In the group stages, the team experienced an array of results with impressive wins and a couple of tough losses. This resulted in a tense wait to determine their group standing and thankfully, due to goal average across the pool stages, they progressed to the semi-finals. Here, the team met Taunton School and endeavoured to keep their netball simple with clean passes and well-worked routes to goal. The team worked relentlessly and took an 8-5 lead in the first half. With a half-time coaching reminder that all the team needed to do was convert their centre passes and maintain possession to win, the girls set about the task with precision and intensity. Redmaids’ High won the semi-final 13-9, meaning they finished in the top two and were assured of a place at the National Schools Finals!
This left one last match against Newton Abbott College in the final. As a fellow ambitious netballing school, we have enjoyed a fierce and respectful rivalry at the Regional Finals in recent years. Both teams displayed outstanding netball, and the final went goal for goal in the first half. Leveraging high adrenaline levels from the previous matches, the Redmaids’ High team impressively found another gear, resulting in a 12-10 win. Our U16s were crowned South West Regional Champions and will head to Sheffield next month to compete at the England Netball U16 National Schools Finals.
Redmaids’ High has a strong netballing history and coaching team and is a Birmingham Panthers U17 pathway centre. In 2023, the School won the National Finals with the then U16 team and hopes to recreate this feat in March. A huge well done to the current team: Captain Mima, Vice-captain Bella, Dilly, Izzy, Lara, Libby, Lily, Louisa, Meg and Phoebe; we are all incredibly proud of you and wish you well in March.