Sixth Form - Sport
There is an exceptionally broad range of sporting activities (Ofsted)
Sixth Formers have the opportunity to take part in a variety of individual sports or team games. In the winter terms, rugby is the major sport. The school is regularly represented at county and national schoolboy level and maintains an excellent record in fixtures against the best school sides in the North of England.
Our athletes regularly represent Lancashire, and the school has its own swimming pool and produces strong swimming teams at all levels. Squash and badminton are also very popular. In the summer term cricket, athletics, rowing, golf and tennis are the main sports. All five have produced outstanding individual and team successes in recent years. There are also opportunities for rock-climbing, cycling, basketball and sailing. Sixth Form games are timetabled on Wednesday afternoons and all Sixth Formers are expected to take part in a sport or activity on this afternoon each week.
In common with all other year groups, Sixth Formers take part each year in our annual Charity Run, which allows them the opportunity to raise money for the school’s Lent Term charity fund-raising.
Students write below about their experiences of sport at LRGS Sixth Form.
Sixth Form - Rugby
The highlight of our time spent at LRGS has been the opportunity to represent the school on the rugby field. This can only be demonstrated by reflecting on all the experiences that we have had from being involved in the rugby set-up from the first year. LRGS rugby has given us a massive sense of pride and achievement and many skills that can be taken forward and used in the future.
Rugby is an important part of school life from the start, with junior teams training as often as the 1st XV. This is pivotal to the rugby club's success. This enthusiasm has served the school well over the years, consistently producing winning teams at every age group.
The rugby ethos at LRGS is built around team spirit and pride in wearing the school’s crest. The sense of camaraderie gained from the hours of dedicated training spent out on the Memorial Fields in all weather shines through, and can be easily seen in the strength of the bonds between all the players. The coaches have all seen many years of boys come through the school, and as a result are keen to pass on their knowledge and experience to the boys and are willing to sacrifice their own time in order to do this.
Playing for the 1st XV soon becomes the aim of all rugby players and debuting for the senior side became the pinnacle of our own rugby careers. The commitment and team spirit that we thought was so impressive throughout the lower school, intensified beyond our expectations upon entering the 1st Team squad.
Coming through the school, we have become used to attending training three times a week, all of which build up to the Saturday fixture. Though these games are officially ‘non-competitive’, the desire to win is no less apparent than in any of the cup games we have played in. This is also reflected by the overwhelming support shown by parents, which is greatly appreciated by all the players. Of all the schools we have visited to play rugby, rarely have we seen teams with greater numbers on the touchlines.
The culmination of rugby at LRGS is the opportunity to be part of the international touring squad. We were both fortunate enough to be included in the African tour party, which was one of the most enjoyable and enriching experiences of our lives. The tour offers both a reward to the senior players for up to 7 years of service to the school and also a chance to develop younger players for the following season. Though the focus is always on the rugby, the tour blends leisure time with more serious training leading up to the ‘test matches’.
This was the perfect way to end the year, playing the sport we have come to love whilst visiting another nation with the lads. We hope players in years to come can enjoy the rugby experience in the same way that we have.
Conor McGurk and Stuart Brown
Sixth Form - Cross Country
Although weekend Cross Country fixtures are somewhat restricted in the local area compared to the lower school years, the big races are still contested and the competition is top class. There are several invitation races where LRGS competes against several other schools. These often take place in games sessions. The Cross Country season ends with the incredibly competitive Northern Schools Championships which is shortly followed by the charity set run, where the whole year group completes a cross country course in conjunction with the charity fundraising efforts of the Lent term.
The set run is a compulsory yet worthwhile component of the school calendar and has been a tradition of the school for years. Whilst some compete competitively (as there is an inter-form competition involved) others are just glad to complete the course, but at the end of the day everyone’s efforts are appreciated and the focus is on the charity fundraising.
There is also the opportunity to represent Lancaster & Morecambe District in the Lancashire Championships and the possibility of representing Lancashire, performance dependent of course!.
Luke Suligowski
Sixth Form - Cricket
Some of the most enjoyable times I have had during my school career have involved the Douthwaite field and more importantly the LRGS 1st XI. Throughout my years at the school I have greatly developed under the wings of the coaches at the school and benefited profusely from the superb facilities, especially the tremendous pitches turned out constantly by the ground staff’s hard work.
Playing cricket at any level in the school is brilliant fun … competitive, but more than anything highly enjoyable! Whether it is travelling half way across the country to play some very competitive, intense games against other schools or just sitting in the New Building listening to Mr Lonsdale’s lively team talks. The camaraderie which develops through this will stay with me for the rest of my life. I’ve made a huge amount of friends and gained some real pleasure from coaching the younger boys and seeing them improve.
I owe a lot to LRGS cricket as I was given my chance to play for my county through the efforts of my first year coach, and from then on I have been provided with the support and advice I have needed to develop as a cricketer and more generally as a person.
Sixth Form - Hockey
The LRGS Hockey Team is a relatively new addition to the list of school teams. There are currently two teams, one at under-15 level and one at senior level. Mr Matthew is the coach for both teams.
Although we have not yet achieved the successes of other sports, such as Rugby, the hockey team is steadily improving.
Practices for the senior team take place during games on Wednesday afternoons and for the U15s Thursday afternoons, as well as an after school session on Mondays for both teams.
Mikey Twigge L6JPJ
Sixth Form - Football
Unlike preceding year groups, Sixth Formers are given the opportunity to play football in games sessions and potentially represent the school in fixtures. This gives previously frustrated pupils the chance to play football in school, rather than their talents being restricted to club football outside of school.
There are three teams and the football staff give up their time to arrange fixtures, organise training sessions and oversee/referee the matches. The school also enters the Lancashire Cup competition.
Luke Suligowski and Josh Lancaster