Wilson's School - Sport

Sport

The original School statutes state that "The scholars play to be Shooting in long bows; chess; running, wrestling and leaping, &c..."

Football

In more modern times, the school's main sport is Association Football. Wilson's has six teams at Under 19 level and two teams for every age group from Under 12s (the Under 12s also have C,D E and F teams) to Under 16s. Football is compulsory in physical education throughout much of the season during a pupil’s early years at the school. In 2007 the 1st XI won the U19 Surrey Cup but lost to Millfield School in the semi-finals of the National Championship.

Cricket

There is a team for every year group up until year 11 when there is a first, second and often a third team. The school competes against local schools on Saturdays and there is first team tour every two years. The school also runs a cricket tour to Barbados, which will run this year in July 2013.

Recently, in 2011, Wilson's won the award for being the best state school cricket team in Surrey. This, mainly, is due to the success of the then Under 15 team, which in their time reached 5 semi finals, losing on every occasion to Whitgift School. The team, who arrived at the school in September 2007, is widely considered to be the best ever to have represented Wilson's School. In one semi final, having scored 100 off their 20 overs, Whitgift were reduced to 28 for 5 off 7 Overs, but went on to win by 5 wickets. Notable cricketers in the school at current include Sameer Khan, captain of the 1st X1, Benjamin Flook (Deputy School Captain) and Sam Wright.

Athletics

Alongside cricket, athletics is also popular. During the summer term, the school partakes in many track and field events; these include 100m to 1500m races, hurdles, javelin, shot put, long jump, high jump, triple jump and discus.

Badminton

The school was designated an Academy School by Badminton England in February 2006. The six boys considered best in Badminton from years 8 to 12 receive specialist coaching and there is an after-school club for years 7 and 8 on Mondays and for years 9 and above on Fridays. The school is home for the Chadacre Badminton club, one of the top clubs in the county at senior level.

Swimming and Water Polo

Swimming was first brought in as an organised activity in 1883, using private facilities in Peckham and then Kennington, as no public baths were available in Camberwell until 1892. Masters of this early era include Mr M. Holbein, a channel swimmer, and Mr Cavill, credited by many of being the first to bring the front crawl to Britain from Australia.

However, it was not until the establishment of the new premises in Sutton, which included a half-Olympic sized swimming pool, that the school gained a national reputation for watersports. This was largely due to the keen involvement of the coach of a local club, who fed budding Wilson's water polo players through to develop their skills at Sutton and Cheam, a local club. By 1976, the school was competing internationally in swimming and provided half of Sutton's team for a gala in Berlin for that year and the next. Four boys were representing the country and the school came second in the 1977 English School Swimming Association Trials.

During this time, several water polo internationals were produced, including members of Welsh and English teams. More recently, the under 14 side came third in the National Schools Competition at Grantham in 1999. In 2000 the under-15 side won the London League. In 2001 Wilson's took a bronze medal at the under-14 national competition.

Since the conversion of the pool to a sports hall in 2005, training and competition in swimming and water polo declined.

Table Tennis

The under-19s are ranked fourth nationally, having won the Surrey Cup, the National Schools Area Tournament and were runners up in the National Regional Tournament.

Rugby Union

Rugby was first introduced to the school in 1886, although it has not been continuously played since then. It was revived in 1921, in the 1960s, 1980s and has continued since a further revival in the mid-1990s. This reflects its status as a secondary game in the school; indeed, the existence of the 1st XV and other teams has not always been well known in the school. In the academic year 2008–2009 Wilson's entered three teams to the Mitcham Bulls League (Yr8, Yr10 and the 1st XV comprising mostly Lower sixth and Yr 11 students). All three leagues were won, and between them only 2 games were lost all season.

Rugby League

Rugby League is not played at the school, but the Rugby Union teams are often entered into Rugby League tournaments, with mixed success. The best result was when the 1st XV (playing League) reached the finals of a competition for the South of England but lost to a last minute drop goal: which was ironic, since a criticism of Union is that kicking and drop-goals are too important.