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| Sport: Sports at Canford |
| Sports at Canford |
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Cricket
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There can be few more delightful settings for cricket than the grounds at Canford. The school Cricket Club aims to ensure that all pupils who enjoy the game have a fulfilling and memorable school cricket career in these wonderful surroundings.
The Club pursues this mission by providing as much competitive cricket as possible through a challenging school fixtures list, as well as keenly fought house match competitions. These fixtures are designed to provide an outlet for talent at all levels. Recent school results have been highly encouraging, including victories against schools with a much larger pool of players from which to draw their teams.
The Club aims to ensure that each cricketer develops his skills to their full potential. A number of present and former pupils have played at junior level for county and area teams, and for their local clubs. There is a programme of winter coaching in the Sports Centre at both squad and individual level. During the season, training takes place in both grass and artificial nets, and there are regular middle practices on the five pitches within the school grounds. Facilities are excellent and a range of activities and equipment are employed throughout the club.
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| South Africa Cricket Tour 2009 |
Expert coaching is provided by Michael Griggs (ECB level 3 coach and coaching assessor; Spirit of the Game co-ordinator and former Chairman of Selectors for England womens’ victorious Ashes side). Michael joined Canford in 2008 from his 'winter' job as Director of Coaching to a New Zealand premier league club. His role is principally with the 1st XI, though he and Julian Shackleton work with all age groups and abilities. Julian (formerly of Gloucestershire and Hampshire) has been with the school many years, as was his father, Derek Shackleton, before him. The Shackleton Trophy is contested every year between the 1st XI and the Dorset U19 Development XI. Our team managers (a number of whom are keen and talented cricketers themselves) encourage the development of technical skills, tactical awareness and a genuine affinity with the spirit of cricket: we ensure that sportsmanship, positive play and an identification with team achievement are seen as at least as important as individual success.
There has been much recent interest in overseas touring. In 2006 the club enjoyed a developmental tour to St Lucia in the Caribbean. In 2009 the club voyaged to South Africa with great success, winning five out of seven matches and learning a great deal about different styles of cricket. Canford is the only English school to have won the Sir Garry Sobers cup and is considering a return visit there for 2011.
The Cricket Club is also keen to encourage interest among Canford girls, entering local paired-cricket competitions. In addition, the Under-10 Prep School Tournament in June is a fast and furious festival of emerging talent that each year introduces a new generation to the delights of cricket at Canford.
Cross Country
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Cross Country functions in both the Christmas and the Easter terms. Numbers have fluctuated over the past few years and there are currently some 40 members of the squad, mainly recruited from the fifth and sixth form.
The Christmas term follows a now fairly well-established pattern. Tuesdays are devoted to “speed” sessions: relays, repetition runs (including the much loved “Mountjoy laps”), pyramids, the steps (the only incline in the school grounds), “devil-take-the-hindmost” and “hares and hounds”. On Thursdays we generally go off-campus. In September and early October the beach is a favourite destination, though as the weather deteriorates we find ourselves in Wareham Forest, Ferndown Forest, on the Castlemain trail or taking part in one of the monthly League races which Canford organises for the schools in the area. Saturday is an option day when runners may choose between going for a run or going to the gym where the weights/fitness room is a popular destination. This last year we also competed in a local schools cross-country league, and our senior boys won it!
In the Easter term we have a full programme of races ranging from short relays (at Bryanston, Clayesmore and our own Canford Park relay) to longer affairs (Sherborne, Milton Abbey, Downside, Kingswood). Interspersed are the county, regional and national schools’ championships for those runners who qualify. The Dorset Independent Schools Cross Country Organisation (DISCCO) runs a league within the races during the term where the best five performances from seven nominated races count.
We also stage the Canford Park Junior Relays for Prep and Middle Schools as well as a match for Old Canfordians and Parents on the final Sunday of term. We also stage a cross country meeting for Special Schools in Dorset.
We are fortunate to have five coaches who can join in the training sessions and inspire the pupils on to ever greater heights!
Nick Baugniet
Master i/c Cross Country
Golf
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| Canford's golf course |
Canford School can boast the best on-site school golf course in the country and, together with the adjoining facilities at Canford Magna, the finest schools' golfing facilities in Europe. This is a bold claim but justified by the fact that, in addition to our own excellent nine hole course, we have ready access to two eighteen hole courses, a par three academy course, an extensive driving range, indoor and outdoor putting areas and five PGA coaches!
The squad is directed by Chris Jervis, assisted by two other staff, Neil Watkins and Steve Ronaldson. With a dozen or more single-figure golfers in the school, it is possible to field a team of players with sub-six handicaps. Virtually all matches are played off scratch and the school has, for the past ten years, consistently won virtually all their games against some of the most prestigious independent schools in the country. In particular, we have been the South of England Foursomes Champions for four of the last five years, the National Foursomes Champions in 2004 and the West of England Singles Champions in 2005.
Our golf team has established a number of overseas links. We are twinned with Racing Club de Paris, the French National Champions based at La Bouile, Versaille and play them home and away each year. We compete in the International Schools' Tournament at Sun City, South Africa and we have established links with a number of American Universities who offer golf scholarships. Added to this, Canford teams have played in recent years in Ireland, Spain, Portugal, America, Dubai and France. Two recent highlights have been securing a drawn match against the USA schools' team and defeating the Emerites junior team in Dubai.
School golfers have gained invaluable experience in recent years by running some leader boards at The Open Championship. These experiences were both enjoyable and inspirational for the pupil golfers.
When numbers permit, we field 'B' and 'C' teams and junior teams as well. There are ample opportunities for beginners and intermediate standard golfers at Canford and instruction with PGA coaches can be readily organised. The school golf is keenly supported by a thriving Old Canfordian Golfing Society into which our leavers progress.
For anyone who is serious about golf, Canford has become an obvious school to consider and for many, a school of first choice.
Chris Jervis
Master i/c Golf
Hockey
The Hockey club at Canford has a tradition of success. This is made possible by first class facilities, accomplished coaches, a large pool of player talent and a challenging fixture list.
The facilities include two Astroturf pitches, six grass pitches and a full sized indoor arena. Our main pitch has only been down for four years and at time of building there was only one other in the country of similar design. It is a hybrid water/sand based design with water cannons. Our older pitch is currently being replaced having done 21 years of service!
There are 22 staff involved in coaching. Terry Adby, former Reading Hockey club and Oxford University coach, is the school's Director of Hockey. Several other staff have also had national, regional or county coaching and playing experience.
These staff oversee 11 girls and 13 boys teams. This equates to approximately 280 pupils over the Christmas and Easter terms regularly having fixtures. All teams, no matter how junior, have matches. Opposition include Millfield, Marlborough, Wellington College, Bradfield, Sherborne, Bryanston, Kings Taunton, Taunton School and St. Edwards Oxford.
This challenging fixture list tests our players and prepares them to compete in the county, regional and national tournaments. Sides have recently had considerable success notably the girls u16 team winning the National Championships in 1999, 2000 and finishing runners up in 2001. In 2002 our teams won five out of six of the Dorset county age groups, and three went on to be regional runners up. Every year teams become county champions and this success has the effect of attracting a good deal of hockey players to the school.
Individuals are encouraged to seek representative honours. In 2005 alone we have one international, 5 regional players and 12 county players.
Tours are undertaken on a yearly basis and this year four teams are traveling to Holland in the Easter holiday.
Rowing
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Canford School is lucky enough to have the River Stour run along side the school grounds, with the boathouse just a short walk from the main school campus. There is excellent equipment catering for all athletes for both boys and girls.
Eights, Fours, Pairs and Sculls
At the start Shell year boys and girls are encouraged to scull, this can be done in Octuples and Quadruples sculls giving a good foundation.
Strength and conditioning training is an integral part of rowing at Canford. Anthropometric testing is a thorough way of looking after each individual needs and an excellent way of monitoring the process of boys and girls. Ergometers also play an important role in the preparation period.
A large gymnasium fully equipped provides and excellent indoor faculties for different types of workouts, circuit training, spinning, core strength and stability.
Ian Dryden, Director of rowing, was formally assistant coach at Cambridge University in the 1990s when Cambridge dominated both the Blue Boat and Goldie races. He then coached in Australia for two years at a major club and also for the Victorian Institute of Sport. Canford are also lucky enough to have a wealth of other coaching staff for boys and girls.
Canford attend numerous regattas and head races throughout the year catering for all levels of athletes. The Schools' Heads, National Schools Regatta, Henley Royal Regatta and Women's Henley are the highlights of the season. We encourage all athletes who show potential to continue through to international honours or to simply enjoy rowing at Canford.
Their is a supporter network comprising of parents and friends of Canford School's rowing teams called The Canford Crocodiles - please visit their new website for information, fixture dates and further details:
www.canfordcrocodiles.co.uk
Rugby
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At least 10 teams regularly compete against Schools drawn from a very competitive fixture list. There are seven full size pitches for matches and practice and use is also made of the sports hall and weights room for both specific individual and team sessions. Guest coaches are often invited to work with the rugby teams and in recent seasons the 1st XV have worked with RFU Elite Coaching Director Kevin Bowring. The rugby teams currently benefit from the expertise of Junior Parramore (Ex Samoa, Gloucester, Bedford) and Robert Todd (Gloucester & Sale).
Numerous pupils have represented the County, Area, South West division and England at U16 and U18 level in recent years and have gone on to play professional rugby after they have left Canford. In recent years players have signed Academy contracts with London Irish and Wasps or have secured scholarships to some of the leading rugby playing universities. One of our most illustrious Old Canfordian rugby players is Ben Gollings, who currently holds the world record for points scored in the IRB sevens series. Ben is arguably one of the best 7's exponents in the world and often returns to Canford to share his knowledge of the game with current pupils. One of Ben's former team-mates in the Canford 1st XV is former Newcastle Falcons hooker Nick Makin. Nick and Ben were key members of the successful Rosslyn Park 7's winning team in 1997.
Heading the coaching team is Mark Burley (Ex Moseley, Pontypool, Glamorgan Wanderers, Dorset & Wilts)) who works directly with the 1st XV but also oversees and co-ordinates the coaching of all the teams throughout the School. Mark is about to complete his RFU Level 4 coaching award which is the new gold standard for any coaches wishing to work with junior international teams or in professional rugby and is only one of a handful of teachers in the country who have undertaken the course.
The philosophy in coaching all the rugby teams is to encourage the development of fundamental core skills during the games sessions. In addition, there is an emphasis on fostering team spirit through commitment and a positive attitude and these are characteristics that should be present in all Canford rugby teams, from the 1st XV to the U14c team.
Mark Burley
Master i/c Rugby
Swimming
Swimming takes place in all three terms with the Summer being the main competitive one. Between April and July the school puts out two junior teams, one for boys and one for the girls, and two senior teams. Galas happen most weeks against a variety of schools; Dauntsey’s, Clayesmore, Milton Abbey, Sherborne girls and boys, Taunton school and Kings Bruton, to name a few. A team of coaching team ensure that the squad sessions are purposeful and push individuals to reach their potential.
Currently we swim in an outdoor pool that is covered by a polysphere during the winter months. A new six lane, 25m state-of-the-art indoor pool will be ready for use by the start of next academic year. This development should see the standard of our swimming improve and make it a more attractive prospect for more of our pupils. It will also see more opportunity for canoe polo, scuba diving and recreational swimming.
Nick Baugniet
Tennis
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Tennis is a popular major sport for girls and senior boys. Junior boys can opt for the sport if they are of a County standard. Tennis is played on 2 astro turf surfaces, providing up to 24 courts and 5 hard courts.
A coaching programme runs throughout the summer which caters for the most able as well as players of average ability. Our 3 visiting coaches and staff develop shot making, tactics and game understanding. Fixtures are played most weeks against school including Marlborough, Millfield, Bryanston and Sherborne. We also run singles and doubles tournaments, a house competition and a pupil and parent event. We regularly have 4 senior sides, 6 junior sides and 3 boys teams representing the school.
Pupils have the option of further private coaching with one of our visiting professionals. These happen around games times in the summer and during the off season after summer 2009. A pre season programme is also in place during the Easter term for our keenest players.
D.Lloyd
Master i/c Tennis
Golf Club
Canford School Golf Club is a proprietary club owned by the school. The course is set within the school's 300 acres of mature parkland with many ancient trees and a rippling brook providing the context for some challenging holes of golf. This course, with its EGU, LGU club affiliations looks benign but it provides a severe test for golfers of all abilities and handicaps.
There are 9 holes, but 18 different tees (the ladies have a total of 11 different tees). Some of the tees require long and accurate drives; like the 12th with its 195 yard carry over a brook; or the 13th with its 180 yard carry over a lake; or the 18th with a narrow pass between a bunker and a pond, at the point where the hole takes a dog-leg left. The SS of 68 for men and 70 for ladies is rarely achieved on this 6000 yard course (5,300 yards for the ladies). The course is well maintained by the school's ground staff, many of whom have gained a great deal of expertise in green-keeping skills over the past decade.
Follow the link under 'Open to the Public' to find out more about the course and membership.
Real Tennis Club
Canford School boasts one of the few Real (Royal) tennis courts in England. The court dates back to 1879, when it was built by Sir Ivor Bertie Guest, then Lord Wimborne.
The game of Real Tennis itself goes back to the days when the monks played in their monastery courtyards in the 11th Century.
Today the court is actively used, 70 hours a week, by both Canford pupils and by outside club members. Every pupil is given the opportunity to experience Real Tennis, they can then choose to play it either as a voluntary activity or occasionally as a main sport.
Canford School is very fortunate to have two professionals: Steve Ronaldson (Head Professional) and Matt Potter (Assistant).
If you would like to play Real Tennis at Canford contact Steve on 01202 881232 or go to the club website: http://www.canfordrealtennis.co.uk
Follow the link under 'Open to the Public' to find out more about Real Tennis and membership.
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