Epsomian Magazine 2006
Transcription
Epsomian Magazine 2006
A27571 Epsomian Cover:Layout 1 17/5/07 09:19 Page 1 The Epsomian 2006 E THE MAGAZINE OF EPSOM COLLEG All New Look BAINES design & print 01707 876555 Printed on environmentally friendly paper A27571 Volume 136 C O L L E G E Epsom College, Epsom, Surrrey, KT17 4JQ Tel: 01372 821234 Fax: 01372 821237 e-mail: admissions@epsomcollege.org.uk website:epsomcollege.org.uk EC National Champions Trips, Tours and Tourna ments l o o h c S ig B , d n a B ig B , Big Gig The Non-Naked Chef and other inter views A27571 Epsomian Cover:Layout 1 16/5/07 16:08 Page 2 y: graph i o t o h P kza Bara ne . N r o M ohnst J . R Mr or: t Edit n a t s i r Ass Bowle Mr G. A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:26 Page 3 Ed Mr J. itor: R.W. Post le ction u Introd the ion of t i d E h ve t ear ha he 136 t y s o i t h e t he Welcom ! The Editors ges to t n a h c al an Epsomi o make radic azine and in t ag wanted feel of the m is ion, th d t n c e a r i k o d lo ew mpact gly a n Olive seemin as become co hion is h s r Aw a n f o , i r t e i in ev ed w o H ! r tte yal o l d C n and fa hrist thing a s will be ophe r a fickle e r D d a a e r Roza an i m o s p E is that th is in Kath aware ry look to the a r o a p m e t n r n L u co amm rine et r a y l e e r iman e pr fact me agazin m e h t urt. size of owth sp r g s 0 8 er’s a 19 ur read o r a e to h ilst erested nges and wh t n i e r th cha We a to our l cry wi e l i n w o i t o c h rea vok se w for tho ct hope to pro d e c a r b to fa , we in bate as tay s dismay ction and de should r a e k r o e o l m fe so etro rn to sa r this r whethe ture or a retu fu . for the desired s i d n grou l o to al g s k n our tha uted to this As ever rib ve cont ds, who ha ither via wor e ithout edition o r advice - w ot s, ould n c picture e w t ppor e. your su he magazin et produc ra Nigo tova ma Nor d har p e h hS Sara in Urw e i Ann Epsomianmagazine 2006 f oo ng: y r P di wa n a o Re . C C s 3 Mr A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:26 Page 4 Academic Prizes 2006 Middle Fourth Form Lower Sixth Form Sophie Sachak Jack Keep Alex Dowle Rebecca Kjaedegaard Edward Farrelly Ben Scarles Olivia Moore Joanna Boddy James Dawkins Charles Higgs Joshua Phillips Max Denning Anna Hurley Curtis Man Laura Frazer Xavier Dialdas Jaspal Chana Charlotte Mungavin Oliver Borch Art Biology Chemistry Civics Design Technology Drama English French German Geography History Information Technology Latin Mathematics Music Physics Religious Studies Spanish Dodd Speech & Reading Prize Max Denning Junior John Ingram Poetry Prize Prosser-White French Oral Prize Alex Dowle Crawfurd Commonwealth History Project Prize Michael Notman-Watt Dodd Speech & Reading Prize Victoria Richardson Dodd Speech & Reading Prize Sarah Blake Thomas Upper Fourth Form Olivia Rawes Sandy Reid Andrew Sinclair Christopher Tighe Alice Twyman Thomas Wharram Janice Wong Liam Anderson Emma Cockeram Ashley Crane Daniel D'Souza Kate Stevens Matthew Wade Matthew Wynne Dodd Speech & Reading Prize Sterry Divinity Prize Dodd Speech & Reading Prize Junior John Ingram Poetry Prize Claude Calthrop English Essay Prize Prosser-White French Oral Prize Dodd Speech & Reading Prize Carr Divinity Prize Mark Chong Alexander Cobb Clare Duffy Alistair Hardy Charlie James Abi Lee Nicole Lim Andrew Mason Gareth Morgan Stephen Munford Gregory Nussbaum Catrin Page Hannah Park James Patterson Upper Sixth Form Mark Abbosh Max Abram Richard Allan Fifth Form David Blackburn Jack Frazer Owain Mason-Johns Hannah Patel Terrence Tai Charles Ushiyama Coralie Yeo 4 Junior Ely Webster Computing Prize Junior Art Prize Sunderland Classics prize Prosser-White French Oral Prize Friends of EC 150th Anniversary Scholarship Aberdour Prize David De Vile Composition Prize Junior Design Prize Senior John Ingram Poetry Prize Cunning Nutrition Essay Bottomley Prize Ralph Gooding Chemistry Prize Cunning Nutrition Essay Prize Norman Colyer Memorial German Prize Cunning Nutrition Essay Prize Warren Pickett Award The Piano Accompanist Prize Thomas Mathematics Prize Glyn Hughes Physics Prize First Year Sixth Biology Prize Glyn Hughes Chemistry Prize Brande English History Essay Prize Vivian History Essay Prize Political Essay prize Ronald Raven Religious Studies Prize Engledue Latin Prose Prize Newsom Instrumental Prize Physical Education Prize Prosser-White French Oral Prize Instrumental Music Prize Engledue European History Essay Prize Politics Prize Norman Colyer Memorial Spanish Prize Business Studies Prize Ely Webster Economics Prize Warren Pickett Award Harvey Prize Young Enterprise Award Warren Pickett Award Thomas Mathematics Prize Margaret Aslet Eboni Sophie Billings Clare Briscoe Danielle Brunton Philip Canby Mandy Chan Physical Education Prize Barford Literature Essay Prize Theatre Studies Prize Ely Webster Economics Prize French Prize Propert Prize Rosebery History Prize National Sporting Award Beckford-Chambers Politics Prize Ralph Gooding Botany Prize Charities Award Crawfurd Commonwealth Geography Prize Smith-Pearse Natural History Prize Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Kuzi Charamba Charlotte Chau Felicity Chiang Wilson Chin David Cook Laura Cooper Judith Coster Josephine Day James Dawson Carly Duffen Sami El-sbahi Fergus Flanagan Andrew Freeman James Furnival Bethany Gale Anielka Hampson Olivia Hao Emily Hughes Jeremy Holiday Holly Howson Samuel Hurley Charlotte Johnston Alexander Jones Neel Joshi Myung-Kuk Kang Thomas Liddell Anthony Lim Eric Lindberg Radcliffe History Prize Business Studies Prize Waterfield Biology Prize Gardiner Prize Boy's All-rounder Sports Cup Spanish Prize Marcelle Rowe Drama Prize Barbers' Company Biology Prize Wakeley (Harvey) Award Erasmus Wilson Senior Design Prize Rowe Computing Project Prize Ann du Bois Award Wakeley (Harvey) Award Paice Scholarship Senior John Ingram Poetry Prize Girl's All-rounder Sports Cup Fielding Senior Art Prize German Prize Ely Webster Economics Prize Wood Mathematics Prize Watts Science Prize Jensen Drama Prize Paice Scholarship Dame Kathleen Raven Award Mrs Major Geography Prize Wakeley (Harvey) Award Martin Classics Prize Eric Radcliffe Award Heath Mathematics Prize G.A. Davies Bequest Biology Prize Chamberlayne Prize Wood Physics Prize John Facer Chemistry Prize Dr Kiernander Medical Prize Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:26 James Lothian Avais Malik Emma Marchington Stuart Mathys Christopher Moore Katie Moore Katie Moss Samantha Muktar Gareth Needham Rishi Patel Jessica Rinland Hannah Robertson Alex Rothman Nilesh Satguru Arnolda Shiundu Joey Shum Elizabeth Szanto Adam Terelak Petros Tourikis Anna Wolstenholme Charlie Woodall Charles Gray Jonathon Gillespie Josephine Day Page 5 Newsom Choir Prize Irish Medical Schools' Biology Prize Girl's All-rounder Sports Cup Ely Webster Economics Prize Senior Ely Webster Computing Prize Dame Kathleen Raven Award Headmaster's Choir Prize The Shipwright's Peter Tudball Memorial Prize S.R. Piper Award Smith-Pearse Natural History Prize Physical Education Practical Prize Irish Medical Schools' Biology Prize OE Lodge Citizenship Prize Marcelle Rowe Drama Prize Martin Mathematics Prize Prosser-White French Oral Prize Dame Kathleen Raven Award Sealey Physics Prize Watts Science Prize Rosebery Literature Prize Propert Prize Wood Mathematics Prize Pendlebury Greek Prize Norman Colyer Memorial French Prize Paice Scholarship Brande Award Brande Award Brande Award 5 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:26 Page 6 Snippets In September 2006 we welcomed eight new members of staff to the College. Miss Katie Baines joins the Maths Department and is a familiar face to us after spending some time with teaching at the College last year. Mr Bill Beatson arrived from a senior post at Kings Macclesfield to cover Mrs Jerrit’s maternity leave from the Biology Department for two terms. Mrs Sylvie Yvon-Case is another person who we already know well and she joins the Modern Languages Department. Miss Katie Cloonan joins the English Department after a spell teaching at Chigwell School in Essex. Mrs Rosemary Doyle arrives as Head of Learning Suppport and Mr Rob Johnstone joins the ICT Department. Mr Robert Young arrives to teach economics whilst Mr Alex Forsdike joins the History Department and undertakes some cover work In the Houses, the final stage of the Holman and Forest refurbishment has been completed with the remodelling of the small ground floor studies into larger bedrooms, including a bedroom and bathroom for a disabled student. The remaining rooms on the first floor have also been decorated, bringing the internal specification of both houses up to a high standard. The Forest computer room has also been enlarged with the removal of the two small studies. In Granville the last studies have been repainted and re-carpeted and a new carpet has been added on the first floor. Externally the rear gutters have been relined, and many windows redecorated. Work to create a private entrance to the Housemaster’s accommodation has now been finished and the Common Room Lounge has been repainted. more secure double glazed windows on the ground floor. In Wilson an external courtyard at the rear of the building has been created with access through the ground floor brew room. In addition, the basement locker room has been converted into a TV room with bright walls and new furniture. In Raven the brew room on the first floor has been combined with the day room to give a single large space sufficient to accommodate the entire house. The dividing wall in the changing rooms has been removed to create a single more flexible space. and redecorated to accommodate staff changes and additional staff. In the John Piper Art School the rear elevation has been re-painted, windows decorated and gutters relined and in the Sports Centre the pupil Male and Female Changing rooms have been decorated and new benching installed. The final phase of the upgrade of the science departments has been completed with the extensive changes in the Chemistry department. Two small labs on the ground floor have been combined to create a single, large teaching space and the prep rooms have redesigned to allow a safer storage and working environment. The lab furniture has been replaced with modern units and Iroko work surfaces. One lab remains to be refurbished and three fume cupboards will need replacing over the coming years. The large careers room in the Library has been subdivided to create a smaller careers Library and a separate careers meeting room accessible from the careers office. Offices on the ground floor of Old Granville and second floor have been reorganised In Fayrer the box room and showers have been upgraded and repainted with new shower cubicles, flooring and tiles. In Carr house the replacement of the old brick toilet cubicles off the box room has occurred with modern partitions and sanitary ware and in Robinson there has been installation of 6 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 7 Leaving Staff David Ottridge Cartesian co-ordinates to Intrinsic co-ordinates. David is a true polymath in more senses than one. He has always been a popular and successful classroom teacher and he definitely has the nicest room in the Maths Block - all those plants make you feel as though you are learning outside, all year round. There is no doubt that David was a vital asset and he will be sorely missed here. His efficiency and organisational skills have not only been used in the Maths Dept – his running of GCSE examinations has been phenomenally smooth and he will be a difficult act to follow. Then, of course, he has also been a dedicated house tutor of Robinson and I know Mr Conway and all of the pupils would only want to thank him for his efforts. David Ottridge is a truly great guy. Laid back and aloof, but when you get to know him, he is one of the nicest people you could meet - intelligent, witty and abounding in downto-earth common sense. Epsom College will be a poorer place without him, but I know that everyone would wish David and his lovely wife Mari the best of luck in their wellearned retirement down in Wittering, on the south coast. Mr A.J. Wilson David Ottridge arrived at Epsom College January of 1972, after a spell in the real world, and he quickly began to make his mark. He was the original "IT Crowd", but, entirely on his own, so maybe that should make him the "IT Loner". He oversaw the rise in computing for more than 20 years building and mending computers, teaching classes and even organising staff INSET. The technological advances were staggering in that time, but David took them in his stride (and believe me you can fit an awful lot into that particular stride). David also started up, and ran, the naval section of the CCF in those early days. As part of this commitment, he was always a keen member of the outward bound expeditions no mountain was too steep to climb, and no sea was too deep to stop David getting on a ship that was safely in dock. Actually, rambling is still one of his main hobbies, so he obviously learned well from his experiences. He has always been a good sportsman and he is well known for being involved in basketball and cricket here. Slam dunking without needing to jump and pounding down the wicket with the new ball. However, his real passion used to be for Bridge – he ran 3 teams in the London Schools Bridge League at one time. It is hard to imagine getting the kids playing anything as intellectual now. Ever at the cutting edge of technology, he used to run a Saturday night, reel-to-reel cinema club for the full-boarders. There was no cinema in Epsom then, so this was a real perk for the pupils. They only had to roll into Big School - although I don't think there was any popcorn and fizzy drinks. Obviously David has been first and foremost a Maths Teacher and he is undoubtedly a master of all aspects and all levels of the subject. From M4 set 7 to Oxbridge, and all the branches: Pure Maths, Mechanics, Statistics and Decision Maths. From simple addition to the vector product and from Epsomianmagazine 2006 Jean Walker With the retirement of Jean Walker, the Common Room has lost a colleague whose varied contribution was all the more remarkable in the light of the short time she was actually one of its full members. Jean's introduction to the College was initially through the appointment of her husband, Mick, to the Biology Department in 1990. At that time Mick was also appointed a House Tutor in Holman, and Jean played her full part as Mick’s spouse, supporting a whole host of House events, meeting new parents and even helping to choreograph the House play. 7 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag This involvement and commitment to the College was to extend itself considerably when Mick was appointed Housemaster of Robinson in 1996. As the wife of the Housemaster Jean had a great deal of contact with parents and used her own home to offer hospitality at the beginning and end of terms and before parents’ evenings. She was always available to support Mick, the boys and their parents. But by this time Jean’s own career had also resumed and was beginning to blossom once again. Originally a PE specialist, Jean had subsequently retrained in the rare dual specialism of learning support and emotional and behaviour management. After a few years working in a part-time capacity for the Specialist Support teams in Croydon and at Rosebery School, she was then appointed the full-time Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Rosebery. Jean had a very successful time indeed there, spending seven years in her role, but it was our very good fortune that she applied for the same post here in 2001. 16/5/07 16:27 Page 8 In all of this, Jean also remained the devoted centre of her family, with sons Ben and Sam both passing through the College during her time here. Ultimately, the call of the North remained a strong one, and with the establishment of a family base close to Skipton and the Yorkshire Dales, Jean has sought retirement in that part of the world. But to use a phrase local to that area, Jean is very much of the variety that would "rather wear out than rust", and we would be surprised if soon Jean was not launching into new initiatives. As a final note, it must be very rare indeed for any institution to have a "brace" of Presidents, but that has been very much Epsom's gain in Jean and Mick, and it is to them both that we send our warmest good wishes for a long and happy retirement. Mr R. Gill Tracy Pearson What has made Jean's contribution here so remarkable has been its sheer diversity in that five-year period. Firstly, under her guidance and management, the Learning Support department extended its scope very significantly. Jean's varied expertise, be it in dyslexia, literacy, behavioural issues or counseling, gave her a security and confidence that enabled her to tackle the varied challenges her role required. Many of her pupils recall her particular skill in promoting their confidence and self-respect, rather than letting them feel a victim of their learning disability. She also had the priceless gift of getting alongside them or their parents when difficult issues had to be faced, but in a way that kept everyone "on side". Always a pragmatist, Jean was also an excellent communicator and very much a people-person, and it therefore came as little surprise that she was nominated as a candidate for President of Common Room, and subsequently elected as its first woman President, holding the post for the last three years. In that role, Jean was able to support her colleagues in a variety of ways, and was a popular presence at countless School events such as concerts, plays and soirées, and also at the more private family occasions enjoyed in the College community: the weddings, christenings, confirmations and so on. As "Auntie Jean" she was a respected confidante of the younger members of Common Room, though her counsel was sought by many in a wider agebracket too. In her role as President, Jean was also a tireless and, dare one say, redoubtable organiser - she had after all been Deputy Head Girl of Burnley High School! - and she grappled well with the challenges of bringing a sense of tidiness and order to the Common Room which now acts as a daily base for 100 busy Colleagues. Her improvements to the fabric and the varied refreshment arrangements of the Common Room will remain as part of her legacy, as will a number of aspects of the constitution which she brought to a conclusion on the firm foundations of her predecessors. 8 Tracy joined the College community ten years ago as a well-qualified and enthusiastic swimming coach. Over that time she has helped our swimmers achieve a great deal of success not only at inter-school level but also winning county and Division 11 relay cups and reaching the finals of the PSR and National relays. Other schools achieve this level of success through swimmers trained by local clubs, but our success has been in house, through the coaching provided by Tracy. She has put in many hours outside her pool duty time organising the swimming matches, the teams, transport and teas, as well as giving up evenings to take teams to the District, County and Division 11 events. She has run the swimming pool, organising the lifesaving rotas for family swims. However this is not the full story of the past decade. In the brave new world of portfolio jobs Tracy stands out par excellence, wearing a wide variety of hats within the Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag College as well as being able to run a family, with all the pressures that that entails, looking after Jeremy, Hannah, James and Daniel. At the same time she has worked hard to develop her skills and qualifications. On top of her coaching qualifications she has gained a Masters in Sports Science and a PGCE in record time. Her other roles (and forgive me if I forget any) have included: 16/5/07 16:27 Page 9 Mary Lane - Sports Centre management - Sports Department Administration - House Tutor, Granville - Officer i/c RAF section of the CCF - Assistant ‘Dexa’ - Assisted with DoE expeditions ….and who can forget her help with Superteams? She has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the College. If anyone wants to know anything about the way we run things they usually turn first to Tracy, who always has the answer. She also has a very extensive web of contacts which have proved invaluable. We all know her cheery smile, with always a friendly word for all and a willingness to listen. Of course we can all identify with her infectious laugh, at least 30 paces. She is reliable, trustworthy, efficient, proactive, loyal. A team player, never putting herself first. She freely gives of her time beyond her contracted hours - she will do anything for anyone. Always gets the job done to help the children – this is a compliment – she is a genuine ‘school master’. Speaking personally it has been a privilege to have worked with her. Over the past year she has been teaching at Chinthurst, while maintaining the link with College, but since the College has been unable to find a full time role for her she has decided to leave, to join Glyn, initially for maternity cover but then with the prospect of head of Environmental Science. I would like to express the College’s sincere thanks for all she has done in so many ways over the past 10 years. It will be very difficult to replace your expertise and impossible to replace your commitment, care and friendship. Mr E.A. Huxter Mrs Lane joined the school in September 2000 as a parttime ICT teacher and Raven House tutor. She made a greatly valued contribution to the ICT department, teaching students from M4 to L6. Her bubbly personality and enthusiasm for her subject were in no small way contributory factors in the department's success throughout this period; in particular she assisted with the introduction of Computing A level and introduced the Web design club and the programming club for M4s. She was a trusted and loyal colleague, and as part of the ICT teaching team she helped to drive up the standards of GCSE ICT; 90% of all students taking the subject in the last two years achieved either A or A* grade. Outside the classroom, she was an enthusiastic supporter of extra-curricular activities. She enjoyed most sports, but had a particular passion for golf and squash - enjoying the former with colleagues, and the latter (for a time) as instructor with the school squash teams. She also ran the Yoga activity for a number of years. She will also be remembered for her occasional diversion onto the stage - appearing on more than one occasion in the staff charity show and helping with hair design for the Royal Albert hall show in 2004. She leaves the College to spend more time with her husband and grandchildren. Mr T.C.V. Thomas Epsomianmagazine 2006 9 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 10 Helen Paulett Angela Woolley Helen Paulett joined Epsom in 2001 from King’s School, Rochester. A women of many facets, she was first and foremost a fine classroom teacher with a dynamic style which succeeded in finding the very best pupil by enthusing and cajoling them through French, Spanish and even Italian on Wednesday afternoons! Angela came to Epsom three years ago and it is a compliment to her zealous interest in all things Epsomian that she seems to have been here forever. Angela lost no time in involving herself in a wide range of activities: Day House tutoring, PSE and careers advice as well as teaching French with infectious enthusiasm and skill. An impulsively decent member of Common Room and an excellent classroom practitioner, she will be missed. Souvenez-vous souvent. A first-class linguist, Helen also took a full part in Epsom life, coaching girls games and happily accompanying pupils on many trips, not least of which was an exchange visit to Germany. Helen leaves us to take up a teaching post at Sutton Valence and our loss is their gain. She takes with her our best wishes and we shall miss her as a valued colleague. Mr R. Ellison Mr R. Ellison Patrick Wilson Patrick will be greatly missed by the Economics and Business Department. He came to Epsom from life in the city, where he worked for International Creative Management for over two years. Patrick, who is 28, is passionate about Economics, especially environmental and development economics – he even spent time as an aid worker. He has passed on a real zeal for Economics to many of his Lower Sixth groups, and has offered numerous extra revision classes to the weaker students who often struggle with the subject. His class pupils were very fond of him and will no doubt miss him. He graduated with a 2:1 in Economics from Edinburgh University, where he played for the University Football team and was features editor of the university newspaper. He had completed a large percentage of his general teaching practice at Epsom. Patrick leaves the College having decided to return to the commercial world. Nicola Morrow 10 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 11 To follow the obituary included in last year’s Epsomian, a pupil and a close colleague write in remembrance of Mr Neil Laing. For Epsom College, the 6th February 2006 was especially grim. I will never forget the last minute Chapel in place of Junior Assembly, the horrible foggy weather, the half mast flag, the silence of the school: it marked the end of one man's life. One man who had the respect of all the school, and had achieved so much in his thirty years at Epsom, at the same time helping others achieve as much. This wonderful man was Mr Neil Patrick MacDonald Laing. Those who know him will know that the only word to describe Mr. Laing is “legend”. Not only was he passionate about English, his subject, he was an awesome teacher, a very enthusiastic hockey coach, and a great person inside and out. He was also a very strong man. It was toward the end of the girls’ hockey season when we were Epsomianmagazine 2006 all told that Mr. Laing was ill. Even though he was off teaching he always turned up to watch the home hockey matches - despite the weather. Mr Laing was also very well known for his baby pink scarf and panama hat that he wore around school. Those who were lucky enough might have had the opportunity to see his bright, electric blue long johns. Indeed, he was a very confident man. "Laingy baby", we called him. He was also known, perhaps a little too much, for being very meticulous. He had excellent taste, and he always wore matching ties and shoes. Who can forget that schoolboy smile - so cheeky, so charming - it made him always seem approachable, which he was. Maybe it was the fact that he possessed so many great qualities that has made Mr Laing so irreplaceable. He had touched so many lives, far beyond their time at Epsom College. He was always so caring, and would always put friends and family first. I guess what I really want to say is that Mr Laing really made a difference to my time at Epsom, and I am sure that I can say the same for hundreds of other current and old Epsomians, staff or pupils, and that Mr Laing will never really die; his spirit will always live for those that remember him and love him. Laingy baby, your legacy lives. Beverly Lee (Wilson 5th form) 11 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 12 Stephen Oliver’s Address at Neil’s Memorial Service. When I think of Neil, there’s one word which springs instantly to mind: Style. Some people never have it, some aspire to it with effort, but he had it, effortlessly. His style showed itself in all areas of his life, from the glass of brandy and champagne he’d thrust into your hand when he was the genial host, at Home with Angela in the Armoury Flat; to his choice of pin-ups: ballerina Darcy Bussell and her ilk (his eyes would go very misty indeed if you showed him a photograph of a tutu or two); to his chosen mode of transport: a Volvo estate, in exquisite condition, built to last and capable of carrying the kind of loads that land-owning gentry need about them at all times; to his choice of holidays, either city breaks in Paris or midge-ridden Scottish lochs, nothing so vulgar as a beach. But it was his taste in clothes that set him poles apart from that shabbygenteel schoolmaster look to which we are, as a breed, all too prone. For a start, jackets: never the same one worn on consecutive days, and a belief that the top pocket was there to be 12 used, so, a nonchalantly rumpled silk handkerchief in it. Ties, often pink (a favourite colour) but in varied subtle shades, and he was one of those select few who could wear a bow-tie, in the daytime, and carry it off. More than that, he was one of the few men able to wear hounds-tooth check without looking like a bookie’s runner. Shoes: always so polished it made you wince for your own. Suede rarely, and then only brogues. Hush-Puppies, never. His Scottish ancestry came out in his choice of socks: woolly, and very long, for added warmth. When outdoors, he was a share-holder in Rohan and Damart: no icy blast had a chance of penetrating Neil’s elaborate defences when his Long Johns, as rumour had it, were made of silk. ‘Silk next to the skin, nothing like it’ he’d say. And on his head, denied to some extent Nature’s natural protection, there’d be a hat: woolly in winter, on the touchline, or when coaching; Barbour for rainy days, Australian floppy cricket white for the summer; and a Panama complete with MCC band when some serious posturing was called for. And then there was Neil the lover of the whole animal kingdom, but above all, dog- trainer, dog-expert, dogfanatic. He had an instant rapport with all of them, but it was his symbiotic relationship with Jack and Raffles (the only two dogs of which he ever had sole ownership) which everyone will remember. The joint spectacle of master and dog around the College will be for many people the essence of the Neil image. I can picture them now, Jack and Raffles, chasing tennis balls struck by Neil’s hockey stick on the athletics track, running the gauntlet of teenage feet on the way up and down the English Department staircase, occupying that dog basket next to the white board in Room 3, and being spoilt to death by doting pupils. On one occasion I was particularly struck by how deep Neil’s devotion went. One morning, just before break, I happened to be crossing from the photo-copying room to the Common Room. There was Raffles, ahead of me, temporarily abandoned, in the main corridor. Raffles was always the politest of dogs, so we exchanged the normal courtesies, but on this occasion there was something in his embarrassed sideways skip and muted tail-wag that suggested all was not well. As indeed it wasn’t. As I rounded the corner, there it was: for a relatively small dog quite remarkable: first for its sheer quantity, altogether an offering of which a Great Dane would have been proud, and secondly for the precision with which it had been dumped - in exactly the position, mid-corridor, where its impact would be greatest when hundreds of pupil feet thundered over it in, what was it? Only five minutes’ time? For a brief moment our eyes met in silent but urgent dialogue: Do you have to? said Raffles’ eyes; Sorry old chap, duty and all that, replied mine – and off I went to the Common Room to find Neil and make my report. Now those of you who’ve ever been taught by Neil, and those who haven’t but have occupied any room the English block, or been crossing the quad within a radius of a couple of hundred yards from it, won’t need reminding of the sheer volume of Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag those outbursts that emanated from time to time from Room 3. So when I’d gently broken the news to him, observed his eyebrows rising perpendicularly the height of the ceiling, and registered his nostrils flaring along with that inimitable intake of breath, I thought it’d be tactful to keep out of the way. However, I couldn’t resist sneaking a look round the corner to watch Krakatoa. How wrong I was. One brief, but emotionally charged exchange of looks between man and dog, a growled What’s this? – at which Raffles turned tail and fled, logically but belatedly, towards the Gents - and that was it. That eye contact had been enough to convey such stricken apology from Raffles, that Neil’s response was instant forgiveness. Devotion indeed! A moment later Neil was heading off to the Cleaner’s Pantry for mop, bucket and a gallon of Dettol, and an International Incident had been averted. Another great love of his was horses. I remember when the two of us went one summer for a series of riding lessons at a stables on far side of the Downs. I needed to learn, from scratch, for holiday purposes; Neil, with memories of some childhood lessons, but claiming [ha-ha] that he’d forgotten all he knew, wanted to rediscover his Lawrentian side: to feel the breeze in his hair [he had more then], hear the old Agincourt thunder of hooves on earth and return home smelling – irresistibly - of horse. As soon as he went up to his mount, did the horse-whispering routine into its ear, and gave it lumps of sugar, it was obvious he hadn’t forgotten very much at all. He’d made another friend for life. My view from then on, as we practised trot, canter and gallop on the Downs, was of two rear ends, Neil’s and his horse’s, as they powered on ahead leaving me ineptly trailing. 16/5/07 These, we in the English Department used to think, reflected the life Neil clearly would have relished had he been born in another age: close to the soil, flirting with danger and galloping to the rescue of damsels, preferably with white stockings, in distress. You could see the evidence of his scrupulous attention to detail and high standards in the way he marked homework assignments: his comments, vivid in magenta or green, would increase in size if he was provoked: I’ve been telling you about the ruddy apostrophe for two years and you’re still getting it wrong! And his handwriting would go heaving and spitting up the side of the page in anguish, over onto the next side, where it would expire in a heap of exclamations marks and capital letters. You could experience first-hand this terrier-like eye for detail at the end of Department Meetings, when it came to AOB. Neil would say in that casual but determined way of his: Just one more thing, and as you heard the ominous words you could just see your lunch or coffee break receding over the horizon. You could hear him exerting his iron grip through the classroom wall [I was next to him for a quarter of a century], in tones of exhortation or admonishment, and wish you could bore a small hole and put your eye to it. What was it really 16:27 Page 13 like to be a pupil in Room 3? You’d certainly be granted a nickname: either your surname might suggest one [if you were Hempstead, then fairly obviously you’d be Hemel, and slightly less obviously Shanahan would be Shenanigans, Yeo would be Yo-Yo, Sadana would be Sultana, Kearney would be Chile Con Carne, and so on]. A Christian name such as Serena would be Serendipity. If you’d distinguished yourself outside the classroom in a favoured game like Hockey, you might end up as Mad Dog [that was a girl, of course]. If all else failed you’d be, regardless of gender, so and so Baby. If you were beginning to try Neil’s patience it’d be Master so and so or Mistress so and so- and just prior to all-out war the warning light was when he used your surname on its own. He could be wildly politically incorrect, in ways I can’t begin to describe – and they absolutely loved it, and him. These memories – and this is just the tip of the iceberg - are in my memory locked, as Ophelia puts it [and he’d have liked her]. But everyone here today will have their own special memories of Neil: either as valued colleague, inspiring guide and mentor; or in my case, as very dear friend. Stephen Oliver (Former Head of English) Of course, the classroom was Neil’s personal space, his fiefdom where he could truly be monarch – or should one say laird - of all he surveyed. You could see photographic evidence of his Animal Rights concerns all over the walls; you could see the evidence of his literary enthusiasms stacked on his shelves: Hemingway, Cormac McCarthy, D H Lawrence, Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale. Epsomianmagazine 2006 13 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 14 Poets Corner John Ingram Poetry Prize 2006 Seine-Saint-Denis The dim light reflects over a thousand faces, Focused and determined in our goal. The thunderous sound of feet on concrete Echoes down the empty rues and boulevardes. A whole society abused, ignored, forgotten, «Scum» to the politicians, Brothers and sisters to each other. Whispers of révolution permeate the crowd, Giving hope to those who despair. And then it begins. The police charge against the swelling tide, They are grabbed, snatched and cut, Never to be seen again. They may hurt us but they may never break us, Our will is too strong. Tonight we will take back the city, Not in God’s name, but in our won. «Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité». And we will always remember those who fell At Seine-Saint-Denis James Furnival In The Mirror Children of Prometheus Fairest of felines is the tiger king, Yet with rank gore it stains its striped coat; While jewels lie gleaming in the peacock’s wing No song nor sense comes form its turquoise throat. In waters deep, Leviathan dwells, still And savage, brutal murder doth enact For the first word of all the sea is ‘kill’ And in the oceans lies neither bard nor poet. High in the heavens feathered birds will soar Though seeing to triumph in that goalnet For when the reach it, all they do is caw, While on the ground man’s mind flies higher yet. For above the weeds, brutal and wild, Blooms man’s fair bud and sweet Earth’s fairest child. Yet the darkened killer hunts not for skin, And the bird’s chatter lets no malice in But those from land, unwitting, loose a flood To taint the waters with far worse than blood. Yet though on angels’ wings the strangers fly Their dreams of speed and flight still scorch the sky But that bright flower conceals a poison heart To lure its stock to death; we never see The savage lion tears its sweet young apart And smiles and calls the act ‘morality’. Sarah Blake 14 A young man stands before the mirror with life ahead How will his aspirations affect him? How will his choices influence him? Which path will he follow? Which life will he lead? Time can only tell His understanding of the world is limited However it will grow as his knowledge expands He begins to comprehend the stars He begins to question society His indulgence turns to apprehension He worries about the future and for mankind’s survival He is intrigued by love and hatred He realises humanitarian mistakes Also realising the impossibilities of fixing them He becomes a genius and wise to the world problems He knows the answers but enlightening intellectuals is difficult He understands that trying to cure the world is a worry too big for one man He stares into the mirror again Another man looks proudly back and smiles The man he had become, although things have changed He knows all there is to know But he doesn’t want to change his surroundings He is aged but happy and that is all that is important to him Daniel D’Souza Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 15 In The Mirror Great Minds United In Poetry Vol II In the mirror I envisage an object ‘Tis what’s parallel with this reflective surface, Although in reverse Looking back at the being so vain, And egotistical, That it would stare into this void, Where Narcissus was o so obsessed. Moods (Be anything) To make a promise, To make a pact, To make friendliness, An actual fact. To do a drawing, To do a painting, To play music, Entertaining. The mirror echoes our dimension, Sending back ripples of our world. A contradiction of reality, Where nothing is tangible, An ethereal space. All that enters, Is obliged to depart. In the mirror, Everything is in reverse. To have trust, To have knowledge, The power of these Is one’s edge. Anon To smile, To die, To befriend, To lie. People can be anything they want, For better or for worse is choice, To lie and deceive others, for shame Or to protect them from the truth. Gordon Shephard (Published in Great Minds United In Poetry Vol II) Epsomianmagazine 2006 15 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:27 Page 16 National Poetry Day 7th October 2006 Theme: The Future The Future Everything’s going to be covered In tin foil And stainless steel. We’ll walk about on slinkies Along the turquoise pavement. The roar of traffic, The choke of pollution And all the fuming snorting cars, Puffing and wheezing, Guzzling petrol as they eat up the earth, Will be replaced With the soft hum Of hover cars, Sipping grenadine instead of gasoline, And ambling through the air. Buildings will graze the sun As they extend over the moon. And the sky will be violet purple Because it just will! The Future Lottie Mungavin The Future Information Paradox A dark desolate wasteland, Carcases of skyscrapers everywhere The earth is scorched and grass does not exist, No sign of life, just death. The sky is blood red, the air dense, The streets of the city were drowned in shells of old tanks In the distance a half-destroyed woman watches over all, Trees try to grow but cannot. Blast off, cool and collected looking to gleaming stars heat rushing down your back perched like a mouse above a bomb rocketed like an eagle to the stars above kids run to their open sets ‘ooh, mama’, screaming like a swan ‘it’s dada in space’, joyful singing around the room, behold the future It was hell on earth Shop windows were smashed, However, the sign of humans living there was gone, The sea around the city was still, Nothing moved in the city, Not even the wind. Whooshing, stressing Mach 1 to 9 dark caverns of nothing, bright screens of everything mikyways, galaxies all tasty to see space is upon us but we are not upon it, soon we shall be eating up the galaxies but dreams they are until this cage is unlocked. Ed Farrelly Charlie Higgs The Future Imagine yourself in ten years’ time, Will you be a smart business lady, Sitting on the train on the way to work? Or will you be a proud parent, holding your baby? Imagine yourself in one hundred years’ time, Either dead or old and frail, Hobbling around on your walking stick, Or lying in your coffin, cold and pale. Imagine the world in one thousand years’ time. Who knows what that might be? Computers that talk or cars that fly, Or perhaps Bangladesh taken over by the sea. Imagine the world in one million years’ time. Will there be a world to live in? Will the sea have destroyed the earth? Yet no one left there to swim. Jo Boddy 16 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Riddles Perennially popular, enigmatic and teasing - the riddle - a creative challenge. It is an adaptable form: a tricksy one-liner one minute or an extended and sophisticated metaphor the next. The form has long prospered in both folk and literary guises, the earliest recorded riddles being Babylonian were nearly three thousand years old. M4 XL rose to the challenge and made their contributions to a long-lasting tradition. 16/5/07 16:27 Page 17 A delicate child of God Folding, unfurling, Falling helpless Yet beautiful, bold and confident. To come from so small And to become so breathtaking, Given to the ones we love the most, But like all love, it has its thorns. Nick Thomas Ms A. Brookfield I am twisted into elegant shapes, I am long yet short, I am colourful yet dull, Tight as a slipknot, Yet as loose as hair, And I can feel your pulse, As soon as you put me on. Rustam Karanjia They sit together perched on lobes, Dainty and elegant, Like a blossoming rose. Perfectly round or rigidly square, They are identical twins, Puckered to perfection, Shiny and smooth, The butterflies are the key To unlock their wings. Emily Newey I vary in height, as well as in width, My body is bland yet full of surprise, I wear a coat for protection, My spine is there for support, If full of colour I interest the young, I am swarming with scrawl, I have leaves yet I am not a plant, Worms digest me, yet I am not harmed, I may be used by many - and fade over time. Its hands are running a race, A steady pace on every lap, They give us the information we need, As they go round their mighty great track, The three runners put in desperate need, They know they will never stop, The race goes on forever and ever, Unless their cells decide to halt. Ben McKee Stephanie Crouch (Tie, book, rose, earrings, watch) Epsomianmagazine 2006 17 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:28 Page 18 Comment The Legend of the Disappearing Pens I am one of those people who truly believe there is a Man/Monster in my washing machine stealing odd socks. I'm forever in need of a sock to complete the pair and some of my socks develop large holes in the bottom of them- perhaps the result of a battle between this Man/Monster. I have noticed a similar occurrence developing here at Epsom College, but not with socks. This mystery involves pens. Pens of all shapes and sizes especially those blue-pens-with-fourcolours, seem to be disappearing before our very eyes. And no, this is not a Hogwarts moment. There IS a Man/Monster who gains great amusement from walking aroundpossibly at lunch, taking a pen-or twoor three. I first noticed this scenario on my very first day at the school. Nervous I began with my M4 backpack (which tends to disappear after the first day – a result of Man/Monster or just an attempt to be cool?). This was filled to the brim with pencils, sharpeners, rubbers, 18 rulers and my brand new maths set (but that can’t be blamed on Man/Monster- that’s down to Lindberg). All of this stationary vanished over the following week and by Saturday I was left with just a pen (which of course wasn’t my own pen it was a pen I borrowed!). This scenario repeated itself several times before I gave up and decided that borrowing pens was probably the best idea. This Man/Monster also comes out a night, while all the children are sleeping – I'm sure I saw him once, while peaking out my window; it’s almost like the mystery of Santa Claus- except Man/Monster is a bad guy, taking rather than giving. On special days (birthdays, holidays, religious festivals etc.) he decides to take a pencil case, a ruler or even a glue stick destroying the hopes of a normal pencil case here at Epsom College. Teachers often about the lack of equipment in lessons but look no further – this can be blamed on the Man/Monster who roams our school. I’m leaving you with a warning - please watch out for any suspicious Men/Monsters who may be roaming our school. He may be armed, he may be one of you - beware! Annie Urwin (Inspired by Katherine “Boshki” Lammiman). Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:28 Page 19 Fruitarians Fruitarians – are they real people? Or are they fragments of our deep, cold and twisted imaginations. Agents in the field Gareth Morgan and Chris da Roza decide to investigate this age-old mystery. With a hefty budget of thrupence and half a crown, we set out on a mission purely for the benefit of YOU, the faithful Epsomian reader….. It’s a cold and frisky December morn in Holman House and the early morning sparrow is yet to crow. I pull on my freshly ironed, crisp blazer (dry cleaned only yesteryear) and make the short, yet gruelling, stroll to Chris’s well heated abode where he is ready and raring to make journalistic history. Together, we make the four minute walk to the dining hall where we encounter our first obstacle – a cunningly laid trip wire and our second – what can we eat as Fruitarians? The answer is not as obvious as one may first assume and so Gareth quickly refers to the Fruitarian Hand Guide (Available at all respectable retailers – RRP £9.98). We decide to go for the continental option – two satsumas and an olive stuffed with almonds, of course! A little exuberant we know but we thought one should pull out all the stops for our first meal as real Fruitarians. We departed breakfast at a quarter to eight and the journey back to the house was an eye opener. Both Christopher and I felt much healthier as we strolled briskly back to the house in icy conditions and even found time to forage in the undergrowth where sadly we found little more than an elastoplast, a dusty toadstool and two nutmegs. Despite our extravagant, and quite frankly filling, breakfast, by break time we were both feeling a little worse for wear. Therefore, we decided to indulge into a luxury fruit and nut assortment (Marks And Spencer £2.l2) which quickly replenished our energy reserves. We were now ready to tackle our next challenge - double Politics with Mr Cooper followed by the absolute inhumane torture of a Epsomianmagazine 2006 double spare with nothing to eat but raw fruit and seeds and nothing to do but brush up on our knowledge of the Fruitarian lifestyle. We learnt such facts as if we wanted to order a Fruitarian meal on a plane, the meal code would be FPML. Nothing could have prepared us for the pure mental and physical suffering that our bodies endured. By twelve twenty-three, Gareth had hit the wall and I was not far from breaking point myself. I joined him at the wall a little before twelve thirty-two and so we almost unconsciously ambled up to early lunch in the vague hope we would be let in three minutes early. Jackpot! There were no sentries on the gate and Mr. Rice was nowhere to be seen leaving a small window of opportunity. In our camo gear, now running on pure adrenaline we lunged with the little energy we had left towards the fruit basket and flailing uncontrollably in the early afternoon sun we sunk our teeth desperately into the soft, luscious flesh of sweet Bartlett pears to the horror of onlookers and helpless kitchen staff. Immediately, the energy hit us like a new birth and the felling of boundless ecstasy took us into a utopian state. We bounded out of lunch with an immeasurable spring in our step. By roll at one forty-five, we were already feeling weary and decided to tuck into a sachet of Sunflower seeds bought from Garsons Farm, Weston Green, Esher and cultivated through purely organic means. of fire. We knocked back a granny smith or two and gobbled down a peach with piercing accuracy and polished it all off with a cool glass of freshly squeezed water from a highland spring in the Netherlands (Bottled at source). The day from there on went tickety-boo and although tired and shaken, we retired to our respective quarters (no monkey business here! Ho ho ho ho ho) and we were both out like the proverbial greased weasel. Our day had finally come to and end and breakfast the next morning called for greasy bacon sandwiches and the scrambled egg from the canteen which has a greenish tinge to it to refuel and return to normality. Although I was a little stiff and had the runs that morning, returning to everyday life, it soon wore off. In conclusion, this was a worthwhile exercise not only for us but for the children. And they are the ones that matter…. they are our future. Chris da Roza and Gareth Morgan The next few hours went by in an hallucinogenic daze. Half a tangerine each helped us struggle through the afternoon until dinner where we dined like kings drinking from goblets 19 A27571 Epsomian Cover:Layout 1 17/5/07 09:19 Page 1 The Epsomian 2006 E THE MAGAZINE OF EPSOM COLLEG All New Look BAINES design & print 01707 876555 Printed on environmentally friendly paper A27571 Volume 136 C O L L E G E Epsom College, Epsom, Surrrey, KT17 4JQ Tel: 01372 821234 Fax: 01372 821237 e-mail: admissions@epsomcollege.org.uk website:epsomcollege.org.uk EC National Champions Trips, Tours and Tourna ments l o o h c S ig B , d n a B ig B , Big Gig The Non-Naked Chef and other inter views A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 20 16/5/07 16:29 Page 20 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:29 Page 21 21 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 22 16/5/07 16:29 Page 22 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:29 Page 23 Michaelmas Term Epsomianmagazine 2006 23 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:29 Page 24 Choral Competition Carr Part Song - This was an awe-inspiring version of ‘ With a little help from my friends’ with an original arrangement provided by A. Hardy. Soloist - ‘Wherever you will go’ was great song choice and it was well backed by a budding guitarist, Mr. Hugh Crail. The solo was an all round pleasant piece. Unison - I must comment especially on a great conductor, James Patterson, leading the performance of ‘There’s Nothing Like a Dame’ with great skill. Unfortunately, Carr's efforts weren't to match their conductor’s. Crawfurd Soloist - Elspeth Marrow had us all enthralled with a spot of Sting when she rendered ‘Fields of Gold’. I think nerves may have got to her a little but this did not take anything away from her rousing, emotionally charged showing. Part Song - Crawfurd gave a solid, strong performance of ‘All That Jazz’, although perhaps lacking in some much-needed panache at times. It was mostly enjoyable and was almost pulled off. Unison - This was a very synchronised, exciting rendition of ‘that’ song from the Shrek Karaoke Dance Party, ‘Happy Together’. The judge was blown sway by the clever movements, which worked effectively. At times, the moves seemed repetitive and onedimensional but the judge felt they deserved The Murray Young Cup, which will be sitting in the Crawfurd trophy cabinet for the coming year. Smashing good show girls! Gareth Morgan Part Song - Crawfurd gave a solid, strong performance of ‘All That Jazz’, although perhaps lacking in some much-needed panache at times. It was mostly enjoyable and was almost pulled off. Fayrer Soloist - Simon Jennings gave us a lovely rendition of ‘Accentuate The Positive’, where he managed to hit some extremely high notes. His dictionwas good and he gave a confident performance. Jolly good show, joint second. Part song - I am not a music critic (Crikey I don’t even know what an octave is!) but this seemed to me to be a pretty good, funky performance of Segun Ogunsheye’s ‘Clocking’. A special mention must go to Mr Tom Peddie, without whom the performance would have fallen apart. Unison - Very…. um loud. The judge very astutely summed this performance of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ up when he likened the sound to that on a Saturday afternoon on the terraces at Millwall. However, it was a very clear, confident sound and was well conducted by Fergus Flanagan. Gareth Morgan 24 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:29 Page 25 Holman Overall winners this year, Holman came through, yet again, with a very entertaining show. Soloist - Robert Lever began with ‘This nearly was mine’, gaining fifth place. Part Song - This was an amusing production of ‘Baby Face’, with very interesting sound effects from Kris Boger. Forest Soloist - Wilfred Ma stepped up to the stage with an air of confidence and as soon as he broke into the ballad ‘When You Say Nothing At All’ by Ronan Keating it was clear why. With just a guitar accompanying him he sung clearly and with energy, thoroughly deserving his 4th place. Granville Soloist - Charles Rivett-Carnac was obviously very nervous ahead of this performance but nevertheless provided us with a strong, brave performance. However, he didn’t answer the real question we had hoped he would, ‘Who is Sylvia?’. Part Song - This carried on where Wilfred left off, Ola Akingbade singing with style and a passion matched by fellow singers including an impressive performance from Ben Ching. Their rendition of ‘For the longest time’ won 1st place and it was clear to see why. Part Song - We all loved this song, arranged especially just for us by Roshan Gunasekera! This performance of ‘The battle of Jericho’ was well rehearsed and was fun to listen to and watch, finishing in a well deserved second place. Unison - Finally, the whole of Forest House, many with slicked back hair, stepped up for a rather amusing performance of ‘Is this the way to Amarillo?’ culminating in a hilarious ending where a Peter Kay doppelganger walked down the centre of the stage…you really had to be there. James Haville Unison - This was a jolly swish showing of Lionel Bart’s ‘Consider Yourself’. I particularly enjoyed Ozzy Osborne’s mental conducting where he looked as though he was on some sort of hallucinatory drug. All in all, a confident, obviously well-practised performance. Epsomianmagazine 2006 Gareth Morgan Unison - Finishing the show off, all the boys sung an unforgettable ‘Ain’t no mountain high enough’ with enthusiastic actions as usual. It appears that all of those practices paid off!! Annie Urwin Propert Soloist - As the first performer it took a lot of courage for James Lothian singing ‘Bring him home’ but the song was performed confidently, a good choice of song, but a hard one to sing well. Part song - ‘The lion sleeps tonight’ included an excellent, high pitched performance by John Faal. It was an all-round upbeat rendition with great stage presence. Unison ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ was thoroughly entertaining with extremely enthusiastic actions from Sandy Reid. Georgina Morris 25 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:30 Page 26 Part Song - Rosebery chose ‘Pastime with good company’ as their part song which was quite well sung although a strange choice of song. Unison - The first half was finished off with a lively unison of ‘There is nothin’ like a dame’ which, although the same choice as Carr, showed uniqueness and enthusiasm throughout! Annie Urwin Robinson Raven Soloist - Charlotte really started the house off with her solo, ‘Show me heaven’. It was a great song, to contrast with the other two lively pieces. Her voice was soft and clear, almost angelic. Part-song - In my opinion, ‘Take a chance on me’ was one of the most enjoyable ‘sing songs’ of the event. With the steady clicking rhythm and clean sound I certainly would have “taken a chance” on these young ladies winning. Unison - ‘Say a little prayer for you’ was the most dynamic of all of the unisons. The varying volume and clear pronunciation, wholehearted efforts from the L6th girls, really added the XFactor to Raven’s performance. The added sparkle was unquestionably provided by Charlotte’s magic wand. Oliver Awin Rosebery Soloist - For a second year running Daniel Bailey stole the show by winning the Trott cup. He sung ‘Panis Angelicus’ beautifully and wowed the audience with his amazing voice; I think we have found our soloist winner for the next three years! Soloist - Liam Anderson is a natural performer whose stage presence was clean, confident and calm. ‘Beyond the sea’ was a real treat to all those present. Part song - Again, ‘Under the boardwalk’ was a real crowd-pleasing performance. With everyone giving it their all, this piece made for a brilliant afternoon’s entertainment. Unison - The Robinson boys made a real effort with their unison; an enthusiastic recital of "Somebody to Love". Oliver Awin White House Soloist - White House began the second half with a commendable rendition of the ‘Sound of music’ sung by Melanie Tien, achieving 2nd equal. Part Song - White House then sung an impressive rendition of Bill Withers’ ‘Lean on me’. Unison - This was a very “gospel choir” style ‘Hail Holy Queen’ from Sister Act. Altogether a very successful act and incredibly commendable as none of the girls had sung in a choral competition before. Annie Urwin Wilson Soloist - Charlotte Liparoto sung their solo of ‘Your Winter’. Beautifully sung, in a delightful tone, she put a huge amount of passion into it. Part Song - Wilson’s programme began with ‘The sound of silence’ sung as a part song. This was a difficult song to pull off but they succeeded. Unison - The gossip before the competition had stated that Wilson were planning to do a cockney song ‘dull’ I hear you say? But they turned that around and stunned me by the enthusiasm and energy from all the girl’s achieving 2nd place with ‘Just you wait (My fair lady)’. Annie Urwin 26 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:30 Page 27 Drama School Play West Side Story This year it was decided that the school play would be West Side Story. Setting the scene: - In the dark back streets of New York, a gangster rivalry is causing huge problems. The modern-day Capulet’s and Montague’s - are the Jets and the Sharks. The Jets, led by Riff (Jeremy Holiday), are an allwhite street gang (dressed in leather jackets) at war with Bernardo (Kuzi Charumba) and his Puerto Rican friends, the Sharks, over control of territory in their mutual neighbourhood. But the real trouble starts when Bernardo's younger sister, Epsomianmagazine 2006 Maria (Jo Davis and Lucy Kemp), falls in love with Riff's best friend, Tony (Jack Moore) - as star-cross'd as any lovers of Verona. The two fall in love at a dance, which causes a great stir among the gang leaders. Riff does not want to see his sister get involved with one of their enemies, just as Bernardo does not want to see his best friend do the same. To complicate things, Maria has already had her marriage arranged for her, to a fellow Shark named Chino (Leo Patel). What follows is a tale of love struggling to survive in a world full of murder and hatred. The story even goes a step further than Shakespeare in adding the extra tension of the ethnic struggles between Puerto Ricans and Americans in 1950s New York. The detective (Zac Frei) tries to resolve the complications but in the end only fate can resolve this struggle. The play is full of singing dancing and very professional acting from a cast who put in a huge amount of effort. The choice was brilliant and provided a thoroughly enjoyable experience, with especially commendable performances from Jo Davis, Lucy Kemp, Emma McLean, Jeremy Holiday and Kuzi Charumba. The man behind this incredible show- was none other than Mr Henson himself. A creditable effort to all. Annie Urwin 27 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:30 Page 28 y Granville House Pla Reginald Rose lve Angry Men’ by ‘Twe ames Furnival J & r ve li O e ik M y Directed b It has become increasingly rare over recent years for a House to put on a serious play. ‘Dumbing Down’ seems to be the order of the day in so many areas of life nowadays. The fact that Granville chose to take on this play, perhaps better known for the Henry Fonda film version than a stage play, was a credit to them. The fact, to that they pulled it off in considerable style speaks volumes and would suggest that pandering to the lowest common denominator should not be what House Plays are necessarily all about. The programme cover showing Andy Warhol’s iconic electric chair in Sing Sing gave us a clue as to what to expect, along with the brief ‘Director’s comments’ inside. Prejudice was what we were about to be entertained with for the next hour and three quarters. Racial prejudice was key to the performance, but along with it came a superbly crafted mix of family tension, post war attitudes to the Nazis and ‘class’, all displayed in one hot, sweaty and highly intense jury room. The play was performed in the round, which allowed the audience to almost touch what was going on in front of them and added considerably to the feeling of actually being there; that and the quality of the acting. From the start, Alan Goodyear, as the judge sitting in judgement in a spotlight in the gallery, to the end when Barnabas Cooper exited the set, the acting was outstanding. The tempo of the play was maintained throughout and the accents, which notoriously slip in school productions, kept everyone fully absorbed in the drama. James Forster was the foreman of the jury and played his part well. George Freeman was the quiet ‘quirky’ guy who gradually became emboldened with the part he played in character. Next to him was Barnabas Cooper. Here is an actor for the future. His performance was outstanding as the family man, who had to be convinced that the problems he was having with his own son should not be a reason for sending the young black boy on trial to the chair. His movement, expression and overall high calibre of acting helped the play move along with a ‘buzz’. Anthony Gray played the erudite, well read city man and he did so brilliantly and with authority. Jurors number five and six saw Jimmy Phillips and Alex Jones in two fine cameo roles, aided by Greg Newman as the ‘Joker’. The next three jurors saw James Furnival play the Henry Fonda character, Adam Green the old man 28 and Angus Field the racial bigot. Furnival was superb and his measured, thoughtful approach along with clarity of delivery stood out as one of the many highlights. Green, aka ‘Grandad’, could have been type cast and was excellent. Angus Field was the angriest of the twelve angry men and gave the performance a real edge. His diatribe towards the end, when he vented his hate and spleen to all on just why anyone not white was guilty of all the woes around, was remarkable. Jurors eleven and twelve saw Josh Shinerock reflect the fears of a Jewish refugee from Europe hoping to start anew in the promised land, performing with assurance, and Adam Gausepohl as the brash ‘Ad Man’, also giving a convincing performance. The other actor used was the final cast member Charles Gray as the court guard. The pace of the play, the quality of the acting, set, sound effects and lighting kept the audience fully focused throughout. There was no interval, yet the time flew by, such was the high quality of this particular House Play. Quite simply, it was one of the best pieces of drama seen in Big School for some time and was worthy of a major school play production, not just a House Play. Everyone involved can take a great deal of credit for the achievement – it was outstanding. Mr M. C. Oliver Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:30 Page 29 Sport Girls’ Hockey 1st XI Pre-season Tour of Ireland At the end of the summer holidays the 6th form girls took a hockey tour to Ireland for some pre season training and fun. It built great team spirit and integrated the new school members. It has created many good memories for a great number of us. Our first stop was the University of Limerick. It had lovely spacious accommodation and great facilities including a gym, for some gruelling fitness, as well as a swimming pool. The locals were more than friendly as we experienced in a local pub. The matches had a mixture of results including one win, a loss and a draw. The opponents were very friendly but proceeded to make us “drip with sweat”. This match practice undid some bad habits such as ‘Campo Tackling’, (Sarah Campus who seemed to think we were on a rugby tour). However, Stacey Higginbotham, our Gappie, seemed to think we were in a war zone as she tried to decapitate a goalkeeper or two with her vicious flick. She proved herself to be a very solid player in whatever position she played. We were so busy we still had the energy and fitness to go bowling in Galway as well as visiting the beach and Bonratty Castle. The tour ended on a good note of an excellent meal and party where even Mrs. Drinkall could be seen getting to know the locals with her red lemonade in hand. In true Irish fashion, ‘tanks a million’ to all the teachers for organising such an excellent tour. Emily Hughes, Sarah Campus, Michelle Watkin and Lucy Billings. Epsomianmagazine 2006 P13 W6 D3 L4 After a successful Ireland tour the 1st XI have had a superb season in many ways, ably led by Emily Hughes (W), our Goal Keeper; an inspirational captain, which is no easy job when you play as the last line of defence. The team trained maturely and were willing to put in the extra effort needed to achieve results to be proud of. Convincing wins over Ardingly, CLFS and Cranleigh were particularly pleasing and our statistics make reasonable reading, but the two draws should really have been victories. Semi-finalists at Christ’s Hospital, District Champions and quarter finalists in the Counties, only going out to last years winners Kingston Grammar on flicks 3-4, the team seemed to like tournament pressures. Overall though there was lots to celebrate for a very committed and talented squad, and with over half of the team remaining, we hope for even better things next season when we return from our Singapore, Australia and Fiji tour. Leavers include: Emily our Captain and Anielka and Bethany in defence, who have both pushed themselves to the limit for the team on a number of occasions. This pair has quietly gone about their business for the team and has caused problems to even the best attacks. Kate, a very unassuming but effective player, sticks to the task and rarely lets her player have an easy ride. Steph, who has tremendous skill at times but often tries to beat her player too often before moving the ball on, reads the game well and has been a huge asset in the midfield. Marchie, who has a tremendous capacity to just keep running, is pacey and always willing to give of her best. The blend of young and old made this squad really challenging but interesting to work with. I will miss these leavers and hope they find time at University to get their shin pads and stick out of hibernation. A talented group in many ways, I wish them all well and thank them all very much for their flexibility, good humour and commitment over the past two years in the senior squad. May I also take this opportunity on behalf of all the team to thank Mr Head for his help and advice every Saturday and for taking control of the whistle, and Miss West for organising the administrative side of things so well. Team from; Emily HUGHES ©, Stephanie DOWN, Bethany GALE, Ami HODGES, Kate NEWMAN, Maddy MORTIMER, Becky CARPENTER, Steph LAMEY, Emma MARCHINGTON, April KING, Lauren BLEASE, Anielka HAMPSON, Nigora NORMATOVA, County Honours went to April King (Rv) Mrs F.C. Drinkall (W) Hockey Cup - Emily Hughes ris (Wh) matova (W), Charlotte Har Shaw Trophy - Nigora Nor ad) Squ ior Sen the (Most improved players from Nigora Normatova (W) Down (Rv), Ami Hodges (W), Half Colours - Stephanie Stephanie Lamey (Cr), e (Cr), Kate Newman (W), Full Colours - Bethany Gal il King (Rv), Lauren Apr , (Rv) n gto ma Marchin Anielka Hampson (Rv), Em ter (Wh). pen rtimer (W), Rebecca Car Blease (Wh), Madeleine Mo hes Major Colours - Emily Hug (W) 29 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:31 Page 30 Girl’s 1st X1 Hockey 30 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:35 Page 31 31 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:35 Page 32 Captain’s Report This year’s hockey season has been very successful all round. It has even seen the creation of a whole new girls’ 3rds team, due to huge demand from more girls than ever to play hockey. Who would ever have thought that girls would ever choose to play sport! The 1st team this year was very good, including several club players and a large amount of effort from everyone, most of the time. At the start of the season the low level of fitness was not promising but an exhausting regime got us all into shape pretty quickly. We went on to win the District Tournament though we were knocked out of the counties in the quarter-finals on penalty flicks. The rest of the matches were good, but many of the results do not reflect the closeness due to the difficulty we had actually getting the ball over the line despite many attempts and some absolutely amazing play from every member of the team. Unfortunately, we had several injuries in the middle of the season, though the team kept going and still put in all their effort. The most improved players’ awards went to Nigora Normatova(W) and Charlotte Harris(Wh). The season was lots of fun and saw some fantastic hockey played. The 2nd’s main strength this year was their incredible team work. As with the 1st XI, a lot of work had to be done on fitness, but this was soon mended. The 2nds went on to win several of their matches, only dropping a few losses. The 3rd team, though maybe not the best players in the year, certainly seemed to have lots of fun, and even included line dancing in their fitness regime. Their unexpected creation meant there were not as many matches as they hoped for, but they did well in the ones that they had, winning more matches than they lost. However, I do think the best part of the 3rd team was their end of season presents to their coaches, Mr. Thompson and Mr. Head, of some very fetching pink and purple tiaras! Overall it has been a thriving season of success that hopefully next year’s team will continue. Emily Hughes Staff vs 1st side Girls' Hockey Staff team: Ms West Ms Thornley Ms Hall Stacy (gap year student) 1st team: April King Lauren Blease Maz Mortimer Bekki Carpenter Ali Mr Oliver Mr Campbell Mr Payne Mr Thomas Mr Keevil Mr McClure Me Steph Lamey Emma Marchington Anielka Hampson Charlotte Johnstone Holly Howson Josie Day Kate Newman Jackie (the old gappy) Ami Hodges Krysta Munford (old upper 6th) Goalie: Mr Barakzai Steph Down Goalie: Katy Pavy Beth Gale Mrs Drinkall Referees: Mr Head 32 A very exciting match hit us on a chilly Monday afternoon in December against the uniquely talented members of staff, as seen during the outstanding game. The first whistle goes, the game starts. We are running, fighting for the ball as hard as we can…the opposition looks very tough. First ten minutes are going very well. The ball is going from one end to the other with the speed of sound! The teachers are sweating, the girls are still running. Mr Thompson is very confidently stick tackling Kate. It seems as if he's been playing hockey for…ten minutes! Jokes, sir! Very good effort shown on the pitch! I come off at the end of the eleventh minute and Mr McClure takes his opportunity at the top of the D to smack it through many defenders in to the goal. 1-0 to the staff…the girls still running, trying to tackle Mr Keevil - no chance! He is was just dribbling his way happily along. He passes it to Jackie…2-0. We are not playing badly at all, but every player in the opposition is confident when they have a ball and are making strong passes across the pitch. Lots very good skill on display (Mr Payne, I think it runs in the genes- maybe you got it from your daughter!) and an amazing goalie…at short corners Mr Barakzai ran out with his team and very successfully got rid of the ball. Very impressive! He nearly knocks out Lauren when she tries to score. After that the girls’ hopes are hindered. Half time. Mrs Drinkall, as usual, is very impressed with the girl’s play and encourages us to pay more attention to Mr Payne. The start of the 2nd half is going strong. We get a short corner and we use it very well. Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Lauren tips the ball in, which shows that after all there are gaps in Mr Barakzai's skill! Within the first 15 minutes of the 2nd half I come on. It is tough…especially when some opponents are pushing you around so you can’t run and defend… Miss Thornley… or even when you have the ball they hold on to your top… Miss Thornley again! Somehow I manage to cope with the disgraceful 16/5/07 behaviour of the opposition, receive the ball from the top of the D and…2-2. Would you have expected that?! Cheering, shouting, ‘GO NIGI!’…as usual. The game finished, we drew, we thought it was not a bad effort and we really enjoyed ourselves. To be honest this game wasn’t about winning: however some players were 16:36 Page 33 very keen, mostly the staff. Everyone was there to have fun, and they did. Joking around, making fools out of themselves (well, I certainly did…) but at the same time playing very skilful, fast hockey. Many thanks to Mrs Drinkall for organising the afternoon and all the staff for sparing the time to play against the 1st girls’ team. Nigora Normatova U16A P6 W3 L3 County Championship: group stages District Championship: winners In a year of many cancellations, the U16A XI managed to make great strides forward. Proving themselves an excellent group with which to work, they developed an admirable team spirit throughout the season. They were extremely unlucky to make an exit from the County Championship at the group stage, after coping admirably with the unexpected loss of key players. The latter part of the season saw this side record handsome victories over Brighton, Hurstpierpoint and Tiffin School, the latter involving a dramatic second half come-back from a two goal deficit. The District competition saw this side trounce allcomers on a very bleak and wintry afternoon at St Theresa's School, keeping a clean sheet as they retained their title. The only opposition to pose any problems, in fact, came form the St. Theresa's umpire. By the end of the season, the girls were playing very effective counter-attacking hockey with pace, skill and cohesive teamwork. Jenny Bryant (W) was not only topscorer for this side, she was also an excellent captain who lead by selfeffacing example. Ruth Payne (Rv), who also represented 1st XI, had a superb season as sweeper, developing great vision and passing skills to complement her gritty defensive qualities and alarmingly hard hitting. Raphaelle Moore (W) was, by a nose, the most improved player of the year with her consistently high work rate in midfield providing unceasing support for others. However, there were many contenders for this particular honour and, if space allowed, I could speak highly of everyone. Indeed, everyone made substantial progress in terms of their technique, levels of fitness and tactical understanding of the game. Everyone involved should feel quietly satisfied with what they achieved this year. Mr I.McClure “The U16A XI managed to make great strides forward. ” U16B P3 L3 This was a very frustrating year for the girls involved in this squad. Icy pitches, influenza and cancelled fixtures meant that the girls had the chance to play regularly as a side. Epsomianmagazine 2006 Accordingly, it was very difficult to develop real continuity and pattern to their play. However, fighting spirit was always in evidence thanks to team captain Kat Law (W). Ellie Wells and Beverly Lee (both W) also played with some real skill in defence and attack respectively, whilst Charlotte Liparoto (W) was truly terrifying in midfield. Neil Laing, U16B coach for part of the season, was obviously proud of their indomitably feisty approach. Mr I.McClure 33 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:36 Page 34 Under 15 A W W W D W W D W W HPP W Sevenoaks Bradfield Christ’s Hospital King’s Canterbury 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 5 6 1 5 3 0 0 1 0 0 6 5 4 2 3 86 0 1 0 0 1 10 0 86 10 It was clear that the group of girls were a good unit right from the start. Several had fine stick skills and all had a determination to win and play well. In addition, with just one loss the previous year in the semi finals of the county cup against the eventual national winners St George’s, there was a lot of pride at stake to make sure that this season would be successful as well. After a team dinner in Bath it was off to bed to get a good night’s sleep before our first game. We played well against Kingswood to record a win and then returned there the next day to train before playing Reading HC on the against 18 drew won played 20 W W W W and training sessions to prepare us for the rest of the season. 5 3 8 1 4 8 7 6 3 1 for Districts Parsons Mead Box Hill St Teresa’s Therfield Manor House W W W W W lost Kingswood Reading HC Brighton Eastbourne Lord Wandsworth CLFS W Ardingly St Mary’s Wells Cathedral Cranleigh The season started for us in August, when all the girls who could attend pre-season training turned up ready to be put through their paces prior to a small tour to the West of England. Three days of hard work in what was hot, sunny weather was just what we needed to get ourselves a bit fitter after a summer of inactivity. We left for Bath and a combination of matches Monday. In between, the girls enjoyed the cinema, shopping, ten pin bowling, shopping and a bit more shopping. Future husbands bewarethis lot will seriously put a dent in your credit cards!! The game against Reading was a very good test as they had put out a team of girls who had recently been attending their summer training camp. We won it 3-2, with Shabby, our captain, scoring a superb goal on the way. At this point I would like to say a big thank you to Angie Wright at Kingswood, Reading HC and especially Carole Rice for making the tour possible and so successful. Once back at school, we continued to work hard on fitness and skills and introduced some new ideas like aerial passes, quicker hits, playing it around the back, playing the way you are facing when you receive the pass and most important of all, getting the ball on to our strong side, especially as we were hoping to use Bigzi’s pace wide right. When it all worked, and it did on quite a few Saturdays, it was champagne hockey, or - as Ruud Gullit would say-sexy hockey. Indeed, this was to become our mission statement. Once into the regular season, Zara Marklew, who had impressed in the B XI, made her way into the back line and from there on in, we had a pretty settled team apart from glandular fever, broken wrists and other odds and ends. The game against Brighton was easily won, but we were made to work hard for the win away at Eastbourne. In the Lord Wandsworth game, we started what was to become a bit of a pattern for the season, namely a steady start, but a much more convincing second half. The score could have been even more convincing if the short corners had been converted into goals. The next three games saw us win with some big scores and also saw us playing some really fine expansive hockey. Next, it was our turn to play hosts to a team from the west country. We all turned up far too early on a Sunday morning, right after the M4 U4 party, so loads of gossip at the warm up and some uncalled for abuse of my tropical shirt from the evening before! We played well and had coped with the loss of Shabby due to glandular fever quite well. Our next game was probably our toughest of the season, not helped by still not having Shabby, but also losing Laura, Hughsie and Bigzi through injuries and illness. Although we scored first, the draw was about right on the day. 34 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag After half term we started off with the district tournament, which we won easily on a surface that was perhaps not the best to develop the game as we would have liked. However, it served its purpose of getting us going again after half term and we went on to have convincing wins against Hurstpierpoint, Sevenoaks and Bradfield. Our final two games again saw us missing Laura, who really had impressed as our centre forward, and we ended up winning the last two matches with smaller margins than might have otherwise here been the case. But, after the final whistle away at Canterbury, the champagne corks flew and the girls were able to look back on an unbeaten season with tremendous satisfaction. With 86 goals in 20 games, including the tournament, and only letting in 10 goals all season, the statistics speak for themselves. Better than 4 goals per game on average and only letting in half a goal each match is a real measure of how good these girls are. Of the players themselves, Charlotte Ellison in goal was very good indeed and really does look the part. Lucy Phillips as sweeper was excellent and reads the game so well, that we never 16/5/07 really looked in danger with her tidying up. The back three of Zara Marklew, Carina Lindberg and Alex Hughes were excellent. Zara working her way into the team after a strong start for the B XI and Carina and Hughsie building on their experience from the previous season. If the safety of my goal depended on a single player, I would have to say I would pick Carina-superb, determined and a great organiser. Across the midfield we played Alex Biggs wide right, with Danielle Rice covering there as well, then Abigail Raye inside her with Charlotte Davolls as the holding and distributing midfielder-a task that she worked on throughout the season so much so that she was our very own multi tasker. Wide left we used Georgina Morley and Meghann Murdock with a bit of ‘The Ricicle’ as well. Meghann really did come on leaps and bounds during the season and ended up scoring some crucial goals from this position. In fact Meghann and Bigzi impressed so much throughout the season that they shared the Maidment trophy for the most improved player of the season. Up front we used Helena Mortimer, Laura Butcher and Anna Dick, all of whom played superbly. Laura was fast, 16:36 Page 35 attacking and put defences under a lot of pressure with her presence. Helena played from a slightly deeper position, but is an exceptional player at her best. Some of her goals, off the wrong foot as well at times, were outstanding. Helena also led the side very ably when Shabby was laid low with glandular fever. The captain was Abigail ‘Shabby’ Raye and I would like to single her out for special praise. Her stick skills are outstanding and her willingness to take on board new ideas and techniques is a joy for a coach. Her leadership by example and her determination were quite superb. Sadly for us, Shabby is relocating to Canada with her family and is leaving us at the end of this season. Her contribution to the college’s hockey has been fantastic and we would all like to wish her the very best for the future. If it doesn’t work out, we will always find you a boarding place, so do keep in touch!! Finally, a big thank you to all the mums and dads, who have been great supporters every match day, and to HMP and NCM for their support throughout the season. It has been thoroughly enjoyable. Mr M.C. Oliver Under 14 A P8 W6 D1 L1 A very pleasing and promising season for this year group. The A team were at times outstanding with a string of impressive victories over almost all the schools on our circuit, from Kings Canterbury and Eastbourne to St George’s. It is difficult to single players out as all made such a massive contribution, but special mentions should go to Stephanie Crouch(W) in defence, Joanna Boddy(Cr) in attack and Lottie Mungavin(W) as a superb utility player. All augers well for the future, if the squad are willing to listen to advice and train as hard as they have done this season. Despite the squad being badly hit by illness mid term, our statistics read well and the whole squad should be congratulated on a job well done. Most Improved Players Philippa Smith, Rachael Lenney Most Versatile Player Lottie Mungavin House U14 Trophy Crawfurd Mrs C.Rice Epsomianmagazine 2006 35 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:36 Page 36 Epsom Rugby 36 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:36 Page 37 37 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:36 Page 38 Boys’ Rugby 1ST XV This was one of the most highly motivated squads that we have ever had. It included 2nd and 3rd team players as well, who made up the rest of 1st Side. In all, over 60 players attended training sessions each week and could not be faulted for their positive attitude and commitment. The overall record speaks for itself with 29 wins and only 7 losses across the three teams. The early signs were promising, with high attendance at the preseason training sessions. It was quickly clear that these boys wanted to prove something: firstly, that they were good enough and secondly, to maintain, and if possible improve on the success of the previous 1st XV. A chance to play on the new 1st XV pitch and a new shirt also awaited them, and this raised the intensity level still further. The new pitch has quickly become a very exciting and popular place to play: full size and flat, it is as good a venue as you could find anywhere. The first match at home to RGS Guildford was a tough one, but the team came through ,despite having to hang on in the dying minutes as RGS staged a comeback. This set the 38 pattern for the season. Outstanding back play led to some wonderful tries, supported by a whole hearted performance from the pack despite being under pressure physically for much of the game. Harrow proved to be frustrating, where injuries unhinged a great team effort and we eventually went down. Wins over Eastbourne, Tiffin in the Daily Mail cup, Trinity and St John’s, all away from home, followed. The forwards got stronger as they adapted to the greater physical nature of the game, and the backs were playing some brilliant running rugby. Two defeats followed firstly: to Cranleigh, whose new imports made the difference; and then to John Fisher in the Daily Mail cup. It was a fantastic cup game: we dominated in the backs; they had the edge in the pack. The difference on the day came down to goal kicking. Victory over Sevenoaks and another over Reigate got things going again, and the season finished with two more wins over Merchant Taylor’s, and significantly, Eton. These achievements, and a record of only three defeats and ten wins, elevated this team to equal the record of last year’s side and to being one of the very best of recent years. David Cook (P) captained the side intelligently with a mix of good humour, passion and quiet authority and I would like to thank him for his efforts. Sandy Reid (P) was a consistently outstanding player and gained selection for the England U18 squad, but others had great moments as well. David Cook (P) really sparkled and showed exceptional pace. Andrew Ventris (P) was an effective line breaker from fullback. Chris Keeling (G) had a great try scoring record and Gareth Needham (G) gave a series of very committed performances at scrum half. Kuzi Charamba and Adam Terelak got the best out of the pack in which Tom Peddie (Fa), Anthony Gray (G) and Alex Jones (G) consistently stood out. My particular thanks go to Mr. Whiteley and to Mr. Campbell for their support, helpful advice and encouragement throughout the term. The efforts of the groundsman also deserve recognition for producing a perfect playing surface, particularly on the new 1st XV pitch. Mr A.Wolstenholme Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 1st XV RESULTS RGS Guildford Harrow Eastbourne Farnborough Coll (DM2) Trinity Tiffin (DM3) St. John ’s Cranleigh John Fisher (DM4) Sevenoaks Reigate Merchant Taylors Eton 27-22 0-11 26-12 50-0 36-0 31-15 36-3 7-22 15-21 14-0 38-13 10-7 20-18 W L W W W W W L L W W W W 16/5/07 MAJOR COLOURS David Cook (P) Adam Terelak (P) Kuzi Charamba (F) Andy Ventris (P) Sandy Reid (P) FULL COLOURS Chris Keeling (G) Sam Hurley (P) Fergus Flanagan (Fa) Tom Peddie (Fa) Max Abram (C) John Ghim (H) Alex Jones (G) Gareth Needham (G) Adam Green (G) Mat Davis (P) 16:36 Page 39 HALF COLOURS Alex Cobb (P) Will Ma (F) Stephen Munford (C) Justin Hast (Rn) Anthony Gray (G) Landis Bagnall (C) Jo Li (Fa) Joe Mayhew (Fa) PALLADINO AWARD (most consistent player) David Cook (P) SANGER TROPHY (most improved) Chris Keeling (G)/Alex Jones (G) Captain’s Report The season looked promising from the first pre-season session as it was clear two very useful rugby year groups could come together and do some damage to opposition sides. This confidence was reiterated in the first game against RGS Guildford as three backs’ moves provided three tries in the first 15 minutes. The game seemed to go flat after this. Slowly, Guildford managed to get their big forwards into the game and with 10 minutes to go were up by 7 points. Two great individual scores from Sandy Reid and Andy Ventris in the dying minutes produced a hard fought victory to kick off the season. Harrow was the next opponent, and as always they were well drilled and tough. The forwards, inspired under Kuzi Charamba, won lots of ball but unfortunately chances were not taken as easily as they were created. Dropped balls cost us the match. What followed were weeks of basic drills co-ordinated by Mr. Whiteley and this paid off massively towards the end of the season! Unfortunately fly half Matt Davis tore some ligaments in his ankle during the game and was forced to watch from the sidelines for the next four weeks. centre and Alex Cobb replacing him at full back, along with Chris Keeling coming onto the wing, a position he would make his own as the season progressed. The forwards also welcomed Anthony Gray and Alex Jones into the front five and they gave us the extra bulk and power needed against strong forwards based sides. The defence in this game was particularly good and two tries by Andy Ventris, and one apiece for Chris Keeling and David Cook, gave a well earned away win. We travelled to Eastbourne the following week, knowing a good performance was needed to get the season back on track. A reshuffled back line produced the goods throughout with Jo Li stepping into fly half, Andy Ventris coming into the The first round of the Daily Mail Cup set up our next fixture against Farnborough, a team we knew very little about, and we went into the game over confident. The first few minutes, however, gave us the wake up call we needed as they camped in Epsomianmagazine 2006 our own 22. But as we began to play our rugby it soon became clear they could not cope with our movement. Adam Terelak crossed for his sole try of the season and that opened the flood gates as more followed. George Lowe, playing his first game for the 1st XV as a colt, had a good all round game and secured his place for the remaining cup games. The block fixtures resumed after the mid week game and Trinity was again an unknown prospect, having not played them at all in our Epsom time. A fairly average performance gave us the result we needed but didn’t fill us with confidence. Despite this, two well worked tries for the wingers, Sam Hurley and Will Ma, showed that the backs still liked to chuck the ball around! 39 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:36 Page 40 The old rivals in St. John’s followed on, and as always it was difficult to win away at Leatherhead, but the team prevailed as we ran out comfortable winners in the end. It didn’t come without a few worries however, as the normally very dependable line out came under considerable pressure. But hooker John Ghim held his nerve well to deliver some pin point ball when most needed. Tom Peddie at Number 8 scored with a great solo ‘chip and chase’ effort; such finesse for a big lad! Steve Munford did well in his first game at scrum half, bossing the forwards about and making some very good tackles. Gareth Needham proved he was a versatile player as he picked up his first try as a winger; a much improved performance from the week before. The next Daily Mail cup match followed with a trip to Tiffin’s, and it soon became clear it was going to be no more than a ‘dogfight’, a term Mr. Wolstenholme made his own through the season. It was scrappy win but one needed to continue our recent good run of results. With half term approaching, Cranleigh provided the last opposition for a few weeks and it proved to be a bruising physical encounter. We got on the board first with David Cook going over from a run starting in his own half, and we led at half time by 7pts to 3pts. The power of the Cranleigh pack began to take control of the game and the majority of possession turned into points soon after. It was fought right to the end and a try in the final minute of the game perhaps flattered Cranleigh in the score line of 22-7. No complaints however, as they were the better team and kept the ball very well. The biggest game of the season brought what seemed like the whole school down to the 1st XV pitch as John Fisher visited in the Daily Mail. We played the best rugby of the season in patches as the backs continually carved up the John Fisher back line, and this was reflected in scores for Chris Keeling, David Cook and George Lowe. Matt Davis was instrumental and attracted the opposition defence very well. As the game progressed, the John Fisher pack just managed to get the edge, and a couple of tries as well as some very good kicking gave them a 21-15 lead with minutes to go. A couple of missed kicks and missed tackles may well have proved the turning point, and it was agonising knowing we had got knocked out playing the better rugby. It was extremely hard to find the motivation to produce the goods against Sevenoaks after that Cup loss, 40 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag and a poor game was the consequence. A win was notched up though, and the team wanted to forget about that match and finish off the season strongly. Reigate was the next match, and in patches some very good rugby was played, but some sloppy errors cost us some more scores. Max Abram in particular stood up to be counted as he took countless short balls off Matt Davis to find lots of holes in the opposition defence. This was followed up by Justin Hast who broke through the defence time and again as well, another win on the way to a successful end of the season. Another away trip took us to Merchant Taylors, and a few injuries again brought a switch around in the backs. The lack of a cutting edge was evident, but despite this, many chances were created and the defence held firm to record a narrow win. 16/5/07 resulted behind the scrum. Gareth Needham produced his best game of the season and capped it of with a fine solo try. Eton however were never down and out, and the defence once again held firm to end the season on a winning note. A huge thank you must be made towards all the coaches: Mr Wolstenholme, Mr Whiteley, 16:36 Page 41 Mr Campbell and Mr Power, for their enthusiasm and huge contribution to the 1st and 2nd XV this season. The basis of a successful season began on the training field and was carried through to the matches. The players all gave 100% commitment and the wins throughout the term were very much deserved. David Cook The last game for Epsom for many of us came in the shape of Eton, a team always difficult to break down. A very even match throughout made sure the sides were never more than a try adrift from each other. The forwards really worked hard to give the backs a lot of decent ball and four tries “This was one of the most highly motivated squads that we have ever had. ” 2nd XV COLOURS Luke Trayfoot (Fa) Joe Mayhew (Fa) Zac Marklew (Fa) Jonathon Gillespie (H) John Devitt (H) Michael Richards (G) Aiden Robson (R) Zac Frei (P) Lawrence Beatt (Fa) Sam Ratnage (Fa) Jo Li (Fa) Will Ma (F) A Cobb (P) Reawarded Charles Gray (G) Tom Charnock (Rn) XXX CAPS (3rd XV) Alex Rothman (C) Marco Yang (C) Philip Canby (C) Epsomianmagazine 2006 Andrew Freeman (Rn) Alastair Dewar (F) James Fletcher (R) REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS SMITH - BALEWA TROPHY (most promising colt) George Lowe (Fa) England U16 Chris York COLTS COLOURS Edward Rushen (Fa) Max Page (G) Angus Field (G) Chris York (P) George Lowe (Fa) Greg Newman (G) Guy James (Fa) Adam Cooper (P) Max Polkey (C) Patrick Iyoyin (R) Alex Dyer (H) Robbie Gillespie (G) Max Eden ((F) Luke Davies (C) Jamie Gillespie (H) England U18 Sandy Reid Surrey U18 David Cook (P) Adam Terelak (P) Surrey U17 Landis Bagnall (C) Stephen Munford (C) Anthony Gray (G) Tom Peddie (Fa) Zac Marklew (Fa) Surrey U16 George Lowe (Fa) Chris York (P) Max Eden (F) Patrick Iyoyin (R) Joe Trayfoot (Fa) Surrey U15 Rhodri Needham (G) 41 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:37 Page 42 2ND XV Team Results C.Gray (captain), A.Jones, A.Gray, D.Evans, J.Mayhew, J.Williams, Z.Marklew, J.Devitt, T.Charnock, C.Hill, J.Gillespie, A.Robson, J.Fletcher, A.Green, S.Munford, P.Kemp, J.Li, R.Williams, L.Beatt, S.Hurley, Z.Frei, C.Keeling, W.Ma, J.Bryant, A.Cobb, S.Ratnage, M.Richards, A.Simpson, L.Trayfoot, M.Yang. Played Won Lost For Against 10 8 2 236 110 R.G.S. Guildford: Harrow: Eastbourne: Trinity: St. Johns: Cranleigh: Sevenoaks: Ewell Castle: Merchant Taylors: Eton: W 19 - 12 W 38 - 12 L 3 - 32 W 41 - 21 L 5 - 17 W 11 - 7 W 62 - 6 W 15 - 0 W 29 - 3 W 13 - 0 2ND XV Colours C.Gray (captain), J.Mayhew, Z.Marklew, T.Charnock, J.Gillespie, A.Robson, S.Munford, J.Li, L.Beatt, Z.Frei, W.Ma, J.Bryant, A.Cobb, S.Ratnage, M.Richards, L.Trayfoot, M.Yang. 3RD XV First of all, a big thank you must go to our coaches, Mr Day and Mr Tod for their excellent coaching and all the work they have done for the 3rd XV. It was indeed a tremendous season where we won eight matches out of ten, including the famous victories over Reigate’s 2nd XV and Eton’s 3rd XV. The squad put in an enormous amount of effort and worked well as a team throughout the season and they all deserve words of praise. We started the season strongly and continued all the way through. The forwards, led by Philip Canby and Andrew Freeman always looked very strong and organised and often over-powered many of the opposing teams. We also had a creative and quick back line commanded by Charlie Richardson and our top try scorers Charlie James and Remi Williams. We had some walk overs, but also some very close matches. One of the most unforgettable matches of the season was against Reigate’s 2nd XV. 42 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:37 Page 43 It was very intense and both teams put in everything to win the match, with many injuries forcing some of the backs to play in the forwards positions. At the end of the day we came out with a great victory, beating them 27:7. The team kept up the high spirit and in the last match of the season against Eton, our top scorer Charlie James clinched the game for us in the dying seconds to win 18-17! It was an enjoyable and fun season playing with a bunch of gentlemen with great passion to play rugby, and I wish all the best in their future. Colts B The colts ‘B’ team had a commanding season, suffering only one defeat in the early stages of the term. The team worked well together in a short space of time to prepare for our first match on the first weekend of the season. We came away with a convincing victory and were in high spirits entering the second match against Harrow. It was here, on a frosty day, that we suffered our only defeat of the season. Despite clearly dominating the first half we were unable to score and conceded a late breakaway try. Having the lead at half time clearly had a positive effect on Harrow; they scored four tries in the second half leaving us clearly beaten. It took a while to recover from such a defeat, and for the next few matches we struggled to re-create the form we had shown against R.G.S. The breakthrough finally came against St. Johns. Even though the score was close , the pack, after having concentrated on breakdowns and set plays, started to secure good ball on both the floor and in the lineouts. We dominated the play, and moves in both the forwards and the backs came together. After half term we came back refreshed and convincingly thrashed Sevenoaks. We took the next two matches very seriously in preparation for Eton. The backs began to find accurate passes and began to put away the tries we were unable to score during the earlier stages of the season. In the last match of the season emotions were running high, but, credit to the team, they stuck to the rugby, and after a stirring speech by Mr. Wycherley we forced the mistakes and dominated throughout – finally managing to score the tries gifted to us. I think it is fair to say that the Colts ‘B’s played as well as they had ever done in their last match as a team all together. Alex Fox (Colts ‘B’ Captain) The ‘B’ XV this year has been a joy to coach. They have been enormously hard working and should be proud of their, not inconsiderable, achievements this year. Any season where only one game is lost and many games are won by a considerable margin is one that is cause for celebration, and I was left in little doubt that this was exactly what happened after the win against Eton, away, in the last game of the term. They bounced back from the defeat early on with determination and a desire to prove their ability as a team, and they should be proud of their efforts. Mr R.M.Wycherley Epsomianmagazine 2006 43 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:37 Page 44 Colts C 2005’s Colts C XV for rugby made Epsom College history as one of the best Colts C sides ever. At the start of the season Mr Matthews was determined to get the best out of more than 30 unfit rugby players. Starting each session with intense physical fitness exercises, the whole team was soon known as the fittest team of all 3 Colts sides. This included continuous jogging and sprinting as well as countless pushups, sit-ups, power-jumps and the now infamous “Box Drill” (too difficult to explain, ask if you want to know). The second half of each session was spent with various drills, improving tackling, rucks and team work. With the aid of experienced referee Mr Curtis, the side quickly turned around and even prompted “A” team players to comment on the brutal but effective training schedule. I captained the side and George Freeman was Vice Captain and top points scorer for the season. The team had everything it needed: the strength and power of Lisle Chase and Henry Charnock as well as the blinding pace of the wingers Sam Harley and Barney Cooper. The list could go on but we have limited space. The season started well and was built on an outstanding defence. This proved to be the vital ingredient in one of the highlights of the season, away at Harrow, where we won 12 – 5. Several other close encounters included a 7 – 0 win over St John’s in the derby game. Having beaten every school we had played ( we lost the second game we played against R.G.S Guildford so we won’t count that one), the final game was a tense encounter at Eton. Eton took the lead in the 1st half and Epsom trailed at the break 5 -0. However, this was one game that we were not going to lose, and after a rousing half time team talk, the commitment from everyone was redoubled. A stunning second half saw Epsom fight back with tremendous spirit and score a try in the corner with 5 minutes to go, game on! The pressure told and just before the final whistle Epsom were awarded a penalty which, was kicked with the last kick of the season by George Freeman, saw Epsom win 5-8. I am very proud to say that I captained a fantastic side. The incredible season was due to the dedication, respect and commitment of all the players, to Mr Curtis, and to the discipline, knowledge and same mutual commitment and respect of coach Lawrence Matthews. Amit Roy Junior Colts A What began on a brilliant, blue June summer’s day in Epsom, ended on a gloomy, overcast, grey cloudy March day in Wolverhampton, when the previously unbeaten U4’s ended their 21 match unbeaten run by a 10 – 5 defeat in the Daily Mail semi finals to Bedford School, the competition’s ultimate winners. Sadly, that is no real compensation. We definitely didn’t have my luck of the Irish that day. It was reserved for my national team at Twickenham who squeezed home against England, courtesy of a dodgy try. top forwards in the centre positions. I trusted their judgment, which proved the right thing to do as we beat Harrow 20-0, away. That showed the quality of the team and their ability to understand and read games, which repeated itself throughout the season. We suffered repeated injuries at second centre. This was the primary reason why Bedford defeated us as On our first touch rugby session, it was obvious that Pete Irvine and I had a very good group of footballers who had particularly good hands, excellent vision and a desire to enjoy playing the world’s greatest game. Their previous season had seen them come second against two sides, St Paul’s and Harrow, and it was our game against that North London school which epitomised this team and our season. The boys remembered their defeat from the previous season and pleaded with me to play two of our 44 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:37 Page 45 My special thanks to Pete Irvine who was everything I could hope for as my fellow coach, looking after the “girls” . His backs coaching was the prime reason why we scored 600 points during the season. We were very grateful for the tremendous assistance we received from the B coaches, Andy Bustard and Deadly Earnest ??? Whose teams were regularly devastated by our demands for players and replacements. We are also grateful to Andy Wolstenholme, Jud Drinkall and Richard Whiteley, who lent us their skills as we moved from victory to victory in the Mail. this was our main channel of attack in the backs. Great credit must be paid to Peter Matthews who returned initially from a broken thumb, and then a horrific fractured tibia, to play in this game. Quite outstanding dedication and bravery. It is never fair to mention a limited number of people from a team unless their contribution was consistently of the highest standard. When called on, Joe Trayfoot upped his performances whenever we needed a big or even bigger game from him. It is a testament to his ability that the only other game we didn’t win, Cranleigh 7 – 7, was when he was injured. Josh Li and Rhodri Needham developed as extremely good captains, leading their men by their intelligent decision making and their own very good play. George Broom beat everybody in the line out and Tom Lothian was the best No 6 in every game. We didn’t see a better kicker than Jamie Billings. If he can add a little pace, and tackle, he’ll be an International. fast wingers, Nat Burns and Nick Conner, who could score tries as well as tackle; few, if any, got past Tim Faccini at first centre; Charlie Mortimer developed really well as our blitz defence coordinator; Tom Brown was fearless throughout; Richard Trepant improved with every game; Scott Davis became a very dedicated “no necker”; Henry Way consistently ploughed through defences; and Tino Charamba competed with Will Harrop for that coveted No 2 spot. But it was the team that developed as much as each individual. We had two It was these lads, plus many more who played on the As due to injuries, who made the season. Their dedication and commitment was unstinting. When 38 boys turn up for pre season training, you know you have a dedicated group. In thanking them for their steadfastness, I hope they got as much fun out of it as Pete Irvine and I did. Edwin C Doran Junior Colts B The 2005 rugby season saw the Junior Colts B team go from disaster to triumph, under the coaching of Andy Bustard and Toby Cooper. The season got off to an inauspicious start with defeat at home to RGS Guilford and then a crushing defeat away at Harrow. The boys kept their heads and their spirit and came back to Epsomianmagazine 2006 score a home victory over Eastbourne, which showed the potential in the side. Victory was short lived, as, on a dark Saturday, we travelled to Trinity for another defeat. Things changed with the prospect of games against St. John’s and Cranleigh (both away) and the chance to defeat the local rivals. At St. John’s, Creswell made an electric run down the left wing to score a great try, while Ratnage achieved a similar feet on the right. A Blease conversion made it 12-0. In the second half a well worked move by captain Pitout and the forwards opened up the space for Sequerah to sprint through the middle and clock up the third try. A loss of 45 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag concentration allowed St. John’s to pull one back and it finished 17-5. This would be the last time we’d concede any points. At Cranleigh, Pitout dove over the line in the opening minutes and, despite some strong pressure the score finished 5-0 to Epsom. On a roll we travelled to Sevenoaks for a brilliant forwards display. Payne, Morrison, Davis and Brown all went over to score some great tries off the back of well worked lineouts and some brilliant rucking. The game finished 33-0. A home match against Reeds saw a 12-0 16/5/07 16:37 Page 46 victory, in what was not a brilliant performance but was quickly followed by a great run out at Reigate and an emphatic victory where forwards and back linked up beautifully to display some Champagne rugby. Finally we had two home matches to end the season, the first against Merchant Taylor’s. Taylor’s played well but tries from Pitout, Davis, Charumba, Norman and Creswell, with a good number of conversions by Blease, along with some stoic defence by Fell, Bush and Cole, allowed Epsom to run out the victors by 43 points to nil. The final match came against Eton. Captained by Sweeny the boys ran in 38 unanswered points in a display of great running rugby. The next fixture followed on from the first three; a convincing win against a big side from Trinity (49-14). Cranleigh? Would it be the “do or die” side that had laid waste Harrow or the over confident side that were destroyed by St Pauls. I am pleased to report that it was the former. In both fixtures, that were both Despite the dismal start it was a season of triumph. Eight wins in total, the last seven in a row, and without conceeding a single point for the final six games. By the end of the season the boys had grown into rugby playing men and should be justly proud of the performances they gave. Mr T.S. Cooper Under 14A I should start by saying that it was a joy to coach a team that had so much enthusiasm, skill and determination. All the way through the term all the “gang” managed to mix the fun times with the serious times. In practice they instinctively knew when to put the “game faces” on. So what side would turn up against our local rivals St John’s and Within the first few days of term it became evident that we had a group of highly competent players who rapidly moulded themselves into a very good team. This was proved in the first three fixtures against RGS Guildford (who had been together as a team for 3 years), Harrow (a school twice the size of Epsom) and Eastbourne (a good hour’s journey away). All three fixtures were one-sided affairs. Against RGS we came away 37-10 winners, against Harrow we won 42-0, and at Eastbourne we won 50-5. These last two fixtures had to be stopped early. A magnificent set of results. Unfortunately, the team now began to believe its own press. For the fixture against St Pauls, the team thought that all they needed to do was turn up and a victory would be theirs. Complacency had truly set in. The team was not nearly as ruthless or as competent as had been the case in the previous three weeks and the result was a 40-17 loss. For the first 15 minutes we simply did not get our hands on the ball. Their strong No8, scrum half and superb fly half controlled the pace of play and we frankly never got a look in. The team had come down with a bump! 46 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:37 Page 47 physical and tense, the team came through victors on both occasions: 20-12 and 12-5. After half term the team played five more matches, winning three (Sevenoaks 29-5, Reeds 51-0 and Merchant Taylors 31-10) and losing two away fixtures against Reigate 5–16 and Eton 14-26. This was clearly a successful team who played with a real sense vigour and skill. Whilst it was a good overall team effort, I should like to mention the captain Jamie Falkner who proved to be a real rock, producing numerous crunching tackles and so often breaking the gain line. If only his half time talk at Eton could have been more inspirational. The team were winning 14-0 at the break only to go down 14-26! There is so much talent in this group that will produce wonderful rugby in the years to come. I wish them all the best. Mr B. MacDowel Under 14B P12 W8 D3 L1 The Under 14B side had an extremely successful season with only one defeat coming in the last match against Eton. The season kicked off with a draw against RGS Guildford in a trial match. There was clearly an immense amount of ability in the squad but some basic skills needed to be worked on before we could start to take opposition sides apart. A victory against Harrow followed, in a very competitive match, and then a big win against Eastbourne. The character of the side was tremendous, as they often had to fight to stay ahead, and many times come from behind. This was most evidentagainst a big, well-drilled St. Paul’s side. Epsom were 7-17 down with 5 minutes left, and the boys had the composure and strength to bring the scores level in the final minute. In the following games we developed space well and were able to use our pace in Jite Avwanu and Otis Earl to great effect, achieving big wins against Trinity, St John’s, Cranleigh, Sevenoaks and Reeds. Toby Jackson and Jamie Farley were instrumental in securing the ball and getting over the gain line. The pack was superb all season, rarely losing its own scrum. A great deal of credit should go to the hooker, Tom Burgess, and his props, Jimmy Brooks and Rory Adam. In the penultimate game, we faced an undefeated Merchant Taylor’s side. Harry Bradshaw scored a wonderful try with a long kick and chase, and with 2 minutes to go we were 10-5 up. Merchants battled as hard as us and deserved the equalising try. Both teams were happy with the result of 10 all. Eton was a tough and clever side. They had more possession, but our defence held out, as it had done all season. We were without our captain, Jackson, through illness, but were a try up at half time. Eton pinpointed our weaknesses, exploited them in the second half and put the game out of our reach. We still had time to come back a little, completely bemusing Eton with the mystery penalty move; a devastating weapon throughout. The score ended 24 -14, but although disappointed, the boys could feel extremely proud of the way they had played. On numerous occasions, opposition referees and coaches remarked on what a credit to the school the lads were and how much they enjoyed watching them play. I would like to reiterate that and thank them for their commitment and enthusiasm, making my first rugby term at Epsom so enjoyable. Mr J.Stephens Epsomianmagazine 2006 47 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:37 Page 48 Under 14C This was an excellent season for the U14C team, winning 9 matches and only conceding three. The season got off to a strong start in the fixture against RGS Guildford, winning 17-5. For a team that had been together for barely a week, it was clear from the start that they were going to work together as a unit and be a formidable force. The mettle of the team was severely tested the following week in the match against Harrow and, despite the final score of 7-40, the team never gave up and battled to the end. Other than the early loss against St. Paul’s, the team had a very convincing season, often outclassing the opposition in all areas of the field, despite the loss from the team of a key player in Ben Everingham mid-way through the season. Particularly notable were Ransom who showed determined defence as full back; Eng-How Teo, who grew into the game as the season progressed and became a fearful force by the end of the season; Ed Mason who was particularly swift on the wing; and continual, inspirational play from Will Shaw. Ollie Perkins deserves a mention for his five tries against Reigate, helping us gain a 59-0 victory, and apologies to Max Allen whose try I disallowed in the same match, even though, on reflection, it was clearly a try! As coaches, we would like to thank the squad for all the hard work they put into the season and particularly thank Will Shaw for captaining the team with such good sense and fine leadership. It has been a wonderful season and we wish you equal success in the coming year. Won: 9 Lost: 3 Points for: 362 Points against: 108 Squad: Shaw(capt), Ransom, Mason, Beadle, Hargrave, Farrelly, Dewar, Allen, Judd, Everingham, Teo, Billings, Al-Fekaiki, Perkins, Barker, E. Richardson, Pearson, ScarlettSmith, Ball, Barker Fr. Clive Case & Fr. Paul Thompson Under 14D Whilst the record of playing eleven, winning six and losing five does not reflect upon a particularly outstanding season, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed coaching this squad which, at times, produced some excellent rugby. Throughout the season (barring a dreadful game against St. Paul’s) the pack competed very well indeed, often against opponents who were either bigger, stronger or quicker. Reed’s, Eton, and especially Merchant Taylors, all fielded quite intimidating-looking packs, but credit to our forwards is due for not taking a backward step. Consistently impressive were Notman-Watt and Higgs, always willing to compete at the breakdown and willing to take the ball on; but promotions during the season from the E team produced some very competitive players in Clarke, De Souza and Harper, Clarke showing excellent pace and the latter two putting in some excellent tackles. Richards played most of the season as a reliable hooker, in a front row shored up by the imposing figure of Mazumdar, whilst Borch proved to be the most improved player in the team over the season. The whole pack, and indeed team, was ably led by Gunn. However, to give the backs their due, the matches that were won later in 48 the season were often the result of the backplay and in particular the midfield trio of Dialdas, Botha and Risk. They enjoyed as good an understanding of each other as I have ever seen in a D team, and when one or other was injured, we struggled somewhat to find a good rhythm. Certainly, various absences counted against us in the final games of the season against Merchant Taylor’s and Eton. Whilst those three were the pivot of the side, they were served well by Cashman (scrum half), whilst Wilkinson, Rayburn, Norlett and Dawkins showed good skills in the back three. Whilst a highpoint of the season was undoubtedly the performance of the backs against Cranleigh, when they scored eight tries and also made the difference against Kingswood House, Reed’s and St. John’s, all of which could have gone either way. The two centres, Botha and Risk, ended up the season as top try scorers, with six and five scores respectively, although Wilkinson with four tries and an outstanding kicker, was top points scorer. If there was a weakness to the team, it was making poor starts! I lost count of the games which started with us a try down after two minutes. The success of our defence was certainly mixed, but always seemed to improve as games progressed. It is this issue that individual players can focus on if they wish to seek higher honours next year. It was always good to see so many parents able to come and support the team so regularly; I certainly wish the players well as they progress next year. Also played: Holdsworth, Barker, Chana, Bodily, Billings, Freemantle, Chalklin, Teo, Shepherd, BruntonReed, Stewart, Gordon, Bradshaw, Dowle, Ransom, Perkins. Mr M.C. Conway Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:38 Page 49 Inter-House Cross-Country Championships The weather didn’t come through for us this year as it did last – The championships weren’t cancelled due to snow! I won’t deny it was freezing and the finish line was full of girls and boys shivering away. The day started with the junior girls setting off on a new course with more runners than in any previous year. Some have commented that there should have been porta-loos and drinks stops around the course! Fayrer, surprise, surprise, outshone all the other houses winning by huge margins; all those late night chapel runs paid off, Mr Williams! Position House Points Junior Boys 1st Fayrer 2nd Forest 3rd Robinson 40 75 99 Intermediate Boys 1st Fayrer 2nd Holman 3rd Granville 45 114 134 Senior Boys 1st 2nd 3rd = 3rd = 51 124 142 142 Fayrer Holman Forest Granville Junior Girls 1st Raven 2nd Wilson 3rd Crawfurd 31 44 54 Intermediate Girls 1st Wilson 2nd Crawfurd 3rd Raven 21 80 119 Senior Girls 1st White House 51 2nd Wilson 53 3rd Crawfurd 113 Annie Urwin Epsomianmagazine 2006 49 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:38 Page 50 Big Band Big Gig 50 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:38 Page 51 51 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:38 Page 52 Trips Prize winners trip to Auschwitz The Day began at 3am when we flew from London Luton to Krakow Airport, and from there we took the coach the rest of the way to Auschwitz. Upon arrival the coach became very hushed: for many of us it was the first visit and it was certainly an experience that we will never forget. The initial view of Auschwitz I was chilling, the reaction unlike any we had ever had. The first image that you are greeted with, if that can be said, was that of the infamous black gates which read, ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ - Work makes you free. It was an unnerving realisation of the tour ahead of us. We stopped under the gates to hear stories and recollections from the past: how the orchestra played as the unwitting victims of Nazi persecution were herded into a fresh hell of torture, destruction and ultimate death. The next part of the visit was, for us, the most difficult of the whole day. As we turned the corner around the guardhouse, a flood of reality overwhelmed us as we entered the only surviving gas chamber. The feeling that over took us is one that will stay with us forever. The bleak grey walls, which will forever hold the plight of thousands of Jews, Gypsies, political prisoners and Polish children, were a sombre reminder of the reason we were there. in particular have remained in our memories. Firstly the ‘evidence of crimes’ exhibition. This houses the articles preserved by the Soviets after the liberation of the camp in January of 1945 - although the Nazis attempted to destroy much of it, they could not erase the countless lives taken. In rooms of roughly twenty-five metres by ten lie vast piles of shoes behind glass windows. In another such room lie the immeasurable quantities of human hair, cut off to remove identity and the humanity of prisoners. The last building we visited was the notorious Block 11. This structure contained some of the most moving and gruesome stories of the trip. The Prison block became the final dwelling of many of the doomed inmates, particularly the Polish Resistance members who met their untimely ends against the execution wall. In the basement of this block were the cells: the starvation cell, the dark cell and the standing cells - the names are self-explanatory. On arriving in Auschwitz II the limitless extent of the destruction carried out in Auschwitz became evident and any denial of the Holocaust seemed irrational and illogical. The train track that provided a central backbone to the camp added the shock factor. The length of the tracks vanishes into the horizon with the souls of millions. To the left of the tracks lie infinite remaining blocks, each representing 1,000 people. Encased inside these blocks are hundreds of bunks, where many countless people spent their lifetimes. The two destroyed underground gas chambers lie at the end of the tracks. These two buildings symbolise the final resting-place for millions. The most resounding image of the day was the pits dug by prisoners where the ashes of victims may still be found. The walk back along the tracks gave us time to recollect and absorb the sites of atrocity. The sheer length of time that it took to travel back along the tracks was a chilling reminder of the vast size of the camp. The day that we visited Auschwitz was not only a reminder of the atrocities which occurred, but also a reminder of the importance of the preservation of life. Ollie and myself have both come to realise the great significance of remembering this place and the events which occurred there. It is a testimony to the survivors and an important place of remembrance particularly for those people who claim that these atrocities never happened. It must be held forever, frozen in time, to show future generations the real cruelty of man; but also, through the testimonies of survivors, the warmth that one human being may bring to another in a time of need. Sarah Shephard and Oliver Awin After visiting the crematorium, we then entered the main camp. The various buildings which were to be found in the camp - originally holding the prisoners - have been converted into an assortment of exhibitions in memory of the many who lost their lives in the Death Camps. Two of these 52 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:38 Page 53 October Geography Fieldcourse to South De von not found. Lunch in Weymouth was followed by a walk around Peverill Point to look at the cliffs and watch the tidal currents fighting it out at sea. At dusk we walked onto Ballard Down to view the slumbering Old Harry stacks, and stood astride promontories wondering about health and safety. Mr. Whiteley looked in wonder at the bobbing coloured navigation lights of Studland Bay, and no doubt wished he was aboard some Carribean schooner bound for Montego Bay, or Poole harbour at the very least. Mr. Whiteley and Mr. Irvine took a bus load of Upper Sixth pupils to South Devon and Dorset to study coastal landforms. The group stayed in a beautiful cottage in the landscaped gardens of Colehayes Park for the first two nights. We studied the sediment movements of Slapton Sands, and walked the headland around Start Bay to Start Point. destination was Abbotsbury and Chesil Beach, a magnificent storm beach that guards this section of the Dorset coast. The famous millennium pebble, a fiery red and diamond coloured stone, worth much gold, was looked for and The evening saw the end of tour dinner in the local Mandarin restaurant. On the final morning the group visited the heritage centre at Lulworth Cove, where presents were bought, and where a guide revealed the geological mysteries of cove development. The famous Durdle Door arch was visited and drawn, and then the short drive home, with bulging files, addled brains, and pleasant memories. Thanks to everyone for their excellent behaviour, and thanks to RIW for his work. The coastal scenery was very rugged and dramatic, and the pupils were able to see at first hand an array of textbook marine features, as well as learn how to draw a proper field sketch. Lannacombe Bay was dramatic, as a force eight gale drove huge storm waves across the beach and onto the raised rocky platform, where we all stood listening to an enthusiastic Mr. Whiteley. Halloween evening saw Robert Nolan dress convincingly as Dracula. The Chinese takeaway was genuinely convinced and awed by him, and sales went up, although Hannah had problems sleeping that night. On the third day the Epsomianmagazine 2006 53 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 54 16/5/07 16:38 Page 54 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:39 Page 55 55 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:39 Page 56 The Lake District 56 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:39 Page 57 57 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:39 Page 58 e r a B d i a L o z n o Alf an Interview with the non-naked Chef At the beginning of the term Katie and I bravely decided to ask the manager of the catering department if we could interview our chef, the much loved Alfonzo. Very kindly Mrs Spencer allowed us to ask him ourselves. However, when trying to look out for him, we couldn’t find the elusive Italian. After couple of weeks searching, I asked one of his colleagues where the main man was, to which he very truthfully replied that Alfonzo was dead, run over by a milk van. The story absolutely shocked me…until the next morning when I saw him keeping the lunch queue in order. Ciao Alfonzo for the 2nd time! So sorry for bothering you again, as the last interview didn’t record. But we finally worked out how to use the tape recorder and it’s always a pleasure to talk to you again. Don’t worry…always nice to get out of the smelly kitchen! When I went to the kitchen to find you for my interview, they said you were dead…is this true? (laughing) No…it’s not true…I’m still alive! Do you often do interviews? No…just for you! Do you like the food you cook for us? Yes Which is the best meal we have? (Grins) your favourite is Chicken Kiev and Lasagne… What languages do you speak? Italian is my mother language, also English, a bit of French, a bit of Portuguese and Spanish. Why did you move to England? Because I met my lovely wife. She is English and so she dragged me up here! It was 29 years ago, love. When was the first time you cooked a proper meal? OH centuries ago…it was…(long thoughts, scratching his head) in 1970, helping my brother in a restaurant for a wedding. We cooked on the basis of a special recipe. It was a long time ago… Wow…not a bad effort. What university did you go to? What do you cook at home? Does your family enjoy it? Never went to a university! I cook all Italian food at home. My kids love it. They appreciate the good food. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? 53 Oh you are so young! Do you live in College accommodation? Would you like to live in school accommodation or not? No I don’t, and to be honest wouldn’t like to live in one (very abruptly). How long have you been in school for? (Counts on fingers) It will be six years on the 10th of May. Do you have a family? Yes, I have a wife and two kids: a 28year-old boy, and a girl who is 18. My wife works for Direct Line, insurance. My son studied in York and is a journalist. My girl is going to Bristol University to study French and business management. That’s what I’m thinking of doing. What did you want to be when you were a kid, a pilot perhaps? That’s a hard question…I had no idea…a chef I suppose. What time do you get up to cook our breakfast or is it prepared a day before? The breakfast is prepared on the premises on the day. I wake up at 5.15 and it takes me between 15-20 minutes to reach the college. From 5.45am to 7.00am the breakfast is cooked. Where do you live? In Croydon. Nice area…(Alfonzo punches me) Ouch! Why did you choose to come to Epsom? Did you want to provide delicious gourmet food for the grateful wonderfully mannered students? (Shrugs) Well…it just happened…the job was available and I applied. Tell me about your manager. (Winks) My manager is a wonderful woman. She is a unique manager in the college and is just a special lady! Oh yeah I love both of those and waffles on Friday afternoons! Were you a good kid at school? How long do you plan to stay in Epsom for? What is you real name? Yes I was. I was educated back at home. I don’t know…I could be off next week! Did you start any food fights? Oh no we will truly miss you! NO! Never! The system is very different there to the English one. No one ever started a food fight, and everyone appreciated every bit of food they had. What would you do with kids who start food fights in our canteen if you had the authority? Alfonzo Don Antonio What is your background? I was born in Costa Mon Fitano, south of Naples. I’m the eighth kid in the family, four girls and four boys. My father used to be a green grocer and my mother…(taking off his glasses) she is still alive and she is 93. That’s it… 58 Well…I would just remove them from the canteen. However, I would love to punish them and not feed them for a day! Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:39 Page 59 Are most of our pupils polite? What newspaper do you read? Who would be your ideal date? Most of them yeah. I would say 95% are very mannered kids. I read newspapers in the evenings. My son brings it when coming back from work, so any really… You (this is when I got highly embarrassed and blushed as Katie pointed out!) (Thinks…winks) Yes, excluding one or two... And now several easy questions. Your wife, maybe…(still blushing!) Who is your favourite teacher? Hot. Sum yourself up in three words. Celine…Mrs Wimmill. She is lovely! Rain or snow? I hope I am a good father to my kids. Good husband to my wife… How long do you take grooming your wonderful moustache? Snow. …And a good chef? Lunch or dinner? I don’t know about that! (Laughs) Lunch. Boiled egg or fried egg? You definitely are as no one has been poisoned in our school yet! Boiled egg. …And they never will! Healthy or tasty? That’s it Alfonzo! Thank you very much. It’s very kind of you to find free minutes for us in your very busy cooking schedule! Are most of our staff polite? (Scratches his head) It doesn’t take that long, love, I don’t groom it at all! What did you think of RAH in general? We were disappointed not to see you on the stage! Were you? (Laughs) I thought it was brilliant. The performance by the kids was… …Good commitment? Cold or hot? Tasty. Yeah definitely…. Nigora Normatova and Katie Pavey Yes, it looked very professional. It was a very active day us with providing lunches for the students. We went there (Royal Albert Hall) quite early in the morning and we spent almost all day there…very hard work. Favourite cuisine? Apart from Italian, obviously. French. Sometimes I wouldn’t mind Chinese or sushi. Have you ever eaten in McDonalds? Never and don’t intend to either! Good for you! What were your worst/best days at school? Err…there are no particular days…I mean sometimes you get a bad day or good day, but I normally get a good day; always smiling as you know! Do you get angry when someone asks for an extra potato? (Laughs) No, of course I don’t! If you were the Head for a day, what would you do and why? (Scratches his chin) I would give a big party for all the kids on Wilson pitch! Free meal, free booze, free everything! Enjoy yourself! I like that idea…I’ll dare to propose that to the Head…I’m sure he will approve it! Epsomianmagazine 2006 59 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:39 Page 60 Lent Term 60 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:43 Page 61 61 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:44 Page 62 Charity Show 62 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:44 Page 63 63 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:44 Page 64 Ski Trip 2006 Serre Chevalier 1350 - Chantemerle This year’s senior ski trip was my fifth at Epsom College, and fittingly the resort Serre Chevalier 1350 was where my first ski trip had been in the M4 year (and where Mr Barakzai went in his M4 year – Ed.). We arrived at Gatwick Airport sleepy eyed and weary, but nevertheless excited for a week in the snow. The flight was uneventful as everyone was in need of a long snooze. Once landed at Lyon Airport we suffered the usual crush to collect, and in some cases find, skis, snowboards, boots, and bags etc along with the hundreds of tourists speaking a strangely familiar language. The coach journey was around 2 hours with most of us and me included speaking only to our ipods. The hotel was comfortable and well positioned in terms of both accessibility to the town and the ski lifts. The whole group was briefed by our team leader and then we were off to the slopes. The sensation of skiing at rapid speeds with great friends is always a pleasure and the day was great. Snow was beautiful and the off-piste as good as any school trip I can remember. The difference from the M4 trip was this time there was actually some snow! It was a credit to the group that the skiing and snowboarding was at a very high level considering the heavy Lent term everyone had endured. Everyone clearly wanted to improve and put maximum effort into every day and lesson. Kolapo in particular who had never previously seen snow before, never mind attempting to snowboard, progressed outstandingly and was soon tackling the tricky reds and the daunting Luc Alphand black piste right down to the resort. Others to mention were Mrs Keevil who was progressing impressively in the intermediate group, perhaps helped by her friendly chatter to the instructor who describe her as a “sweetie”. Our first casualty was ex-Head of School Charles Gray who fell badly on a set of rollers (for those unaware of this ski lingo “a series of deep and large bumps”). Chaz’s shoulder was strained very awkwardly and he was taped up in a sling for a couple of days. However he remained in high spirits and helped the group in any way he could, including carrying duty on several occasions. On the fifth day it snowed for the third time in a week, which made visibility very difficult in places and everyone felt a severe decrease in temperature. One of the great joys of skiing at Easter, along with cheaper 64 prices and fewer or most of the time no queues for lifts, is the ability to ski in a t-shirt - however on this day it was not an option. It was absolutely freezing, especially in the higher parts of the resort, and several members of the group claimed they had “frostbite”. The rewards of this weather weren’t felt until the afternoon where there was some great off-piste, especially on the tree runs. On our last day Phil and I were, with some persuading, racing on the steep red run just above the main lifts in giant slalom. This turned out to be a really good experience for both of us and by the end of the session we were recording some decent times with the help of our instructor. In the afternoon most groups were really pushing their limits, knowing that it was the last day and if an injury occurred it wouldn’t matter too much as they would have two weeks to recover before school. For the first time most members of the snowboarding group, tackled the black run at the bottom of the resort, and to their credit all managed to get to the end. In the advanced skiers group we basically did an afternoon of only off-piste and tree runs. It was such a laugh, especially with eleven fired up males all trying to show how masculine they were! As a result there were several high speed and Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:44 Page 65 bar whilst some of the group visited the next town where there were several live music acts. It was a great night with lots of banter and fun had by all. On behalf of everyone I would like to thank all the teachers - Mrs Keevil, Miss Morrow and Mr Barakzai - for sacrificing part of their holiday, and for being supportive and helpful the whole time. This was my fifth ski trip and was definitely my best. Long may the Senior Ski Trip continue! Justin Taylor Some quotes from the week… “You guys are such amateurs, you don’t even know the thumbmaster rule…!” “Madonna? I don’t listen to the 80s!” “I am NOT one person!” high impact crashes and Messrs Rawlings, Green, and Canby had more than their fair share. “Where do Arctic foxes come from?” The trip was brilliantly rounded off by a night of entertainment for all as there was a birthday party for one of the waitresses at the nearby Extreme Nut allergy sufferer with nut-free pudding – “Cheers guys, I’ll try some now you’ve all tucked in with your spoons…” “Aren’t you wearing your sling today?” “No, I’ve got a strap-on.” Epsom College New York Drama Tour MMVI (2006) Day I: Chapter 1: The Prelude by Henry Montgomery Charnock MA PHD My esteemed co-writer Dr Samuel Hubert Harley and I met the college staff who would accompany us and thirty other GCSE Drama students to New York: Father Clive ‘Captain Charisma’ Case; Paul ‘Da Man’ Henson; Miss World 2006 Mrs Jean Walker; and Kim ‘The Boss’ Chandley. We duly mounted the ‘Virgin’ transatlantic transportation device and low and behold, seven long hours later, stepped off the plane and onto a coach which took us around the undeveloped (by the superior England’s standards) hamlet of New York and then unto base camp: ‘The Hotel Wolcott.’ Barely having settled in to our quarters, we Epsomianmagazine 2006 65 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:44 Page 66 found ourselves on the move once more; this time, weaving and ducking our way around the labyrinth of doom that is the pathway up to the top of the Empire State building and inevitable enlightenment. The view from atop the eighty-nine story skyscraper was beyond description, so I won’t bother describing it, however I will say this, it is very high up! Later we braved the subway to see 'Wicked', a major musical spectacle, which kept even the most tired amongst us awake. Day II: Chapter 2: The Tundra by Dr Samuel Hubert Harley After a small unsound sea voyage we began to near Lady Liberty- the Statue that is. Instead of the heavens opening they unbuttoned their trousers and unleashed layer upon layer of dense, white snow. Once we returned to port it was time for Neil Day III: Chapter 3: The Circle Of Life by Henry Montgomery Charnock MA PHD The highlight of day III took place in ‘The New Dance Group Cultural Arts Centre’ where the dance Captain of 'The Lion King' took us for a ‘Step by Step’ dance class in which many of us made fantastic fools of ourselves before dividing into four groups of nine, each representing a different animal and integrating a different routine into what was to become our very own ‘Circle Of Life.’ Needless to say our rendition of the opening scene was certainly … different, but I think I can fairly say that it was better than the professional version. Simon’s ‘Barefoot in the park’ which was of a very high quality and even forced laughs out of the most solemn of us. However the highlight for me and the other English gentlemen in the auditorium had to be several of us entrancing some young American girls in the row in front, charming the wits off them with our alluring English accents. Following this unmissable experience, we took a break in the Hersheys store where many more innocent American girls fell victim to the ‘H.Charnock and C.West “Hello Poppet” English accent seducing techniques. 66 After depositing our bought items at our hotel, we slipped into something more comfortable, this being suits and bow ties for myself and Master Charnock. Arriving at the New Amsterdam Theatre we sat down in the designated seats and crunched our legs into the little leg room obtainable, often fighting for breathing space; but ‘The Lion King,’ unlike the seating arrangements, was as per usual extravagant and stunning. The evening’s entertainment for day III consisted of squeezing into Studio 54 for Brecht's ‘The Threepenny Opera,’ and sure enough, knees cut and pressed up against the seat in front, we watched Alan Cumming put on an award-worthy performance as Mac ‘The Knife’ alongside a man playing a transsexual version of Lucy Brown, whom Samuel is convinced works in Macy’s behind the Estee Lauder makeup counter. Day IV: Chapter 4: Lost by Dr Samuel Hubert Harley Day IV started with a design workshop that aimed for us to work with puppetry and explore the techniques used by Julie Taymor in 'The Lion King'. We made our own depictions of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag using puppetry and explained our costume and set designs to the Stage Manager of the show, before an insightful question and answer session with him. Several of us climbed upon each other's shoulders to re-create the beanstalk and giant. However, Henry’s group performed the long forgotten ‘no, don’t take my duck’ scene in Russian accents. After the workshop it was time for shopping at Macy’s and I hand over to Mr. Charnock to account the events forthwith.... We stared at the behemoth of a department store. It was like some sort of demon store, a temptress of a seven-floor shopping extravaganza, baiting customers and victims alike with talk of it being 'the largest and greatest store in the world'. Alas, for the first hour, we believed the fairy tale but steadily grew weary wandering around in vain in pursuit of manly shopping, ever more lost in floors devoted to women's wear. We battled through the crowds, fiends to the left of us, more of Macy’s demons to the right, and reached the steaming escalators where we made our ascent to the only part of Macy’s that showed any sign of hope. We called that place ‘Esperanto’ but everyone else called it the top floor. Oh, the relief of 'cushiony' goodness as we sampled the delights of the sofas for nearly an hour before taking the enchanted elevator back to the world below. The evening boasted entertainment of ‘The Colour Purple’, which some loved, though quote of the night went to Mr. Henson, referring to the musical as ‘Schindler’s list on ice’. The meal afterwards was probably the most lively burger I have ever eaten. You see, this diner was no ordinary diner where you could order ‘death by chocolate.’ Just before our meal, the waiter serving drinks put down his tray and to our surprise, grabbed a mic and burst into song. Of course, being English, when one waiter shouted ‘we’ve got England in the house’ the entire balcony screamed louder than a rabble of Liverpool fans at an Everton away match before a rendition of ‘Easy…Easy…Easy’ rang across the restaurant, much to the horror of many of the locals eating nearby. The laughter was tainted with woe for us, however, as we knew that this was to be our last night in the 'Big Apple'. Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:44 Page 67 Day V: Chapter 5: La Ultima Hora by Henry Montgomery Charnock MA PHD Overcome with emotion flowing from this so-called 'art' we were not. The final day was one to remember; it was a day full of sorrow, joy and, of course, the ancient Japanese art of karaoke. The day started as per usual with a spot of greed in the Deli, but we would soon regret that final bite of ‘Two eggs and bacon with cheese on a roll’ as upon our return to base camp, we saw a most fateful sight: the hotel lift doors closing in the distance... Barely inches from the warm insides of the elevator, the doors crashed closed and once again we were forced to trudge up the ten flights to our room where we packed for the return flight that evening. Moving on, the group split into lads and ladesses, the girls drawing the short straw and going for a two hour makeup demo (whatever a makeup demo is) in the infamous Bloomingdales, while the boys marched off in the direction of Central Park. The walk turned out to be a fine choice, as through the rain we strolled across New York’s green and pleasant land, singing in chorus a number of patriotic classics including ‘I Vow To Thee My Country,’ ‘Rule Britannia’ and of course, a quick blast of ‘It’s Raining Men.’ Having had some fun doing and watching auditions at our final workshop, it was time for a spot of modern art. The group travelled across the New York streets once again through the rain and we arrived at the infamous Guggenheim Museum, many of our company with long faces already. However, I for one walked in with an open mind, that is, until I found that they only had two and a half men’s toilets in the whole building whereas they seemed to have an overwhelming and never ending maze of ‘Little Girls’ Rooms.’ At this point though, it should be noted that toilet facilities are not the only reason we had come. Modern art may not be to everyone's taste but I now shudder at the sheer mention of the word ‘Guggenheim'. The reason for that shall from this day forth be known as ‘The Pole Room’, in which some supposed 'artiste' had erected eight or so sticks, each with a dent in a different place. We all returned to New Amsterdam Theatre, where the stage manager and selected cast members gave us a personal backstage tour of the The Lion King. For many this was the highlight of the trip, as we learned how everything worked, seeing the masks and puppetry up close, and every now and then breaking out into song on the stage where our group photo was taken. It was the perfect way to end the trip, which really emphasizes how annoying it is that teleportation hasn’t been invented yet, forcing us to officially end the trip with a six-hour plane journey! Nevertheless, going backstage behind The Lion King was the perfect way to end the real trip and both Dr Samuel H. Harley and I would like to thank the staff for taking us on what will surely come to be known as the best school trip of all time. So it was written, so it came to pass, quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore’… 67 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:44 Page 68 Staff Charity Show 68 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:45 Page 69 69 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:45 Page 70 r u o T f l o G r e t s a E Our season began with six boys and four girls enjoying a golf tour to Devon over Easter. Space was at a premium as the bus and Mrs Irvine’s small Toyota were packed with the paraphernalia that today’s seasoned pro tour golfers require: sunblock, towels, and shades. Suitcases and sandwiches were squeezed in as an after-thought. Then we realised that Jimmy needed picking up on the A3. And his golf bag. And his golf trolley. Crikey! There was one moment on the M3, as lashing rain pummelled the windscreen, when everyone thought the same thought. Why on earth had they agreed to spend the first week of a much needed holiday on golf tour in March with the Irvines? The forecast for the day was horrendous; the week was hardly any better. However, things settled down. Jimmy seemed happy reading his golf monthly and men’s daily. The girls chatted idly, Gareth played pranks, Matthew and Ollie got their waterproofs organised, and I planned a visit to the Nigel Mansell go-cart racing track. By the time Exeter service station was reached, however, the skies had cleared, but not before Teignmouth golf club had called to cancel, on the grounds of severe storms; that’s dynamic health and safety in action for you. Happily, Budleigh Salterton agreed to host us at short notice (thank you Nokia), and we had a windy round on this jewel of a course; a well manicured sandstone cliff-top links to compliment Gareth’s well honed and flawless near par round. Alice and Simon both scored 36 points, a standard that both players maintained throughout the tour, despite the difficulties posed by new courses in difficult conditions. The hotel at Langstone Cliff, Dawlish Warren, was splendid, complete with health suite and sauna, swimming pools (indoor and out), a snooker 70 room, and plasma screens in Gareth’s room. The group seemed to enjoy disassembling their room furniture for no apparent reason. The carvery dinners and breakfasts were tasty and plentiful; the staff friendly and helpful. Alex Hughes was late for everything, so much to do and get ready for. Tuesday saw lively competitions both morning and afternoons at Dawlish Warren, a genuine links course and nature reserve all in one. The Warren course is set out on a sand spit that reaches eastwards out across the broad estuary of the River Exe. It is flanked by sand dunes to the south and salt marsh to the north, the fairways lined with gorse. The resulting winds and course layout demanded accurate golf. The Mortimers were on fire, with Helena and Madeleine recording gross scores of 94 and 98 respectively. Alice played very well with me to win the afternoon foursomes, despite Jimmy’s attentions. Evenings always started with a hot soak and brush up, then dinner and prize giving, and one of Mr. Irvine’s witty, anecdotal and (endless) speeches that often drew applause from the long suffering waitresses at least. Then the players invaded Gareth’s room and the sanctuary of the late night movie (I think golf channel, more likely). On Wednesday we were back at Budleigh for two rounds. Mr. and Mrs. I. won the morning stapleford, and the afternoon match was shared between Gareth and Ollie. 50 members waited and watched us drive off the first. Mine was long and straight (for a change), and a member heckled me; “y’ere you should spend more time in the classroom mate”. Everyone laughed their west country laughs. “All part of the job I think you’ll find. Don’t tell the headmaster”, I retorted as smugly as I could, lucky bunny! Thursday saw us depart the Langstone Cliff Hotel after a late and leisurely breakfast and packing. Even the girls had abandoned the healthy option of fruit and croissant for the fatty fry-up. Some things never change. I was both astonished and delighted that there were seemingly no extras to pay on their room bills (those late night nibbles and dial-amovies). However, Jimmy quietly explained to me that hard cash had probably been used for such late night necessities; I’m so gullible sometimes. This was a key day for Peto and Hughes, both of whom had remained awardless in all competitions. Burnham and Berrow, a top championships links course on the north Somerset coast, provided our venue for the day en route home via the M5. A great day, complete with a seafront café lunch, and an incredible deluge over the last few holes. Alice loved it of course, and kept everyone’s spirits lifted with her infectious good cheer. Ollie won the individual narrowly from Gareth and Matt Chasey, and Alex won the girls’ stapleford with 47 points! Helena won the longest drive and Mr I. won the nearest the pin, both players under pressure from Gareth. The final prize-giving took place in the Wimpy Bar on the M5, and the group were clearly happy and elated to be going home. The celebrations, presentations, and speeches drew astonished stares from snacking motorists, who stopped talking to listen and watch in wonder; if only their school days had been like Epsom’s. It poured all the way home and Mr. Irvine used loud rock music to stay awake, sorry guys. It was a great tour; The group was fantastic; Let’s go abroad next time? Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:45 Page 71 House Chess Report – 2006 The competition this year was again completed within the space of the Lent Term. All twelve houses took part, eight of them playing in a preliminary round, while last year’s semi-finalists gained a bye into the first round proper. Individuals of varying ages took part, in teams of four, and the participants enjoyed a stimulating intellectual exercise. In the semi-finals, Fayrer defeated Holman and Raven beat Forest. In the well-matched and closely fought final, Fayrer were awarded the trophy for the second successive year, beating Raven by 2 - 1. My congratulations go to all who took part, especially to Raven, the first team from a girls’ house to reach the final, and to Fayrer, the eventual winners. Mr.B.J.Ainge U6th Spanish Day Trip to Barcelona Sophie Fisher, Stef Morely, Jess Rinland, Theo Taylor, Charlotte Wilson and I) gathered around our minibus under the cover of darkness, the most difficult part of the trip having been completed – not getting up so early, but getting Theo (pronounced Tay-oh, usually in an exasperated tone) to remember to hand in his cheque. The EasyJet flight was pleasant Some people may consider it excessive to take a day trip to Barcelona, or maybe even question whether it is possible; those people have obviously never met the powerhouses of imagination and organisation that are Miss Creevey and Mrs Harrop. So at 5a.m. on Tuesday 14th March the eight of us (Laura Cooper, Judith Coster, enough, as was the bus ride into the centre of the city, though most of us were still asleep at this point. The first major memorable moment of the trip was breakfast. We insisted on finding a café that served churros (similar to little doughnuts, served with a sort of very thick hot chocolate), and although we did achieve this eventually, we were most disappointed with the cold, wilted doughy creations that we were presented with. We were also surprised that people were so blatantly disregarding the new smoking ban that we keep reading so much about in our lessons. Stereotypical Europeans. Epsomianmagazine 2006 71 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 about an hour of abject humiliation we were told it was time to go to the Dali Museum. Unfortunately, on arrival at the Museum, Miss Creevey decided that it was simply too expensive to bother with, much to the dismay of the group. So we decided that it was necessary to take full advantage of the fantastic weather and headed for the seaside. Next came some free time. We had two hours to eat and shop. After some utterly sub-standard paella we embarked on an exploratory mission through the backstreets of Barcelona to distribute our Euros. At this point I felt rather sorry for Theo, as the only boy in the group; although I have it on his authority that his expert bargaining skills got him a very good deal on some football shirts. An agreeable wander down ‘Las Ramblas’ followed. If you have never been to Barcelona before, I will try to paint a picture for you. This is the main thoroughfare in the city and has a broad pedestrian area in the centre of it. Lovely, you might say. You would be wrong. About every hundred yards one come across one of those unusual specimens who thinks dressing up as a statue and standing around scaring tourists is a respectable way to earn money. Then there were the pet stalls – dozens of them. Cute fluffy little bunny rabbits incarcerated in steel cages of oppression. A number of these stalls exhibited tanks of baby turtles – something I thought was illegal; one advertised ‘Baby Emus’ – not your usual street fare. 16:45 Page 72 Our flight was at 10p.m. and we arrived at the airport with plenty of time to waste the last of our Euros before collapsing on the plane. Our minibus was waiting for us at the airport to chauffeur us back to school for midnight. All in all it was a highly successful and entertaining (if not tiring) day. ‘Muchas gracias’ to our patient teachers without whom I would still think it extreme to go to Spain and back in one day. Lizzy Szanto The afternoon mainly consisted of a metro ride slightly out of the city to the “Park Güell” to see some of Gaudi’s work. This was beautiful and well worth the walk up a hill so steep that half way up the road turned into an escalator. After recovering in a café overlooking the city, and having been suitably filled with culture we headed back to the centre to take in a little bit more of the retail experiences that Barcelona had to offer (this was a marathon, not a sprint). But back to the purpose of the trip. We were not there simply to buy emus and enjoy the sunshine, scenery and shopping – we had to interview Spaniards on our Oral topics. This was the portion of the day that most of us had been dreading, and with good reason. The considerable majority of people just ignored us or laughed at us. The occasional old woman would take pity on us and answer our questions, but unfortunately once you got them started it was very hard to get them to stop. After 72 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:45 Page 73 y le d an h C s is M h it w w ie rv te In that was possibly the worst moment of my entire existence. I mean I’ve never given birth, but they tell me that the pain you have fades with memory and I can honestly say that that’s true of my near birth experience. Do you have any gossip from back stage? Not gossip so much, but some very funny moments. Any last minute hiccups that remain untold? Did you find that you had a lot of free time after RAH? Yes, two, but I think that they should stay that way! No. Immediately after the RAH show we came back on the Monday and we had five GCSE drama productions to get through. Then in the lent term we had nine externally moderated exams, so the pressure was definitely on. Ordinary life went back to being frenzied and hardworking, which it always was before. But was it a relief to not be rehearsing – yeah, AMAZING! Did you enjoy the experience or did it become a burden? What were your favourite parts of the production? The rehearsals: that’s always my favourite part of a production. I love the building up of relationships between the cast and the funny things that happen that are completely unexpected! The night was a complete blur, I could tell my favourite bit on the DVD, but I wasn ’t watching it from an audience perspective on the night. I loved the experience. I know the words like honoured and privileged are very clichéd but they are very genuine for me. I think the whole process for me was an enormous challenge, not so much a directing challenge as a writing challenge – I mean I knew nothing about this school and now I don’t want to leave it because I feel that I know the history of it and that’s fabulous! I remember those first few meetings with Mr Scadding. He would say, “What do you want to know?” and I would say, “What is there to know?”. I basically had to find out about the archives of the college. All of that research took a year before we even started planning the show. I loved it, especially what it did for people. There were some very ‘nonactors’ and some very ‘non-dancers’ who beforehand would never have dreamed of going anywhere near a stage. Equally, there were some very ‘non- backstage’ people and when you look at what they managed to do as a team, as well as individuals, it’s unbelievable! Of course I take enormous enjoyment from it. Although you may not enjoy it at the time because of the enormous burden of wanting to get it right, it’s a daily kind of ‘make yourself sick’ thing and I had that for every day of the two year process. So, yeah a burden – absolutely, enjoyable burden. What was the biggest disaster of the whole show? We didn’t have a disaster. I think the main issues were over getting people to rehearsals, room bookings, clashes and management issues. The main problem was pupils' time management and reliability. I don’t even think these people were new to the college or to drama - and they obviously haven’t changed either, being a little political! But disaster in terms of the show – no, but it could have been! Especially as, due to technical issues, we never had a dress rehearsal in the Royal Albert hall. The sound however found it very difficult to do what was a very professional show: that was a disaster What was the least enjoyable part of the production and the organisation? Let me answer that in two parts. The least enjoyable part of the organisation was the daily two to three hour administration that had to be done everyday to ensure that I had chased children who had not turned up for dance, drama and music rehearsals, and also to get the right rooms. The least enjoyable part of the production was without doubt the afternoon at the Royal Albert Hall before the show. Having ‘eleven-tyseven’ different men screaming down the radio at me, wanting to use the very limited time to have an extended technical run through when we should have been having a dress rehearsal – Epsomianmagazine 2006 73 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 but no one would think of it that way because the students themselves were so unbelievable, as were the staff backstage. They turned it into what Epsom College does best – they shone. students that I taught, so I brought it along as an honorary director's cap, but didn’t wear it. What were your thoughts on the moustache incident? Be true to yourself, be honest, learn more patience than I was able to, push yourself so that you are artistically achieving the standards that you want to. I think that within a school situation where time and energy are so spread, this can cause you individual stress and pressure, as it did me, but if you want to inspire other people you have to set your standards high. To anybody who wants to perform or direct you have to love the people you’re working with. I know I’m like a luvvie and a thespian. I genuinely adore working with teenagers, because I’ve got a real passion for drama - so have those qualities or don’t bother. So glad it happened! If I had had the creative foresight to make that happen, I would have done. I think it’s lovely. I so respect Ally, especially because he was the one on whom it started and he battled on. When you watch that DVD I’m so glad it wasn’t edited out. He still really keeps going and I think the audience want him to. When Mr Zeleski hops in and just whips it off in the end... I think to have recovered from that, however old you are, to have something potentially quite devastating like that go wrong, and just take it off... he held the audience in his hands. You could have heard a pin drop! I wonder how many professional theatre actors there are who might have just corpsed, whereas he delivered the performance of a lifetime. So YAY to the moustaches. You have a stunning array of hats. Which is your favourite and why? Oh no, I don’t have favourite hats! There is a hat of the moment. It’s lilac with fluffy edging. There is a proper name for the pouffy fluffy stuff at the edge, but you’d have to ask Mrs Davis for that. I just adore that particular hat. But I’m getting into scarves now with fluffy pom-pommy bits. It’s all about comfort and yumminess. I don’t know, I’ve worn hats since a little girl out in Africa. I’ve always loved hatwear. I think it’s because I have flat, thin rather uninspiring hair and if you have a greasy hair day then what better way than to cover up with a hat? Though what that has to do with the Royal Albert Hall, I don’t know! Which hat did you wear at the Royal Albert Hall? I wore two hats at the Royal Albert Hall. I had a little black cap which I wore as a work hat in my all blacks for the day, which gave me a feeling of just getting down to it. That’s what that cap does. Any drama students I teach will recognise that cap well. And then I had a little director's cap and I didn’t wear it. I took it with me, I was given it when I was at Caterham when I was teaching there, by a group of 74 What advice would you give to an aspiring actor or director? What was your favourite subject at school? English: initially music as I wanted to be a music teacher when I was eleven, but by the time I was a teenager I was an avid reader. I couldn’t get enough of English. I pursued it as a degree, although I was always involved in drama productions as an actor and then latterly as a director. I trained in English and Drama at teacher training level but my degree is in English and it has been my great passion. Did you ever want to be anything other than a drama teacher? Well I’m not just a drama teacher. I know I don’t teach much English here but I am an English and Drama teacher. I had a real vocation – I know that’s an old fashioned term now but I mean I still do – I fly the flag for teaching. Do you have any other productions in the pipeline? Shrek and Shrek 2! -the house play which I would encourage the entire school to get ready for. There isn’t a boy in our house who isn’t fully involved on and off stage. And already just doing the auditions with these lads is hysterical, but nevertheless a huge creative challenge. Shrek is taking over my life with those young Holman boys! 16:45 Page 74 What are your thoughts on the new Drama centre? What Drama centre?! I think its supposed to be called a Performing Arts centre and if we were ever do get it then fabulous! What I am excited about is the first phase of the work, which is going ahead as far as I know, which is a second drama studio. In fact I got an email this morning saying that the Clerk of works and the Architects are just checking the foundations, so it does sound like it is going to happen. For us as an academic drama department, to have two fabulously equipped drama studios will be a real luxury! If the theatre ever happens then that is wonderful, but I never came here under the promise of a theatre and it wouldn’t be the reason why I would stay. In this economic climate I know that it is really difficult to find the money to build. I know that we’ve got the vision and I know that we have the will power, but until I actually see it up there I really can’t comment. If you had a free choice – what play would you do in school? Sweeney Todd, The Barber of Seville, which is a melodrama. However, melodrama isn’t for everyone. It's quite dark and brooding. The music of it is so stirring and passionate. A play that I would really like to do is John Osbourne’s ‘Look back in Anger’, or a Cheko- maybe the ‘Cherry Orchard’. I’ve really not done very much naturalistic theatre for the last about eight years and I’d love to dip my finger back into it. Would you ever do the RAH again? Wait for the next 150 years and hopefully I won’t be around! No I don’t think so. It was a one off, a once in a lifetime for all of us that were involved. I’m glad to have done it, I don’t regret a minute of doing it and I’m absolutely grateful that I never have to have those moments back. Just cherish them as memories now... Georgina Morris and Sarah Shephard Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:45 Page 75 Tall Ships Part 1 I had absolutely no idea what to expect from the Tall Ships experience. That made me quite nervous, as I had no idea what the people would be like, what the conditions were etc. We were also in such confined and isolated conditions. Little did I now that this worry was very unnecessary as I was about to find out what the experience was really like. I arrived in Newcastle on a very clear sunny day. On my plane journey up to Newcastle I had managed to sit next to a Royal Marine who was telling me that some of the worst sea conditions he had been in had taken place in the North Sea. This did me absolutely no favours, as that was were I was heading. I was even more scared now than I previously was. As my taxi pulled up to the dock of Newcastle upon Tyne, the “Prince William” became very clear. It had 2 very distinctive, very high masts with all the different national flags upon it. I said to the taxi driver “there is no way they are getting me up there”; he laughed and said “If you do fall, aim for the water”. So I got my bag and walked across the gangway onto the deck of Prince William, having no idea of what was to come of the week ahead of me out at sea. I was met by a 6ft 6 giant glaswegian called John. There are not many people that make me feel small but I was fairly intimidated as he was a big guy. So still wondering what I had let myself in for I found my watch leader Ian. He was a great guy. He showed me my hammock and quarters and how to get around the massive boat which at this time felt like a maze to me. Then more people started to filter in. The one thing I did notice immediately was all the different accents apparent. People had come from all around the country and some even the world to travel on the tall ship. There was also, such a different mix of personalities, such as Jack who would tell me about his dads new yacht were as Lee would go on about how many different ways you can make a vodka redbull. However I was determined not to tell anyone my social background and let them take me as I was. This is the best way I think to approach the Tall Ships experience. You want to make friends and get on with people from all different types of backgrounds and you don’t want them to judge on were you’re from or how much money you have. I think this led me to becoming friends with both social groups of the ship. The first night we had shore leave and we were allowed to go out into the lively Town of Newcastle. This made us a close unit very quickly as we got to know each other better. We had a very boozy night which I new I would regret when we got out to sea the next day. The next day we were training and this was the day I went up the mast for the very first time. Absolutely petrified I went up, and then clambered across the mast. Then we set sail out of the docks. Hundreds of people lined the streets to say goodbye to the Tall ship as it is a big event in Newcastle. It was one of the best feelings, to be gliding across the sea in such a grand boat at such a height with nothing in our way. Then it finally dawned on me that I was heading out into the open sea. The weather was perfect. Well perfect for the crew but not for sailing. There was hot sun and no wind and we were cruising nicely down the North Sea. It was amazing at night and during the day. There was always something going on, but there was also time to relax and just enjoy sailing along. Then on the 4th night out at sea I saw a fork of lighting on look out. Then all of a sudden there was a massive gust of wind and the sails boomed out dramatically. We were heading straight for it. We were then all of a sudden racing along with the waves crashing over the sides. Epsomianmagazine 2006 The next morning the sun was out and we were coming into port for the first time in the week. I did not get sea sick at all when I was upon the boat but I felt terrible as soon as I got of it. Everyone was swaying around. So I and the rest of the group did the best thing to cure this problem. We headed for the pub. We had a great night in the little French town of “Dieppe”. It was a great little place but the people I was with made it better. The next day the streets of Dieppe were lined with hundreds of the French waving of the magnificent ship. Then we were back on the water carrying out our usual tasks of climbing the masts and pulling in the lines. We had set sail once again. I think one of the most amazing times on the ships was the 12pm to 4am watch. I walked out of the hatch into the pitch black of night with the sound of the waves crashing against the side of the boat. You would take turns steering the ship and keeping a look out for small boats not shown up on radar. However my favourite activity at night was to lye out on the decking of the bridge and look at the stars. Now I know this sounds a bit cheesy but you will never see as many stars as you will when you’re out at sea. There are thousands. You even see clearly, shooting stars racing across the black sky. Then on the 8th day of the voyage we came into Cherbourg. I was quite sad to be honest. To live on a boat 24 / 7 with people creates a unique bond. Especially on something like tall ships as you rely on strangers to help you. However everyone is in the same situation and that’s what you need to remember. I made friends with so many people on that boat in a very small amount of time. The Tall ships experience from Newcastle to the South coast of France was defiantly one of the best weeks of my life. It gives you such a sense of responsibility and independence. I think anyone who believes that they can not do something like this, should defiantly do it because it gives you the most uplifting feeling of pride and respect when you finish. 75 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:45 Page 76 Drama 76 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:45 Page 77 77 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:45 Page 78 Sport 1st XI Hockey P8 W1 D0 L7 Epsom vs Whitgift Epsom vs Sutton Valance Epsom vs Trinity Epsom vs Tonbridge Eton vs Epsom Reeds vs Epsom Epsom vs Charterhouse Cranleigh vs Epsom Lost Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost 1-4 2-5 3-1 0-1 0-2 2-3 1-2 2-8 The first team can best be described as “rugby players with hockey sticks” with a vast majority of the side fresh from representing the college rugby teams at 1st’s or 2nd’s. The squad had inherited a team of colts who, in the previous hockey season, had drawn one game and lost the rest. This seemed ominous, but with the “banter” flowing it would definitely be an extremely entertaining season. The circuit that we play on has always been a particularly challenging one, but we always felt that with our more physical approach, we would be able to “ruffle some feathers” and stop sides playing the way they intended. Although we only won the solitary game against Trinity, some excellent hockey was played throughout the season, namely against Reeds where we went down fighting 3-2 and Tonbridge where we lost 1-0, although, having the ball for the whole of the second half. These close results seemed to be a feature of our season as scoring goals always seemed to be harder than letting them in. The level of determination and effort put in was maintained right until the last game when we came up against an extremely talented Cranleigh side. Unfortunately, it seemed that the team without our main playmaker wilted in the sun in that game. Luke Trayfoot seemed to make the “keeper” position his own, and although we lost a fair few games, he managed to produce the form that saw him earn his colts colours, right 78 through the season. Having Luke storming towards you at the best of times is nerve-wracking enough, but covered in padding, you have to feel for the attackers that have been on the wrong side of him over the season. The defensive line consisted of Steve Munford. Stevie had a knack of making timely tackles and interceptions when he was often the last line of defence. He did give the side one “heart in the mouth” moment by slipping over as he prepared to clear the ball, but he was very deserving of the Crosbie trophy for the most improved first side player. He may not have been the most skilful centre-back, but he is one of the most determined I have come across. I am sure Steve will play an integral part in the team next year. At sweeper, David Marsh had an…interesting season. Against Sutton Valance, perhaps he took the bet that we would lose 8-0 a little too literally by gifting them two goals. But he is a very solid hockey player who improved as the season went on. His reading of the game is second to none and although his pace is not blistering, his ability to tackle even the most skilful of players more than made up for it. Will ‘Chinese’ Ma was our left back with much complaining that he was better on the right. However, he has mastered the ‘flat stick’ tackle and you could never doubt wills desire to get forward and help the attack in any way possible. David Furze was our right back, and it seemed he could lose the plot at the flick of a switch. But as long as he can keep his temper in check, I’m sure he will play a large part in next year’s first team. James “Weasel” Bryant played the Makalele role with me in midfield. Using his ‘different’ stick skills, when we were losing he would often make the executive decision to play himself upfront. Having played hockey since before he joined Epsom, he was often a voice of encouragement and advice on and off the pitch, and no one will forget his exuberant celebrations. At the end of the season he was duly awarded his major colours for his contribution over the last two years. Laurence Beatt often played wide right for us through the season. His fitness carried him through each game and he got better as the games went on. He definitely finds attacking a lot easier than the concept of defending but he allowed us to attack at pace and with width. Myron Wong occupied the left midfield slot and as the most natural of hockey players, he inevitably did the basics very well and thus he turned out to be a strong member of the team. It is now clear that Myron does have a shot on him, after he stunned the fans in training with a thunderbolt from the top of the ‘D’! Andy Ventris played a mixture of attacking midfield and striker. He definitely brings a more aggressive aspect to the game with his ‘come on boys, lets get physical’ approach. He worked hard through the season, and ran a lot more than I think he thought he was going to have to. However Andy’s comment of ‘I haven’t done an air shot for four years’ was slightly premature as four were to follow in quick succession! He must get credit however for being the only striker to score a goal! Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:46 Page 79 have had the honour of coaching at Epsom. Without his energy, skill and sheer determination to win we would have been beaten by far more goals than we were. He has been a real pleasure to coach and a credit to Epsom College hockey club. He was awarded his major colours. (Mr Head) Joe Li and Chris Keeling shared the other strikers’ spot between them. It was a hard season for both players as they both rely on being able to have clean strikes at goal with space to run. Having said that, they both worked tirelessly for the team, and perhaps the Li Boy drag flick will be put to good use next season. Next to the vice-captain Fergus Flanagan, his inability to defend and desire to just run with the ball culminated in a position being created just for him. Fergus ‘Free Role’ Flanagan was born. This gave him license to run wherever and whenever but he had to cause the opposition problems. On numerous occasions he produced the magic that had seen him represent the firsts for three consecutive years, but he did miss one absolute sitter: when the keeper was down injured, he proceeded to miss the goal. We lost 10…. None the less, Fergus has contributed a considerable amount to the college’s hockey over the last five years and his quality was sorely missed in the last couple of games. At the end of the season, he too was fittingly awarded his major colours. Finally, the Captain Gareth Needham. I have never met such an admirer of the game at schoolboy level. For two terms, Gareth as well as the normal 1st side training in the Lent Term, Gareth attended every possible hockey club activity session that existed. As captain he always lead from the front and inspired his team mates. He was an athlete with a big engine and probably one of the best defensive tacklers I The season ended with the annual first side dinner, where Fergus firstly managed to spill his drink over Mr Head’s lap at the start of the evening, and then burn Mr Head’s hand with hot curry at the end. This dinner was enjoyed by all with speeches made by captains and coaches. Luke’s ‘free style’ will never be forgotten. The annual OE match was a great way to round the season off, and, surprise surprise, JB and Ferg were late. The game ended 5-5. Lastly, a massive thank you must be said to the coach Mr Head. With the imminent new arrival to the Head family, doubts were cast over the possibility of pre-season, but on the cold Thursday before term, there he was, ready and waiting with his infamous tracksuit bottoms. Without his dedication and knowledge of the game, we would have looked completely out of place this season, but through him, each and every player that has come under his guidance has left a much better player. Every time we looked out of sorts, he had the answers that turned each game into a thrilling contest. Finally, I would like to wish him, and next year’s side, the best of luck for the 2007 season, and hopefully they will come out with a better set of results. Gareth Needham 2ND XI Hockey P8 W2 D1 L5 This was not, it must be said first of all, a vintage season by any stretch of the imagination! However, I cannot fault the effort and enthusiasm of the boys, but they would be the first to admit that we were simply outgunned both physically and skill-wise too often. The term began well with a hard-fought draw at Whitgift (3-3) this after being 2-0 down within 15 minutes, back to 3-2 up with 5 Epsomianmagazine 2006 minutes to go and then, having let in an equaliser with minutes to go, foiled by an outstanding save in the last minute of the match. Following this game, we lost our strike force plus sweeper to the 1st XI, and rather struggled after that! A good win over Sutton Vallence was followed by a scrappy defeat to Trinity in an illtempered game, before we beat Tonbridge on the Saturday of Half Term. Post Half Term was a disaster: four defeats out of four matches, and 79 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag a particularly heavy one against a very powerful and skillful Eton side! The other defeats were against Reeds, Charterhouse and Cranleigh. As noted above, it would be hard to criticise the team too much as they all worked hard in training, but there was a lack of pace and athleticism that caught us out against the stronger teams. Luke Trayfoot and Eric Lindberg 16/5/07 shared the goalkeeping duties once again, and neither let the team down. The defence was reasonably solid and worked hard, while in midfield Osborne and Canby (when fit) really held the team together. Up front we struggled to score enough goals, or create enough chances to really put pressure on the opposition. 16:46 Page 80 and worked so hard, even when the results turned against us, and of course to Mr Head who coached throughout the term following the sad loss of Mr Laing. My final thanks to Jonathan Permanand for undertaking the 'dobi wallah' duties so cheerfully and efficiently! Mr P.J.Williams My thanks to all the boys who played 3RD XI Hockey P7 W1 D1 L5 F8 A17 Team: Adcock; Bowman; Boyd; Ching; Farley(1); Ghim; Gunasekera; Jones(Capt.)(4); Lever(1); Munford(1); Taylorson; Wills. Also played: Canby(1); Carpenter; Dyer; Hempstead; White; Woodall. No. of goals scored is in brackets. This has been a disappointing season, with little success to report. The teams that we regularly play against seem to be growing in strength and, with larger numbers to choose from in many cases, the standard of play at this level is improving year by year. The 3rd XI was a good team, with several players from last year’s successful side, and there were few problems caused by injuries, but the 80 team found it difficult to score goals and were always on the defensive. All of the individuals named above showed good individual skills and the stability of the side led to good team effort and spirit. The first match of the season promised good things to come with a 7-0 win over Whitgift, but other opposition teams were much stronger and quicker and consistently put the team under pressure. Only against Reed’s were we able to match the opposition and gain a draw. The weather caused no problems with the availability of the two astros, but other 3rd XIs that we played all seemed to have more time for practice on an astro surface on a regular basis. This inevitably gave them an advantage of familiarity and team cohesion. Although the results may not have been all we would have hoped for, I believe that everyone on the squad has enjoyed being part of the side, both in practices and in matches. I thank all those who have played and given so much of their time and effort, especially Alex Jones, captain for the second season and scorer of half of the team’s goals, and also APT for his support and encouragement. Mr B.J.Ainge Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:46 Page 81 Colts ‘A’ Hockey In hockey, unlike its lesser brethren soccer, it is considerably harder not to concede goals and there is a greater emphasis on the need to score highly in order to win games. Never was this seen better than with this past season with the Colts A team. I always reckon that if you can score three goals you shouldn’t lose a game, but anything less and you are unlikely to win. That we only achieved 3 goals in two matches, and they were our only victories, reinforces this belief. Likewise, half the matches saw us only score one goal and three of these were draws, meaning goals equals wins! But enough of the statistics as they tell only half the story. At times this term, the team produced quite exhilarating moments of hockey. Breathtakingly quick up front and in midfield, defence turned into attack in the blink of an eye. By half term, when the team were at their fittest, there was not an outfield player in the squad that could be considered a liability pace-wise. In goal, Jamie Allum quickly established himself as the Number One after his injury last year. Whilst prone to the odd aberration, he nonetheless offered a solidity that gave comfort to his defenders. With greater mobility he could become a very good goalkeeper. Matthew Goodyear and Jamie Gillespie fulfilled the unglamorous manmarking roles to good effect. Matthew’s tenacity and fitness made life difficult for all but the very best defenders. With the development of a strike rather than push pass, his distribution would and really must improve. Jamie was perhaps the most improved player, reading the game exceptionally well and making very few mistakes on the left of the defence. Guy James deployed his pace and fitness gamely at right back, a position he grew into as the season progressed. “Up front, the ‘Max Attack’ showed enormous potential. Both Max Page and Max Polkey are very different players.” At the back, Freddie Readhead developed into a fine sweeper, more in an attacking sense than a defensive one. He broke up countless opposition attacks with his astute reading of the game, launching wave after wave of counter-attacks. With greater experience of positioning, knowing when to hold off and channel his opponent, and more consistent distribution, he could become a great asset next year. Epsomianmagazine 2006 In midfield the tried and tested diamond formation worked more often than not. This relies on fitness, awareness of structure, and plenty of support for both attack and defence. To this end, with Chris York, Ollie Lloyd, Roland Crouch and Greg Newman, the team was served well. Chris held the team together at the base of the diamond, distributing passes powerfully and breaking down many attacks. Ollie offered an exceptional outlet on the left, showing great skill and attacking ambition. He also possessed the cleanest strike in the team, too. Roland was outstanding at times, showing good stick skills with raw pace, although he needs to be prepared to go outside rather than come inside all the time if he is to get the better of good opponents. Greg played a little too deep at times, failing to support the attack as much as he should have, but this is due to a passionate desire to be involved in the play more. His control and skill was consistently good, and he nevertheless linked effectively with the pacy strikers when he could. Up front, the ‘Max Attack’ showed enormous potential. Both Max Page and Max Polkey are very different players – the former relying primarily on instinct, the latter on good movement and tenacity – but when both were on form, they were formidable. At times, their finishing failed to match their build-up play, hence the relative lack of goals, but when it clicked, they terrorised their opponents with their pace and movement. They worked hard on their game, Max Polkey especially, and they should spearhead a very effective attack again next year. George Lowe was our utility player – mostly used up front, he also played in midfield and at the back. Extremely quick, with a sound sportsman’s (rather than hockey 81 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag player’s) awareness, he showed some nice touches. He scored some vital goals, too, and lacks only composure and a greater confidence in his own ability on the ball. On the fringes of the team were several players who all came in and performed well when needed. Patrick Iyoyin showed some nice touch and blistering pace, but the closure of space at this level found him out at times, forcing a need to work on more consistent stick skills and distribution. Wilson Wong ran elusively up front, scoring some vital goals, but the tendency to panic in front of goal was a problem that never really disappeared. Towards the end, Ollie Harding-Edgar was promoted to cover for injury and performed effectively on the left. 82 16/5/07 Memories of the year that stand out are numerous. Roland’s failed attempt to dribble along his own goal-line against Tonbridge; Jamie Allum’s fresh air kick in the last minute at Eton (which had nothing to do with bad eyesight from the umpire, even if the shot was outside the circle); the injury time winner in the same game; Pagey’s outrageous flick and half volley to complete his hat-trick against a hapless Sutton Vallance; being played off the park by St George’s and Kingston in the Surrey Cup competition; competing with a more superior hockey side on countless 16:46 Page 82 occasions, grabbing draws and victories against the odds, particularly against Eton and Cranleigh; dealing superbly with the bounciest astro in the South East at Tonbridge; Greg Newman getting wound up every game; Matt Goodyear swearing(!); Wilson Wong fresh-airing twice in front of goal; George Lowe shoulder-barging a slower opponent to the floor en route to goal against Trinity; everyone (including the coach) getting absolutely drenched by the water cannons before the match at Tonbridge; attending every training session in seventeen layers to keep out the cold; the endless support from the parents; seeing a training ground practice work poorly, only for the boys to implement the idea successfully on the Saturday; belting the B team regularly in our practice matches; squirming with embarrassment at themselves on film, after a practice match was videoed towards the end of the season leading to a recognition that they were not quite as good as they thought they were!; Max Page failing to get through a single game without winding up his opponents, the umpires, the supporters, his teammates and even himself! All in all, a season of great fun and no small development. This was a tremendous group of players who worked hard to improve, but played the game with a smile on their face. I wish them every success next year and expect to see many 1st team players among them. Mr. A. J. Bustard Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:46 Page 83 Colts B Hockey report P:8 W:3 D:1 L:4 Not unlike the England rugby team at present, the Colts B squad had enough talent to do well but all too often failed to close out games when they had opportunities. It was left to the substitute Robbie Shaw to score two second half goals against Whitgift to give us a good start to the season with a 3-2 win, but we should have been more comfortable by that stage of the game. Unfortunately, against Cranleigh, Reeds and Tonbridge, we didn’t get away with the same profligacy in front of goal, drawing with Tonbridge and losing to good teams from the other two schools. That said, the team defended at times with fantastic determination, which kept us competitive each week. Ed Rushen was at times quite outstanding in goal, especially against Cranleigh, whilst Ollie Harding-Edgar, Matt Chasey and Lyle Chase played as a very effective unit in front of him. Robbie Gillespie joined them as right back and proved to be the most improved player of the season. With Janil Ramesh working exceptionally hard in his role as defensive midfielder, their efforts meant that on only one occasion was there more than one goal’s difference between the two teams on any given Saturday. Epsomianmagazine 2006 However, in attack we didn’t always do ourselves justice, despite having flair and pace. George Freeman was capable of high speed runs from the right, whilst Wilson Wong and Alec Laing showed natural stick skills coming from the left wing. Jordan Oldershaw had a good understanding of his role as centre forward, especially when coming deep to pick up the ball, whilst James Crisp, Peter Keohane and Robbie Shaw all showed potential when attacking from midfield. However, despite the willingness to run forward, there was too often a lack of appreciation for width and depth in attack, meaning that our attacks could often be stopped leaving no-one in midfield to defend the counterattack. In part, this was because it was hard to field the same midfield formation in successive weeks: George Lowe, and later on Oliver Harding-Edgar, both won deserved promotions to the A team, whilst James Crisp picked up an injury in the second half of the season. That said, passing accurately and more effective running off the ball will be the teams goals next season. An enjoyable season, but I feel sure there is more to come from this group. Mr M.C.Conway 83 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:46 Page 84 Junior Colts A Hockey P8 W1 D1 L6 As this was my first season at Epsom, I was unsure of what to expect from my boys this season. I was informed that there was a great deal of potential but a lack of experience, compared to the tough opposition that we were to face. After the first training session I could see that there was indeed a great deal of potential but an overwhelming desire to be coached and to improve. It was evident that the style of hockey that they will one day be playing will destroy opposition sides when their skills have caught up with their awareness and vision. Competing against the other schools on our circuit is always going to be a struggle when it is obvious that they have at least two or three club players who have not just started at the age of thirteen. This was very clear against Whitgift in our first fixture. Epsom were fitter, played with greater width and supported the man with the ball much better than our rivals. However Whitgift could finish and that was the key difference. They also possessed some very skilful, silky players, but Epsom’s determination to not be brushed aside and ability to force mistakes kept things pretty even until half time. A loss of 5-0 was not a fair reflection of how competitive the game was throughout. I took a great deal away from that game but it was clear that we needed to find a striker. The following week was a bit of a blur. On the Tuesday my wife went into labour, and on the Wednesday night my daughter Ella was born. I could not help feeling guilty and frustrated that I could not get out and train the side this week and work on the points I had highlighted from Saturday’s game. These feelings were short-lived though, with absolute elation and then exhaustion taking over! I had previously trained the Sutton Valence side the boys were to face, when they were under 13s. I knew of their strengths and weaknesses and certainly felt that we could win. Mr Bustard very kindly took the side that day and umpired the game. I managed to get away from nappies for the second half, by which time we were 4-1 down. I then witnessed a great comeback with some excellent wide hockey. Sutton Valence crumbled 84 under the pressure and Epsom kept a great deal of possession. Nick Connor and Stuart Briscoe scored two more goals to make it 4-3 at the final whistle. With another ten minutes or so, we certainly would have levelled, if not won, the game. Trinity was the next opponent and we expected a very tough game to turn over a 3-0 deficit from last year. Matt Costain scored early but Trinity came back to lead 2-1. With about ten minutes left, Pitout equalised and Trinity could hold out for long enough before Epsom won the game with another goal from Costain. Tim Faccini deserves a mention for keeping us in many games this season with fine reaction saves. Tonbridge were next and with both teams depleted with flu casualties and in need of half term, a close match was fought. The standard of hockey at times was poor from both sides, as all the boys looked exhausted. Charlie Mortimer scored our only goal and the final score was 1-1. The Eton game started off very promisingly with Epsom looking far the better side. The captain Rod Needham finished off a great move by roofing the ball to put us into a 1-0 lead. However we could not sustain the pressure for the whole game and in the second half Eton came back very hard. We could not keep possession of the ball well enough, and deservedly, Eton scored three goals. Reeds were another side with many club hockey players. In fact, it was only one very skilful player that made the real difference. The boys did not know how to stop his weaving into the box and he finished very well. Cresswell had a superb game out wide on the right, causing big problems, and Pitout and Needham bossed the midfield very well. However, we could not convert the chances we were given and we were made to pay. Li and Costain scored our two goals but the final score was 6-2 to Reeds. their coach said that they were an undefeated side, I felt that we could have beaten them if we were up for the game. I always say it is about the way you finish a season that counts, and not how you begin it. I wanted to finish on a high and asked all the boys to step up their game and do themselves proud against Cranleigh in our final fixture. This was played midweek before the rugby players went to play their semi-final in the Daily Mail Cup. The boys played their best game to date against a very strong and talented Cranleigh side. Although they were a much more skilful side they found our refusal to let them through frustrating and we were allowed to catch them on the break. We went 1-0 up early on from a great goal by Ross Malcolm. Cranleigh took a long time to equalise, but eventually they did and quickly after took a 2-1 lead. They piled on the pressure, but the Epsom defence from Weingartshofer, Payne and Wynne just kept coming away with the ball. Malcolm scored again to make it 2-2 and that was the score with only two minutes left. Cranleigh managed to get a short corner at the death which was converted to make it 3-2 but I was thrilled with the boys’ performance. I would like to thank the whole team for their dedication and tremendous team spirit. They were always a pleasure to coach during every training session and I wish them the very best of luck for next season. Mr J Stephens The performance against Charterhouse was one that I was not proud of. After a great start, scoring a goal in the first couple of minutes, we played some dire hockey. The standard of passing was terrible and we looked uninterested. We lost 3-1 and although Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:46 Page 85 Junior Colts D Hockey The season started encouragingly with a very good 7-1 win over Whitgift but thereafter, we struggled to find the same winning form against sides whose skill levels and self-discipline were superior. We lost narrowly to Reed’s School 0-1 in an exciting match where the host’s classy hockey was just too much for our effort. The Charterhouse game was much the same: although we lost 21, the stick skills and team work we encountered was, again, the difference between the two sides. The final match against Cranleigh, lost 40, replayed the same scenario: for most of the game, we competed on effort but teamwork and discipline deserted us in the second half. However,one of the more disappointing features of the season was the cancellation, at the last minute, of two matches when the self-interest of a few players spoiled the afternoon for the rest: hopefully, lessons will have been learned for following seasons. I would like to thank Mr Ben McDowell for his support during what has been a difficult season from time to time. Mr K. Siviter Under 14 A XI Hockey P10 W1 D2 Whitgift (block + cup) Sutton Valence Cranleigh (cup) St John's (cup) Trinity Tonbridge Eton Reed's Charterhouse Cranleigh (block) L7 L D L W L L L L D L F10 A36 0-7 1-1 0-4 3-0 0-2 0-10 2-3 1-4 1-1 2-4 After a short pre-season training session very early in January, it was clear that there were one or two quite useful players, or at least one or two with the potential to be useful. However, as usual, our prep. school intake has very little hockey experience and with Whitgift starting their 3rd season whilst we started our first ever match, we learned the hard way at the end of the first week of term. To be fair, this Whitgift side was one of the most complete sides I have seen for several years. I was not at all surprised to see them move through the county cup into the regional rounds of the national cup, and for them to go on and win the whole competition. In doing so, they beat Bromsgrove in the final 8-0, which puts our initial 7-0 loss into perspective just a little bit. After the rude awakening of the first match, there was much to learn about the game and, to be fair, this Epsomianmagazine 2006 squad did try quite hard on match days to get things right. But training mid week was not always as productive as it might be. Our second match saw us draw against Sutton Valence before moving on to play Cranleigh in the cup. Here we lost 4-0, but played with a more competitive edge and produced some quite good patterns of play. However, the opposition was better. Our next match in the cup saw us gain a win before the flu bug hit us 'big time' All those left standing met in Big School at Saturday morning break and the sides were selected for the weekend. A mixture of As, Bs and Cs represented the college A team with much enthusiasm and only went down 2-0 to a team with much more experience. The first half of term saw us get completely 'stuffed' away at Tonbridge. They were athletic and skilful in a couple of key areas and they were more used to playing on their superb water based Astro. We on the other hand were not athletic, except for a determined performance from Jamie Falconer. We also suffered from the inability of some of our parents to read the term dates, which depleted our number of available players. Eton, which was very even. Again I felt that we could have done better but for missing players. A draw here was about right, but they just shaved it with a couple of minutes to go. The remaining matches were again more even and saw us starting to develop better patterns of play. We played very well for a half against Reed's, drew against Charterhouse and then had a fine final match against Cranleigh. I took much comfort from the second encounter with Cranleigh in so much as we were missing four regulars due to county cross country and Daily Mail commitments, yet After half term, we had a cracking good game against 85 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag produced a good performance which outstripped the previous 4-0 loss from the cup match earlier on. To me it showed just how much the squad had improved from earlier on in the season and I think augers well for the future of this group of boys. In goal, William Atkinson played well and kept us in contention early on in the season. Across the back we had Peter Nichols sweeping, Henry Cheetham at right back, James PeaseWatkins as central defender and Nick Thomas as left back. Henry came up from the Bs and worked hard, Peter has a very natural eye for the ball and James some nice stick skills. Nick was tremendously competitive and a good 'leader' of the defence. Across 16/5/07 the mid-field we had James Edwards, Harry Bradshaw, Robbie Shaw and Joe Toomey. All showed much commitment and some good skills. We also used Olly Wilkinson and Andy Brooks along with Otis Earle, all of whom again gave of their best. Olly could play right or left wing. Otis reads the game very well and with a bit more experience he will be a fine 'silky' skilled player. Brooksy showed much improvement. Up front, we used Xavier Dialdas and James Falconer. Xavier showed some nice touches but lacks a bit of pace, and we never really saw the best of James due to rugby and injury, but he really does have a great deal of sporting talent and will dominate defences in the future. 16:46 Page 86 The Woodward trophy went to young Harry Bradshaw, with Robbie Shaw also catching the selector's eye. As ever, my thanks go to NSAP for his superb support of both the As and the Bs and for his invaluable coaching tips and skills. Whilst the squad made much progress during the season, I would urge them to concentrate more on improving their skills on training days, so that they can start to turn the losses into wins in the future. I fully expect this to be the case given the good start this group of boys made. Mr M.C.Oliver U14D Hockey The Under 14 D team is always placed in an awkward situation as each time a player shines in his performance, he is usually promoted, leaving the team in need of a replacement. This season was no different, and in addition we were badly hit by the 'flu bug’ for the first half of term which led to a number of E team boys coming up to play for us, leaving Mr Cooper and Mr Wolstenholme struggling to get a side out on some weeks. Captained fearlessly by Harry Gunn in the main, we were supported at the backboard by Rory Adam and James Brooks, but Max Denning kept goal for the majority of matches. All three keepers were new to their position and each excelled in different aspects of their saves. Brunton-Reed had some early season goals whilst Ollie Stewart, Nick Amin, Andrew Gordon, Jite Avwunu and Sam Holdsworth all put in consistent efforts both home and away, which was appreciated by all. This was an enjoyable season overall which would have benefited from some squad consistency weekto-week. My thanks to Mr McClure and Greg Hyson for their help with coaching, and I wish the boys well in their future hockey endeavours. Mr K N D Barakzai Out in the field we were afforded some fine performances by William Beadle, Alex Dowle, Mark Tampin, Marcel Van Wyk, Tom Hargrave and Tom Shopland, who all came to us originally from the E team. Unfortunately Tom had a cycling accident after one match appearance and was left on crutches until close to the end of the season. Jack Keep consistently smiled, even when the ball crept past him in defence, and was always eager to chase after any would-be attackers, whilst Ed Richardson proved to be a useful centre-back, helping to keep opposition score lines down. Alex 86 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:47 Page 87 Rosslyn Park National Colts Sevens Winners After about ten weeks of training, getting to know the feel of the game and generally having a good time, it came to crunch time. Arguably, as a year we have sometimes been underestimated, but we thought that after a fantastic 15s season and with a fast, mobile team, sevens could be our game. Over twenty players trained through icy cold weather and bitter snow and we awaited our first tournament at RGS Guildford with huge excitement. Unfortunately, key players were missing, including the “he’s so amazing” George Lowe, Max Page and Max Eden. However, we still put in all our efforts, played some fantastic rugby and got to the final. A key moment was deciding whether we should play in “the shirt” we had designed, whether we were worthy. After the first game against Wimbledon College we decided we probably were, and as the gleaming blue and white shirts were put on, we could feel the magic appear. The slight problem was that the starting seven perhaps played a bit too much and after the semi final against RGS High Wycombe we were exhausted. Therefore, with hindsight, it wasn’t really a surprise that in the final Wellington strolled on the pitch to beat us convincingly; Yorkie’s team talk before consisting of “well lads, I’m about to puke up all over the pitch”. Despite being beaten in the final, our day was memorable. The team showed real promise and the “banter bus” was created. On arrival back at Epsom, word had spread and the team were happy with their achievements. It also led to even more interest and belief from the squad, and the next tournament, Q.E. Barnet’s was eagerly awaited. However, the tournament was called off, meaning we had no more match practice before the Nationals. The night was crisp. Wind fluttered through my hair as I strolled round a corner of big school after performing in the charity show. It was then that I heard the jubilant cries of “We’ve got Lowe! We’ve got Lowe!”. I later learnt that the 1sts had been thwarted in their attempts at the first day of nationals, unfortunately drawing to Bristol which led to them losing on points difference! However unlucky this was for the 1sts, this gave us a different perspective. We had now recovered a full strength team, and it was time to give the Nationals a real go, no excuses. The first day arrived. We had no further knowledge of the teams we were playing and there was always the Epsomianmagazine 2006 87 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 has not yet been done in previous years, but I have faith”. Our first few games were played very simply, passing the ball around and trying to relax. Although at times a little erratic, by the end of the day we had beaten every side by more than four tries. Pagie in particular began to improve as the day went on, proving a key player and try scorer. Luke Davies’ work rate was outstanding and Lowe’s attributes were also key, giving excellent ball and space to Paddy, who stormed past every helpless winger to score a total of 11 tries on the first day. With hindsight, my favourite part of the day was when Lowe commented after the first game, “Mmm, I think National Champions in the making.” That night we came back congratulating ourselves, but at the same time not getting too over excited. We were now serious underdogs. We gave each other the general feeling that we had made it to the second day with all our efforts, so there was nothing to lose. The next day we were to meet the tournament favourites, Sedbergh. On the journey there, Gus began to sing “Oh my goodness we’re back again …, gunna win the seven’s tournament …”, which lightened the mood. However, we still arrived extremely nervous, for we knew we might only be there for one game. Nevertheless, we arrived at the grounds, quickly glanced at the girls’ rugby, and settled down at “base camp”. We then began our routine warm up and Mr Whiteley subtly brought in a few more defence drills as he knew the up and coming team would have a much stronger attack 16:47 Page 88 then anyone we had played before. After this we quickly played our ritual game of touch with the starting seven then entered onto the pitch. The game was scrappy at times, however our press defence we had been working on proved successful. Sedbergh’s attack was thwarted, and we took full advantage. With desperate last efforts, we held Sedbergh at bay and took in a huge sigh of relief and excitement as the whistle blew. What happened now was slightly odd. Instead of tension building, we all became relaxed and started to joke around. Piers just sat and grinned at us all. Luke claimed “I just can’t believe it”, Paddy repeated “mayyyyyyyttt” over and over again, and Gus claimed he couldn’t see, which was ironic as the night before in the Charity show he acted as a blind man. We were told we could have about an hour and a half of rest. However, this did not pass without incident. Following Rushen’s attempt at a practice back heel kick, the ball entered a nearby pitch, the scrum half of the attacking team picking up the wrong ball leading to a break away try which was thankfully disallowed. Well played. An hour later, we started our warm up routine and ritual touch game. Kings Worcester wasn’t a ‘big name’ team, but we were apprehensive nevertheless. The game was played with simple basic sevens, creating space and finishing off well-executed team tries. We slacked off at the end a little, however it did not matter. We had made it to the final. possibility of a random Welsh team producing the goods. We strolled out of the “banter bus” and onto the playing grounds, a hint of tension in the air. Mr “Legend” Whiteley (I’m sure you won’t mind that sir) throwing on his faded yet reliable raincoat, took us to the best rest position. This spot was to become famous. “BASE CAMP”. Mr Whiteley chose this particular position drawing on his geographical knowledge, considering prevailing wind direction, local climatic conditions and accessibility. He did warn us however of the possibility of dog excrement entering our bags if left open. After this came the most important speech from Mr Whiteley of the tournament. After pulling out his trusty ball bag he proclaimed, “Boys, we have three balls in this bag. We must return three balls to this bag. It 88 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag After this, all jokes and banter stopped. Preparation began immediately and everyone fell silent. For me personally, I thought our time might have come to an end. We knew we had made a great effort throughout the tournament. All we wanted now was just not another repeat of a final at Guildford. The ritual warm ups underway, we walked slowly onto the pitch. Millfield in the final. As soon as the whistle blew, we as a team lost our cool and made them look much better than they were. After a series of missed tackles, the Millfield no.10 sprinted through to score the first try of the match. Mind games began and things seemed to be going in the same direction as the Wellington final. However, a memorable moment came when Lowe 16/5/07 16:47 Page 89 revenge on us. Someone had put the remains of a tree on top of our bus. We entered the bus and then saw someone just chilling, holding a dead fox - strange. We began to shout and shout with different chants such as “we’re on the motorway”, “we’re at the traffic lights” and “bulbous” referring to Page’s unusual and somewhat strange haircut. Freeman then began probably the best part of the trip back with “everywhere we go”, and everyone stopped and laughed for the whole trip back as he said in a Gollum, goblin like manner “we shout a little louder”. As we then reminisced, and went round one by one saying what our favourite moment of the two days were, we got to Mr Whiteley. He said, quite simply “base camp”. said the simplest thing, “Relax”. From then on we went on turbo charge and started to play effectively as a team as well as individuals. We scored five unanswered tries with flowing rugby and started to play with inspired confidence. Tries came from Eden, Spad and Greg and two from Page. In the last minutes Millfield fought back well and scored two tries, but it wasn’t enough. The whistle blew and the only thing to do was to yell as loudly as possible. National champions! After the medal ceremony where Mr Whiteley was given a new ball bag, and Page and York were given men of the match, the celebrations began. It was back to the “banter bus” but what we saw was perhaps someone’s bitter Written by Greg Newman with help from the squad. Edited by George “we shout a little louder” Freeman Courtesy of Digital Sports UK Ltd. The Captain’s paragraph As a member of the Colts National Sevens Winner’s side, I would have to say this was an unforgettable experience and I’m sure most of the lads would say so as well. Throughout the course of our training we experienced a mixture of heavy rainfall, snow, hail and at times glorious sunshine. You could say that in some ways it was the survival of the fittest, as the tournament was not only enjoyable to play and watch, it was also very hard work at times. Captaining the side was a great experience not only for the rugby but especially for the lads who supported me, and my thanks goes to them. This tournament I can say was not down to the seven men on the pitch alone but to the whole squad, both at Guildford in preparation for the national tournament and at Rosslyn Park itself. A huge thank you goes to Mr Whiteley who has not only led us to victory but has made the unforgettable experience an extraordinary event. Chris York A brief word from the Coach All top sevens teams require the correct blend of pace, power and play makers in key positions, together with the collective ability to maintain control and discipline when under extreme pressure. To succeed, however, strength in depth is also essential and perhaps more importantly the correct mental attitude towards the game. The Squad: A.J.A.Field, G.L.Davies, C.J.York, G.J.Newman, M.G.H.Page, G.V.Lowe, P.Iyoyin, M.H.Eden, A.T.N.Cooper, G.P.Freeman, J.A.Gillespie, E.R.A.Rushen, H.J.Falconer, G.A.James, A.Davie, P.J.De Haan, M.D.Polkey, R.D.J.Crouch, J.M.Crisp The squad this year possessed all of these qualities in abundance. They were an absolute pleasure to coach, receptive of ideas, focused, supportive of each other and above all playing for all the right reasons. Whilst it would be wrong to mention individuals in the context of such an outstanding overall team performance, I would particularly To all the squad; very well done on an outstanding and thoroughly deserved achievement. I think the photographs tell much of the story! Mr R.I. Whiteley Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens Results. Round 1 Lincoln Minster 0 Epsom- 58 41 Round 2 Pen-Y-Dre 14 Epsom- Round 3 Trinity, Devon 7 Epsom- 53 Play offs Adams 0 Epsom 62 Knock Out Trinity 0 Epsom 32 Quarter finals Sedbergh 17 Epsom 29 Semi final Kings Worcester 12 Epsom 22 Millfield 19 Epsom 29 Final Epsomianmagazine 2006 like to thank Chris York for the excellent work he did as Captain, both on and off the pitch. 89 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:47 Page 90 Rugby 7s We did not qualify as Bristol scored more tries than us. In summary, it has been a very good season for the Senior 7s. On average25 boys trained regularly, twice a week, from early January. The enthusiasm was excellent and the standard very high. The best performances came in the first tournament of the year at Sussex where both 1st and 2nd VIIs won their respective tournaments. The 2nd VII went on to win the Worth tournament as well. The 1st VII had a good run at the Surrey 7s before losing to Millfield in the Quarter Final. They were desperately unlucky at the National 7s not to qualify for the final rounds despite not losing a game. Their results overall were very good – they demolished some of the very best schools in the country. This was achieved without Sandy Reid who was injured training with England. Great credit should also go to David Cook, the captain, who played the last tournament after dislocating his shoulder against Millfield. SUSSEX 7s 1st VII v Brighton v KCS v Isleworth v Cranleigh 24-0 w 38-0 w 43-0 w 24-0 w QF v Framlingham 21-7 w SF v Filton College 31-0 w F v John Fisher 14-0 w 2nd VII J Fisher 19-5 w Brighton 12-5 w Cranleigh 31-0 w St John’s 40-5 w WORTH 7s 1st VII v Hurstpierpoint v KCS v Chichester My thanks also go to Mr Jud Drinkall and Mr. Donald Campbell for giving up so much of their time to help and support during the course of the term. Mr.A.Wolstenholme 2nd VII v St Johns v Chichester v Worth v Brighton v Sutton Valence SURREY 7s vChis & Sid v RGS Guildford v Maidstone GS v Tonbridge v Millfield ROSSLYN PARK 7s vRugby v Bristol GS v BETHS v Radley 7-5l 24-0w 40-0w 12-5w (SF) 26-12w (F) 43 –12 w 41- 7 w 45- 0 w 36-19w (last 16) 14- 42l (QF) 42-5 w 28-28 d 59 –0 w 24-15 w 36-14w 10-14l 37-0w Girls’ Netball 1st Team Eboni Beckford – Chambers (Captain) 1st: Bethany Gale, Michelle Watkins, Arnolda Shiundu, Natasha Wood, Madeleine Mortimer, Lucy Billings, Ellie Fisher, Amy Hodges the circle is definitely one to be commended. Her incredible lean and renowned blocking skills have caused a variety of problems for the oppositions shooters and she has been a real asset to the team, which culminated in her rightfully being awarded Player of the Season. Michelle Watkins also worked in partnership at GD with Bethany. As a pair the two have worked really well together. Her level of communication The senior netball squad has had a very eventful season, winning seven matches convincingly and loosing only one. We have been plagued by a succession of injuries this season, but hard work, (on and off the court), and sheer determination have made this season one that has been enjoyable and one definitely to be remembered. The team spirit, throughout the season has been high and uplifting due to the many delightful characters within the team. We have had a variety of talented individuals, who played for the 1st team, both from the lower and upper sixth. In defence we had the unstoppable Bethany Gale. Her speed, agility and quickness to withstand the efforts and prevent GA and GS from penetrating 90 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag has developed and her dominance in the circle is much more apparent. Michelle’s excellent ability to read the game and innumerable interceptions defines the quality of the player that she is and the consistent performance that she always produces. Eboni Beckford – Chambers (myself) was captain of the team and played GD and GK. With the help of the team and especially the defensive unit, I feel that I played these positions with great success, although my ball handling skills and footwork patterns needed to be addressed at times! Arnolda Shiundu (vice captain) played out at WD this season, and did a fantastic job on court and when taking over the captain’s role in my absence! Her flair, enthusiasm and creativity when executing each skill is something to be praised and lends a new meaning to the phrase a ‘noncontact sport’. Arnolda has terrific elevation and her ability to drive the ball down court allowed her to prevail against many feisty and aggressive players when the pressure was on. Madeleine Mortimer also adopted the role as WD/ WA on many occasions. 16/5/07 ‘Maddy’ is a somewhat quiet player, but her athletic ability, superb peripheral vision and tactical play lent to her precision and accuracy when feeding the shooters and bringing the ball down court. Amy Hodges was the C for our team, and can often be said to be a bit dopey but on the court she was energetic and a fighter. Amy’s outstanding ability to link defensive and attacking court play, deny space and ‘zone’ awareness were a major factor in the teams success. Natasha Wood also played C/WA for the team. ‘Tash’ is a very charismatic individual whose eagerness and willingness to learn new skills and techniques in training sessions, showed the way in which her style of netball has matured and enhanced her knowledge of the game. At the beginning of the season one may have labelled her a ‘loose canon’, but as we have approached and concluded the season, that label no longer seems appropriate. I hope that ‘Tash’ continues on her learning curve as she has great potential to become an elite netballer. In the shooting circle, we had Ellie Fisher and Lucy Billings. Without these two the ‘show would not be able to go on!’. Their “The team spirit, throughout the season has been high and uplifting. ” 16:51 Page 91 unfailing commitment to the team has not gone unnoticed and is very much appreciated. Their dedication, desire and keenness to practice their shooting at every available opportunity and rotation of the circle has led to some of the best results Epsom College has ever recorded. As the senior team of 2005/06, we recorded astonishing scores such as 37 – 16 against Charterhouse, and 18 – 5 against Kings Canterbury, two of our strongest rivals in girls sport. We are the District Tournament Champions, defending the title against St John’s, beating them 12 – 3 in the final. I am sure I speak on behalf of everyone when I say I have had an enjoyable and action-packed season, which could only be achieved through the expert coaching of Miss West. We are extremely grateful for her strategic knowledge and input that has helped us triumph this year. The way that she inspires, motivates and supports each member of the team, always smiling, is everything that we could wish and hope for in a coach. Thanks also goes out to Liz Robertson and Marianne Henderson for all their help throughout the season with all the teams. I’m sure all of us will hold on to the skills and knowledge we have acquired from them for university netball. Last but not least, we would like to say a very big thank you to all the parents and spectators that came to support us in the rain and sunshine! Finally, to Miss West and the up and coming netball stars at Epsom College, we would like to wish you the very best of luck for next season! Eboni Beckford–Chambers Epsomianmagazine 2006 91 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:51 Page 92 2ND Netball P10 W6 L4 This team had a successful season and their enthusiasm towards the game was outstanding throughout. The girls’ played extremely well in all games and managed to put a large gap between their own score and the opposition's score in most games that we won. However, two of the games we played stick in the memory above all others, as they were the girl's best performances in my eyes. In the first against Christ's Hospital, in which the score only came down to whose centre it was when the whistle was blown, time was unfortunately not on our side and we lost 20-21. The second nail biter was our last match against Eastbourne and this was the girls’ best performance of the season, although I have to admit I did have to turn away on many occasions as the tension was too much for me. They made me very proud. The girls have been committed throughout and have improved dramatically as a team. Emma 'Reactions' Marchington was not only a determined and unflagging defensive player, but has the fastest reactions on the team resulting in an enormous number of interceptions. Claire Wilkinson and Rebecca Brown gave us our backbone as solid Goal Keepers. We were also very fortunate to have so many talented shooters to play in this team. Georgie Hazell was an unstoppable force, and with shooters like Carly Duffen and Charlotte Johnston to aid her in the attack we could not go far wrong. Katherine Lammiman really put her heart into the game and has been our strong link between attack and defense, along with Jenny Wong who is a calm and steady player and has been a particularly good feeder for the shooters. Then there is our reliable 'watergirl' Sarah Campus who will put her all into a game and has been relentless with her determination. Lastly, the most recent addition to the team, Lizzie Szanto, who proved to be a very useful player, has bought extra bounce and speed to the team. Although each player had individual success’s, in many ways it is difficult to single out any one, as the girls played as a true adherent force. Well done to all of them for an excellent season. 3RD Team P7 W3 L3 D1 The 3rd team have had a successful season with their Captain Katie Moore (Cr). Pleasing wins were against King’s Canterbury and Eastbourne. XXX Caps Awarded to: Danzy Brunton (Cr) Sophie Billings (W) Rachel Clayton (Cr) Katie Moore (Cr) Sam Muktar (Cr) Lizzie Szanto (Cr) Half Colours Jenny Wong (Wh) Full Colours Michelle Watkin Beth Gale Madeleine Mortimer Natasha Wood Carly Duffen Ami Hodges Charlotte Johnston Ellie Fisher Lucy Billings (W) (Cr) (W) (W) (Wh) (W) (Rv) (Cr) (W) Major Colours Eboni Beckford-Chambers Arnolda Shiundu (Wh) (Wh) Most Improved Player Beth Gale (Cr) Senior Cup (Wh) Eboni Beckford-Chambers for her excellent role as Captain Inter-house Winners Wilson U16 Netball First of all, I would like to thank Mrs Robertson, despite illness, and Mrs Keevil, and of course Becks, for all their help and brilliant coaching throughout the season. It has been a busy term but due to the success of all the teams and excellent teamwork, it has been a highly enjoyable season for us all! The As were already storming ahead before the season had begun due to their success at the preliminary round of the Surrey Tournament. This reputation of success remained untainted as the girls achieved a memorable unbeaten record! Congratulations! The defence remained strong (tripod) as ever, which was beautifully followed 92 through by our quick centres and accurate shooters. Despite a series of losses for the U16 B’s led by Hannah Patel, they managed to pull through one welldeserved victory against Sevenoaks. Who will ever forget the snowy showers and Astroturf! The U16 Cs, although only playing one match, just lost out on winning. It was a very close match. All of the girls played with spirit and vigour throughout the season and it is a shame to see it come to an end. Thank you again to our coaches as we wait eagerly for the next season to arrive! Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:51 Page 93 U15 Netball It has been an excellent season for this enthusiastic year group. The A Team have won every event this term – they are the current District and County Champions – an outstanding team performance from Helena Mortimer (captain), Samantha Burke, Laura Butcher, Anna Dick, Georgina Morley, Ashley Crane and Lucy Phillips. The B Team have also done very well, winning four, and narrowly losing four matches. The C Team, have played fewer games, but also done well to win three, draw one and lose one. The D Team has improved as the term has progressed. A first match defeat by Cranleigh, 5 goals to 22, was, in a rematch after half-term, conceded by 18 goals to 23. In their final match against Eastbourne, away, the girls excelled, winning 22 goals to 18. The four team Captains, Helena Mortimer, Carina Lindberg, Susie Blunt and Harriet Askew have been reliable, well organised and enthusiastic throughout the term. Well done to them. The results of the Inter House competition were: 1st 2nd 3rd Raven Wilson Crawfurd U14A Netball P8 W6 D1 L1 A very pleasing and promising season for this year group. The A team were at times outstanding with a string of impressive victories over almost all the schools on our circuit, from Kings Canterbury and Eastbourne to St Georges’. It is difficult to single players out as all made such a massive contribution but special mentions should go to Stephanie Crouch(W) in defence, Joanna Boddy(Cr) in attack and to Lottie Mungavin(W) as a superb utility Epsomianmagazine 2006 player. All augers well for the future, if the squad are willing to listen to advice and train as hard as they have done this season. Despite the squad being badly hit by illness mid term, our statistics read well and the whole squad should be congratulated on a job well done. Most Improved Players Lenney Philippa Smith, Rachael Most Versatile Player Lottie Mungavin House U14 Trophy Crawfurd 93 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:51 Page 94 U14B Netball P8 W4 L4 The U14B team have worked incredibly hard this season and have made huge progress because of this. They were finding their feet when they lost their first two fixtures to Cranleigh (L5-30) and Kings’ Canterbury (L4-30) and getting used to playing as a team. In their third fixture they played a very close match with Lancing (L9-15) and despite losing, their confidence was boosted. They had their first win against Christ's Hospital (W12-3) and although on the same day they lost to Ardingly (L7-10), every match since has been a win an incredibly close 20 goals to 19 against Caterham, 23 goals to 16 against St. George’s and finally 18 goals to 11 against Eastbourne. The team have been very versatile indeed and have played all over the court. Special mention though must go to Rachel Lenney who has been a superb player in both defence and attack, and Philippa Smith who has shown the same kind of versatility. They finished off the season in style this week winning the U14B County Tournament. Well done! Miss J.N.Hall “The U14B team have worked incredibly hard this season and have made huge progress because of this. ” Netball ‘06 Senior and U16 netball teams have successfully qualified for the County Finals, which will be held next term. The U15 and U14 first round competition was cancelled due to poor weather and will be held next term. Congratulations to Lottie Mungavin (W), Rebecca Kjaedegaard (Cr) and Stephanie Crouch (Rv) who have been 94 selected by Surrey County Netball to attend the England Netball Satellite Academies. This is a great achievement as they were selected from a huge field. Congratulations also to Eboni Beckford-Chambers for once again being selected for the England Netball Talent Programme. Well done to the 1st and 2nd teams who played against Westminster School, Adelaide. Although we were beaten in both matches the scores were incredibly close and both teams are now ready to begin our netball season next term. Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:51 Page 95 Girl’s Rugby Epsomianmagazine 2006 95 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 96 16/5/07 16:52 Page 96 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:52 Page 97 97 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:52 Page 98 Football An opening day victory for Epsom, Ratnage opening the scoring in the first half and Yang doubling the lead in the second half. Epsom largely dominated the match but a Peddie own goal gave Eastbourne a lifeline and we looked like we were happy to go home with a 2-1 win that probably should have been more decisive. The 2nds made it two wins from two games with a hard fought 1-0 victory over a combative St Paul's side. A well worked move from Epsom resulted in a smart finish from Ratnage, scoring in consecutive games, which provided a lead for the home team. Despite St Paul’ hitting the woodwork from range on two occasions, Epsom could justifiably claim to be on top. The second half became a real battle, with both teams unwilling to concede anything and some strong tackling all over the pitch from both teams was evident. A man-of-thematch performance at the back from David Cook ensured that no St Paul’ strikes would breach the defence and a good result was achieved. The first defeat of the season was against Kings Canterbury, where we lost 4-2 at home. After withstanding a barrage from the opposition in the opening ten minutes, a breakaway goal superbly taken by Ratnage put Epsom ahead and gave them the confidence to compete. Eastbourne scrambled an ugly equaliser two minutes into the second half but Theo Taylor restored the lead and we missed a good chance to seal the game and make it 3-1. Still looking good halfway through the second half, but two goals in 30 seconds led to some dropped heads and Kings piled on the misery to extend their lead in the closing minutes. A good 50 minutes work from Epsom, but unfortunately the game was 70 minutes long! The 2nds succumbed to a second consecutive defeat, going down 2-1 to Sevenoaks. Once again, Epsom managed to take the lead, Ratnage opening the scoring within 40 seconds, he has now scored in each of our opening four games. Unfortunately this seemed to lead us 98 to play with a very relaxed manner as if the game was already won, and a very poor first half performance followed. It was a surprise to all to see Epsom come off at half time with the lead still at 1-0. The team battled much better in the second half, but unfortunately a Peddie own goal 40 seconds into the second half gave Sevenoaks a lift and a well worked goal shortly after put us behind. A good effort followed by the Epsom lads in trying to pull it back but back to the training ground for now!!! Unfortunately, we had a 5-0 defeat to report for the 2nd XI v Cranleigh. Despite dominating the first half, a defensive error cost us a goal and Epsom were unable to capitalise on their dominance. The wind was a major factor and Cranleigh dominated proceedings in the second half. Epsom were in the game until the second goal halfway through the second half. Thereafter followed a lack of confidence and more goals followed for Cranleigh resulting in a rather emphatic scoreline. Against Ewell Castle we had a 1-1 draw. A war of attrition in the first half saw the sides come in at 0-0 without a shot on target from either team. Epsom went for the win in the second half and camped themselves inside the Ewell Castle half and totally dominated the second half. Numerous chances went begging before a speculative effort from Alex Gimblett gave Epsom a deserved lead. They continued to press until a breakaway in the last minute gave Castle an equalizer with 30 seconds left and their only shot on target of the match, a victory snatched from our grasp! We suffered a 1-0 defeat to the hands of RGS in a very even and well fought match. Epsom had the better of the first half and probably put in their best performance of the season but once again suffered from an inability to convert chances; Yang and Chapman both going very close. In the second half, the slope proved advantageous to RGS and they managed to take one of the chances they ground out. The Epsom boys refused to lie down and worked really hard as a team, but never really carved out a clear opportunity during the second half. Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:52 Page 99 We has one more fixture to get a much needed win. Unfortunately the Epsom lads only turned up in the second half. A first half mauling put Epsom 3-0 down and the season seemed to be finishing on a weak note. However, determined not to end on a downer, the lads really upped the effort levels and pulled the score back to 3-2. The Wellington team were in disarray and if the game had lasted another ten minutes, the scoreline could have been very different. If there had been more performances like this second half then the results could have painted a different picture. Overall this was a disappointing set of results but against some strong teams, with great final football seasons for Marco Yang, Ali Dewar and Justin Taylor. Theo Taylor and Adam Terelak have enjoyed two seasons in the seconds. There is some promise for the firsts next year in the prolific Sam Ratnage and a possible centre back flourishing in Chris Hill. Mr P. Gillespie Golf The season began with a close win over Sevenoaks School at the Wildernesse Club. This was the semifinal of the HMC schools competition, and with the scores tied overall, Ollie and Gareth managed to come from behind to win the rubber on the first extra hole. Ollie’s mum had made this result possible, having spent the weekend icing Ollie’s sprained ankle. Lauren Blease then won the County Handicap at Chipstead in the first week of the holiday. A party of twelve then went on a golf tour of Devon (see tour account). During the term, the boys recorded wins at Walton Heath over Brighton, Reigate, and Eastbourne, and they drew against Cranleigh. A team of boys and girls beat a strong Old Epsomian side in a 14 aside match at Walton Heath. The boys then narrowly lost the Regional Final of the HMC Foursomes to a very strong team from St George’s Weybridge at the first extra hole at Tyrrell’s Wood Club. We’ll be back for another go next year, when we should be even stronger. My thanks to Madeleine and Matt for their help and expertise. Full colours: Matthew Davis, Madeleine Mortimer Half Colours: James Taylorson, Matthew Peto, Matthew Sutherland, Madeleine Mortimer, Lauren Blease, Alice Tyman. Colts Colours: Ollie Lloyd, Matthew Chasey Squash The Michaelmas and Lent Terms witnessed some outstanding boys’ squash, with U19 and U15 participation in the National Schools Championship featuring prominently. The 1st V, captained by James Bryant, enjoyed a superb season, retaining the Surrey Cup and reaching the latter stages of the National Competition. In the Nationals, despite defeat to an excellent Heathside (1-4), victories over Charterhouse (4-1) and Oratory Reading (5-0) set up a fantastic last 32 encounter against Exeter College. Although they lost to an in-form Exeter, who eventually finished third overall in the competition, the 1st V squad deserve great credit for their efforts at the National level this year Epsomianmagazine 2006 and, indeed, praise for their ability to wear eye-catching skin-tight tops at the most inappropriate moments! Moreover, the 1st V’s retention of the Surrey Cup for the fifth year in succession is an excellent achievement, accomplished through victories over KCS Wimbledon (3-2), Trinity (4-1), Reeds (4-1), Reigate (5-0), Whitgift (5-0) and St Pauls (4-1). The 1st V also managed to squeeze in traditional fixtures against Harrow and Eton, losing the former (1-4) and drawing the latter (2-2), and participation in the annual RAC match (won 3-2) and the Roehampton Tournament in March, playing Winchester, Eton and Marlborough before finishing a very creditable fourth overall. In addition, this season saw the inauguration of a new Michaelmas tournament, the Lexus Cup, organised by the Scottish professional, and our coach, Neil Frankland and held at the College in December. We entered two squads and our top team on the day (James Bryant, Matthew Costain and Joseph Li) finished second overall, beating Cranleigh, Gordons and Charterhouse, before succumbing to an exceptionally strong outfit from Tiffins. Well done to all involved in the 1st V squad and, in particular, to James Bryant, Matthew Costain, Fergus Flanagan, Joseph Li, Matthew Peto, Josh Li and Jenny Bryant. 99 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Similarly, the U15 boys produced first-rate squash in both the Michaelmas and Lent Terms, scoring victories over Harrow (3-1), Reeds (40) and Eton (2-1). Indeed, the result against Harrow epitomised the nature of the team, encompassing a classy performance by Matt, a powerful display by Josh, an enthralling encounter involving Rishi (who won despite being 0-5 down in the final game) and a really gutsy effort by the illness-affected Charlie. Nevertheless, it was in the Nationals that the U15 V really displayed their skill, defeating Kings Canterbury (5-0) and Merchant Taylors’ (5-0) to reach, with a walkover against Dulwich and a subsequent bye, the second round proper of the competition. A magnificent win over RGS High Wycombe in February (4-1) resulted in a quarter-final match against Bishop’s Luffa in which, regardless of the 1-4 defeat, the whole team performed admirably. In fact, with Matt winning 3-0, Josh narrowly losing 2-3 and all the other matches being finely balanced affairs, it could so easily have been a different outcome. However, with Bishop’s Luffa finishing third in England overall, the U15 squad clearly have great potential to develop and challenge in the future. Congratulations to all those who played for the U15 team throughout the year, especially Matthew Costain, Josh Li, Rishi Naik, Tim Faccini, Charlie Mortimer, Pete Matthews, William Harrop and Jared Pitout. Teams [In All Competitions] 1st V U15 V 2nd V Surrey Cup 2005/6 Epsom College 100 16:52 Page 100 Lastly, although the season was dominated by our participation in two National competitions (with some gruelling journeys to places like Canterbury and Reading!), other players gained some experience in 2nd V matches against Sevenoaks, Cranleigh and KCS Wimbledon. Well done to Mark Abbosh, Richard Beinart, Akshay Dujadwala and David Blackburn – hopefully Richard, ‘Ash’ and David will have a more significant role to play next year. administration, to Phil for transporting the teams by minibus (and putting up with well-intentioned team banter) and to our coaches (Neil, Mike and Jesse) for their invaluable guidance. Thanks, as always, to CLC and PST for their help in organisation and Full Colours Fergus Flanagan (Fa) Played Won Drawn Lost 22 7 3 14 6 2 1 7 1 Epsom College 16/5/07 Mr M.A.L.Tod Colours were awarded to the following: Major Colours James Bryant (Fa) Half-Colours Joseph Li (Fa) Matthew Peto (G) Colts Colours Matthew Costain (Fa) 1 KCS Reeds Reigate St Pauls Trinity Whitgift Won Lost Pts Position 3 4 5 4 4 4 6 0 36 1 2 ? 2 1 ? 0 4 9 5 ? 1 2 5 2 3 19 4 2 1 ? 0 3 6 6 5 5 5 1 32 2 5 4 2 27 3 0 4 4 7 KCS 2 Reeds 1 3 Reigate 0 ? ? St Pauls 1 3 4 3 Trinity 1 4 3 4 0 Whitgift 1 ? 0 ? 0 0 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:52 Page 101 Fencing and Intermediate Foil and Epee competitions, hosted at Epsom College. Most of the players made it through to the top 16 and a few went on even further. Gaurav Gupta (U4) won both the Novice and Intermediate Foil categories; Jennifer Wong (U6) and Terrence Tai (5) achieved 5th place in the ladies’ and men’s’ Novice Foil, only just losing against the finalists; Myung Kuk Kang (U6) reached the final eight in the Intermediate Epee category; and Beveley Lee got 8th place in the lady’s Novice Foil competition. Epsom’s relatively young team, in terms of experience, have performed very well and have made this year more successful than previous years. Fencing matches were played almost every Saturday and we had some notable victories in all three weapons (foil, epee and sabre), some draws and few defeats. This is highly commendable given the fact that most of the team were fencing opponents with much more experience. The team achieved clear victories over Charterhouse, both home and away, and won categorical matches against Tonbridge, Worth and St Paul’s who were a new opponent this year. Several matches had absolutely nail biting finishes, down to the last point and last second. We were invited to take part in a competition between four independent schools and, as newcomers, put up a determined battle to secure second place, narrowly beaten by KCS Wimbledon. Team members also took part in the Surrey County Fencing Union Novice This was all possible due to the invaluable support and help of Dr. Hughes. Thanks must also go to the team captains, Anthony Lim and Jennifer Wong, for leading and motivating the team, and for the interesting warm-up exercises, and to Joe Shackell and Ian Keeble for coaching us. It is sad that several team members are leaving this year. However, the remaining team show great potential and skill, and with time will turn out to be a very strong side. By Alankar Lodha, Jennifer Wong. Table Tennis Epsomianmagazine 2006 101 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:53 Page 102 CCF and AGI 102 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:53 Page 103 103 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:53 Page 104 Inter House Pancake Race 104 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:53 Page 105 Photo Album Epsomianmagazine 2006 105 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:54 Page 106 Summer Term 106 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:54 Page 107 107 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:54 Page 108 Drama The Junior Play The Wyrd Sisters Rosemary’s Baby meets Carry On … via Eastenders, Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet and The Tempest, with thanks to Pirandello’s Six Characters In Search Of an Author. In fact, the interstices of The Wyrd Sisters are myriad - for which much thanks, say I, because I am allergic to Terry Pratchett; he brings me out in a rash; my very few attempts to read him have ended in bibliocide! Despite the programme note about Discworld - a note that made no more sense to me than the two paragraphs of this cult author that I have been able to stomach before violence has beset me - it was possible to remain blissfully ignorant of elephants and turtles and still enjoy the Junior Play enormously. But let’s get particular. Firstly, the casting was superb; all were absolutely comfortable and competent in their roles. I do not mean that they were “type-cast”; quite the reverse! Carina Lindberg, Meghann Murdoch and Olivia Moore, in real life, are as demure a trio of R.P.-speaking sophisticates as you could imagine. Thus, their impression of raw-vowelled harridans from the Peggy Mitchell school of femininity was a genuine accomplishment. William Harrop’s husky voice was absolutely right for the ghost of a once sadistic and lubricious ruler, as were the timbres of James Barnes’ Romantic Fool, Ben Scarles’ lemon-juice-gargling actor, and Richard Trepant’s manic “luvvy” director. These are genuinely interesting voices, which are a delight to listen to. The pairing of William Beadle’s diminutive stature with Leah Chowdray’s lissom willowiness created instant comic impact; comic impact that was then enhanced by the contrast between Will’s unhinged feyness and Leah’s terrifying absolutism. And then there was the innocent clarity of Tom Burgess’ What is the function of this annual event? To give young people a thrilling and enriching experience, whether they be on stage, behind the scenes, or in the audience. This production hit the treble! Such was its fluency, the warmth of its reception, and its inventiveness that no participant would have said, “Never again!” and there would have been many nonparticipants who would have been left thinking, “I wish …” Thus, “Dahlings, you were marvellous!” is, on this occasion, a wholly justified, accurate and honest general response. 108 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:54 Page 109 controlled treble in the role of the ingenue, Tomjon. All slicked-down centre-parting and cherub cheeks, he will have melted every mother’s heart! No play can succeed on the performances of the major characters, alone. This play has thirteen minor characters - just slightly more than its ten principals - and they all contributed to the evening’s success. From within their ranks, I can see a number of potential bigger-part players: Anna Hurley’s voice and enunciation is as sharply defined as an icicle; Rebecca Kjaedegaard could quite easily play the part of Elizabeth 1st, addressing her troops at Tilbury before they set sail to defeat the Armada; and it would be wrong to ignore others who could clearly hold their own in bigger parts in the future: Becky Pearson, Emily Hast, Jo Boddy, Laura McLean and Rachel Lenney on the distaff side; Michael Nottman-Watt, Jimmy Brooks, Mark Tampin, Ali Al-Fekaiki, Jack Ball, Oliver Borch and Enghow Teo in the blokes’ division. Dramatic productions, however, are not just about those who “strut and fret their hour upon the stage”; they are about sets and lights and special effects and costumes and organisational Epsomianmagazine 2006 choreography. In this respect, I would again congratulate this ensemble production. Mike Read’s simple curtain set was a triumph; the lighting and sound did exactly what lighting and sound does best: it played a quintessential part without detracting from the actors and actresses. How good to see a Lower Sixth Form Stage Manager (Zoë Dudgeon) on the programme - and to see her aided by one U4 and three M4 assistants. This makes for a genuine pupil production. Well, up to a point! As we are all aware, nothing of this sort could get off the ground without staff in-put and my six contributing colleagues are to be congratulated upon enabling these youngsters to achieve their huge success. None less so than Gabbie Jerrit (Producer) and Tobias Cooper (Director). My thanks to you all for a magical evening. Mr R.Worrall 109 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Tall Ships On Monday 31st of August 2006 my “Tall Ships Adventure” began. I woke up at 4:30a.m. and drove to Portsmouth harbour to take the ferry to Cherbourg, where I was greeted by my fellow crew members. There was a buzz of excitement and anticipation as we keenly discussed what we were expecting the voyage to be like. As the ferry drew into Cherbourg harbour we got our first glimpse of the ship we were to spend the next 8 days on. Our ship was the Prince William, a replica of a 19th century training vessel, 60 meters long with two, 45 metre masts. As soon as we arrived we were put into our “watches” (groups) and then our training program began. It was a long afternoon learning all of the different jobs that we would need to do: Climbing the rigging, setting and stowing sails, manning the yards, bracing and many more. We were issued with various extra bits of kit, including oilskins, harnesses and crew shirts. Nobody had eaten since breakfast on the ferry so when dinner was called (steak and chips) there was much relief. That evening we were given a shore leave to go and explore the town; this gave us a great opportunity to get to know the rest of the crew. 16/5/07 fo’c’sle so, by the time I came out on deck, it was a shock to see that we were already out at sea! As we headed out into the English Channel the sea became rougher and rougher and with no sails set, the ship’s motion was quite sickening. By the evening the leeward side of the ship was lined with very green looking crewmembers, including myself! At midnight my watch was on duty again. We heaved ourselves out of our “cots” and made our way to the open bridge. By the time our watch had started our numbers had dwindled to only 5 out of 11 on the bridge, with the rest either ill in bed or ill over the side. When morning came most people had developed their sea legs, we had rounded Ushant and it was time to set sail. I was lucky to be picked from the volunteers who all wanted to go aloft to set the sails. When 30 meters up in the air, it is quite a challenge just not to fall off, let alone working to set the sails! Once we were under sail we had a chance to relax and to prepare for our first inter watch competition: The Boat Race. We also got our first glimpse of marine life as two basking sharks swam alongside the ship. The next day it was my turn to be the “day worker” this involves helping the deck hands with the maintenance of the ship. After “Happy Hour” (ship cleaning!) I was sent to the bow sprit to paint the standing rigging. While I was there, a school of dolphins started playing at the bow and a small group of the voyage crew gathered to take pictures. This was a good day for wildlife as soon after, the captain announced on the PA system that 16:54 Page 110 there was a whale just to starboard of us. The days went quickly as we settled into our ship’s routine and it felt like we had known the other members of our watch for years. The inter watch competitions were fiercely fought for and as we approached La Coruna “blue watch” was just in the lead. We sailed into a sandy bay just outside La Coruna on Saturday morning and once the ship had dropped the anchor we were able to jump off the side and swim in Spain’s warm waters. We spent Sunday morning preparing the ship to go into port. All of the coils of rope needed to be coiled to the botswain’s satisfaction and the sails needed to be stowed neatly. The crew then “manned the yards” (stood on the rigging for show) and sang as the ship motored into the port with many other tall ships. It was good to put our feet back on dry land again and the crew were given shore leave all afternoon and evening. On Monday morning there were many sad faces as we realised that we had to leave our new home and our new friends. I would like to thank the Tall Ships Youth trust, Mr Higgs for organising my trip and, of course, Mr Pickett for giving me this great opportunity. Tom Wharram Blue watch was on “harbour watch” on Saturday morning so I had to wake up at four o’clock! After breakfast we practiced bracing the yards and then began the task of preparing the ship to be put to sea. Lots of jobs needed doing and a small crowd had gathered on the side of the jetty. The pilot came on board and we were ready to leave the dock. My job for this manoeuvre was stowing away mooring lines in the 110 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:54 Page 111 Chapel Report During the year we also remembered Maxwell Phair in a service of thanksgiving for his life. A former Master and Housemaster here, many at the Service witnessed to a man much loved and respected who had recently died. by friends and family alike) he went to the altar for the first time in order to preside at the Eucharist. Both services were inspirational to all who attended them, and I know that Fr Clive felt wholly supported by all of the College community. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes in the School Chapel in order to make all that happens run so smoothly. This is due in no small part to Kay our Chapel “plant manager”, who keeps her sharpened eyes on broken light bulbs, topping up of candle oils, changing altar hangings to their seasonal colours, hoovering, ironing, laundering and so much more besides. The Chapel Sacristans complement this good work also. I would wish to take this opportunity to thank those who have served their time so faithfully and now head off to pastures new; especially, Kuzi Charamba (F), Matthew Sutherland (Fa), Clare Briscoe (Rv) and Olalulwa Akingbade (F), the last two having led the team as Head Sacristans during the academic year. Welcome to Philippa Smith (W) and Rustam Karanja (F) who join as M4 Sacristans, we wish them well in their service. As a Sunday worshipping community we furthered our links with St Martin’s Parish, and as well as our spending one Sunday in the month with them, ‘they’, for the first time ever, brought their Parish community to the Chapel on a marvellous Sunday morning in February. In School, we often talk of the Chapel being at the very centre of our lives in all that we do. Following the tragic death of our colleague Neil Laing (may he rest in peace), many sought spiritual ‘refuge’ in the Chapel. A time to reflect, pray and light candles for all who needed it. An indication of love and respect for Neil by many within and without our community. Further to this the Chapel hosted a wonderful Memorial Service and celebration of his life and times. Other key services that stand out are as follows: The ‘Toy Service’ in December, when the pupils brought toys in every shape, size and colour, for a children’s charity in Kingston known as ‘Growbaby’. Who can forget the most moving sermon from Mr Rudi Oppenheimer one of the few Holocaust survivors who spoke at our annual recollection of the Holocaust and the follow up after two of the pupils had returned from a visit to Auschwitz also. The annual round of Confirmations took place with the Bishop of Dorking confirming twelve of our number, including the Head of English, Amanda Brookfield. A memorable and moving occasion. The Dean of Guildford fresh from having welcomed our College Patron HM the Queen, to the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit on Maundy Thursday, was our guest preacher at this year’s Founder’s Day Service. He encouraged all of us to listen and learn from one another!!! On that salutary note I will end this year’s report, and will take this opportunity to thank all those involved with the School Chaplaincy for some excellent work. To others who support us in their prayers our thanks are also due. Fr Paul Thompson October 2006 Fr Clive, also served out his year as a deacon and was duly ordained to the Priesthood on Saturday 1 July in Guildford Cathedral. On the Sunday evening following (and surrounded Epsomianmagazine 2006 111 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:55 Page 112 Athletics 112 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 16:55 Page 113 113 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:55 Page 114 Sport Girls’ Athletics There were some great performances this term. In the District Athletics Personal best performances from: Against Christ’s Hospital and CLFS the U16s came 1st with 99 points, with CLFS on 60 points in 2nd place. Ashley Crane (Rv) in the Triple Jump, Laura Butcher (Rv) in the Long Jump. Helena Mortimer (W) in the 80m hurdles, Rebecca Kjaedgaard (Cr) in the javelin, Meghann Murdock (W) in the 1500m and Holly Brook (W) in High jump resulting in the team winning the U17 section for the first time ever, when they were a year young. The U15s only lost by a margin resulting in both teams winning overall with 160 points compared to Christ’s Hospital 2nd place with 139. The U15s also had some pleasing personal performances in the District Athletics. Steph Crouch’s (Rv) effort in the Long Jump, resulted in a selection for Central Surrey. Jo Boddy (Cr) gave a 114 a gutsy performance in the 800m. Overall the team suffered illness but they still managed to produce a team due to willing and enthusiastic athletes Sophie Sachak (W) and Philippa Smith (W) Nearly all the athletes produced personal bests in their performances at the Surrey Schools Championships. Ashley Crane (Rv) jumped 10m93cm in Triple Jump, which result in a National Qualifying jump and now she is the 17th best triple jumper in the country for the U17 age group. Laura Butcher (Rv) jumped well over her personal best in the long jump to jump Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 4m93cm and Meghann Murdock (W) smashed her best time in the 1500m. A big thank you to the staff for all they have done this term with Girls’ Athletics. Inter-House Athletics Results: This year the inter-house fixture saw lots of records being broken. Trophies Awarded: Crawfurd Relay Cup h Crouch Step m oru U15 Victrix Lud Butcher ra Lau m U16 Victrix Ludoru Sachak hie Sop Commitment Salver on Wils U16 House Cup Crawfurd Cup se U15 Hou New Records: U16 200m 16/5/07 16:56 Page 115 C. Johnston 30 New Laura Butcher 29.9secs 400m H. Skousbo 74 New Danni Rice 68.8 Long Jump N. NOrmatova 4.45m New Joint Record 4.64 Butcher, Morley Discus C. Lamey 20.28 A. Crane 28.05 U15 75m Hurdles Ami Hodges 12.5 Steph Crouch 12.1 400m K Lammiman New Jo Boddy 70.5seconds Long Jump L. Butcher 4.55m Steph Crouch 4.56m Javelin K. Amos 24.75m R. Kjaedegaard 24.98m House Athletics Epsomianmagazine 2006 115 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:56 Page 116 Cricket 1ST XI P14 W6 D0 L5 Abandoned – 3 The 2006 season was primarily a rebuilding phase for the College XI. However, the results produced exceeded all expectations. With no fewer than eleven out of a squad of fifteen returning next season, things certainly look bright for the future. Batting was the teams stronger suit and with a line-up that boasted accomplished batsmen all the way down the order we were able to post competitive scores batting first and apply pressure from the outset. This proved most successful as schoolboys are far more susceptible to pressure in limited overs matches when chasing a total (the victory over Brighton College being a case in point). This tactic would not have been as successful if it hadn’t been for the prolific form of the captain Alex Jones. Quite frankly he was awesome and his aggregate of 520 runs at an average of 52(including two centuries) has definitely been the best in my tenure. His unique ability to decimate opposition attacks eased the pressure substantially on his less experienced partners and enabled them to play themselves in. Janil Ramesh was outstanding in this role and was a perfect foil for Jones as his average of 40 indicates. Almost all the other members chipped in with scores of 35+ which is indicative of the strength in depth. 116 In recognition of his proficiency, Jones was awarded the Batting salver and Eric Radcliffe award. Bowling-wise again the XI was spoilt for choice. With the opening pair comprising U4s Jamie Billings and Jarred Pitout, and first change 5th former Ramesh, the long term forecast is indeed encouraging. Billings was a revelation. His pace and aggression epitomises quick bowling and his return of 10 wickets at 6,5 (best of 6 for 6 vs Lancing) before injury struck was outstanding. Ramesh was the leading wicket taker (12 at 19). What he lacked in penetration, he more than made up for with his accuracy. The more experienced Hast and Lavender did most of the ‘donkey work’ and although their efforts went mostly un-rewarded, their stabilising effect was commendable and they always found the ball in their hands in a crisis situation, responding with aplomb. One area where Epsom have always flourished is in the field and it was no different this season. The hard work put in by the team has definitely paid dividends. Matches can be won by a brilliant catch or run-out and every run saved makes the overall task of winning that much easier. The standard this season was mostly outstanding and was commented upon by numerous opposition coaches. One of the greatest attributes of the team was their enviable ability to maintain their collective focus and intensity, especially when the odds were stacked against them. It was incredibly difficult to choose the Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:56 Page 117 best fielder. However, with his superb athleticism, safe hands and ‘bullet’ arm, Jamie Billings was outstanding. It leaves me to thank my squad for all their hard work both pre- and during the season. As always it has been a privilege. Awards Jones (G) Eric Radcliff Award – Alex (G) es Jon Alex – er Salv Batting esh (F) Bowling Award – Janil Ram ings (Fa) Bill ie Jam – rd Awa g din Fiel (G) MAJOR COLOURS – A.Jones ), FULL COLOURS – J.Hast (Rn (F), sh me J.Ra ), (Rn der E.Laven S.Billings (W)- Scorer (Fa), HALF COLOURS – J.Pitout , S.Ratnage J.Billings (Fa), O.Lloyd (Fa) (G), (Fa), C.Woodall (G), M.Page einart (P). J.Lenney (F), J.Faal (P), R.B Team – A.Jones ©, R. Beinart, M.Page, S.Ratnage, J.Ramesh, J.Pitout, O.Lloyd, J.Hast, J.Billings, E.Lavender, C.Woodall, J.Faal, C.Mortimer, N.Satguru, D.Marsh, S.Billings (Scorer). Cricket at the College would not be possible were it not for the incredible amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to make every match day a success. So my thanks to all the coaches, to Bev Spencer and her catering staff who do such a superb job of making the lunches and the teas, and to Andy Lewis and the grounds staff who are responsible for the grounds looking as good as they are. Lastly, thank you to the parents for all the support. Mr D.J.R Campbell 2nd XI Although the results this year were not outstanding, two games (Cranleigh and St John’s) went down to the last over and both were lost, so overall it was a most enjoyable and reasonably successful season. The team worked hard all term and tried to play attractive and positive cricket. Our bowling certainly did not lack fire-power, and in the shape of Avais Malik, Joel Fredman, Jamie Lenney, David Marsh and Max Polkey we had five quality fast bowlers. When “raw” pace was not required, the “deadly” skills of Nilesh Satguru and Simon Owen could be relied upon. When matters were getting dull, on the odd occasion the crowd were entertained by the bowling “prowess” of Eric Lindberg and David Furze. So the issue was not bowling the opposition out. The problem was making the runs. At times the batting was a little brittle when put under pressure and certainly on more than one occasion we were unable to bat out the 30 overs – a veritable crime at this level. Thank goodness for David Marsh who, every time he came to the crease, managed to make 50 or more. His quality of strike was awesome and scared most Epsomianmagazine 2006 opposition umpires and a lot of bowlers. The problem in the batting department throughout the term was that the team never quite managed to get any meaningful partnerships. The quality was there for all to see - Eric Lindberg, Nilesh Satguru, Max Polkey and Charles Richardson – so the lack of runs in the big games did let us down. The captain to start with was Charles Richardson but sadly his form with the bat dropped and he did the honourable thing by resigning his captaincy. He remained behind the stumps and his constant “barracking” was a joy to hear. The fielding was good and at times breathtaking - a lot of that was due to Charles’ encouragement. So the “attack at all cost” cricket that Charles was famous for had to be curtailed, and Simon Owen was promoted. Both were excellent leaders and I thoroughly appreciated their efforts. A phrase to sum up the season: “Don’t cry because you lost, smile because you came so close.” 117 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:56 Page 118 Junior Colts A P7 W4 L2 D1 The season started with a comprehensive victory down at Lancing. Accurate bowling from Mortimer reduced them to 34-3 in the first ten overs. Twyman went on to take 3-29 and cramp slowed down the middle order with 3-22. Lancing managed 139 for 8. Faccini (61) and Cramp (32) made batting look easy, putting on 97 in 16 overs. Matthews finished proceedings in the 23rd over with a six. Cranleigh were bowled out for 104 with Barrass taking 3-12 in six overs. Faccini (41) and this time Cole (30*) set up an easy win with a partnership of 74 for the first wicket, two quite easy victories on the back of accurate bowling and sensible batting. The fielding was looking good as well with most catches being taken and a fair degree of commitment to chasing down and saving runs. The keeping of Malcolm was excellent. Dulwich proved to be a different kettle of fish. Batting first on a lively track, technique was all important and survival became the watchword. 16-0 after ten overs was converted to 76-2 in the 20th over before rain finally ended the day. Faccini (35) and Cole survived the initial onslaught before Mortimer(17*) and Lothian (21*) started a timely acceleration. Then came Brighton. We bowled badly, Mortimer the only bright spark with 2-27 off seven overs. Cramp 3-46 off 7 overs and the other bowlers failed to contain their batsmen in any way. 252 was always going to be a hard chase especially with Faccini and Lothian out very early. However the middle order batted well. Bush (42), Matthews (33) and Mortimer (28) pushed us on but someone needed to stay there. 207 in 35 overs would win most games but Brighton were very strong. Eastbourne suffered the backlash in 30 overs. 142-9 looked a little light. Lothian (30) and Cramp (38) did most of the damage. Mortimer then screamed in, taking 4-18, only to be outdone by Norman on debut taking 5-12, four of them bowled. Eastbourne mustered 56 runs. On to St. John's feeling pretty 118 confident. Too confident, they managed 175-6 in 30 with Mortimer the pick, taking 3 for 17 off five, a difficult but gettable target. At 942 in the 20th over acceleration was needed, but wickets in hand meant it was a slight advantage to Epsom. Wickets fell at important times and despite Lothian (31) and Faccini (39), Epsom fell 16 runs short. The last game proved an easy victory with Cramp (52) and Mortimer (50*) setting up a score of 195. Twyman (3-22) and Norman (3-8) made sure of victory in the last game. MDH Averages Batting Faccini Cramp Lothian Mortimer innings 7 6 6 6 not out 0 0 2 3 runs 209 160 124 126 Average 29.9 26.7 31.0 41.0 Overs 31 30.2 12 18 Maidens 3 4 0 0 Runs 106 140 47 97 Wickets 11 9 8 6 Bowling Mortimer Twyman Norman Cramp Average 9.6 15.4 7.9 16.1 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:56 Page 119 Junior Colts B Despite a decent team spirit in practices and on match days, a season of no victories is a disappointing record. There were too few occasions when the team gelled as a unit that was likely to win a game. In addition, we were frequently outclassed by sides that contained more depth. Whilst almost everyone was keen to play, we were handicapped by a paucity of players in the squad and there was little competition for places: a handful of players had to work hard to keep the scoreboard ticking over and take the wickets. Jake Norman started the season as captain: after his promotion to the ‘A’ team, Jack Barrass took over and displayed some real qualities of leadership and imagination. Joshua Memour gave his all in every match, wanting to take a wicket every ball and grinding out some very effective innings. He deserved a late call to the ‘A’ team. Simon Briscoe also tried his very best as first-change and often fought hard when at the crease. Of the rest, Jaymish Patel is a natural left-arm bowler, medium pace and spin, and should find the time to use his talent to the full. Rishi Patel was the regular ‘keeper and did his very best, although he needs to keep working on the basics. The remainder did their best but they were just short of the sort of performances that create a winning total in overs matches or take wickets when they were needed. Both Doctor Wade and myself enjoyed ourselves, despite the difficulties and heartbreaks and wish to thank everyone for their enthusiasm, even when everything was not going according to plan! Mr K. Siviter U14 A Following two extremely powerful U14 sides in 2004 and 2005, both SJH and I thought it was probably our turn to have a less than successful season! Although there were fewer 'quality' cricketers this year, we were pleasantly surprised by the success they had in winning five and losing only two games (although it must be noted here that the matches against Whitgift and Dulwich were rained off!). The XI had a strong look to the top order in both batting and bowling, but there was not the depth of previous years. We were also lucky to have a very fine wicket keeper in Peter Nichols, who was also (on his day) a highly destructive batsman. followed by a good win over Cranleigh. Having set them just over 120 to win, they looked to be going well until an impressive spell of quick bowling from Pease-Watkin blew away their top and middle order. Dulwich was rained off - fortunately as it looked as though we would be chasing well over 250 when the rains came. The normally very strong Brighton College were up next and beaten in low-scoring match on a poor wicket. Whitgift was rained off and Half Term came two days after a decent victory over CoLFS. Eastbourne deserved to beat us, showing more commitment and will to win on a very hot Saturday, but the team bounced back to beat St John's the following Saturday. Our heaviest defeat came in the last match of the season when we were comprehensively thumped by King Edward's Southampton - on the same day England lost to Portugal! Not a good day! There is some talent there for the future: Pease-Watkin has all the makings of a fine all-rounder, while Nichols should score many runs in the future and will impress many with his keeping. Nikhil Waugh is another who has a great deal of talent, while 'Marvellous Marvin' Attapatto will prove to be a useful swing bowler as he moves up the school. Many thanks once again to Mr Head for all his help, and to Andy James who provided some knowledgeable coaching throughout the term. A final thanks to all the boys for the commitment and I wish them well as they move up to the U15s next year. Mr P.J.Williams The season began brightly with a comprehensive victory over Lancing, Epsomianmagazine 2006 119 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 16:58 Page 120 Girls’ Cricket We spent the summer term 2006, contributing greatly to the school by participating in and upholding the girl’s first 11-cricket team. We managed to encourage enough female representatives to take part in this competitive and enticing sport. The team was able to muster up a considerable amount of supporters cheering us on through our unbeaten season. The team consisted of Lucie Billings, Suzie Blunt, Holly Brook, Ashley Crane, Charlotte Davolls, Charlotte Ellison, Ami Hodges, Katharine Lammiman, Carina Lindberg, Helena Mortimer, Madeleine Mortimer, Meghann Murdock, Lucy Phillips, Sam Phillips, Dani Rice and Tash Wood. The team was co-captained by Suzie Blunt and Tash Wood, the team thanks them for a great season, and all their “hard work”! 120 The results were as followed: Sutton Valence (away) Win by 6 runs. First match of the season, many of the team were slightly nervous as they had been dragged in and had never played cricket before! Everyone bowled well with wickets from Blunt, Ellison and Phillips S. The top score was by Ellison. Unfortunately not all the team were able to bat due to the rain. Sutton Valence (home) Win by 17 runs. This was originally meant to be a 6th form fixture but due to a lack of members, the U4’s were dragged back in. Ellison opened to batting but Lindberg and Mortimer M held the batting for the majority of the match. Well done to everyone! Charterhouse (home) Win by 1 run. This was definitely the closest match of the season, and one of the ones that gained the most support! Well done to those who got wickets: Blunt, Davolls, Ellison, Lindberg and Wood, a great effort. The best batters of the season were Carina Lindberg and Madeleine Mortimer, better luck next time Helena! Great season everyone, looking forward to next summer. By Suzie Blunt and Carina Lindberg. Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:11 Page 121 Girls’ Rounders Senior The Senior Rounders team was expertly captained by Arnolda Shiundu (Wh). Despite their enthusiasm in training they only had one match this term, against Kings Canterbury, where the opposition proved to be a little tough for them. The match was lost 27-10. U16 The U16 rounders team had a short yet successful season. They were expertly captained by Hannah Patel, who was efficient in organising teams as well as an effective team motivator. She kept spirits high and made sure games were fun as well as trying to win. We had some big hitters including Jennifer Bryant, Emma Pearce, Raphaelle Moore and many more. We had skillful spin bowlers such as Hannah Patel and Emma Pearce and then we had our relentless fielders who played a huge part in securing our winning games, including some unexpected yet tremendous catches from Katherine Law and Baileigh Walsh. They all deserve praise for making it such an enjoyable, if brief, season. U15 The team played very well all season and improved considerably as they went along. There is no-one who stands out as being more worthy of a special mention than the others but well done to all. n Inter-House Competitio 3rd Crawfurd 2nd Raven 1st Wilson House Cup - Wilson U14 The teams representing the College at Under 14 level Rounders varied enormously in participants this term, with some girls being asked to travel to matches at the last minute and doing so willingly. Fun was had by all and the girls showed increasing skill and resourcefulness as well as commendable team spirit. There was some superb play although only one win against Eastbourne. Fielding improved dramatically throughout the season with some excellent catches being taken. Our batting also strengthened. The captaincy was shared amongst the different players and all captains led their teams well. Inter-House Competitio n 3rd Wilson 2nd Raven 1st Crawfurd House Cup - Crawfurd Tennis Senior Boys With a really good finish to last season, and all our top players staying, this was going to be Epsom’s year. We went to Eton (always a tough first fixture) expecting a good victory. We were thumped – a thoroughly humbling experience. Things got better after that with comprehensive wins against Sevenoaks, Cranleigh and Whitgift – the game at Sevenoaks in particular featured some excellent tennis. We also fielded weakened teams who acquitted themselves well against St. John’s and Tonbridge. The reason for our weakened sides was our first foray into the Public Schools League. Our first round draw was the ‘Pool of Death’ – We came third behind St. Paul’s and KCS, beating Charterhouse. The third place pool wasn’t for the weak-hearted either, with Epsom coming out strong winners above Bradfield, Sevenoaks and Harrow. Epsomianmagazine 2006 In outside competitions, we were ‘Hamptoned’. We were well beaten by Hampton (No disgrace – they were good!) in the Rootham Shield for the second year running and after a couple of good rounds in the Youll cup, lost to them again. That’s five meetings in two years and we’ve only won one of them. Both pairs played well in the St. George’s pairs competition, but not well enough to progress to the latter stages. The senior pairs played well at the St George’s pairs and the Surrey Festival of Tennis without ever putting a consistent enough run together, but were upstaged by Rory Cook (P) and Josh Phillips (F) reaching the semi-finals of the U14 doubles at the Surrey Festival. The seconds and thirds had a season of ‘what might have been’. A lot of great tennis played but not often more than a set at a time – the boy’s motto being, ‘We could have beaten them’. There was a lot of competition for the title of most variable player, but Lawrence Archer (H) probably just shaded it. 121 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:11 Page 122 Internal Competitions There was some terrific Tennis on display, in the latter stages of all the major competitions. It is to the particular credit of the seniors that they were able to maintain such a high standard in shocking conditions. The junior competitions were dominated by Josh Phillips who showed a ruthlessness that the others couldn’t rival. Senior House Doubles: Junior House Doubles: Senior Mixed Doubles: Junior Mixed Doubles: Senior Singles: Junior Singles: David Potter Coaching Cup: Fayrer (Liddell and Flanagan) Forest (Hack and Phillips) Lauren Blease (Wh) and Patrick Walsom (P) Sam Burke (Rv) and Josh Phillips (F) Tom Liddell (Fa) Josh Phillips (F) Gwyn Page (C) Major Colours Tom Liddell, Justin Taylor Full Colours Phil Canby, Alan Goodyear, Vladimir Ryazantse v Sinclair, Charlie James Half Colours Matthew Goodyear, Stuart Mathys, Jon Permanand, Andrew U16 The team coped well despite a short season before study leave. The team played well and morale and motivation were maintained, inspite of meeting some much stronger opposition at the beginning of the season. The B team were steady and achieved a very pleasing victory over Sevenoaks. Laing and Davies made a strong first pairing for the A team and good performances came from De Vimal du Bouchet, Antoniou, Nuthall, Chase, Gillespie, Hatton, Shaw, Foster, Dyer and Antuna on a regular basis. mincemeat of anyone trying to get past him. The Italian, Paggagwini, will run and run, and most certainly won’t insult the family of any of the opposition. McNeville, an Englishman, with rumoured family ties north of the border – which I guess was the closest the Scottish were going to get to a World Cup connection. Finally, two South Americans complete the backs: the Argentinian, Sorwin, keen to go forward on the overlap; and the Brazilian, Grosverto Taylos, keen to take all the free kicks. dynamic duo – Dan D’Kloza and Gavdolski. Their almost telepathic understanding means they could play with their eyes shut (which is how the English took penalties). Or we could try out the lone Italian striker, Claytoni. Mind you, everyone will be trying out Italian strikers soon, when all those ex Serie A players become available. Although he wasn’t happy at Barcelona, our front line will welcome Christiano Daviola (as I am sure the front line of Arsenal also will) and, finally, we have to take a risk on the mild-mannered Wayne Hoonry (OK so I lied about not taking any injured players). That 30 seconds of genius will more than make up for 89 minutes and 30 seconds of mediocrity – not to mention an ability to stamp, that would make the All Black front row proud. Mrs R.J.B.Harrop U15 It is the glorious summer of 2006. As the world seems destined to spiral further down into chaos and anarchy; as dog eats dog and man kills man; what can halt this descent and bring harmony to a fragmented planet? Football, obviously! From the ashes of an exciting, if unpredictable, World Cup rises a superteam. They will battle with the forces of evil and restore the equilibrium to the 21st century. Let me introduce the squad: The manager is that veritable “Dr Who” – time traveller and man of many guises – N.D.Wheelzone. Is there no limit to the situations he can find himself in? Well, since he writes all this rubbish, I guess the answer is an emphatic “No!!!”. Two goalkeepers are considered sufficient to ward off the attacks on our goal of righteousness – Lloydio Mainthez and Rosenson – Gallic eccentricity and English solidity. Let’s just hope we don’t give away too many corners. The defence can choose from five different nations. The German, Matthaeus Hackfleisch, will make 122 In midfield there are another five talented and creative players. We have Baillack, the German pin-up boy and Charladine Chapdane the French headbutt and pin-down boy. Then, of course, we could play the Portuguese high-dive specialists, Costainha and Blundinha – also very adept at making low dives. And last, but not least, we present the twinkling Brazilian feet of Ramaggino. Surely he will make the difference? Apparently not! Since N.D. is attacking minded (unlike some ex-International managers), he has also chosen five strikers (and none of them is injured or underage). His first choices are the in-form, Teutonic, Will this elite squad of 17 players be up to the awesome task expected of it? Probably not! You will have to wait for the next exciting issue to find out how they fared. However, it is more likely that N.D.Wheelzone will take you on a totally different roller coaster ride. Either way, I bet you can’t wait! A.J.Wilson Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:11 Page 123 U14 A superb season, full of joyous sunny days and some outstanding tennis. With almost thirty boys representing the College during the season, it was great to see tennis thriving! Apart from a very clear top four, and a distinct next six, there was very little to choose between the rest, and many talented players had to be rested to give others a chance to play. At the top end were Josh Phillips, Rory Cook, Ollie Wilkinson and Jeremy Morgan. These four played tremendous tennis throughout the year, driving the A team to eight wins and a draw in their ten matches. Indeed, the only defeat suffered – against Eton in the first week – would undoubtedly have been overturned had the match been played later in the term. In the Public Schools’ League their performance against three strong schools, Charterhouse, KCS Wimbledon and St Paul’s, brought them a 12-6 victory in the singles and doubles matches. Unfortunately the U4 and 5th year teams did not manage to have equal success and as the competition was crazily a combined U14/U15/U16 one, the boys were left with a relatively pointless 18-0 whitewash of the three bottom placed teams in the next phase of the competition. Hopefully next year will see a strong M4 again and we can reach the level these boys deserved with their tennis. Josh Phillips led the side exceptionally well, encouraging his partners, and setting an immaculate standard with his own play. He lost just one set – against Eton – in either singles or doubles all year, and many sets were won to love. Truly an outstanding talent, Josh enjoyed a clean sweep in the internal competitions, winning the Junior singles title, the Junior Doubles and the Junior Mixed Doubles. Rory Cook developed greater consistency over the season and his range of shots was impressive. As he started to get more confident in volleying, he started dominating the net and he and Josh developed into a fearsome and unstoppable pairing. Epsomianmagazine 2006 Ollie Wilkinson benefited from stepping out of Josh’s shadow when he moved to partner Jeremy. The need to show greater reliability in his choice of shot developed, and his serving became the most potent of everyone on the team. Relaxed almost to a point, Ollie had a cracking season. Jeremy was sometimes his own worst enemy, beating himself up over every mistake. He has a terrific flat backhand and if he can develop greater confidence and consistency on his forehand and serve, he will go on to become a very adept player. Between them, these four dropped just seven sets out of fifty played this year – a remarkable statistic. Perhaps the most surprising yet admirable performance of the year was the rise of the ‘Little and Large’ of the team, William Beadle and Chris Harper. These two developed an unconventional yet effective partnership and their team spirit and support for each other epitomised all that was good and enjoyable about this Epsom team. Others to have a productive year and show promise for the future were: Rory Adam, Ollie Kemp, Mark Tampin, Charlie Scarlett-Smith, Tom Shopland, Jamie Farley, Daniel Hollington, Matt Rayburn, Nico Judd, Georeg Williams, Ali Al-Fekaiki, Owen O’Sullivan, Nick Richards, Harvey Steers and Ollie Borch. “With almost thirty boys representing the College during the season, it was great to see tennis thriving!” Behind them, the unfortunate Jack Billings and Tom Norkett found themselves just a little out of their depth at A team level, but they came good with some impressive displays in the B team. Jack in particular possesses some outrageous shots, but lacked sufficient consistency to progress further. Towards the end of the season, the less hard-hitting but more effective pairing of James Dawkins and Simon Jennings performed heroically at Cranleigh, Whitgift and Wellington, helping the A team to convincing victories with their blend of tenacity and vivacity. Others to shine were the astute and consistent Tom Burgess, and the devastating yet frustrating Xavier Dialdas. Both played exceptionally well at various times, often having to change partners to fit the needs of the team, and I am sure they will go on from strength to strength next year. My thanks go to all the boys. Firstly for their first-rate commitment to their game, constantly seeking improvement and extra practice, and secondly for going easy on me during the end of season Choccie Challenge! Also, to the many parents that came along to offer their support to the boys, often providing a bemused coach with an accurate in-play scoreline for their son’s match – thank you! Also, a huge debt of gratitude of course to Justin, the tennis coach, and his team of assistants who drove the boys on with good humour and fun practice sessions. And to Mr Gillespie for his help managing and coaching the unfortunate few that did not make the teams. Without doubt this has been the most enjoyable tennis group I have had in five years here. Good luck for next year – Mr Wilson is a lucky man to inherit such talent! Mr A. J. Bustard 123 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:11 Page 124 Girls Tennis Senior Tennis 2006 enormously as the season progressed, only narrowly missing out on taking victory several times. Rebecca Brown was in full flow on the court, always on her toes and striking at the ball with much drive and precision. Anessa Rezai and Claire Zaleski both displayed good tactical awareness and fought vigorously on every occasion. The squad had wins over Charterhouse and Cranleigh and only narrowly missed out on a victory against CLFS by one set. Both girls fought hard and played the net well, forcing pressure and insecurity onto their opponents. Lauren Blease contributed towards the girls overall performance, giving steady and strong play on the court but was sadly hit by injury. This year proved to be a respectable season for the senior girls. Holly Howson (Rv) captained the 1st VII, where the girls had a total of four victories over the very short season. Successes over Lord Wandsworth College and St John’s were outstanding. Sarah Campus (W) and Rebecca Carpenter (Cr) were coupled as first pair, proving to be an excellent team. In all cases, this couple always gave incredible passion and displayed immense skill. King’s Canterbury were especially tough opponents, but Sarah and Rebecca still managed to win every set. Rosie Seabrook (Wh) and Holly Howson splendidly supported them, being a pair who combined much positive and proficient energy into all of their attacking play. Another pairing with as much hard determination and ability were Madeleine Mortimer (W) and Dansy Brunton (Cr). Many fixtures were an even contest, with most of the sets only separated by one or two games. 124 At the Independent Schools’ Championships at Eton, Rebecca and Sarah progressed through the first two rounds and then lost to the eventual winners Millfield and in the Branston Shield we managed a very commendable victory over St Catherine’s and eventually lost out in a tough tussle to St George’s. The highlight of the season away from the regular fixtures was the win by Rebecca and Lauren in the Surrey Festival where all the top schools in surrey compete for the title. They saw off all comers to lift the trophy, a first for the College and a tremendous achievement. The 2nd team had a mildly disappointing season, not really reflecting the girl’s hard work and effort. Kate Moore, leading the team with determination and persistence, captained this squad. Kate combined very effectively with Samantha Polkey where they produced strong wins and displayed 100% commitment at first pair. They steadily had the upper hand on all their matches and came out as strong, talented players. Olivia Rawes and Catrin Page improved Both squads should be commended on their attitudes and high level of play throughout the season. I would like to thank the girls for all the commitment and passion I witnessed and extend a big congratulations for all your efforts and enthusiasm in a busy term. I do hope that more of the squad will get to the courts before the summer term next year. Good luck to all those leaving us we hope they continue to enjoy their Tennis, and lets look forward to another promising tennis season next summer with Rebecca leading the way. Sarah Tremble-Newman /FCD Gap student 2006 Full Colours were awarded to: Holly Howson(Rv), Rosie Seabrook(Wh), Rebecca Carpenter(Wh), Sarah Campus(W), Lauren Blease(Wh), Madeleine Mortimer(W). Sam Polkey(Cr), Kate Moore(Cr) and Dansy Brunton(Cr) Half Colours were awarded to: Olivia Rawes(Wh), Catrin Page(Wh), Alessa Rezai(Wh) Senior Trophy Holly Howson(Rv) Senior Mixed Doubles Champions Lauren Blease(Wh) and Patrick Walsom(P) Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:11 Page 125 U14 As always the summer term starts and there is an enthusiastic rush for the tennis courts, with tennis rackets being ‘dusted off’ ready for action! Team places were closely contested in this keen year group, and both A and B teams have played well, improving their scores as the term has progressed, and finishing the season with strong wins against Christ’s Hospital, Lord Wandsworth, Brighton, Ardingly and Lancing. One C team match was played against CLFS, who proved to have greater strength in depth, although the A and B teams won their matches, both 5-4, 5-4. Good contests! The A team played 9 matches, won 5 lost 4. The B team played 5 matches, won 4 lost 1. The C team played 1 match, lost 1, Teams were represented by: A Team: Stephanie Crouch, Anna Hurley, Hannah, Davies, Sidony Laing, Ffion Carey-Evans, Joanna Boddy, Lucy Murray and Rebecca Kjaedegaard. B Team: Lucy Murray, Rebecca Kjaedegaard, Issy Porter, Lottie Mungavin, Joanna Boddy, Philippa Smith, Katie Moore and Lauren Bowman. C Team: Charlotte Billings, Louise Hosking, Ilsa Forsberg, Laura Frazer, Rachael Lenney and Vicky Piper. Well done to all the girls in this year for their effort and enthusiasm. Mrs C. Rice Swimming Epsomianmagazine 2006 125 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:12 Page 126 Target Rifle The 2005-06 year was an excellent one, even by our own high standards. Matthew Millar as Captain had one clear goal – acquisition of all 3 National Cadet Trophies in one year – a feat only once achieved before in 1999 by David Rose’s team, albeit then with the GP rifle. Could the 2006 team equal this treble? The Michaelmas term got under way with several important new recruits of all ages. Harry Ball arrived into the L6 on transfer from Hampton and immediately settled in well with the squad. The new M4s were a strong year and some had .22 experience from Feltonfleet (Oliver Stewart and Charles Wray) whilst others were newer to the sport (Alex Brunton-Reed, Alex Dowle and Scott Freemantle). The first term saw many hours of training and practice from all the team and a clean sweep in all our matches, culminating with a clear win over the Old Epsomians. The National Staniforth Trophy was ‘the big one’ though and an excellent 792 out of 800 saw a clear win and Part 1 of the objective was achieved. 126 The Lent term brought International honours for Matt Millar and James Lothian in the form of the Great Britain Cadet Rifle Team (the Athelings) to tour Canada in the summer. William Vaz was selected as Reserve and was unlucky not to travel with the team. David Nuthall, Tom Wharram, Sam Harley and Sam Hunter created an Epsom record making up four of the twelve to tour the Channel Islands with the UK Cadet Rifle Team in August. Clare Briscoe, Harry Ball, James Lothian, David Nuthall and Tom Wharram all represented England at .22 this term whilst Sam Hunter represented Scotland. The Country Life was the second of the National Trophies in Matt’s sights and a brilliant group, rapid, snap stage made up for a good, but not outstanding landscape, and we regained the Trophy with a win by 7 points over Stamford. Now just the Ashburton Shield remained to achieve the treble. Easter Camp saw the arrival of the summer fullbore season and the real business of the year. We combined our training at Bisley with Wellington College and our hosts of Easter 2005, Elizabeth College, Guernsey. Over the course of the weekend, we retained the Malvern Cup, which included long range distances for the first time, although our racing drivers were perhaps not so dominant on the go-kart track! The first match of the term, the London and Middlesex saw us wobble a little and Marlborough came from nowhere to win the match, much to the chagrin of our hierarchy and we had to settle for second place. In hindsight, this probably dispelled any complacency and a steely determination entered the VIII…. Our pairs and fours did well with Peter Slater starting an awesome run of form which saw him picking up medals in the cadet matches each week from now on. Michael Clayton, Charles Rivet-Carnac and Ben Newman also competed well in these cadet matches and showed much promise for the future. In subsequent weeks, the Surrey Championships, the Sawyer Cup, the Sussex Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Championships and the Clayton Challenge were all won convincingly by the VIII, although competition for places within the team were at unprecedented levels. This problem was to remain up until the Ashburton itself as we had 12 people who could all easily have commanded places in any VIII in the country. After a pause for exams and the end of term, the Schools meeting arrived in the first week of the holiday. The weather was warm and pleasant throughout and the team hit the ground running from the off as we cleaned up on the Monday winning the practice matches. Over the Tuesday and Wednesday we dominated the competitions winning numerous individual and team prizes. For team matches we won the Devon, the ABRO and the Victoria College trophy. Tom Wharram won the Tuesday Aggregate by one V bull from Matt (from over 700 cadets), David won the Wednesday aggregate with Sam Harley in 3rd, Matt won the 600 yards aggregate and was Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 second in the 500 yards. William Stewart and Matt were involved in a thrilling tie shoot for the Iveagh although Will just lost out to a WO2 from Wellingborough school. David Nuthall was second in the Cadet Rifle Aggregate ahead of Matt in 3rd and Dan Sherville in 4th, whilst in the Schools Hundred Epsom made up a third of the top 30 showing just how dominate a performance the team had achieved. 17:12 Page 127 an excellent start and repeated Clare Briscoe’s performance of last year and won the Reserve with a 46 coached by Peter Dodd - a tremendous performance by both! The VIII made a fanstastic start averaging over 33 each and the total of 265 won the Kinder and was 7 ahead of Marlborough in 2nd. Falling back to 600 we found conditions a touch trickier and was an “The 2005-06 yeaern by our excellent one, evrds.” own high standa Ashburton day was warm and calm at 300 although a light breeze picked up throughout the day which made coaching far from straightforward. William Vaz (who possesses an Ashburton winners medal from 2004) was one of the unlucky ones who had not managed to gain a place in the VIII for the day. Instead he made allowed a pumped up Marlborough to make up 2 points on us as they won ‘our’ Epsom trophy with 263 to our 261. Lunch was taken off the range and gave us some respite from the sun. On our return the crowds had gathered for the final distance and as we dodged the scoreboards and kept our composure the tension around us was mounting. 127 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag The Epsom method swung into action – no discussing scores, focus on the next shot only, meticulous preparation and focus – all the things we do day in and day out to such a high level. One spectator later commented on how noticeable the Epsom Team’s professionalism was in contrast to one or two other schools near by and this was without doubt one reason why our nerves held as we neared the climax. The first three firers, David (32), Tom (31) and Clare (33) shot well although it was still neck and neck with Marlborough. Fourth man down Harry Ball steadied nerves with a 33 only for Sam Harley to get caught by the wind and his 30 (down 4 on his 600 score) meant we were not yet home and dry. Sam Hunter then stepped up at this most tense of times and put all 7 shots into the bull for an excellent 35. Dan Sherville, penultimate firer, followed him and did exactly the same, also scoring a 35. In a nice touch, MCO was there in his last outing as HMM to witness this and see Dan win for Granville the Crawfurd House Cup which was being shot concurrent with the match. Skipper, Matt Millar, last 16/5/07 Trophy and renewing rivalry from 2005. A similar battle was fought between the Cadet Pairs with Dollar again triumphing by a single V bull to take the trophy, albeit somewhat belatedly due to an incorrect score being accepted as the winning one on the day. All credit to the juniors who performed very well and were unlucky not to win, with good shooting by a Dollar cadet called Beesley making the difference…he sounds like a useful shot. The inaugural Schools Four Match took place this year with James Lothian, William Stewart (both of whom were also unlucky not to make the VIII) William Vaz and Hannah Kent winning a splendid trophy. This match was open to adult coaches but they eschewed this advantage and coached themselves winning by 9 points over Exeter school. The Epsom squad also won the huge Lucas Cup, the Rutland, the Cheltenham Cup, and the Garry beating the Candian and Australian National cadet teams! In the Imperial meeting the team completed it’s sweep of all the cadet 17:12 Page 128 14 staying on shot very well indeed, with highlights including David finishing 59th in the Grand Aggregate out of 1300 adult competitors and as top cadet. He also finished 19th in the St Georges Final and became X class. Tom Wharram reached the Queens Final and finished 93rd. Tom finished 249th and Harry 261st in the Grand Aggregate both excellent achievements. These three were all part of the UK cadet team in the Inter Services Long Range match and David and Tom combined with Matt, Dan and James to represent the UK Cadets in the main match against the Canadians, the AG Bell, as well the Inter Services Short Range match. As ever, thanks must go to RG and MO who have been towers of strength, always ready and willing to help despite their ever increasingly busy roles at the College – it really is their ‘back stage’ work behind the firing pint which is so key to winning. Peter Dodd and Andrew Lucas Cup, the ge hu e th on w so al g The Epsom squad d the Garry beatin an , up C m ha en lt he Rutland, the C ams! n National cadet te ia al tr us A d an an the Candi man down, merely had to avoid a disaster for us to regain the Shield. With excellent coaching from David and Tom, Matt finished with a 33 to win the Green Howards Country Life and the Ashburton Shield for Epsom with a record score of 788.59. Epsom were 13 ahead of Marlborough who ended with 775.46 in second, who in turn were 1 V bull ahead of The Oratory in third, whilst 2005 Champions Dollar finished in a creditable fourth. This was the 10th victory for Epsom in the Ashburton in the last 17 years, and our 5th victory in the last 10 years. In the last 9 years we have not been out of the top two places in this match which emphasises our consistency and dominance. The Cadet Fours was closely fought with Dollar putting in a strong showing beating us by 3 points to take the 128 TR matches by winning the Garry Jones and the Anstey and collecting a haul to rival any team of the last 50 years. Major Colours were re-awarded to Matthew Millar and James Lothian and now awarded to Clare Briscoe, Dan Sherville, David Nuthall, Tom Wharram and William Vaz. Full Colours went to Harry Ball, Sam Harley, Sam Hunter and Half Colours to Hannah Kent and William Stewart. Colts Colours went to Peter Slater who also won the Michael Nash Most Improved Trophy whilst David Nuthall retained the Officers Cup. David was appointed Captain for 2007 with Tom as Vice-Captain and Harry as Hon. Secretary. During the Main Meeting MO gamely stepped into JRWP’s shoes after the first three days to allow him to travel straight off to Mongolia with the World Challenge team. The group of Lothian continue to give very freely of their time and I know all the team benefit from their wisdom on the range and good company off it. In a year when Parag Patel (H 19891994) won Gold and Silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Epsom College pupils, past and present, continue to set the highest standards in the world of rifle shooting. Without fear of correction, I am able to state that no other team in the country could match the consistently excellent performances of the Epsom team of 2006, which only leaves the 2007 squad much to live up to in the coming months. Luckily, we have a talented bunch coming through and I am very much looking forward to seeing if they can live up to the very high standards set this year. Mr J.R.W. Postle Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:12 Page 129 Volleyball Report experienced Ashcombe team proved too strong, beating Epsom in the League and Final competitions. The boys’ B team had convincing wins in all their three games, beating St. John’s in the final. The boys’ A team faced stronger opposition but played well to reach the semi-final stage. They had a very closely contested game with the Lycée, who went on to beat Rikkyo in the Final. The Annual tournament, held by Ashcombe Volleyball Club and hosting over a hundred teams in Dorking, was the venue of the second tournament. Play is outdoors, regardless of the weather, and they were blessed by a wonderful summer day. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams did well to reach the semi-finals in their Groups – the boys doing particularly well as they were put in the Men’s Division Four Group. A good day out for all those who took part! The culmination of the year’s training is reflected in the success of the teams in the two tournaments held this term. Our own tournament, played in May, hosted teams from the French Lycée, London Oratory, Rikkyo, Salesian, Beacon and Ashcombe. Scheduled to be outdoor, the weather, unfortunately, was not kind, and the event was re-organised indoors. The girls’ team, led and captained by Mary Ho, played well to beat both French teams, but the more The Student’s Perspective When I was in the 5th Year, walking past the outdoor volleyball courts on many occasions, with friends in Fayrer, we thought volleyball was more a sport for girls than boys. In the L6, although finding it awkward to play a sport I was sceptical about, I was encouraged by a friend to attend with him. I soon learnt how the game was played and started to enjoy the skill and teamwork elements within it. Epsomianmagazine 2006 In the U6 I was pleased to be selected as Captain for the boys’ team. The results of our matches and tournaments have already been noted, but we, as a team, were particularly disappointed to lose to London Oratory by 2 points ( but still qualifying for the semi-final), and then to lose by one point to the Lycée in the Semi-Final! Throughout this year I have been grateful for the support of such a promising team. I will miss Brian’s (Wong) and Andrew’s (Leung) ‘meathead’ serves, Calvin’s (Wong) beastly smash, Ben’s (Ching) brilliant dive and Wilson’s (Chin) ‘don’t know what he’s doing skill’! I am proud of them. Last but not least, thank you very much for Mrs Rice’s and Mr Hibbitt’s experienced coaching – without them we would not have played as well as we did. Kevin Lee 129 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:12 Page 130 House Notes Carr Housemaster: Mr M.D. Day Barakzai, House Tutors: Mr K.N.D. nkall, Mr T.S. Cooper, Mrs F.C. Dri Day . B.C Mrs d, Rea Mr M.R. by Head of House: PCH Can , S. ElHouse Prefects: M. Abram A. an, Nol Sbahi, J.R.D. C.Y.D. Odemuyiwa, AL. Rothman, g Yan . Situ, M.W Carr began the year with an added sense of optimism in the capable hands of Phil Canby and his team of prefects. Both team spirit and individual ambition were flourishing through the house as we prepared to compete keenly in all aspects of school life. Unfortunately, as usual, such optimism did not breathe much success in the house choral competition. Despite a superb rendition of ‘Wherever you will go’ by Jack Moore, accompanied by Hugh Crail on the guitar, and a titanic effort by the whole house in the unison, spurred on by the flamboyant James Patterson-Puertolas, we were once again excluded from the placings in all categories. However, I am sure it is only a matter of time before Carr obtains this elusive title. Maybe next year we should wear skirts! Far from downhearted following this disappointment, the M4 group led the way with an outstanding performance in the inter-house junior rugby tournament. Throughout the term they swept aside all in their 130 path, only falling at the last hurdle to an impressive Forest team. It seems that they have quickly adapted to Carr’s unofficial motto, ‘semper secundum.’ Unfortunately, the U4s weren’t so successful, finishing a disappointing seventh. Nevertheless all involved were an inspiration to the senior members of the house, who picked up the first piece of silverware of the year, winning the plate trophy in their respective rugby tournament, by beating Holman 2-1 in the final. Greater things were to come before the end of the term as Carr picked up the infamous volleyball trophy with a flawless display of setting from Clement Kwan and smashing from Tom Morley. Quite frankly they were a joy to watch! Congratulations must also go to Gareth Blease who performed remarkably as one of the unbeaten first golf team pair. Finally, at the end of a busy Michaelmas term, came the inter-house cross country, with special mention going to Jack Rapley who finished in 6th place in the senior race. Unfortunately many more brave performances were not quite strong enough to get a top three finish, but a solid performance all-round. The term ended as it had begun, with Jack Moore excelling on stage, this time in the school play ‘West Side Story.’ Playing the lead character ‘Tony’ appeared natural to Jack as he delighted all in the audience, especially the female viewers. Rob Nolan also starred as ‘Glad Hand’ and the production was superbly assisted by Max Abram behind the scenes. Carr was well represented at final roll with Alex Dowle being rewarded for his three distinctions and both Gautham Shankar and Charles Ushiyama receiving internal 6th Form scholarships. Full colours were awarded to Max Abram and half colours to both Landis Bagnall and Stephen Munford for their contribution to a successful 1st XV season, whilst XXX caps were deservedly received by Alex Rothman, Marco Yang and Phillip Canby for their continued dedication to school rugby. Colts Colours went to Max Polkey and Luke Davies who played their parts in a near perfect season for the Colts ‘A’ team. Lent Term started on a high note with various strong musical performances throughout the house. Jaymish Patel achieved grade one on the piano and Alistair Hardy passed his grade six clarinet exam with distinction. The Epsom College Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:13 Page 131 Businessmen must also be added to the list with Alistair Hardy, Charlie James and James Patterson-Puertolas all obtaining a distinction in their Young Enterprise exams. Orchestra was also well supported by Carr House, with Philip Canby, Gautham Shankar, Harry Bradshaw (all violin), Anthony Gillan (flute), Marco Yang (guitar) and Alistair Hardy (clarinet) excelling. On the sporting side, once again the pool was not our best friend and we failed to reach our full potential, although special mention must go to Charlie James who put in a memorable performance in the 50m Butterfly, picking up our first and only gold medal! The weekly football competition supplied some memorable moments, such as Max Abram’s poetic goal against Propert, James Dawson’s mountainous defending and Rob Munford’s formidable presence between the posts. A respectable fifth place did not tell the whole story as many games went right down to the wire and with a bit more luck a higher place might have been possible. However, being the unselfish house that all Epsomians have come to adore, all members of the team put their bodies on the line to salvage an epic draw against Fayrer, which eventually enabled our neighbours Propert to pick up the trophy. Not only did many of Carr’s players put in tremendous performances for their house every week however, they also went on to greater achievements in the school sides. Special mention goes to Adam Odemuyiwa who was awarded major colours for his commitment to the 1st XI. Also rewarded were Sami El-Sbahi, Marco Yang, Alex Rothman, James Dawson, Steve Lydon and Max Abram. house tournaments. Unfortunately, the senior side narrowly lost out in the final 3-2 to Fayrer, yet again, but credit goes to David Furze for his six goals and to Hugh Crail in goal. Harry Bradshaw was awarded the Woodward Cup for his promising start to school hockey whilst Stephen Munford was the most improved 1st XI player and won the Crosbie Trophy. Full colours were received by Myron Wong and Stephen Munford and half colours by David Furze. Finally, Jack Rapley was rewarded for his neverending stamina with half colours for cross-country. Not only does Carr house supply the school with some of the best thinkers, sportsmen, musicians, dramatists, comedians and good lookers, it also fashions very good soldiers. Both Harry Bradshaw and Alex Dowle received commendations for their CCF participation during the term, whilst Charles Ushiyama, Luke Davies and Gautham Shankar successfully attained Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards and David Furze and Alistair Hardy attained Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. The sporting year finished on a high for the house in the athletics standards competition. Finishing 4th place overall, the U4 age group must be commended for their outstanding 2nd place finish, with special mention going to Seb Weingartshofer who amassed an impressive 34 points. Unfortunately, the seniors were left with a depleted squad for the Founder’s Day competition, although Kolapo Oyogbola must be congratulated for his pivotal role in the ‘2 x 800’ metre relay team. Landis Bagnall brought back the only piece of silverware in winning the throwing cup. Both were deservedly awarded house colours. The year’s hard work was well rewarded at final roll. Carr was once again well represented with prizes going to Alex Dowle, Xavier Dialdas, Matthew Wynne, Jack Frazer, Charles Ushiyama, Alistair Hardy, Stephen Munford, James Patterson-Puertolas, Max Abram, Philip Canby, Sami ElSbahi, Chris Moore and Alex Rothman. Such a busy house cannot be successful without the guidance of our housemaster, tutors, head of house and prefects. Special thanks must go to Mr and Mrs Day, Philip Canby and Marco Yang for their tireless work in running the house but also to Mr Barakzai, Mrs Drinkall, Mr Read and Mr Cooper for all their efforts this year. We wish them all a relaxing holiday. Hockey also thrived in the house with strong performances in the interEpsomianmagazine 2006 131 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:13 Page 132 Crawfurd Keevil Housemistress: Mrs H.E. rrall, House Tutors: Mr R. Wo ne, Miss P. Thornley, Mrs E. Irvi ies Dav A. Mrs y, era Mrs R. Sum ore Head of House: Kate Mo Bell, House Prefects: Sabrina Gale, y han Bet n, Rachel Clayto Muktar, Steph Lamey, Samantha Patel, Katherine Parker, Meera nto Samatha Polkey, Lizzy Sza After a well deserved summer holiday Mrs. Keevil returned from the maternity leave with a new addition to the family, “Teddy”. By the second week of term, the choral competition practices in Crawfurd had already begun in full swing, with our rendition of ‘Happy Together’. This provided a chance for the new arrivals of M4s and new L6th to surround themselves in House spirit. Elspeth, a mere U4, excelled herself with her solo of ‘Fields of Gold’ bringing a tear to many of the audience’s eyes. With the help of Mr Walsh again, this year’s part song ‘All That Jazz’ featured a range of complicated harmonies and techniques, which proved that the Crawfurd girls were willing and had the talent to push themselves musically. With all the effort put into the first fun filled event of the year, we managed to hold onto the Unison cup for another year, for which Mrs Keevil generously rewarded us with 35 pizzas later on that week, which went down a treat! 132 Sporting wise, Crawfurd excelled, managing to bring home the Under 14 House Hockey Trophy, the U15 and U16 gaining second place whilst the seniors made a valiant effort which did not go unnoticed. The boarders began their nightly routine of Chapel Triangles in order to get them fit for Cross-Country, along with the Wednesday night sessions of ‘Bums and Tums’ run by Mrs Keevil. Two of the new M4s, Hannah Davies and Jo Boddy, contributed to the house once again by attaining the excellent result of 1st and 2nd in their race. The School Play; ‘West Side Story’ was the highlight of the Michelmas Term. We were well represented on stage with Jo Davis scoring the main role of ‘Maria’, Susie Blunt as ‘Anybodys’ and many Crawfurdian dancers making the whole play a montage of fabulous dancing, singing and acting. The Young Enterprise group AYM, of which Zoë Dudgeon and Karina Norton Amor were members, produced an interesting and humorous insight into the production with their programme. Despite the cast’s exhaustion, they were back in action the next week for the Christmas House Party and the revealing of Secret Santa, which helped bond girls of different ages. The Crawfurd Chapel service managed to certainly entertain the rest of the students before the Christmas break, with Carina Lindberg’s Mistletoe demonstration in particular. The Lent Term started in high spirits with snow and the welcoming of our new gappies Bex and Sarah. However, it was not all snowball fights and Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:13 Page 133 Cindy Ho and Zoë Dudgeon, bravely volunteered for the Hendelah Waley competition and put in a first-class effort for the house. cups of cocoa for the 6th Form because the school decided to take some AS Level modules early. The need for early breakfasts arose as exams were set up in the dining room for the first time. Everyone made a bold attempt and was relieved to get them out of the way. The Staff Charity show proved to be highly entertaining with a controversial interpretation of “Vogue” led by Mrs. Keevil as Madonna. It managed to raise the roof and over a thousand pounds. However, the following weeks took a turn for the worst as Influenza B struck the school, heavily reducing house numbers. Things proceeded to deteriorate with the news of the much loved Mr Laing’s death and the Crawfurd girls learnt how to support Epsomianmagazine 2006 each other in their time of need. The whole house showed their compassion and respect. Many girls attended a beautiful and moving service that was held in the chapel. Mrs. Keevil continued to encourage us to represent our house in the upcoming sporting events such as the House Swimming Gala and the Hendelah Waley. The turn out for the swimming gala was the best in years. It was delightful to see so many girls participating- especially Anne- Laure de Vimal du Bouchet for her stamina in the senior butterfly. The Crawfurd girls were definitely the loudest of the bunch and helped those swimming to keep going! Once again we were rewarded with 20 pizzas and the mood in the house was euphoric. Two members of the Lower 6th, The final weeks of the Lent Term were filled with many productions around the school including GCSE, AS and ALevel Theatre Studies performances. The Charity Show and the Lower 6th Play were both held in Big School and produced a great turnout. Millie Bonnar and Zoë Dudgeon managed to obtain the two lead female roles of ‘Helena Charles’ and ‘Allison Porter’ in ‘Look Back in Anger’. The girls worked hard, with many late night rehearsals, and managed to pull off an outstanding piece. AGI Day was soon upon the house and Kat Parker, Meera Patel and Rachel Clayton steered the house to victory winning three sections of the competition. The cup for Senior Drill was won for the second year runninggood luck next year girls! Special mention to Anne-Laure de Vimal du Bouchet for being selected as the best NCO. Many Crawfurd girls including Julie Erler, Janice Wong, Beth Gale and Dansy Brunton helped bring the Epsom side victory by winning the Christ Hospital Girls’ Rugby Tournament and competing in the Rosslyn Park Sevens. Hosting and 133 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:13 Page 134 6th form centre, given by Mrs. Yates. The decks were in full use with people using them for a range of activities from sunbathing, water fights, and of course revising! Many of the younger girls earned major parts in this year’s Junior Play “Wyrd Sisters”, Carina Lindberg playing Granny Weatherwax and Livvy Moore playing Nanny Ogg. All the girls that took part gave a memorable performance and it was an excellent way to say farewell to Big School before the refurbishment over the summer. Another theatre the house visited this summer was the Piccadilly Theatre to see “Guys and “The School Play; ‘West Side Story’ was the highlight of the Michelmas Term.” winning netball tournaments was starting to get embarrassing but we finally lost in the U16 Districts by one goal- there will be no mercy next time round. This concluded the events of a spectacularly packed term. Christmas Carol service, Salisbury Cathedral for Evensong and their annual Chapel Choir Recital. Selected girls from Crawfurd continued to serve in the Chapel Choir this year, singing on a weekly basis in our Saturday services and many other special events such as the With the Summer Term came the prospect of Shirt Sleeve Order along with the stress of exams. During the first week back Crawfurd held a ‘Stress and Healthy Eating’ talk in the Dolls” which our devoted house tutor Mr Worrall organized for us. It was a sensational performance and everyone thoroughly enjoyed getting out of school for the night! We would like to thank all of our house tutors for their support and confidence in us. Also Angela and her team of ladies who keep the house in amazing form and put up with our mess. We would also like to wish all the U6th good luck for their future years ahead at University, especially to Kate Moore who did a fantastic job of running the house this year. Finally, we would like to wish Zoë Dudgeon and the rest of the Lower Sixth good luck in following the Leavers’ footsteps! Jo Davis and Zoë Dudgeon “Sporting wise, Crawfurd excelled” 134 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:13 Page 135 Fayrer liams Housemaster: Mr P. J. Wil Tod, House Tutors: Mr M.A.L. . J.M Mr ll, Mr D.J.R. Campbe s, Ms liam Wil S.E. Mrs ll, nka Dri N.C . Morrow, Dr S.A. Wade Head of House: JD Bryant With the temperatures in the high 70's, the House returned for the start of the academic year with a 'JB' in charge for the second year running - this time James Bryant ably assisted by that well known Irishman (and soon to be Marion's best friend) Fergus Flanagan! 75 in the House, with 13 M4s and 7 new L6, giving that year group the prize for the biggest in the House - all 21 of them - although Peddie almost counted as two after his summer break! Term got under way briskly, and soon the routine of the school life took over once again from the long, lazy days of summer. PJW was adamant that this year was going to be better than ever for the House and those in it, so he was soon cracking the whip about Preps, efficiency, Epsomianmagazine 2006 time-keeping, etc etc - rather like being in the army some thought! As usual the Housemaster began worrying far too early about the (dreaded) Choral Competition and practices began even earlier than usual. Unfortunately the first choice proved to be useless, so 'Waltzing Matilda' it was - no chance of 'Two Little Boys' again, that perennial favourite. Fortunately we had picked up an M4 with the voice of an for Fayrer; Joe Toomey, Guy James and the mighty Flanagan winning the individual races, and Juniors, Inters and Seniors all winning by a massive margin. The Housemaster was happy! Despite this distraction, Ollie Lloyd, Matt Chasey and James Taylorson were proving hard to beat on the golf course, and the Squash 1st V was almost a complete Fayrer team with JB, Matt Costain, Joe Li and Flanagan all playing. ant that this m a d a s a w “PJW better e b o t g in o year was g house and e h t r o f r e v than e those in it.” angel - Simon Jennings - who 'willingly' volunteered to sing the Solo. He was excellent, earning a decent placing, and Callum McAllister spent hours on the Part Song to produce the usual popular result with the audience, if not the judge! Good to see Peddie on stage 'singing' though. From there, thoughts turned once again to the Cross Country thankfully cancelled last year! PJW's training routine was put into practice (closely observed by MALT so he could take the same to Granville the following year) and the question on everyone's lips was "Will the Big T run this year?". Answer: no - PJW let him off again! All came good, with a second successive 'clean sweep' College rugby teams were well represented by those from Fayrer, and the U15s, in particular embarked on their Daily Mail run with the brawn (and brains!) of Joe Trayfoot, Josh Li, Billings et al playing a major part in their success. In the House Touch Rugby Competition we retained the overall Rugby Shield (in fact, we have never lost it!) with the U4 and 5th form teams winning, while the 6th form team were knocked out in the semis by Propert. The Housemaster could hardly contain his emotion after the Swimming Gala when looked to be a narrow win turned into a rout and an overwhelming victory. Ashley Pullen et al in the M4s won, as did the U4s led by Charles Weaver, Rupert James and Josh Li, while Guy James in the 5th form also swam well. We only found out afterwards that Brian Wong should have been in the senior team, but he had very cannily kept quiet about his swimming for four years! Disappointment came at the end of term as we lost our Volleyball crown to Carr in an excellent final. As term drew to a close the U6 were frantically waiting for Uni offers, and before the Lent Term started, we were all delighted to hear that Stuart Mathys had been offered a place to read Economics at Cambridge - very well deserved! Andrew Leung was 135 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag awarded a Major Sixth Form Academic Scholarship - well done lad! Other major happenings of the term included Kveosh remaining the best customer of M & S Foods, Big T turning into even more of a Chav with his Burberry hair band, Liddell (allegedly) seen wearing make-up and FF instituting his Thursday Laundry Club and Daily Shower Club for the M4s - all to Mrs Baxter's great delight! The start of the Lent Term was a nightmare for all L6 and U6 as modules began the day we returned 16/5/07 unbeaten for five years! What a man! Other House Competitions to come our way were the Senior and Junior Hockey, Senior Table Tennis, Matt Costain in the squash, second in the senior football etc etc. Another good term, and even better news that the downstairs toilets were being replaced over Easter. Excitement at that news was barely under control, together with a rumour that Billings had managed to spell a word that had more than one syllable! od year, a o g a n e e b “It has still the d n a e b o t e great plac school!” e h t in e s u best ho to school. Books and files were hastily opened, with the L6 seemingly comforted by the comments from the U6: "well, never mind lads, you can always sit them again in the summer!" Ha, ha, ha! JMD returned well tanned and DJR "get cracking, son" Campbell returned full of vigour from his trip home to Zim. Life seemed as busy for the House as ever. The Solo Instrumental Competition was probably not our strongest suit, but congratulations to Owain Mason-Johns and Andrew Leung on their success. Target rifle shooting was also going to be a real strength, with several 'deadeyes' in the House: David Nuthall, Harry Ball, Peter Slater and M4 Charles Wray all began training for the season. However, the question on everyone's lips was: "Would the Chess Team win again?" under the leadership and inspirational play of that fearless chess wizard, Eric 'the board' Lindberg? Once again, trials were held and the competition was up and running. PJW kept the House informed on a regular basis of progress made. So, to the summer term and work, work, work....! The first half of term sped by and exams began for most of the House. Sadly the Athletics and cricket were cancelled on Founders’ Day (rain), but the M4s and U4s won the Standards and the cricket, while Tom Liddell captained the Tennis with distinction. Fergus was awarded Major Colours for Athletics (giving him double majors after also getting them for Hockey), Tom Liddell for Tennis, and JB also earned his double majors for Squash and Hockey. The House Badminton cup came our way (again) and the shooters excelled themselves in both House and all the various competitions, culminating in the Ashburton after the end of term. Exams finished, Sudge made a fool of himself in Newquay and life in the House gradually quietened down as thoughts turned to the summer holidays. At Prizegiving there were a 17:13 Page 136 good number awarded to members of Fayrer - mainly U6 - and congratulations to them. Two big events were mentioned by PJW at the end of term. All members of the House were sad to see Mr Tod leave after four years in Fayrer as he moves to take up his post as Housemaster of Granville (who are you? who are you?), and he will be sorely missed. We wish him well. The end of the summer term also marked the end of Mr Drinkall's 25th year as House tutor of Fayrer - a frightening thought, and surely some sort of record. Again, PJW paid tribute to all the many contributions he has made to the House over the years. So, another year over and all departed for various parts of the world and that horrible wait for exam results. Many thanks to JB and all the Upper Sixth for all their work on behalf of the House and making it a pleasant place to be this year. Good luck to Lawrence Beatt and the rest next year. Thanks, too, to all the staff: Mr and Mrs Williams, Mrs Baxter and her staff, Mr Tod, Mr Campbell, Mr. Drinkall, Miss Morrow and Dr Wade. It has been a good year, a great place to be and still the best House in the school! Beat that next year! Salvete: HC Ball, SLK Cheung, EK Ng, MJD Park, JCP Simons, WGD Tan, NAJ Amin, JW Ball, AJ Billings, JAP Dawkins, JW Gospage, TA Jackson, SG Jennings, JEH Pease-Watkin, AF Pullen, CG Scarlett-Smith, EH Teo, JA Toomey, CA Wray Valete: JD Bryant, CM Edwards, FPA Flanagan, M Kvesoshvili, KK-Y Lee, TE Liddell, TE Lindberg, SJ Mathys, TE So, JHE Suh, MA Sutherland, LA Trayfoot, CHB Wong Lindberg was cool, calm and collected (Kvesosh employed some fairly dubious gamesmanship), sweeping the House to victory once again, demanding House Colours and a ticker-tape parade down the main corridor of the House. He got fairly short shrift on that one! Well done though to him (and the team) and, as he proudly announced, he was 136 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:13 Page 137 Forest tard Housemaster: Mr A.J. Bus e, House Tutors: Fr C. A. Cas son, Hen A. P. Mr Mr P. J. Irvine, Mr S. Hibbitt ramba Head of House: Kuzi Cha Ma, House Prefects: Wilfred ngbade, Aki wa olu Ola ng, Chi Ben ng Wo vin Cal Justin Taylor, Forest House got off to a great start as the boys were welcomed in by the second phase of the House’s renovation. Much work had been done to improve the house both internally and externally which we were ready to enjoy. New rooms replaced the live-in tutor’s former flat, and also along the corridor to Mr Bustard’s study. Mr Pincus, Chairman of the Board of Governors and Old Forestian was keen to be a part of the developments and generously donated a large sum of money to the garden’s development, as did the Friends of Epsom College, for which we are extremely grateful. The boys were ready to get their hands dirty, particularly some of the L6, who were anxious to impress (they included next year’s Head of House; good move)! Having settled in, the Inter-House Choral Competition soon dawned upon us and the House embarked on strenuous preparation, which paid off. Not only were the M4s able to become a part of an age long Forest tradition of gelling your hair back and yelling ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’, but they were able to enjoy belting out the timeless classic of ‘Amarillo’, our unison song, and Bindy’s rendition of Peter Kay. Notable performances came from Wilfred Ma in the solo competition, who came 4th, and particularly the Part song ‘crew’ that came 1st, comprising of Ola Akingbade, Ben Ching, Kuzi Charamba, Leo Patel and Richard Trépant, with their rendition of ‘For The Longest Time’ by Billy Joel. Harry Falconer. Despite a fantastic all round effort, special mentions go to their captain, Jamie Falconer, and Nick Thomas, who both represented the U14 ‘A’ team. One year up, the U4s were not doing too badly for themselves either, with seven of the boys representing the highly successful U15 Daily Mail squad which fell one step away from the final at Twickenham. This included Nat Burns, Nick Connor, Richard Trépant, Tim Faccini, Tom Morrison, Jake Norman, and Jamie Falconer. Higher up, Max Eden was awarded Colts colours for his efforts. In the senior squads, Kuzi Charamba and Wilfred Ma represented the 1st XV, with Powys Kemp in the 2nd XV, and Calvin Wong captaining the 4th XV. Congratulations go to Kuzi for obtaining Major colours, and Wilfred for full colours. Cross country was also a bit of a focal point, as it is every year….for some. Particularly so for Mr. Irvine, who secretly takes pleasure from watching us trudge up to the Chapel every other evening and do gruesome numbers of Chapel Triangles to try and compete with arch rivals Fayrer. Nevertheless, we did produce some admirable results, such as Nick Thomas who came second in this race, but went on to win the districts. Also, several senior boys performed exceptionally well. Our sporting prowess carried on into the Lent term. Wilfred Ma represented the 1st XI, whilst Jamie Lenney represented the 2nd XI. Congratulations to Will for his full colours. Nick Connor and Tim Faccini also represented the U15 A team well. A highlight of the house competition saw the seniors holding Fayrer – all 1st XI players to a draw, and only losing out on penalty flicks! Remi Williams, Justin Taylor and Kuzi also put in strong performances for the 1st XI football team. It must be mentioned though, whilst some of us were out doing our thing for the college and the good name of the house, others decided to represent the house in On the sporting front in the Michaelmas Term, Forest was yet again at the forefront. The M4’s, full of young budding talent, went on to win the U14 Inter-House Rugby Cup, ably managed by Marc Hempstead and Epsomianmagazine 2006 137 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag other ways, particularly in the gym: such as Ola Akingbade, who could frequently be seen in the presence of White House girls. Whilst no names are mentioned, you’ve made the house proud Ola! The Lent Term is also well remembered because it was Forest’s primary occasion to showcase its talent, not only amongst the boys but the tutors, who came together to put together a brilliant performance, worthy of its standing ovation. The Forest Soirée, hosted competently by Joe Carroll and Ali Dewar, saw a night full of laughs and musical entertainment. These ranged from the M4s daring performance of the ‘FFactor’, to the L6s ‘Remi Steady Cook’. Mr. Irvine, yet again, took up quite a bit of the show with his selfcomposed ballad. He wasn’t the only one to exhibit his musical talent, however, as we were graced with performances by Leo Patel, Joel Fredman, James Wilson, and the legendary Michael George. Despite his questionable and eye-brow raising choice of song ‘I Don’t Wanna Work in Forest House No More’, Mr Hibbitt’s performance deserved the laughs and applause it received. All in all, a good night which received rave reviews from parents and those not associated with the house in any way, but just in search of a good performance. On the note of talent, the Soirée was amply timed to showcase the long list of instrumental solo music winners from the house, who swept up many prizes on offer from all sections of the competition. These included Otis Earle, Jonathan Blackburn, Richard Trépant and the phenomenal Ian Yang. The famous Forest ‘Freestyle’ underwent exciting expansion under the direction of Wilfred Ma and production of FTV. The Summer term brought more joy as the sunshine livened the house up and made the boys feel like gracing the college with its talent yet again. Commendable performances were witnessed in an array of sports. In tennis, Josh Phillips won the Junior Singles, the Junior Doubles (with Matt Hack), and the Junior Mixed Doubles, whilst Matt Hack and Guy Blunden constituted the College’s U15 1st team pair before Guy’s untimely injury. Stunning performances were given by both Justin Taylor and Vladimir 138 16/5/07 17:13 Page 138 Ryazantsev, who represented the College’s 1st team. Congratulations to Justin for his Major colours, and to Vlad for his full colours. A spectacular performance was also put in by 5th former Janil Ramesh, but this time on the cricket pitch. Janil represented the 1st XI and was one of the few to score a half century. The excellence, however, doesn’t end here. Esmond Lau captained the College swimming team, and Ola represented the Senior athletics team at both Long and Triple jump. Looks like Ola did do some work in the gym! Whilst the house did well in a wide spectrum of events, we were unfortunate on too many occasions to come a very close second – eight competitions! This led to the idea from some that perhaps Forest ought to change their house colours from black and gold to black and silver. With luck, and the team, we have backing the boys (including Yvette and her staff, and the rest of the house tutors) and we hope for more successes next year. Final congratulations go out to Lisle Chase who obtained 9A*s and 1A, and Marc Hempstead who obtained 4A*s and 6As at GCSE. Congratulations are also extended to Esmond Lau who obtained AAAAB, Kuzi Charamba who obtained AAAA, Wilfred Ma who obtained AAA, and Ali Dewar with AAB at A Level. Well played to the U6 who got into their preferred university choices, and good luck to you guys! You are thanked deeply for the memories we have embedded in the great establishment we like to call Forest House. express my thanks as always to the tutors, Fr Clive Case, Mr Irvine, Mr Henson and Mr Hibbitt for their unswerving loyalty and effort that they all put in for the house. Also, to Yvette and her team for their Christmas party, endless patience with Nick Thomas’ mess, and boundless enthusiasm for the boys. Finally, heartfelt thanks to the prefects, Will Ma, Ola Akingbade, Ben Ching, Calvin Wong and Justin Taylor, and of course to the ebullient Kuzi Caharamba as Head of House for their enormous contributions to a tremendous year for the house. Their dedication, sense of loyalty and selfsacrifice were key factors and extremely impressive. Indeed, the U6 as a whole will be much missed, and it was great to be able to send them off in style (or Justin’s horsebox(!)) with a celebration at the Leavers’ Ball. Mr A.J.Bustard (Housemaster) Kuzi Charamba (Head of House) I would just like to add a note to e “On the sporting front in th Michaelmas Term, Forest was yet again at the forefront.” Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 139 Granville ver Housemaster: Mr M.C .Oli ley, House Tutors: Mr R.White , ews atth L.M Mr , son Wil Mr A.J. Mrs T. Pearson en Head of House: Adam Gre Gray House Prefects: Charles en (Head of School), Adam Gre al, niv Fur es Jam se), Hou of (Head le, rvil She iel James Forster, Dan Jones, Alan Goodyear, Alexander eth Gar , ling Christopher Kee in Needham, Wilson Chin, Rob . Lim y hon Ant Howatson, It was going to be a strange year this year, knowing that Mato was going to stand down from the house after 15 years in charge. However, we did want to do our best for him in his final year, so the new term started off with plenty of enthusiasm and willingness to do well. With no RAH to stop us this year, the first whole house event of the season was, as ever, the Choral competition. The results here were to set the tone for the term, namely runners up! We were second in the part song and second overall, but ‘we woz robbed’ in the unison despite Ozzy’s best efforts conducting us. Elsewhere, we had Charles Rivett-Carnac starring in the music scholars’ concert and Limmy, Japeto, Ozzy, Goodfella, Rosh, Myung and Charles again in the orchestra/ensemble concert. Rosh, Ozzy, Charles and Chuckles were also in the choir, which featured regularly throughout the term. Rosh and Big Dave also picked up prizes for their GCSE results. Although they had the best results, eight of their year group scored only As and A*s, which showed that we could do some work as well. On a similar theme, Limmy was given a conditional place at Queen’s Cambridge to read Natural Sciences. Matthew Goodfella also gained the top sixth form scholarship, keeping it in house as Big Dave had won it the year before. In the term’s sport, we were 3rd in the cross country and runners up in the U4, 5th and senior rugby. Anthony Gray, Gaz, Chris, Gwen and Jonesy all played for the 1st XV and Epsomianmagazine 2006 Jonesy was awarded the Sanger trophy for the best 1st side player at the end of term. Without doubt though, the highlight of the term for the house was the house play. Reginald Rose’s ‘Twelve Angry Men’ was played to packed houses in Big School and was by all accounts one of the best house plays ever seen. Whilst everyone acted superbly, there were a couple of very special performances from Barney Cooper, Anthony Gray, Furny and Gus Field. Anthony was then head hunted to star in the lower sixth form play in the Lent term, where he was again brilliant. initiative test. Our U4s and 5th form also did well by reaching the national semi finals of the Daily Mail U15 cup and by winning the National Rosslyn Park sevens competition. The latter coached by our very own Mr Whiteley. Also, right near to the end of term Matthew Goodfella was confirmed. The Summer term came around all too quickly, but started off as ever with the Big Band and Downs Singers concert, which had Rosh and Charles performing. In the house competitions we reached the final of the junior cricket and had Jonesy as captain of Cricket in the 1st XI along Angry “Reginald Rose’s ‘Twelve Men’ was played to packed s by houses in Big School and wa all accounts one of the best house plays ever seen.” The Lent term started with loads of mock exams for the 5th form and real things for the sixth form, which meant quite a few disruptions to the start of the term overall. However, once things were sorted, the usual busy programme of house competitions started off. In the solo instrumental competition we were 3rd overall but the top boys’ house, Japeto, Chaz, Eduardo and Goodfella winning their classes. We were also 3rd in the junior and senior hockey and reached the semi-finals of the chess. Gaz captained the 1st XI and was awarded his major colours. Chris also played in the 1sts. We retained the senior swimming trophy, but had to be content with being overall runners up although Alan Goodyear did us proud by not only organising the whole competition for us, but he also winning every single senior trophy competed for on the day. Now that we had at last broken our duck for wins instead of being runners up, we went on to come first equal in the AGI day competitions, winning the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award section B, the assault course and with Max. Jonesy was in great scoring form this term and had 152 against Freemen’s and 121 against KCS Wimbledon to his name. Needless to say he gained his major colours and the batting award along with the Eric Radcliffe award for the second year running. On the track, our team dominance had rather come to an end, but there were several pleasing 139 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag individual winners. Will Freeman in the M4s won the hurdles and triple jump, whilst Gaz won the 800m in the seniors and Gwen won the hurdles and 400m. The latter was the best race of the day between Gwen and Gaz. Both gained major colours. Towards the end of term we had more concerts, which featured the Granville ‘Renaissance’ Men. The Big Gig saw Brooksy (Andy), Mark Tampin, Chaz, Alankar, Vincent and Ozzy perform with a special guest appearance from Harry Parfitt who left us last year. Charles, Chuckles and Curtis played in the junior concert and Will Harrop, Chuckles, Jimbo and Mark all starred in the junior play. Barney starred again in Guildford on the stage as well. Just to round things off, Ozzy was made Head of House, El Tel captain of Fencing, Japeto captain of Squash, and Max captain of Cricket, to leave us well represented on the front of the new calendar (Mato’s first calendar in his new job). On Speech Day, Curtis, Eduardo, Russell, El Tel, Wilson, Furny, Myung, Limmy, Chaz and Gaz were all awarded prizes to complete the term. On the last weekend in June, Mrs P, who is also sadly leaving us this year for a new post at Glyn School, had organised a farewell to Mato 140 16/5/07 afternoon. Typical for a girlie, she had arranged it on the day England were playing in the World Cup, but that apart, it was a special day. Literally hundreds of past and present Granvillians and even their parents turned up to say goodbye, and more especially thanks to MCO. The fact that so many of his first ever set of M4s turned up along with many others from subsequent years spoke volumes for what he meant to so many people over the years. Mr Whiteley spoke first along with Gwen and Chaz about Mato and although different in style and delivery, it was very clear that all present owed something to him over the years: help, support, advice and a level of constancy that everyone could rely on seemed to be the theme. This was later reiterated by the Headmaster at the end of term. The warmth of feeling evident on the day certainly seemed to make Mato a very happy man indeed. So, those of us who have also come to the end of our time at Epsom, 17:14 Page 140 and more especially Granville, would like to thank Jeano and her ladies and all the tutors, in particular wishing Mrs P all the best as she moves on. But most of all Mato. You’re a Legend and we all owe you so much. We hope that you will always remember Granville and us and that your exeats and evenings in the future will prove to be both enjoyable and successful. There is no excuse now for not getting out with the ‘chick’s car’ and helicopter. Salvete: Adam Gausepohl, Norris Lo, James Wu, Rory Adam, Dominic Behar, Andy Brooks, James Brooks, Tom Burgess, Nikolai Dowsett, Will Freeman, Curtis Man, Owen O’Sullivan, Daniel Pearson, Mark Tampin Valete: Wilson Chin, James Forster, James Furnival, Alan Goodyear, Charles Gray, Adam Green, Robin Howatson, Alex Jones, Myung-Kuk kang, Chris Keeling, Jae Woo Lau, Anthony Lim, Alankar Lodha, Gareth Needham, Daniel Sherville, Joshua Shinerock, Barney Cooper “Without doubt though, the highlight of the term for the house was the house play.” Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 141 Holman iday Housemaster Mr C.I.Hol dley, House Tutors Miss K.Chan wel, cDo Ma StG B. Mr , Mr S.J.Head Mr P.M.Shephard, Mr R.M.Wycherley ie, Head of House Jon Gillesp Kris Boger ttie, House Prefects Alex Bea David David Hudson, Rob Kelly, uru Satg sh Marsh, Nile Lying at the end of the long and lonely path, Holman is the house which often avoids the hustle and bustle of Epsom life. However, this year the house threw itself into the limelight on several occasions, resulting in a very exciting year. Tremendous team efforts provided victory in the house AGI day and Choral competitions as well as the two-night extravaganza that was Holmania. We decided to welcome the 14 new recruits with a day’s paintballing with Fayrer. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all and provided an opportunity for the new members of the house to feel at home. One of the best memories of the day were the daring runs of Mr Head which so often turned the tide of war as well as the sniping abilities of Mr Holiday which impressed everyone. The newcomers settled in Epsomianmagazine 2006 quickly, most notably Rhys Thomas with his unrivalled ability to disturb prep whatever the circumstance! The next major event in the term was the House Choral Competition. A traditionally solid performance in the unison (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”) together with a technically brilliant part song, “Baby Face” and Rob Lever doing the house proud with a strong solo performance led to the House winning the overall cup. On the sporting side, the house was well represented in the U15 Daily Mail side with Tom Brown and Tino Charamba proving themselves worthy members of the team. John Ghim excelled in the 1st XV along with Chris Hill, whose stay in the side was only halted by injury. The M4s would have been a force to be reckoned with in the cross-country, were it not for them getting lost en route to the Downs under the direction of their team manager (who should know the way after five years!). The creditable performance of Max Denning finishing 3rd and both Jite Avwunu and Ben Scarles placing highly demonstrates their ability to run a good race despite their late start. Iceskating at Hampton Court was our Christmas outing followed by fish and chips. Sixty hungry holmaniacs in a Superfish is a sight to be seen. At the end of the term, the house saw a new Head of House announced, with Kris Boger taking over from Jon Gillespie who was promoted to Head of School. The beginning of the Lent Term saw a new challenge for the House - the House Play. For weeks we toiled, with tremendous effort from all: the Director, Ms Chandley, who ensured that we never lost our focus, the Codirectors kept rehearsals on schedule, the House Tutors who managed their “On the 6th March we finally unveiled “Holmania” to the rest of the school to a simply outrageous reception.” 141 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 142 emories m t ea gr y an m ed id ov pr ar “The ye e.” for all members of the hous respective production teams; and every single member of the house, many of whom had to juggle multiple roles. On the 6th March we finally unveiled “Holmania” to the rest of the school to a simply outrageous reception. Of course there were many fantastic performances, but special mention must go to David Marsh as Shrek, to Nilesh Satguru as Donkey who successfully learnt an unimaginable number of lines, to Alex Fox for wearing Princess Fiona’s dress with such confidence, whilst Leigh Cresswell’s Pinocchio will never be forgotten! The unanimous congratulations afterwards made all the hardship seem far away whilst the unity that ‘Holmania’ achieved shone through a week later during the AGI day competition where excellent leadership, from lower sixth NCOs Rob Lever and George Adcock, helped guide the house to victory. Kris Boger played a key role in ensuring the cadets were on top form. Throughout the term David Marsh was ever present in the 1st XI Hockey and the 2nd XV was filled with a further four Holman boys. With exams looming for many 142 members of the house, the increasingly famous Holman House Theatre Trip provided an opportunity to relax ahead of the upcoming trials. “Chicago” was enjoyed by everyone in the House, including the domestic Staff and Tutors. The focus did then inevitably turn towards the academic side of Epsom, with the house notably quieter during the evenings. However, true to Holman spirit, there was always time for football on the fields at prep break or a quick sunbathe in the courtyard (inbetween revision, of course!). Despite the cancellation of Founders Day Athletics, the house showed its potential with the M4s and U4s achieving high Standards averages. Max Denning and Jite Avwunu firmly established themselves as athletes to watch in upcoming years. The 1st XI Cricket was briefly visited by David Marsh and Nilesh Satguru, the former being hampered by injury and the latter by the small issue of his form! 2006 will see 12 great guys leave the house. Theo will forever be remembered for his quick wit and biting takedowns, a potential politician no doubt. Razza’s laid back attitude was only ever disturbed by the temptation of the Playstation (thanks Larry!) - expect to find him working in a beach bar in Newquay some time soon. Nilesh, a.k.a “the doctor”, became world renowned for his weaseling attempts, which on one occasion extended down to the U4s. “The Marsh” can leave Epsom safe in the knowledge that no human will ever enter the gates better at ball games than him. His future remains an enigma. Daniel Lee was rather hobbit-like during his time, excelling in virtually every computer game known to man in the process. He will surely create a groundbreaking technological innovation soon. No one will ever forget the sound of Rob Kelly’s Citroen Saxo racing around the streets of Epsom. As long as his career involves cars, he’ll be happy. David Hudson made his mark at Epsom with his inventive fashion sense and passion for DT - a well dressed architect in the making. Ankit ‘aPod’ Poddar definitely used the boarding facilities to the max and his Counterstrike skills showed his potential to be a counter terrorist agent in later life. Jon ‘Gingers’ Gillespie’s room turned out to be a Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag place for everyone to hang out in whatever the activity. He can look back at his days at Epsom knowing he contributed vast amounts to the CCF, sport, the House and also to the College during his Lent Term tenure as Head of School. John Ghim was somewhat of a gentle giant. We were never able to fully reconcile the ferocious hooker of the 1st XV to the passive guy about the House. No doubt he will achieve his goal of being a doctor. Finally, Alex Beattie became famous for his high affinity to aftershave and hair products, and in his earlier days for his lack of organisation (to the extent that the previous Housemaster, Mr Gill, contemplated the ‘Alex Beattie Prize for Disorganisation’). Kris Boger will always be remembered for his countless Meathead Moments, such as the infamous flying kick in Mackinder. Perhaps more importantly though, he rose expertly to the challenging appointment of Head of House. He led from the front to ensure that Holman stayed on track right till the very end. Farewell also to Alex Dyer who leaves after three years to take his many skills to the great temple of weasels, Godalming College. We wish him every success. Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 The year provided many great memories for all members of the house, ranging from the so-called “Banter Bus” with Mr Head on his Friday duty night to the successes of the house when competing with all the other, lesser, houses. We wish the new Head of House, John Devitt, and his team of Prefects all the best for the forthcoming year. Thanks must also go to our Housemaster, Mr Holiday, without whom most if not all of our successes this year simply would not have happened. 17:14 Page 143 Valete: Alex Beattie, Kris Boger, John Ghim, Jon Gillespie, David Hudson, Rob Kelly, Daniel Lee, David Marsh, Ankit Poddar, Nilesh Satguru, Razza Shah, Theo Taylor (Upper Sixth) and Alex Dyer (Fifth). Thank you and Goodnight from Kristoff Boger and Jonathon Gillespie. And remember, you stay classy Epsom College. Salvete: Jite Avwunu, Alistair Bodily, Aidan Chalklin, Max Denning, Sam Holdsworth, Jeremy Morgan, Michael NottmanWatt, Ben Scarles, Yuho Saito, Ashwin Singh, William Shaw, Rhys Thomas (Middle Fourth), Hitoshi Saito, Akshay Poddar (Lower Sixth). 143 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 144 Propert Housemaster: Mr A. Wolstenholme hens, House Tutors: Mr J.F. Step mpson, Tho A.P. Mr , son Elli R. Mr Mr A.W. Hughes d Head of House: Sandy Rei tomley, House Prefects: Tom Bot Zac Frei, Richard Beinart, b Patrick Walsom, Alex Cob The academic year started in typical frantic fashion with the new boys getting used to the long hours and the ‘veterans’ of the fifth and sixth forms settling into a year with the pressure of upcoming exams. The first competition of the year involved the whole of the house in the form of the House Unison, and although we didn’t place as high as expected, the tones of ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ seemed to bring enjoyment to the audience! A special acknowledgment should be made to James Lothian who conducted our performance with enthusiasm and charisma, and gave a stirring rendition of Les Miserables’ ‘Bring Him Home.’ The role played by Mr Thompson and Mr Stephens should not be underestimated as they turned the house from real outsiders to genuine hopes for some success. This was quickly followed by the Cross Country, with Sam Hurley representing the house in fine form by coming 2nd in the Senior age group, and then going on to become runner up in the District competition. Adam Cooper was the first Intermediate to cross the line in 11th place and Ed Farrelly finished a very respectable 7th place in the Juniors. All the commitment and effort of the boys towards the house was clear to see and Propert ended up 5th in the overall standings. Propert has always had a good reputation in the house rugby competition in the final weeks of the Michaelmas term and an overall 3rd place confirmed this fact. The Sixth Form won the trophy in fine style meaning the Upper Sixth boys were unbeaten in every single match played for Propert over the five years; quite an achievement. The Fifth form were very 144 unlucky to go out on sudden death drop goals, especially considering the talent in the side. The Upper Fourth finished in 3rd place and showed they had great potential in the team. The Middle Fourth showed a lot of hard work and effort but sadly could not get the results on the pitch. A lot of the boys represented the school throughout the age levels, especially in the 1st XV. David Cook, Andy Ventris, Adam Terelak and Sandy Reid all received Major Colours for their role in the team. Mat Davis and Sam Hurley received Full Colours and Alex Cobb received Half Colours, meaning at one point seven of the fifteen players on the pitch were from Propert. David Cook and Adam Terelak represented Surrey at U18 level, and Sandy Reid was selected for the England U18 squad. Unfortunately an untimely knee injury meant he couldn’t participate in the International events. Chris York also went to the top of the rugby honours for his age group as he represented England for the U16s. Further congratulations should be made to members of the house that represented the 1st and Colts VIIs. The Seniors won the Sussex Sevens, beating many quality teams and only conceding one try throughout the tournament. The Colts VII went one better by winning the National Sevens at Rosslyn Park. Chris York and Adam Cooper proved very valuable members of that side. produced some very good results that put them in an excellent position going into the Summer period. Despite the academic side playing a large role in the term, there was still time for sport and games, some of which provided a welcome relief from the increased workload! The Senior Football was one of those competitions and success followed as the team remained unbeaten throughout the matches. The team consisted mainly of Upper Sixth and Lower Sixth boys and they gelled magnificently to end up comfortable winners. David Cook received Major Colours in Football and Zac Frei will go on to captain the school team next year. Sam Hurley and Mat Davis were also invaluable members of the 1st XI that had a very successful season. Unfortunately this house success could not be repeated in the hockey but the team was led extremely well nevertheless by Andy Ventris, who was an integral part of the Hockey 1st XI through the Lent Term. The House Swimming was not greatly participated in the Seniors but this ‘A short but busy term’ as Mr. Wolstenholme described the Lent term was about right, especially for the Sixth Form as they got stuck into January AS and A2 level exams, exams that were extremely important for the future of the boys. Many of the boys Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag wasn’t the case in the Inters and some very good swimming from Roland Crouch, Andrew Keep, Ayremic du Bouchet and Jamie Allum made sure the house ended victorious in the U16s. Roland Crouch and Andrew Keep went on to represent Epsom in the the National Finals and claimed a deserved 5th place in the Bath Cup. The Table Tennis and House Chess seemed to be overlooked, mainly because of the early exits from the competitions! The effort and enthusiasm by the boys should not go unnoticed however and the taking part is what counts anyway! James Lothian took part and blew away the rest of the field in the House Shooting competition as he won the Seniors age group. His quality in shooting was spotted by international coaches and he made his way to Canada to represent Great Britain against many other countries. Huge 16/5/07 Alastair Mazumdar and Chris Harper all had work noticed, but two Propert students took the plaudits with Jack Keep gaining two distinctions in a term and David Gazet gaining three. A well done should be given to all those whose work was of the highest standard. The prizes at the end of the year went to a lot of Propert students. Jack Keep (Biology), Ed Farrelly (DT), Tom Bottomley & Alex Cobb (Nutrition Essay), Greg Nussbaum (Newsom Instrumental), Sandy Reid (Ely Economics), David Cook (All Rounder Sports Cup), Sam Hurley (Wakeley Award), James Lothian (Newsom Choir), Avais Malik (Irish Medical Schools’s Biology), Adam Terelak (Wood Mathematical) and Petros Tourikis (Pendlebury Greek) all received prizes to show their work and achievement throughout the year had been 17:14 Page 145 captain the College team next year. Chris York picked up another trophy in the U17 by winning the Victor Ludorum, his performance in the 400m in particular being of the highest class. David Cook and Sam Hurley received Major Colours for their performances for the college in the term. Patrick Walsom ended up a winner in the Senior Mixed Doubles Tennis and will undoubtedly become a vital member of the College in the upcoming year. Elliot Grosvenor Taylor and Rory Cook were beaten finalists in the Junior House Tennis. The House Prefects were vital in the smooth running of the house throughout the three terms and jobs that perhaps go unnoticed should be much appreciated. Petros Tourikis was an excellent Charity Rep and threw himself into the task, as well as being a Food Rep of the highest quality. All the “Propert has also always ha d a strong musical background and the results from the Solo Instrumental supported this.” credit should be given to James for this, especially considering he ended up with a Gold Medal ahead of 300 other competitors. Propert has also always had a strong musical background and the results from the Solo Instrumental competition supported this with three boys placing 1st in their fields; Greg Stidolph in Beginner Drum Kit, James Lothian in Bass Guitar and Shun Ito in Beginner Electric Guitar. John Faal was placed 2nd in Intermediate Singing and Greg Nussbaum came 2nd in both the Advanced Singing and Advanced Woodwind. The Charity Show is always considered to be a highlight of the term and this year was no exception, with Andy Ventris, Zac Frei, James Lothian and Adam Terelak proving excellent performers in front of an expectant audience. The final term came round after a stressful Lent term but it didn’t seem to deter a lot of the boys, as the various distinctions showed. Ben Everingham, Peter Matthews, Epsomianmagazine 2006 appreciated. It is also worth noting that Tom Bottomley achieved his Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award, an award that is not achieved by many. The final House competitions were in Cricket, Athletics and Tennis with success coming in all forms. Tom Lothian led the cricket admirably and inspired the team to a fine win over Carr, but unfortunately an unlucky defeat to Fayrer in the semi finals prevented any more progress. The Athletics in the senior age group was once again exceptionally strong with both relays being won by the Sixth Form. Like the House Rugby, this meant the Upper Sixth year had not lost any relay throughout the five years of the school. David Cook won the Senior Victor Ludorum and Long Jump cup with victories in the 100m, 200m, Long Jump and Triple Jump. David went on to win the County Championships in the Long Jump with a school record of 7.02 metres. Alex Cobb won the Javelin at the County Championships as well for the second successive year and he goes on to Upper Sixth year in fact were integral parts of the House and created a unique atmosphere. All the tutors, Mr Thompson, Mrs Pavey, Mr Stephens and Mr Hughes, should be given a huge thank you for the part they played in the year. Finally Mr Wolstenholme has ensured the house remains one of the most respected in the school and his calm reactions to situations have been reflected in all the students. Good luck to all involved with the House next year, especially all those taking exams to decide their futures. I’m sure the House under Sandy Reid will continue to shine in all situations and go from strength to strength. 145 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 146 Raven Hall Housemistress: Miss J.N. ns, House Tutors: Caroline Eva ler, But n hry Kat , ock erst Bav Chris Sylvie Yvon-Case a Morris Head of House: Georgin ey, House Prefects: Katie Pav elman, Sarah Shephard, Jackie Kop g, Kin il Apr ta, Meh Sabrina Halinka Holeshowski, Stephanie Down The new school year started off with the arrival of a number of new M4s and two new U4s: Laura McLean and whole house, the unison song was a success. Charlotte Johnston sung the house solo beautifully and the part song got an impressive second place in the competition. So well done to everyone who participated! Raven had much better luck in the house cross-country where the juniors did exceptionally well, winning their section. Despite the freezing cold weather, everyone looked remarkably cheerful. The Michaelmas Term sped past and before we knew it the house hockey matches for the M4 and U4 years began. Whilst not managing to win, the house team spirits were high and they certainly looked fantastic with all the war paint on. Hopefully we will be luckier with the hockey next year. Finally the much anticipated house trip to go and see ‘Fame’ came upon us, which was a thoroughly fun evening and a nice break from the normal school routine. Many thanks to Mrs Wooley for managing to get us such great seats. Eleven weeks into the term and the Christmas house spirit was at an all time high as secret Santa got well underway and the house became littered with secret Santa presents. The Lent term brought yet more excitement for the house in the Raven House Soiree. However before the excitement started, the fifth form, lower sixth and upper sixth had to start the dreaded exams after a not so relaxing Christmas holiday. The upper fourth drama students also had to undergo their drama exams. Ashley Crane, Laura McLean and Charlotte Ellison all performed excellently in ‘Billy Liar’ with Sam Burke and Emma Cockerham on backstage work. A few weeks into term and at last we could begin preparations for the Soiree. Every day leading up to the Flo Kirby. They were all warmly welcomed and settled into Epsom College life quickly and with ease. Only three weeks into the Michaelmas Term and Raven had already started practising for the annual Choral Competition. The unison decided on by Charlotte Johnston was ‘I say a little prayer for you’ and could be heard all over the house in the weeks coming up to the competition. Stepping up a gear from the previous year, we found ourselves practising all over the school, and even incorporated actions into the performance. A week later and the much-awaited Choral Competition finally arrived. Despite considerable nerves from the 146 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 147 “Charlotte Johnston sung th e house solo beautifully and the part song got an impressive second place in night the house was alive with girls the competition.” frantically practising their numerous songs and sketches for the evening. This made it almost impossible to concentrate in a house full of so much excitement. Thankfully the night ran smoothly and was a complete success. Hidden talents were revealed when we watched Emma Sulman sing a solo with great confidence and Laura Frazer sing her memorable solo finale to the soiree. The summer term came and the stress felt by the fifth and sixth formers intensified as the exams loomed closer. There was a mixture of excitement that the summer holidays were getting closer and nerves at the exams to be faced by all of the years. Six weeks into the summer term and the house suddenly went from 52 to 24 as the upper sixth, lower sixth and fifth form went on study leave for the exams. Despite the emptiness in the house there was still plenty going on. There were two plays that the Raven middle fourths were involved in: ‘Twisted’ and ‘Gregory’s Girl’. Both were fantastic and again uncovered some hidden talent within the Raven middle fourths. When the exams were finally over, the athletics evening began. For some of the girls this was an exciting prospect but for others one to be Epsomianmagazine 2006 147 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 148 avoided if at all possible. Despite many injuries during the evening and lots of people having to fill in for others, everyone tried their best and we did extremely well coming second overall. A few days later, we did equally well in the house rounders where we also came second overall. Many thanks must go to Miss Hall, a supportive asset to the house in her first year. Also big thanks to all of the Raven house tutors for all of the help that they gave us last year. And a big thank you to Holly Howson, the head of Raven house last year, and all the prefects. We wish Mrs Wooley and all of the upper sixth form all ofthe best for the future. Robinson nway Housemaster: Mr.M.C .Co ridge, House Tutors: David Ott ndaal, Ode en ure Ma en, Paul Gre Nick Payne lar Head of House: Matt Mil Woodall, House Prefects: Charlie Rishi Patel, Tom Charnock, ille, Richard Allan, James Hav Andrew Freeman After a summer vacation that was heartily enjoyed by all, the Sun once again rose upon Epsom College and Robinson House at the start of the Michaelmas Term. With things having worked so well last year it seemed as if the new U6 had never left, as they 148 entered the unchanged (but of course fantastically clean and homely) house to begin their own reign of terror, sorry, responsible final year. With most of the leavers off to their first choice universities, including Chris Christou winning a place to study medicine on his gap year, the U6 had high hopes, albeit with much work to do, to replicate this fine feat. Prizes were being handed out in abundance to Robinson, probably due to its brilliance, with Tom Wharram and Vinothan Ganeseratnam awarded GCSE prizes for excellent results, Young-Han Kim winning a sixth form scholarship and Hyung-Wu Chiang winning the top prize in the School Mathematics Challenge. But the main question at the start of the term was, could our new bright-eyed M4s rise to the challenge that the older years laid before them? The term well underway by now and the school routine set in stone, the first task for the new lads, and indeed the entire house, was the “loved” House Choral Competition. After careful deliberation, “Somebody to love” was chosen as our unison piece, although Oliver Boyd looked almost heartbroken at the selection, with his choice coming in at, lets say, a close second. (But we shan’t mention his choice here.)Many doubted Robinson could maintain its high standard of tuneful singing, but 3rd in the Unison, along with fantastic performances from the part song team (singing “Under the Boardwalk”) Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:14 Page 149 skill simply d n a th g n e tr s , d e “Spe se as they u o h e th f o t u o d e flow took to the field.” and Liam Anderson in another glorious solo (singing “Beyond the Seas”) secured Robinson 2nd place overall, or as it is often referred to, the Second Winner’s spot. The house eager for more challenges to overcome (it was almost a struggle for the U6 to contain James Haville’s excitement), the school cross-country was a welcome arrival…honest. While some members of the house had to “fall on their swords” to allow other members to race (becoming time keepers and such), Alex Gimblett led the house onto the fabled Epsom Downs. Heroes are made on the hilly verges of that land, and it was no exception this year. For Liam Anderson the Choral Competition solo was not enough, and seemingly flew in as the fastest U4 in the cross country, landing him 2nd place in the inters competition. James Edwards also produced a fantastic effort for the juniors coming 3rd, and also helping the Robinson M4s to come 3rd overall. It was a while before the competition could conclude though, as Mark Smets and Wai-Kin Shing decided to take a more…scenic route to the end. We hear the scenery was lovely. The final chapter of the Michaelmas term unfolded with the start of the inter house rugby tournament. Speed, strength and skill simply flowed out of the house as they took to the field, but on that day the opposition may have been more prepared, or they may just have been lucky, we don’t know. However the M4s managed to come 4th overall, and Jeremy Evans did extraordinary work to captain a U4 side that was so worried about coursework deadlines, house rugby was almost a second priority (as it should be). he wished for, another term of school! And so the Lent term began. Out with the rugby, in with the hockey and football, as they say. Unfortunately the younger years still needed a bit of time to grasp the concept of hockey, so when the house hockey tournament came in they hadn’t really had the time to fully develop their undoubted hockey talent. But one Jack Cole, known as the “Wall in Goal” was just that, a wall in the goal, saving shots that shouldn’t be able to be saved, and giving the juniors the edge they needed to have a shout in the competition. The senior hockey competition met with more success. James Haville (that’s right girls, THE James Haville) led the team with admiration to the plate final, which we SHOULD have won (is that right MCC? I wasn’t there). The senior football had, well, slightly less success, but Alex Gimblett captained the side stupendously through injury, heavy workloads and bad luck. But victory was just around the corner for Robinson, winning the first ever Epsom College pancake race, and I assure you it took a long time for the other houses to live that down. Gleaming from our success, the faculty thought it a brilliant idea for Robinson to host its first ever soiree, and a good idea it was! With acts such as the M4 blind date, U4/5th Monty Python and video sketch, L6 restaurant sketch, U6th chav act, violin duets and the band, as well as duets from Liam and Gordon, there was a lot of talent on show and everyone had a very enjoyable time. The Brave few that dared enter the Epsom College swimming pool were rewarded with some respectable results. Tom Wharram led the seniors to 3rd place single handed, with the M4s and 5th coming in the top four. Two down and one to go, so bring on the Summer! And so it came, the Summer Term, seen in two lights as first: the final term of the year, sunshine and holidays to come, and of course, exam time. But this didn’t put anyone off, especially as it was Standards season. There were some fantastic performances, notably from Jeremy Evans, James Edwards and Max Nicholson. These three were Tom Charnock and Justin Hast obtained 1stXV places, a great achievement indeed, and Matt Millar won Major Colours for his success on the shooting pitch…field…range. The Christmas holidays came and went and I’m sure everyone got what Epsomianmagazine 2006 149 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag mnearly heartbroken when founders day was cancelled, but it was rescheduled for another day, and how good was it that it was! Jeremy Evans emerged as Victor Ludorum, the M4s and U4s managed to win all their relays, and all involved were awarded house colours for their success. Then the 5th form and above managed to do enough to ensure Robinson won the relay trophy by three points; an outstanding achievement! On the cricket field Justin Hast, Ewan Lavender and Charlie Woodall managed to get into the 1stXI Cricket side, and musically much of the house participated in numerous concerts, including the Big Gig. And so the Summer Term drew to a close, but not without a host of prizes for many Robinson pupils. Andrew Freeman and Charlie Woodall obtained Paice Scholarships, which allowed Charlie to go and teach in 16/5/07 17:14 Page 150 India, and Andrew to help build a school in Thailand. Rishi Patel and Richard Allan together collected a vast amount of academic prizes, with Rishi winning the Irish Medical Schools prize (although MDH claims Rishi only won the Irish Medical Schools prize because it is an anagram of his name!), and Richard collecting the Economics, French and Propert Prizes. Tom Wharram is following in Charlie Woodall’s footsteps and going on a Tall Ship race after winning the Warren Pickett prize. Liam Anderson, Daniel D’Souza, Charlie Higgs, Jaspal Chana and new boy, Matthew Wade won top acedemic prizes in many subjects also. Also during the start of the holidays Matt Millar, Tom Wharram, Ben Newman and Michael Clayton managed to win back the Ashburton shield and Justin Hast and Sam Wilkinson went off to the South Pacific on a rugby tour. Endless praise and thanks must go to the staff of the house, who constantly put the time and effort into Robinson. Thanks must also go to my prefect team and the whole U6 for dedicating their time to helping the house and myself out. Also special thanks must go to Mr Ottridge who, against our wishes, retired at the end of this year. On behalf of Robinson, we wish him farewell and a happy retirement. We know that he’ll miss the hustle and bustle of school life, but must thank him for the huge amount of work and effort he has done for the house and whole school. I know Richard will miss his maths lessons dearly. Finally, I must pass on the reins of Head of House to Tom Wharram and wish him, the prefects, the new U6 and indeed the entire house the best of luck in the future. It all goes so fast… role with four other members of our sixth form on stage. Lent Term saw our involvement in football where we had a good deal of success to gain a place in the final and become runnners-up. In the senior hockey it looked like we could not field a team, but in Rosebery style we pulled together a number of players. To everyone's surprise we won various matches to gain a place in the plate final which we won! The juniors were not as successful but they played some creditable matches. However, for them, there was better success in table tennis where they were runners up. There was a good turnout for CCF AGI where Rosebery set a high standard of discipline. We did well in the house competitions, winning the shooting, and were the top boys’ house in drill. With so much acting and musical talent, Rosebery made an impressive contribution to the school charity show as well as many entries in the Instrumental Competition. In the Summer we were involved in tennis cricket and athletics. Although not gaining any silver we were forces to be reckoned with in various competitions. Well done to Patrick Iyoyin for winning the 100m and 200m. Apart from all the competitions, the house gained a huge number of distinctions and prizes throughout the year. Rosebery pshire Housemaster: Mr M. Ham espie, House Tutors: Mr P.J. Gill V. T.C. Mr , lure McC .C. I.M Mr Thomas, Mr P.J. Wilson osh Head of House: M A Abb JM House Prefects: N Joshi, s Holiday, W Vaz, L B William Once again Roseberians have been involved in all aspects of College life. In rugby our seniors had more success than the juniors with the 6th and 5th teams both being runners up in the plate competitions. There was a spirited performance in crosscountry with a mention of George Broom finishing 5th in the Intermediate competition and the juniors ending 4th overall. As ever we made a big contribution in the Choral Competition. Dan Bailey, our soloist singing "Panis Angelicus", won the Jeremy Trott solo cup. There was a good part song followed by an enthusiastic rendition of "There is Nothing Like a Dame" which was judged by many to be a fine performance. For the school performance of West Side Story it was good to see Jeremy Holiday in a lead 150 Our thanks to Mr Hampshire and the team of tutors for their support and guidance. Mark Abbosh Head of House uch acting and m o s h it W “ ebery musical talent, Ros sive made an impres school e th to n o ti u ib tr n o c charity show.” Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:21 Page 151 White second place and was only narrowly beaten by Rosebery’s (supposed) superior contestant. The part-song, “Lean On Me”, sung admirably by the White House Sextet, unfortunately didn’t feature too highly, although this was due to some stiff competition rather than a lack of talent on their part. inmill Housemistress: Mrs C.W ield, Mrs House Tutors: Ms Brookf ter Creevey, Mrs Jerrit , Mr Sivi Shiundu Head of House: Arnolda kfordHouse Prefects: Eboni Bec u, Olivia Chambers, Charlotte Cha r Hao, Rosie Seabrook, Jennife Winter, Walton-Gould, Alexandra Jennifer Wong The year began with the arrival of 28 new Lower Sixth girls into the house and the return for the Upper Sixth to another year of eagerly anticipated exams. After the long, languorous summer the return to lessons was admittedly a shock to the system, but within a week or so everyone had adapted well and the early mornings were marginally less painful. We lost no time in acquainting ourselves with all the new faces and within only a matter of days the obligatory cliques had been formed. The prefects had begun to exercise their new-found authority and everyone felt quite at home. Also during the Michaelmas term was the inter-house swimming competition in which the girls, in true White House style, performed spectacularly, demonstrating not only a spirit for competition, but also an inclination to win. We were proud to lay claim to the majority of ‘first’ places but narrowly missed out on the two races which carried the most points. Overall, however, the House gained the impressive position of fourth (out of four), although there were many individual victories to be celebrated, notably Alice Twyman and her string of successes. celebrated in true style with a baby shower held in the common room where all the girls lavished Mrs Winmill with copious, but nonetheless much-appreciated, gifts. It was in the Lent Term, however, that the house got the opportunity to participate in the mother of all races: the pancake race. This consisted of a relay-race around chapel triangle with three members in each team, each having to toss a pancake at each corner of the triangle. A significant portion of the house annual budget was put to good use purchasing stateof-the-art pancake equipment, including non-stick pans with moulded grips for each team member. After weeks of gruelling training involving countless bags of flour and eggs and nightly drills in pancake-tossing, the team finally felt Just before the November half-term, Mrs Winmill surprised the house with the news that the White House community would shortly be expanding: with the arrival of Noémie, Mrs Winmill’s second bundle of joy. Shortly afterwards, Miss Allnutt revealed that she was engaged to be married on the 25 March but it wasn’t until the Lent term that the newly named Mrs Jerrit announced that she too was expecting a baby – this time a boy then going by the (hopefully temporary) name of Jellybean. Noémie’s arrival on April 15th was The Michaelmas term brought the annual inter-house choral competition and with it, many hastily scheduled rehearsals. The chosen unison song was Sister Act’s “Hail Holy Queen” and after a little effort every member of the house was able to reach the piercingly high notes and managed to band together to sing reasonably well in tune. Our efforts did not go unrewarded as our spirited performance earned us second place in the unison. Melanie Tien, our chosen soloist, warbled her way into Epsomianmagazine 2006 151 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:21 Page 152 unwind and as the new Lower Sixth girls due to join in the next academic year also attended. The opportunities to mingle and expand social circles were abundant. ready to take on the competition. However, despite our rigorous training schedule, our commitment and our passion to win, our dream was sadly not to become reality. We were eventually decimated by the superior athletic talents of the opposition who, despite demonstrating a somewhat flippant attitude towards the proceedings, proved that it was sheer speed that counted and that actual pancaketossing style counted for very little. The soiree was most definitely the highlight of the summer term as we dazzled our audience with a display of impressive dancing, music and acting. The evening began with an illustration of the many different languages and cultures that are represented within the house, ranging from Irish to Malay to Italian. This was followed by “A Typical Prefect Meeting”, in which Mrs Winmill and her prefects revealed the innermost secrets of the house to a shocked but nonetheless highly amused audience. Rebecca and Charlotte expertly demonstrated the natural musical flair that is inherent in all true White House girls while Jenny and Catrin displayed innate grace and elegance in their exquisite ballet. Not forgetting, of course, the White House anthem, where the true essence of the house was expressed most accurately through lines such as “we are the brightest girls / genuine cultured pearls”. The evening was, it has to be said, a huge success and served not only to display the many talented individuals in the house, but also did huge amounts to improve 152 morale during the build-up to the examination period. The way in which the entire house pulled together – both backstage crew and performers – to accomplish such a spectacular event, really was inspirational. Once the many trials and tribulations of study leave and A Level exams were over, the house enjoyed a most welcome summer barbeque. The White House lawn proved an exceptionally appealing venue in which to savour the delicious culinary skills of the College chefs and the evening was completed with the quintessentially English dessert of strawberries and cream. Everyone finally had the chance to relax and It truly was a great end to a great year and huge thanks must of course go to Mrs Winmill and the house tutors for their limitless patience in dealing with the day to day problems of the house, the many occurrences of teenage angst, and generally keeping us in order. Their help and encouragement during the exam period was also greatly appreciated as they offered guidance and support to keep general stress levels at a low. Thanks are also due to the house prefects and Arnolda as our head of house for demonstrating exemplary leadership skills and for really uniting and motivating great house spirit in all activities. As the Upper Sixth depart for pastures new, we wish them all the best of luck in their various University courses and while it is, of course, sad to say goodbye, the house will begin afresh with a new intake of Lower Sixth girls in September. We wish the best of luck to Catrin Page, who will take over as Head of House, and her team of prefects, and hope that the year to follow is as successful and enjoyable as the one that has passed. Sophie Fisher a great end ly u tr s a w It “ to a great year”. Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:21 Page 153 Wilson Parsons Housemistress: Mrs D. A. Adams, House Tutors: Miss K. R. tle Pos . R.W J. Mr tis, Mr B. J. Cur ss Head of House: Katie Mo Head of School: Josie Day Judith Prefects: Sophie Billings, ily Em y, dle Han Coster, Ginny nah Hughes, Kate Newman, Han ana Sad ily Em Robertson, For the ladies of Wilson House we’ve shared some classic times this past year and we continue to delight and surprise Mrs Parsons with our many talents. The year had an epic start with our very memorable rendition of the fabulous piece, ‘Just you wait ‘enry ‘iggins’, which was picked and directed by Jessica Rinland, who did the house proud. Katie Moss (Flossy) directed and arranged the legendary ‘Sound of Silence’, which although challenging was performed superbly by all the girls involved. Charlotte Liparoto very bravely took to the stage to perform her debut solo performance of Sister Hazel’s ‘Your Winter,’ accompanied by Jessica on acoustic guitar. Wilson continue to raise the bar of excellence in hockey (one of the many sports we excel at as a House). Emily Hughes who captained the 1st X1 won the Hockey cup and was awarded major colours. From the Upper Sixth, Kate Newman and Josie Day were awarded full colours. Nigora Normatova won the Shaw trophy for most improved player (we thought she was brilliant to begin with). Hockey was also well represented by Wilson in the U16s and below. Jenny Bryant (Lanky Larry) was awarded Colts colours and Raphaelle Moore (Smackdown) was given the colts trophy for the most promising player. Meghann Murdock won the Maidment trophy for the most improved player and Abigail Raye was an outstanding captain of the U15 A X1 and a very promising player. Her decision to join her family in Canada was Canada`s gain and our loss. We miss her greatly. In cross country, Wilson were ‘miles’ ahead in the positions: Helena Mortimer, Meghann Murdock, Jess Eden-Juster, Natasha Wood, Madeleine Mortimer, Claire Wilkinson, Sidony Laing, Ffion CareyEvans and Lottie Mungavin all came within the top 5. The intense training, and chapel triangles came into effect and everybody put in an outstanding performance. The ‘swish swish’ sound of success echoed through the College whenever the Wilson girls were on centre court Epsomianmagazine 2006 153 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag during the netball season. Good performances came from Sophie Billings, Michelle Watkin, Madeleine Mortimer, Natasha Wood and Ami Hodges who were all awarded full colours. Jenny Bryant won Colts colours and the junior cup went to Helena Mortimer. Our little M4s also played well with a special mention to Rachael Lenney and Pippa Smith who got most improved players. Kat Law strutted her stuff in a black high cut swimsuit and hat to match. Not only did she look the part, she also swam like a salmon upstream, setting a new record in the U16 50m swimming record and was awarded the girls’ individual trophy. ‘The ball was on the line’… appropriate considering Wilson’s passionate participation in this year’s Table Tennis competition, which we convincingly won. In volleyball we came second. Special mention to the ‘smackdown’ tag 16/5/07 Apparently not just pretty faces, the Wilson girls also achieved some very good Academic results at A level, AS and GCSE. Notable performances came from Sophie Billings, Judith Coster, Katie Moss, Emily Hughes, Kate Newman, Ginny Handley, Jess Rinland and Emily Sadana. Lucy Billings, Claire Wilkinson, Madeleine Mortimer, Michelle Watkin, Natasha Wood, Sarah Campus, Katherine Lammiman (Chops) and Emma-Jane Price all achieved outstanding results. Beverly Lee headed the house at GCSE attaining nine A*s and 1A, closely followed by Framn Kearney and the rest of our girls also attained some very impressive results, 60% were A or A* and 90% was A*,A or B. At Final Roll many of our girls’ triumphed: Lucy Phillips (English), Georgie Morley (Art), Sophie Sachak 17:21 Page 154 (Art), Lottie Mungavin (Spanish), Sophie Billings (Politics), Judith Coster (Marcelle Rowe Drama prize), Josie Day (Barbers’ Company Biology Prize and Brande Award), Emily Hughes (Jensen Drama Prize), Katie Moss (Headmaster’s choir prize & the S.R. Piper award), Jessica Rinland (O.E Lodge Citizenship prize), Hannah Robertson (Marcelle Rowe Drama prize), Sophie Billings was awarded the Peter Gardner trophy in recognition of her many and varied contributions to the house and school over the past five years. Pippa Smith was also commended by the headmaster for the number of distinctions that she received. As Mrs Parsons’ tenth year as Housemistress draws to a close (who still remains eternally youthful!) we quote her in saying ‘it is heartening to see members of Wilson taking full team namely Raphaelle Moore and Jennifer Bryant, who proceeded to mark the occasion with permanent marker on their faces - to say the least, a very memorable participation on Wilson’s behalf. Our very own Jazzy Jeff, Helen Price, wowed audiences coming second in the finals of the intermediate and advanced jazz piano. Katie Moss went down a treat coming first in the finals of the intermediate flute and oboe section and the advanced singing section. Attention! Stand at ease… A.G.I day was represented at the highest level by members of Wilson House. Josie Day was joint head of the CCF (army) and Katie Moss was head of the RAF section. Natasha Wood asserted her authority, leading the Honour Guard. Wilson won the overall CCF trophy and the CCF shield. Many thanks also, to Sophie Billings for all her effort. The fine sport of bat, ball and cunning skill, requiring the finest of athletes with the strongest of nerves to compete for each all important post, namely rounders, is where the U16’s found their niche. In athletics Sophie Sachak, Holly Brook, Danielle Rice, Lucy Phillips and Helena Mortimer all gave strong performances and Sophie Sachak was awarded the Vickie Guthrie Salver for commitment. 154 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:21 Page 155 up with us…although it was pretty easy. Good luck to you all…hopefully you will all visit us! We wish Madeleine Mortimer and Michelle Watkin the best of luck as they take on the roles of Head of School and Head of House. We say farewell, and thank you to Miss Levillain, the lovely French assistante, who leaves Epsom to continue her studies in France. Finally our thanks go to Mr & Mrs Parsons, Miss Adams, Mr Curtis, Mr Postle, Miss West, Sarah Newman-Tremble, Mrs K, Sharon, Pat and Babs who all contribute in various ways to the success and of Wilson House we’ve es di la e th r Fo “ this past year shared some classic times and surprise and we continue to delight talents. ” Mrs Parsons with our many advantage of every sphere of college life’. Cheerfulness, creativity, compassion, competitiveness and care for one another continue to be at the core of Wilson`s values, like ‘the fruit salad’. We say thank you and farewell to all the leavers and give our very special thanks to Josie Day (Head of school) and Katie Moss (Head of House) and all of the Wilson U6th, who will always be greatly missed: Especially Kate Newman (Snewms) since the cross word now remains empty each day; to Jessica Rinland and her clutter on ‘her’ purple sofa; Ginny’s insightful and well structured thoughts; the house will be quiet in Sophie Billings’s absence. The house height average has rocketed since Hannah Robertson and Judith Coster have departed. There is now also a lack of “Emilies” in the house. Well done to the two important ladies for putting happy environment in Wilson House. We wish good luck to Miss Adams, who will be the resident tutor in September along with her two cats! We congratulate Pat on her promotion to matron of White House; all her hard work has not gone unnoticed! Congratulations are also due to Miss West who got married over the summer holidays and is now very aptly named Mrs Wilson – very appropriate we thought! We all look forward to the very exciting and eventful year silently approaching and I know Mrs Parsons is intrigued as to what new talents and achievements we can conjure up next year…till then. By Raphaelle Moore and Nellie Eden Salvete: Charlotte Billings, Ffion Carey-Evans, Katie Ho, Sidony Laing, Rachael Lenney, Jennifer Leung, Lottie Mungavin, Issy Porter, Helen Price, Sophie Sachak, Pippa Smith. Valete: Sophie Billings, Judith Coster, Josie Day, Ginny Handley, Emily Hughes, Katie Moss, Kate Newman, Jessica Rinland, Hannah Robertson, Emily Sadana, Francesca Kearney, Charlotte Liparoto, Abigail Raye and Katie Ho. Epsomianmagazine 2006 155 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:22 Page 156 Tours Girls Tour Down Under – A personal account… Following tiring training sessions in the sweltering summer heat and a year of build up, the moment was finally here. The senior girls gathered underneath the Granville tower anxiously awaiting what lay before them in the next three weeks and saying final goodbyes to tearful parents…where were mine? Already out of the country. Thanks. Accompanied by Mrs Drinkall, Miss Thornley and Passport Control (Mrs Irvine), we arrived at Heathrow. The cameras were out. True tourists. The confirmation of a twelve hour flight to Singapore, our first destination, forced a synchronised groan, but with the mention of a boys tour travelling on the same flight, everyone suddenly perked up… Unfortunately it was a false alarm. Girls tour. Slightly different Mrs D. However this news did not deter certain tourists who put their skills to practice at the first opportunity. Poor Mark. Did he ever email you Clara? If I carried on in such detail, you would probably still be reading this tomorrow. So I apologize for leaving out parts of the tour, either for editing reasons or suitability (cough…dark horse) for the unknowing reader. Singapore can be summed up in three words(ish): Crazy…sorry I mean Casey, sun-burn and jet-lag. Intense netball and hole-ridden hockey pitches were experienced on the sporting front amongst various visits that translated into ‘activities to stop you from falling asleep’, although some may have hindered the aim, ahem, botanical gardens (sorry). Something I liked most about the tour was getting the opportunity to get to know the year below. Early on I learnt about Wallis’ love of shopping. As malls were pointed out from the tour bus, her eyes widened and a big grin could be noticed spreading across her face even as it was pressed up against the window in awe. We 156 travel 7000 miles and it is the thing that girls still get most excited about. Some things never change. Our arrival in Western Australia meant our first billets, a scary prospect. Many thoughts were running through my mind, ‘What if they don’t like me?’ ‘What if I get put with the girl I ‘accidentally’ tripped up for shoving JB in the netball match?’ ‘What if I am with a family that gets up at 4.30am to greet the sea?’ (Yes, that actually happened on a tour a few years ago). It was a harrowing experience and I felt like I was back in prep school, standing in the playground waiting to be picked for a team. Luckily I was saved and hosted extremely well. One down, two to go. Being billeted, if you got a good one, was thought by everyone to be a much more real and worthwhile experience than staying in a hotel. You get a better feel for what life is like there, whether that is by drinking rainwater or braving the winter with no central heating. Contrastingly, my next host in Perth was not as successful. They insisted upon taking me to another host’s house within two hours of meeting them. I clearly made a great first impression. Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Having said that, the Lakes resort in Cairns was incredible. The Great Barrier Reef was breath taking, but a little birdie told me that a certain person enjoyed the return boat ride a little more…need I mention whom? By this time I was getting into the Australian way of things. Feeling adventurous, I decided to try kangaroo, emu, and crocodile. Surprisingly, the crocodile tasted exactly like chicken. I recommend them all. I even got into the annoying habit of raising the end of my sentences as if I was constantly asking questions. Sydney, tourist central. And an uncanny reflection of London. I had to think where we were as I saw signs for Oxford St, Liverpool St, Covent Gardens, Hyde Park and Kings Cross. And no, Hannah, they copied us. England founded Australia remember? On the plane journey to Sydney, the girls knew that we would be seeing the “lads on tour” soon and the wags (wives and girlfriends) were all dutifully excited at the prospect of being reunited with their other halves while the rest of us sat around sticking two fingers down our throats. I’m sorry; it’s just hard to feign excitement for someone else at all, let alone for hours on end, whilst rubbing in the fact that we don’t have someone to greet us at the other end. How long until we land Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 Wallis? 37 minutes and 53 seconds. Sums it up. Inevitably when we arrived, most of the mixing between the two tours was done by the couples as singletons stood separately, school disco style. I exaggerate, it was just the initial reaction. Soon everyone was mingling and retelling stories; things that had already gone down on tour, and did not stay on tour (unfortunately for some, staff included), and banter was rife mate. Some would argue that staying in the same hotel was a recipe for disaster. Personally I thought we all behaved pretty well considering…could have been worse. Could have been caught in the boy’s rooms after bedtime, but no need to dwell on the past. We were soon to separate as the girls stayed in billets for three nights of the five in Sydney, whilst the boys stayed in the hotel. Tactical move Mrs D. After five days of wind and rain, no we weren’t at home yet, we welcomed Fiji with open arms and I 17:22 Page 157 hoped to make use of that bikini I had bought back in Perth. Apparently even that was a tall order. After a day of gruelling heat the weather took an unforeseen turn. Following our last netball match on grass, the teams gave their trainers to their barefooted opponents. It was an unexpected but extremely touching scene. The last two days of R&R were slightly disrupted by a full-on storm, palm trees bent double and torrential rain. Typical. But it did not stop us hardened tourists as we braved the hot tub, determined to make the most of our final hours. Despite the minor setback, it was a very enjoyable last couple of days as the two groups shared the dying moments of an extraordinary three weeks. Sounds romantic right? Well we were in Fiji… Even I, the one making puking noises on the plane to Sydney, could not resist the Fijian effect. It was the perfect end to an unparalleled tour and one that I will not be forgetting in a hurry. Madeleine Mortimer liked most “Something I about the tour was getting the opportunity to get to know the year below. ” 157 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:22 Page 158 Girls' Hockey and Netball Tour to Singapore, Australia and Fiji July /August 2006 On Sunday 23rd July on a clear, bright day the party assembled outside Granville. Girls arrived promptly and looked very smart in their travelling tour kit. After a team photograph and a thank you to the parents from FCD and of course fond farewells we left just before 7.30am. We were at Heathrow by 0800 and as check in and security took an hour we had time to check out duty free and have breakfast before boarding the QF 32 to Singapore. In the 20 days that followed the touring party, 20 great girls and 3 staff, flew on 8 flights and travelled to Singapore, Perth, Cairns, Sydney, Fiji and back to London via Los Angeles. 12 netball matches were played and 6 hockey matches were played. Eleanor (Ellie) Fisher captained the Netball A's and Sarah Campus captained the Netball B's. Both grew in stature as the tour progressed and demonstrated clear leadership skills. They motivated the teams through encouragement and by displaying a determination that the teams should play their very best. They played 12 games and won 7. April King captained the Hockey with Becci Carpenter as her vice. They made an excellent pairing. April led by example clearly demonstrating that she was the best hockey player and Becci Carpenter was a perfect foil to April. The hockey team played 6 matches and won 4. Matches were played on a variety of surfaces and in a range of locations. In Singapore netball was played in the Singapore Sport School and hockey was played on the Padang in the centre of Singapore. In Australia matches were played on conventional surfaces, but in Fiji netball was played in the open air under a blazing sun on a grass surface that was far from flat. All girls played most matches and for a considerable length of time of play. Their determination to win matches was clear and they played well together and were effective in both attack and defence. In both netball and hockey matches they showed skill, 158 spirit and team work. Over the course of the tour their general level of fitness increased and their cohesiveness strengthened. Each game was memorable for different reasons. The match against Singapore Sports School will be remembered as the first of the netball matches. Epsom put up a spirited defence against a faster team in really difficult playing conditions. Ami, Maddy and Corinne played effectively in matches that were both won by the Singapore Sports School. The setting of the hockey match on the Padang was amazing. On one side were the skyscrapers of Singapore and on the other side of the ground were enormous, very old trees. The girls played against a team of ladies and won 2 nil. Becci and Jenny were the goal scorers in that match. It was an excellent result. The next matches were played on a different continent and Epsom lost both of the netball matches to Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School. Bunbury had a really strong defence and exploited Epsom's weaknesses, but Epsom did not give up and fought hard. Revenge was gained when Epsom beat the school at hockey the following day 2:1. Baileigh scored both goals from two great crosses by Eloise. The hockey match in Perth the following day was again a victory for Epsom. Played on grass April scored both goals and Jenny and Corinne had a great game. In Cairns the netball matches against Trinity Bay High School were won by Epsom. The opposition was younger but they had played against 5 touring sides from England. Epsom responded well and had good positions, movements and brought subs on and off showing good team work. The hockey match played later on that day against Cairns High School was a convincing win for Epsom 3: 1 with April scoring all three goals. It was a good match for Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:22 Page 159 Individually the girls will be remembered in different ways. Katie Pavey will be remembered for saving so many goals and having a bag she could get into. Ami and Katie. Sarah, Maddy, Becci, Alice, Ellie, Jess and Clara also had a good game. It had been a day of injuries but the girls were undaunted and the tour carried on. In Sydney, Barker College won the first hockey match against Epsom 6:4. Becci scored two of the goals, one with a reverse stick. It was a blow not to win this match and the girls were disappointed to have their unbeaten record broken, but it made them determined to do well in the netball matches to be played the next day. Netball matches were played against Bromsgrove and Barker. The A’s won their matches against Bromsgrove and Barker. The B’s won their match against Bromsgrove and narrowly lost to Barker. Clara and Wallis played well and Georgie’s shooting was showing maturity. Overall Results Netball P12 W7 L5 The final hockey match in Sydney was played against Barker and a fiercely contested match took place with a final score of Barker 2 Epsom 1. Epsom had been tired but to quote Nigi the 'team had done their best'. One cannot ask for any more. The girls will be better players and will be stronger for this experience. The final match of the tour was a netball match in Sigatoka, Fiji. On a very uneven playing surface Epsom A’s and B’s won both of their matches in unbearably hot playing conditions. In Fiji the girls competed against a team who were playing barefoot. It prompted many of the girls from Epsom at the end of the match to give their trainers to the opposition. It was a touching moment to see the compassion shown by the girls to their fellow players. Much of the netball kit used on tour was also presented to the school. It meant that they could play in the netball league. Ami Hodges was the best netball player in the A’s and Madeleine Mortimer was such a good all-rounder. Hannah Kent showed versatility and Georgie Hazell was acknowledged to be the best tourist. Georgie had throughout the tour shown consideration for her fellow tourists. Eloise Alexander was acknowledged to be one of the best netballers in the B's. Jenny Bryant and Clara Liddell were recognised as being good as a defensive unit and coping with the cold in Bunbury. Corinne Hammond was voted Supersub. Nigora Normatova was recognised as being one of the best netballers in the B’s. Coralie Yeo was recognized for her contribution to the co-educational system. Jessica Eden-Juster will be remembered for surviving a sinus attack and having an awesome tan line. Baileigh Walsh was acknowledged as being one of the best netballers in the B’s and for hockey goals. Wallis Swanston-Murphy was noted for being a good netballer and being a 1st class shopper. Alice Twyman was credited with helping Anglo Australian relations. Jenny Hedges scored a goal on home soil in Singapore and that was very memorable. Spectators ranged in numbers. The tourists throughout supported each other on the various fields of play. They cheered, encouraged and gave advice. In addition we were glad of the support of Mr Hammond in Perth and Mr and Mrs Cox (Bekki the gappie's parents) in Sydney. Hockey P6 W4 L2 1 Goal Scorers 14 King 7, Carpenter 3, Walsh 2, Hedges 1, Alexander Tourists 5. G. Hazell (Wh), 1. K. Pavey (Rv), 2. A. Hodges (W), 3. M. Mortimer (W), 4. H. Kent (Rv), A. King (Rv), 10. (Cr), Fisher E. 9. (W), Bryant J. 8. (Cr), r Alexande E. 7. 6. S. Campus (W), (W), 15. R. Carpenter (Wh), ter Eden-Jus J. 14. (Cr), Yeo C. 13. 11. C. Hammond (Cr), 12. N. Normatova (W), Liddell (Cr), C. 19. (Wh), Twyman A. 18. (Cr), Murphy Swanston W. 17. (Cr), 16. B. Walsh P S Thornley. 22. J. Hedges (Cr), 20. Mrs. F C Drinkall, 21. Mrs. E G Irvine, 23. Miss Epsomianmagazine 2006 159 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag The girls were billeted in Bunbury, Perth and Sydney. Their hosts held them in high regard and on more that one occasion they were congratulated on being excellent ambassadors for the school and a credit to their families. We were grateful to the hosts billeting the girls, which kept down the cost of the tour. In Sydney, Barker College is approached by 60 schools a year to billet their touring sides so it is a testament of the relationship FCD has with Barker College that they billeted Epsom. Billeting gave the girls an opportunity to 'live' in the host country rather than visit and that was a really rewarding experience for the girls. Everyday was an adventure and we saw and experienced so much but some highlights included the night safari at the zoo in Singapore. The day on the Barrier Reef was truly awesome. Watching Ayers Rock appear on the horizon and grow in size as we came into land was a sight to behold. The Oz jet boat ride in Sydney was an experience. Fiji was a tropical paradise for a day and then was a very wet tropical paradise for the remainder of our stay. The many coach journeys were hilarious and the 'grown ups' in the front were entertained by the many stories recounted by the girls. The dinner on the last night when the tour was reviewed was a particular highlight. It was also interesting to meet up with the boys’ tour in both Sydney and in Fiji. There were also many opportunities to indulge in retail therapy and the girls attacked shopping opportunities with zest and vigour. I know I speak for all the coaches when I say that the tour was just the best. There was never a dull Summary of Match Results Tuesday 25 July 2006, Singapore 1600 Singapore Sports School A’s 32 B’s 32 Netball Captain: 1800 v Netball Epsom College 18 15 A’s Ellie Fisher Vice Captain: Ami Hodges B’s Sarah Campus Hockey Singapore Cricket Club v Epsom College 2 0 Hockey Captain: April King Vice Captain: Becky Carpenter Player of the Match: April King Goal Scorers: B Carpenter, J Hedge Thursday 27 July 2006, Bunbury, WA Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School v A’s 32 B’s 32 Netball Epsom College 24 30 Friday 28 July 2006, Bunbury, WA Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School v 1 Scorer: Baileigh Walsh x 2 Saturday 29 July 2006, Perth WA Perth College 1 Scorers: April King x 2 Tuesday 1 August 2006, Cairns 1300 Trinity Bay High School A’s 22 B’s 16 160 16/5/07 v v 17:22 Page 160 moment. The girls showed their mettle in how they dealt with situations and touring gave them a greater understanding of themselves and of others. When we were checking in at Fiji we heard about the foiled terrorist attack at Heathrow. This resulted in delays at a time when the girls wanted to get home. The girls displayed fortitude at this time as they did on many of the long journeys. Friendships were forged and memories of the tour will stay with us for a long time. There are many people to thank. The coaches would like to thank Air Asia for sponsoring tour kit and Edwin Doran Travel for the travel arrangements made for us. All the coaches would like to thank the parents who were so supportive of the tour and who helped so tirelessly in the fund raising. I would like to thank FCD for her excellent organization and care, and thank you to PST for being such a great tourist. Mrs. E G Irvine Hockey 1445 Cairns High School 3 Scorers: Hat-trick April King Epsom College 3 Thursday 3 August 2006, Sydney, NSW Hockey 1600 Barker v Epsom College 6 4 Scorers: 1 April King 2 Eloise Alexander 3 Becci Carpenter 4 Becci Carpenter Players of the Match – Becci Carpenter and April King Cap given to Becci Carpenter Friday 4 August 2006, Sydney NSW 1500 Bromsgrove A’s B’s 14 12 Hockey Epsom College 2 1600 A’s B’s Barker 9 25 Hockey Epsom College 2 Saturday 5 August 2006, Sydney NSW Barker 2 Scorers 1 King Netball Epsom College 26 25 v v Netball Epsom College 26 19 v Epsom College 14 21 v Hockey Epsom College 1 Tuesday 8 August, Fiji Sigatoka Methodist School v A’s 14 B’s 14 Netball Epsom College 19 16 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:22 Page 161 Silver D of E At Breacon Beacons Epsomianmagazine 2006 161 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:22 Page 162 South Seas Tour A Tourist’s Perspective Kia orana!, kia ora!, g’day mate! and bula vinaka! Well, where to begin? This tour has been the opportunity of a lifetime and there are so many stories I could tell – but because of the ‘What Goes on Tour Stays on Tour’ rule I cannot relate most of them! So what can I say? We went out to the South Seas to have a great time and play some great rugby – and that is precisely what we did. The Cook Islands exceeded all our expectations – in both beauty and climate (it was around 30oC every day!), despite the dangers of swimming in the sea, as Joe Li found out. The islanders also exceeded our expectations in their friendliness and in the rugby that they played: they were strong and played a very tight game, resulting in two narrow wins for us in their national stadium – an honour for us all. We then moved on to New Zealand, where it was about 20o colder. During the flight, the crossing of the International Date Line created quite a lot of confusion for some of 162 the lads, for whom the concept of losing 24 hours made no sense! Here we were billeted – a new experience for most of us and an enjoyable one for all. Our first billets were in Hawke’s Bay (a great wine-growing area), where most of us got to try things we would never be allowed to do at home, such as driving cars (you can get a licence at 15 out there) and shooting things (cans, birds, possums etc). In the games against Lindisfarne College, the 2nds won well, although the 1sts were outmatched in the forwards and lost quite heavily. We were also billeted in Morrinsville; the games there were both won convincingly. Joe Li’s injury woes continued as he was concussed at the end of the game. On to Sydney next – O the tales I could tell about our time in Sydney! Everyone hugely enjoyed all that Sydney had to offer. Darling Harbour was fantastic, especially our jet boat ride around the harbour. The restaurants and nightlife in Sydney were second to none! Anyway, I digress – the matches were played in rather wet conditions and a lack of coherence meant that the 2nds lost this game, although the 1sts won well. So, on to Fiji, where we met up with the girls’ hockey tour for the final three nights. The game was played in scorching conditions on a rock-hard pitch against a side who made up in enthusiasm what they lacked in training, and although both sides won by wide margins, the game was well fought. Having now beaten every school we played, we prepared to celebrate. Sadly the final day was a wash out, as a tropical storm drenched the resort for the whole day. However, after the end-of-tour dinner, at which we had an awards ceremony (some of which were less serious than others), we all made the most of the resort’s beverage facilities (and I don’t mean tea and coffee)! After three weeks hard touring, and after clocking up an estimated 80 hours in planes, buses and airports, we arrived home extremely tired, having timed our return to coincide with a terrorist alert at Heathrow! This has been one of the most adventurous and successful tours the school has ever undertaken and the experience has been absolutely wonderful for all involved. On behalf of the tourists I would like to thank Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:22 Page 163 all the staff and parents who made it possible, especially the Fundraising Committee and, of course, Messrs Drinkall, Hobbs, Wycherley, MacDowell, Campbell and Irvine (whose 4-mile runs we loved) for making this such a memorable tour, and for ensuring that we did not get into too much trouble! Andrew Mason en the “This tour has be opportunity of a lifetime.” The Staff Perspective After months of patient build-up, after embarrassed hugs and anxious farewells, and after a thorough passport check, we had arrived at the airport awaiting our first flight on tour. These were the moments that could set the tone of the tour, that could demonstrate the maturity and discipline of this elite squad of rugby players. Instead, however, we were given a demonstration of Darwinism, an accurate demonstration of evolution and how man had obviously descended from apes. In short, we were given a lesson in the art of Peddie. It takes a special breed of person to be a rugby player, and a very ‘special’ person to be a forward. Subtlety, panache, intelligence, dexterity: none of these words apply. A very good example is Thomas ‘the anarchist’ Peddie Esq., who, within minutes of being in the queue at the airport, had made such Neanderthalian, guttural noises that Mr Drinkall was already contemplating a discreet murder. By the time the first flight had taken off Tom was lucky to still be on the plane. By the time we had arrived in Papeete he was lucky he wasn’t swimming home. New Zealand represented a different and altogether more difficult challenge – and not merely on the rugby pitch; we could actually hear Wilkinson’s brain whirring as he tried to work out why the sheep we saw standing on the sides of the mountains (during the drive from Auckland to Hastings) did not just fall off. Mr Hobbs finally convinced him that it was because mountain sheep are unique and are born with two legs longer than the others. This explanation was believed without question, and it was not long before we could overhear Wilko ‘ educating’ others about this miracle of evolution. Lindisfarne College presented stern opposition, and although the ‘B’ team managed a hard fought win, the ‘A’ team were out muscled by a very large and aggressive pack. They managed to rally in the second half and showed resilience in avoiding a disaster and many lessons were learnt form the game as a whole. The ‘A’ team match also gave us our second pre-match war dance, a little like the All Blacks haka, following one in Rarotonga. Our next matches were in a town called Morrinsville, close to Waikato. Although no less determined or aggressive than the Lindisfarne side, Morrinsville High School did not present quite the same challenges and both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides managed comfortable victories. It was in the closing moments that Li had an unfortunate collision with an opponent’s knee, which left him concussed and sadly out of the playing squad for the remainder of the tour. Epsomianmagazine 2006 163 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag The next destination was Sydney, which offered quite different opportunities for entertainment. After ten days staying in rural surroundings it was a refreshing change to arrive in a busy city. One spectacular day allowed for the boys to experience a variety of attractions including the excitement of jet boating and the quite wonderful, shark-filled, aquarium. It was at the aquarium that we were entertained by another example of rugby player intelligence; Jamie Allum this time, the poor unfortunate, overheard posing the question ‘Are penguins fish?’. Priceless. We knew that St. Joseph’s College was going to be tough opposition and they proved to be. The ‘B’ team struggled to maintain consistency and although they showed on occasions that they had the skill and strength to beat ‘Joey’s’, they never managed to take the lead and lost narrowly. The ‘A’ team, perhaps with the lessons learnt in New Zealand still fresh in their minds, played their best game of the tour until that point and won relatively comfortably with some wonderfully fluent backs moves allied to a disciplined and powerful display from the forwards. 16/5/07 And so we travelled to our final destination with a good record of six wins out of eight, hopeful of two more wins and a relaxing and sunny finale in Fiji. Fate can play cruel tricks on weary travellers however. In Fiji we played on the only hot day we were there. The day of rugby proved to be quite an eye-opening experience, both on the field and off it. Both the ‘A’ and the ‘B’ teams won, both saving perhaps their best games for last and the ‘A’ team rounding off the tour with a big win. It was impressive to see when an opposition cannot even afford a full set of squad shirts, let alone expensive training equipment-such a high level of skill and strength. Rugby is a second religion in Fiji; everywhere we drove we could see people of all ages, both male and female, playing some form of rugby. We can only hope that the money we gave to the schools in Fiji can go some small way to developing the talent in the area. Alas, from the evening of the matches until the flight home, we experienced unexpectedly shocking weather: gales, storms and flooding. However, who cares if it’s raining when you are in a swimming pool? 17:22 Page 164 This attitude was demonstrated once again, later at L.A. airport, where the boys remained calm and cheerful while the chaos of the Heathrow unwound around them. It is perhaps this character that made the tour such a success. From the leadership of Sandy Reid, the ‘excitement’ of Tom Peddie, the unbreakable smile from every one of the players, their character, determination and friendship for one another meant that the tour was an enormous success and a tremendously enjoyable experience both on and off the pitch. R.Wycherley Results A Vs Tereora B W24-23 vs Nukutere W13-6 Vs Lindisfarne L0-29 W20-10 Vs Morrinsville W34-8 W39-0 Vs St. Joseph’s W17-8 L12-21 Vs Sigatoka W22-7 W52-10 enormous “The tour was an success and a tremendously enjoyable experience.” 164 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:23 Page 165 RAF Camp We arrived in front of Granville at 10:30am (as opposed to 4:30am like in previous years) ready to leave. Most people wanted to go… especially Lucy Sadana (!). We had an easy coach journey up to Oxford and arrived by lunchtime. The daunting appearance of a real RAF base took many by surprise… the tall wire fences that surrounded the entire base, along with the large buildings and security guards carrying guns reminded us of, to sum it up in one word, “prison” (Kate Stevens). And when we saw our accommodation… tents, with the adjacent cricket pavilion providing our wash facilities, there was even more despair! To be fair, the tents weren’t that bad… they were spacious (they could easily have taken two more people), they were well lit at night and there were some lockers inside. Sunday … at 7:00am! Shock, extreme tiredness and a surprise for what most people had hoped would be a lazy Sunday morning lie-in. The hot showers (for those who used them) helped wake us up a bit… as did the full English breakfast that followed. The food was excellent all week, in fact. There was a short Chapel service, followed by a teamwork enhancing board game which kept us occupied throughout the morning and afternoon and evening (it was a long game). Later on in the evening, after supper, we had weapons training and were also given the opportunity to watch the World Cup Final, Italy vs France! People weren’t really interested until the penalty shoot-outs at the end. Still, at least France didn’t win. Monday – Friday On Monday we endured navigational exercises, more weapons training and drill practice. Tuesday was a good day as we were able to enjoy Air Experience Flying… this means youget to fly a small Tutor aeroplane which seats two people (you and the pilot). For some people it was their first flight, others their second or Merchant Taylors’ soon arrived and, despite there being 6 of them and about 20 of us, we all got to know each other very well within minutes. By Saturday evening it was like we’d known them for years! So, after spending the rest of the day discussing how we planned to survive the next week, we went to bed around 10.30, to sleep around midnight, and woke up the next morning… Epsomianmagazine 2006 165 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag third. Those who had done it before experienced the thrill of aerobatics 3,000 ft in the air. I did two loop-theloops and a barrel roll! It was a clear day with only a few clouds, so we got 16/5/07 centre at 7:00am! (“Who would want to play hockey at 7 in the morning?” we were all asking each other.) Anyway, it turned out to be good fun and an excellent warm-up for the day ahead. We travelled down to Bramley training grounds, an area 17:23 Page 166 ropes. There was just enough room for Greg Stidolph and me to stand on an A3-sized platform on the top of an [unstable] 30ft pole. Well done to Ashley and Kate for getting much further on it than they thought they would! Then, at last, it was Friday! y teamwork “There were man speed and exercises that required quick thinking.” a clear view of Oxford and the surrounding area from up in the sky and some people were able to fly in a Merlin helicopter too! On Wednesday (Anthony McGhee’s 16th Birthday) we had to be in our best DPMs for a visit by the Station Commander Group Captain Duncan Welham along with Air Vice-Marshall D Walker CBE AFC RAF, the Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group whilst we were on the low ropes exercise. Mrs Pearson was very nervous but she managed to salute in the correct manner! We were then given a tour of a hangar, which included a look inside a Puma. Later in the week, all those that wanted, were able to fly in it. A Q&A session with a pilot was very interesting and we were also able to try on some night-vision goggles, which cost about £32,000 each! Thursday was a long day. The station commanders had challenged us cadets to an indoor uni-hoc tournament in the sports 166 with mixed amounts of dense trees and open space. There were many teamwork exercises that required speed and quick thinking, plus camouflage exercises, and the high Mixed emotions by now… some looking forward to the summer holidays, others (like Debbie) were enjoying themselves too much to care about having a break. Friday was a Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag good day… hot sunny weather, with everyone passing their weapons handling test and being able to get some shooting practice on the outdoor range. In the afternoon, eight lucky people (including me) were able to control a flight simulator. They are used for training pilots, and simulate Chinooks, Merlin and Puma helicopters in a variety of different climates, terrain and weather, both at day and night. They are so powerful and built to such precision that we were told they cost £20 million each! In the evening we Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 had a drill competition, won by team A (it didn’t matter though because team B, the team I was in, won overall!). There was also a mini disco later on, and presentations following the week we had just enjoyed. Saturday 15th July Packed up, picked up litter, picked up litter we’d missed the first time, and got ready to leave. It was, overall a sad day, saying goodbye to all the friends we’d made, but I’m sure others will agree that it was great to experience first-hand a real RAF base, 17:23 Page 167 complemented by the great people from Merchant Taylor’s and the “Kebab Man” in the car park who made sure we were never hungry after dinner with his tasty burgers, kebabs and chips, fresh from the deep-fat fryer. Thank you very much also to Flt Lt Pearson for running the whole week and organising all the activities we were able to enjoy! Matthew Wade 167 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:23 Page 168 CCF Summer Camp so delightful, vegetable lattice certainly being one of the downers of the trip! In contrary the exercises the following day were extremely fun. The river exercise was a highlight of the trip. It didn’t however go down too well with Holly whose scream could be heard back at home! The rats were a slight fabrication of the truth although some claimed to have “seen” them. A shower was well overdue once all the exercises were over, yet the green tinge of camo paint remained for much of the week. We arrived at school, well rested after what-ten hours at home? Everyone seem rather eager to set sail on this “magical” adventure, full of anxiety about whether it might be a bit like brat camp or just a walk in the park. A few had started counting down the hours until our return. It was interesting seeing the keen beans among us, carrying suitcase far bigger then themselves. (Holly Brook, Anna Dick, etc.) After a rather long wait, sat outside Makinder our journey started down to the bus stops, all in double file, but fortunately not marching – it wasn’t going to be quite that serious. Filing onto the coaches we all lasted a two hour journey, but butterflies raged inside, not quite expecting the worst but knowing not to be too hopeful and all of us questioning what this “naafi” talk was all about, little did we know quite what the naafi would mean to some of us. (Guy Blunden) menu selection wasn’t great. And we all discovered by the second day that our own cutlery was essential, they always ran out and eating with fingers was rather disconcerting. That evening, sleep was impossible on mattresses of creaking plastic, with no give. The sleep talkers, and snorers, were highlighted and destroyed the next day. By Wednesday the visitors had arrived and everyone was please to get rid of their dirty washing and receive some “normal” food. The stretcher run was hard, and with a sprained ankle and some rather unfit people around, ahem, my group managed to finish last. On Thursday the whole group made a trip to the Rifle Range where we all Sunday and Monday the two groups rotated between the delightful Dover Castle and activities in the fields next to the camp. The Castle trip was a very long day, lightened drastically by Mr Shepard’s tour of the castle and our constant coffee breaks. Pack lunches however were not Arriving through the guarded gates of St Martin’s Plain we were already looking for escape routes along the railway. Approaching the camp it was like nothing I’ve ever seen before, except maybe in chicken run. About 40 odd huts all similar in size, shape and colour, barely recognisable from another except for the military number placed on their sides. That evening we were bombarded with times and rules, which slipped over most of our heads. And then there was dinner. I'm sure the camp goes through oil like water, and the 168 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 few people didn’t miss the chance to catch some rays, getting rather burnt in the process. The room inspection that evening gave us a chance to be creative, some of us, a bit too much. But everyone loved the Jamie and Guy costumes it has to be said! waited for rather a long time, and shot for rather a little time. The day was filled with snoring people, trying to kill time as we awaited the bus. The sun was high in the sky and a Epsomianmagazine 2006 And then there was Friday… Our day trip to Calais went a bit haywire after the coach missed the ferry. Fortunately I was in the leading party and made it on to the ferry, but without everyone else..? So the day began with a little bit of shopping. And I say little. All the shops were shut because of Bastille Day and unfortunately so were the banks which made changing money impossible. The day was fun, with the Bounty and Coconut playing 17:23 Page 169 important roles in this “fun”. The ferry journey back was just as interesting. But poor Mr Cooper was left to take care of all the “seasick” kids. On arrival back at camp we only had a few hours to prepare, or not, for the “superhero” theme in our Epsom College “Disco”. Mr Henson had kindly joined the party, along with Parfitt to produce quite an entertaining night of “tunes”. On Saturday I can’t say we were tearful to be leaving such a wonderful place, but it was a good week, filled with some “interesting” moments, including Jamie’s rather patriot haircut. A few romances blossomed, I wont mention any names, and of course, plenty of banter. All I can say is it was better than Navy and RAF camp! 169 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:23 Page 170 Mongolia Team One This summer a group of ten keenwitted and able bodied students formed group one of two teams embarking on a month long expedition to Mongolia. After having arrived in its capital , Ulaanbaatar (UB), a team explored the city and sorted out the ‘admin jobs’ such as meeting the ‘in country’ agent, our translator, and generally preparing ourselves for the ten days of almost complete isolation that were to follow. Once the equipment and all the supplies for our trekking phase were gathered, we set off for our 12 hour overnight train journey followed by the gruelling 27 hour 48 minutes ‘Furgone journey’ (see picture of the bus in the crater!). We quickly made a special friendship with one of our drivers who swiftly became know as ‘Turbo Tom’. With the leader system in place, changing every two to three days amongst the pupils in the group, everyone had the responsibility of leading the group of eight other pupils, Mr Hampshire, Matt Bailey (WCE leader), Shinee (our reclusive translator) and Treps. During the whole trip we also had the three different tents cooking each night on a rota system. The trekking phase consisted of four days on horseback and a further six days on foot, lead by local Wranglers who demonstrated unconditional kindness throughout, going far and beyond the boundaries of what was expected of them. The horses proved a testing time for some of us (Gillespie…whose horse bolted at the slightest hint of competition or click of the fingers). The worst was being caught in a thunderstorm and feeling that the horses were far from happy. Tom’s persistent desire to gallop across the steppes made him a fond favourite amongst the wranglers; one in particular called Nyama who Tom now wants to spend his gap year with! It was with our sore rear ends bouncing around the responsibility “Everyone had of leading the group of eight other pupils.” 170 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag on the horses that we first really saw the awesome beauty of Mongolia. It was a breathtaking experience, and very humbling to look across the rolling steppes and know that you could walk for weeks and never find anyone else, let alone a small village. Not that the horse trek wasn’t exciting but, personally, I was more than happy to give my bum a rest and set out on the six day foot trek. On the foot trek we walked to the peaks of some of the tallest ‘hills’ we could find to admire the view from the top. Again and again it was breathtaking to see the vastness of this untouched country, which is surely solving global warming on its own! The end of our trekking phase was marked by a dip in the second largest lake in Asia. It wasn’t till after we had eagerly jumped in that we saw the source of the heat was 16/5/07 the snow peaked mountains surrounding it! As expected our diet on the expedition was pretty bland. We brought along 25 kilograms of rice and would probably have been suicidal had it not been for the invaluable Tabasco sauce!! The way back to UB was another long Furgone journey and many thousands of hands of our new found card game, ‘Hearts’, later we arrived for the project phase. In slightly more comfort (a wooden classroom floor), we set up camp and began the renovation of a classroom in school #63 under the watchful eye of the crooked social worker / lawyer / car dealer / underworld MAFIA BOSS – Tengis. After he had told us to “Take your money and go back to your own country” before storming off as we hadn’t payed him all of our budget for two sets of doors, he 17:23 Page 171 quickly became branded ‘Tengis the T***’. The project phase was disappointing as we never really got to see any children but we were proud of our efforts as we left for the return leg – via Beijing. Being the ‘fake stuff capital of the world’ many of us wasted little time in blowing whatever personal money we had left on fake clothes and the rest of the group budget on a mammoth night out for the ‘Last Supper’! The whole Mongolia experience taught us all different things, but in equally large amounts, and is something that none of us will ever forget. On behalf of the team we would like to thank Mike Hampshire for putting up with us for so long and being such a ‘lad’!!!!! Alex Fox and Jamie Gillespie golia experience taught on M le ho w e Th “ equally us all different things, but in hing that large amounts, and is somet none of us will ever forget.” Epsomianmagazine 2006 171 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 16/5/07 17:24 Page 172 Mongolia Team Two 172 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag Epsomianmagazine 2006 16/5/07 17:24 Page 173 173 A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag New:A27571 165x240 Epsom Mag 174 16/5/07 17:24 Page 174 Epsomianmagazine 2006 A27571 Epsomian Cover:Layout 1 16/5/07 16:08 Page 2 y: graph i o t o h P kza Bara ne . N r o M ohnst J . R Mr or: t Edit n a t s i r Ass Bowle Mr G. A27571 Epsomian Cover:Layout 1 17/5/07 09:19 Page 1 The Epsomian 2006 E THE MAGAZINE OF EPSOM COLLEG All New Look BAINES design & print 01707 876555 Printed on environmentally friendly paper A27571 Volume 136 C O L L E G E Epsom College, Epsom, Surrrey, KT17 4JQ Tel: 01372 821234 Fax: 01372 821237 e-mail: admissions@epsomcollege.org.uk website:epsomcollege.org.uk EC National Champions Trips, Tours and Tourna ments l o o h c S ig B , d n a B ig B , Big Gig The Non-Naked Chef and other inter views