East region, including those from London, Sussex, and Guildford, to claim the prestigious title of England Handball U15 South East Regional Champions. This win has secured their place in the England Handball National Finals, set to be held in Nottingham in June.
Congratulations to the Rochester Grammar School U15 Handball Team on their incredible achievements, and best of luck in the National Finals!