Netball - Wildcat Assembly Reports

12 October 2006

Wildcats Assembly Report 12/10/06

Very tough opposition for a first fixture - Cheltenham Ladies College where last year we were beaten 44 - 3.

In the first quarter, Cheltenham came out of the blocks like panthers. In true wildcat form RGS fought back and at 4 - 0 down scored our first goal of the season. After a neat interpassing move Rachel Gwilt found herself in the clear to strike our first goal – the cheer from the supporters was exceptional. The rest of the quarter did not go our way despite some aggressive marking with a capital A from Beckie Brown and Cathy Dowty. The second quarter saw a much-improved performance following a typically motivational rallying call from the coach. There was more ‘fruit salad’ than ‘potato salad’ on court and it showed. With Faye Halliday and Rachel Gwilt finding space in the D and intelligent passing by Kelly Beaver the second quarter ended 5 – 3 to Cheltenham. The third quarter saw the fitness of RGS count with Hannah White and Jade Stowe excelling on this front. Cheltenham were not having it all their own way and RGS kept fighting to the end. The third quarter went 6 - 2 to Cheltenham and the fourth 6 - 3.

The final score RGS 9 Cheltenham Ladies College 29

Coach Shorrocks was extremely pleased no one gave up – all gave 100% ( You cannot give any more !! ). He was very pleased with attitude and spirit especially with substitutions.

We needed and used all 10 players to the best of our ability.

Players were brought off more for tiredness than tactical reasons.

Man of the match :- All played so well that no player was declared man of the match – so the award went to me !

Wildcats Assembly Report II 12/10/06

On Monday we were entered for an U.16 tournament at Kings where the opposition were not only older than us but also taller. Spirits however were high as we realised that it would be our shooting skills and agility that would win the day.

In the first round we faced St.Mary’s and although it was close at half-time 2 - 1 to St. Mary’s we tired somewhat in the second half to fade to a 2 - 8 defeat. However in round two the champagne in the first aid kit was put on ice as inspirational passing and movement by Danni Mason - the likes of which coach Shorrocks had never seen before and goals from Lydia Jeffcoat and Hannah White saw The Chantry School put to the sword. The combination passing of Ellie Brown to Danni Mason to the ever chirpy Rosie Merotra was electric. The corks were popped and the bubbles flowed as the RGS Wildcats had recorded their first victory of the season - a superb 5 - 1 victory with no need for any potato salad.

In the third round we met the Auld enemy Kings who did play a Year Ten girl in their extremely physical team. Shots for the Wildcats were few and far between and we found ourselves 4 – 0 down at half time but with 3 misses on the board it could have been closer. In the second half we tried to close the gap, never letting our spirits down and with Cathy Dowty making 4 telling interceptions we eventually found our shooting range and netted two goals. King netted 10 !

In round four we met Blessed Edwards and with Rachael Gwilt having been rested in the two previous rounds now coming back on we had a target to aim at in the D. Rachael was ‘on fire’ and shot after shot rained in on the Blessed basket. In the end both she and birthday girl Lydia Jeffcoat shared the spoils with 4 goals a piece. 8 – 0 being the final score. RGS came third ( out of nine schools ) in their pool and narrowly failed to qualify for the Semi-finals. Still there is always next year.

Man of the match :- All played so well that it was difficult to declare a woman of the match – but it was decided that Lydia Jeffcoat should get the award ( as it was her birthday !! )

Wildcats Assembly Report III 13/10/06

Our first home match of the season on home soil against the legendary St.Mary’s Convent was eagerly awaited by our season ticket supporters and with the stunning warm-up drills being perfectly executed the omens for a Wildcat performance were looking good. The final call from coach Shorrocks was “Lets’ go me hearties, lets run ‘em ragged” - yes the theme of this match was Pirates and we were going to plunder them.

The game got off to a brisk and physical start with Cathy Dowty flying in to intercept anything that moved in the air with little regard for human preservation. The movement off the ball was excellent but the passes a little too rushed. However once we attacked and penetrated the D, Rachel Gwilt and her compatriot Lydia Jeffcoat were becoming lethal in their shooting. 4 - 2 to the Wildcats after the first quarter became 10 - 6 at half time and with the intelligent changes made by the coach in the make up of the team, the overall fitness of the Wildcats soon began to tell.

The link ups between Wing Defence Ellie Brown, Centre Danni Mason and Wing Attacks Kelly Beaver or Rosie Merotra were becoming telepathic - something that only coaches can dream about in their dreams. As for the marking, coach Shorrocks called for some ‘In your face marking’ but the Wildcats just got tighter and tighter in defence, so much so that you couldn’t put a silk handkerchief between our defence and their offense. To see Hannah White block her opposite number completely out of the game was an eye opener to all connoisseurs of woman-to-woman marking.

To put in bluntly St. Mary’s just couldn’t get near us – in fact they couldn’t live with us and all because we were playing with 10 players (!!) and with Rachael Gwilt missing very little and we just had to get it ‘over the top’ to her and sit back and watch a materclass of shooting.

End of the third quarter and the champagne was again put on ice as the Wildcats led 15 - 10 with the coach still calling for more ‘potato salad’ with his ‘coffee’ but all he got in return was some excellent ‘Jacket Potatoes’. Indeed as St.Mary’s tired the ‘fruit salad’ was easier to come by and went down very well.

In the end all we could do was watch with some pride as the Wildcats came home to a 19 - 10 victory.

Man of the match :- All played so well that it was difficult to declare a woman of the match, now technically known as a Top Cat – but it was decided that hot shot Rachael Gwilt should get the award, netting 12 of the 19 goals.

Top Cat Awards

JMS (1)
Lydia Jeffcoat (1)
Rachael Gwilt (1)

Wildcats Assembly Report IV 16/10/06

Hello everybody, hello boys and girls. Are we sitting comfortably - good then I’ll begin. Today I’m going to tell you a real fairy story - Once upon a time in an old school far far away there was an old man who was looking after 10 little kittens for his friend whilst she was on a holiday!! Hmmmm…..Yes that’s almost the mindset that the Wildcats took on, playing against the A.O last Monday evening. We were all too friendly and pallsey–wallsey - which is good to see but hey girls lets do all of that after the match. Psychologically 1 - 0 to the A.O. 1 - 0 soon became 2 - 0 as hot shot Rachel Gwilt called in sick with 2 broken fingers. 2 - 0 became 3 - 0 psychologically as we were denied a chance to warm up properly and the Wildcats took to the field cold both mentally and physically. Despite a ‘Wildcats’ rallying call we looked in awe of them from the start with too many of us believing ‘Oh, Sir they’ve got X and Y is the best WD in the country’ - reputations, reputations, reputations - they count for nothing until AFTER the match. Reputations are there to be destroyed and we were given an opportunity to do just that but . . we didn’t. 4 - 0 down and we hadn’t even started. No team could come back from a start like that - or could they ? The game was all but over at the end of the first quarter when we found ourselves trailing 1 - 6. Our defence was having a rough time and our offence just couldn’t get through. It was left to the midfield to begin to apply some pressure on the A.O. And sure enough Danni Mason as Centre took control as she ran selflessly all over the court finding space and playing the telling pass. Kelly Beaver was also finding space and giving the countries best WD something to think about. Subsequently the shooters were beginning to find their range and the goals started to rain in at the right end. Indeed as we were left playing for our pride, we did win the third and crucial quarter 4 - 2. Unfortunately it left us with too much to do in the final quarter and we ran out tired losers 7 - 16. Lessons will have to be learnt and quickly too. This was a reality check !!

Top Cat Award :- For her tireless running and the losing of her marker, the Top Cat award went to Danni Mason !

Top Cat Awards

JMS (1) v. Cheltenham Ladies
Lydia Jeffcoat (1) v. Kings’ U.16 Tournament
Rachael Gwilt (1) v. St. Mary’s
Danni Mason (1) v. Alice Ottley

Magical Moment of the match

Watching Cathy pass the ball onto the back of Dannie’s head and watching it bounce high into the air.

Wildcats Assembly Report V 17/10/06

If you include the County Trials at the weekend, the Wildcats were playing their fourth high-pressure match in a week against the mighty Prince Henry’s School Evesham. With the cheesy tape playing some inspirational music in the minibus, spirits were high. ‘Simply the best’ and ‘Tiger feet’ were sung with some vigour and the song ‘I believe in miracles’ by Hot Chocolate was dedicated to Lydia Jeffcoat and her shooting on this cold and wet afternoon. We arrived in the dark and went straight into our warm up routine.

Coach Shorrocks called for a ‘Ballroom Blitz’ in the first 5 minutes - in other words go at them with all you’ve got in a lightening strike of pace and power. The girls responded marvellously as the running, passing and shooting were all of the highest order. The lunchtime speciality - ‘Double Decker’ worked so well that even Miss Partridge was quietly impressed- I could tell. There was so much good netball being played and at pace it was a delight to watch. Even coach Shorrocks’ psychology was beginning to rub off onto the team as Faye Halliday our GS who was scoring virtually every time she touched the ball was heard to say to her oppo “I’m really flukey today” . . . what a moral de-booster if ever there was. The interpassing in defence - Beckie Brown to Cathy Dowty and Ellie Brown was more composed than ever before. The running into space of Kelly Beaver, Hannah White and Danni Mason went unchecked and as for ‘believing in miracles’ Lydia Jeffcoat was scoring with gay abandon. At half time the Wildcats led 11 - 1 and looked world class. Again the substitutions at half time paid off with the opposition looking tired and jaded in the second half, whilst we had three pairs of fresh legs on court. The greatest compliment however made at half time was not coach Shorrocks saying “We don’t need to score any more” but that Prince Henry’s put their 6’ GA back into GD – to mark Faye Halliday. That move put paid to any real threat by Prince Henry’s on our goal and with Emily Collins, making her debut, snuffing out anything over the top the Wildcats defence well and truly shut up shop. At the other end it was business as usual with

Jade Stowe and Rosie Merotra linking up very well with the goal scorers Faye Halliday and Lydia Jeffcoat. It was good to see them still running strongly and aggressively at the end and taking shots whenever possible.

The final score - Wildcats 14 Prince Henry’s 1

Top Cat Award :- All played so well that it was difficult to declare a Top Cat – but it was decided that hot shot Faye Halliday should get the award, netting of the goals.

Top Cat Awards

JMS (1) v. Cheltenham Ladies
Lydia Jeffcoat (1) v. Kings’ U.16 Tournament
Rachael Gwilt (1) v. St. Mary’s
Danni Mason (1) v. Alice Ottley
Faye Halliday (1) v. Prince Henry’s

Magical Moment of the match

Watching the ‘Double Decker’ work first time and leave at least three ball runners in the clear.

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