Page 52 - OO_2019

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By Hannah Dillon (W 09)
Even the bitter rain and gruelling 7am start couldn't dampen the spirits of the London-based OO team as they hopped into Alice Banks' (N 09) car and embarked upon a 21⁄2-hour journey up the M11, smugly celebrating the fact that their immense age and comparative lack of fitness wasn't going to be further disadvantaged by the lingering after-effects of an evening in The Ship.
Unsure where they were meant to be going, who was playing for them and, indeed, whether the old Sports Hall even existed any more, Banks, Dillon and Louisa Troughton (W 09) were delighted to find a shorts-clad Danny Grewcock merrily printing signs in the foyer and acting like he knew what was going on!
As Grewcock calmly pointed a disgruntled (and VERY sharply dressed) first netball team outside into the pouring rain, Annie Hall (N 15), Frankie Hall (N 13) and Jessica Martin (L 09) made good upon their promise to boost the dwindling numbers, so the OO team were set.
The pre-match chatter was friendly and the OOs were delighted to find Elspeth Langsdale waiting to greet them outside the shiny new and expansively-branded 'Pav' courts. Despite not appreciating Banks' jealous remarks about how funding for their fancy new netball coats might have been better spent on balls that actually bounced, the first team kindly agreed to lend the OOs Sports Fellow Simone Compton and the match began.
What the OOs lacked in height and team coordination,
ROWING
By Kristina Cowley (L 13)
The mindset “measure success by how much fun you’re having” underpinned the OO Rowing at the Multisports Weekend this year – and, by all accounts, smiles were had all around!
Hosted at Oundle Boat House, the afternoon accommodated all ages and abilities (mainly the rather rusty OO cohort!); promoted positive relationships between the OSBC and OO communities; and allowed for some light competitiveness while focusing on teamwork, to remind everyone what rowing is all about.
With this in mind, four teams were established, combining pupils across all years and OOs.
Rather than a series of single races, an array of team games/competitions were planned to happen simultaneously that would each provide opportunities for teams to earn points. The mission was simple – teams needed to accrue as many points as possible across the various stations, as the winner would be the team with the most points.
There were three main competitions – a skills contest, a 250m time trial around the bend and a sprint relay to get balls in baskets.
The Third/Fourth Form dominated when it came to skills – whether tested on maximum repetitions of rigger
they certainly made up for in enthusiasm. Not to be deterred by the speed and accuracy with which the Oundle girls secured the first few goals, the OOs set to work.
Natural competitiveness, dogged determination and a very unpredictable playing style soon saw them wrong- foot the fresh-faced youngsters and manipulate their way towards a shot on goal. Fortunately, Dillon managed to place the ball through the net and so began an increasingly sporadic game of cat-and-mouse.
Some brilliant wing play from the Halls, co-ordinated by a rapid and very vocal Banks, and backed up by the consistently reliable Martin saw the OOs keep within a respectable (but ever-increasing) distance of the first team's score count in the run-up to half-time.
Buoyed by an Al Gordon (C 69) pep talk and the imminent prospect of a visit to the coffee tavern, the OOs returned to the field for the critical third quarter with a renewed sense of focus.
Team morale was high and optimism visible in every deft movement – from Troughton's long-distance shooting to everyone's underestimation of the height (and interception capability) of the first-team's goal defence.
Some generous refereeing, forced repositioning in the final quarter and questionable interpretation of the modern rules of the game saw the OOs score a commendable 16 goals against the first team’s 28. It was a well-played match and an excellent reminder to all of the joys of indulging in a trip down memory lane on a damp and dreary Sunday morning.
Bow James Silk (G 01), No.3 Angus Irvine (Sc 12) and stroke Kristina Cowley (L 13) at the rowing event during the Multisports Weekend
dips in 60 seconds, number of 360-degree turns in a play boat or who could stand up, do a move and sit back down again.
Not surprisingly, the OOs (notably only those actually at risk of being asked to try!) elegantly encouraged the slightly more nimble and courageous members of their teams to own those challenges, while the OOs not in Lycra were keen for all to try! The OOs in Lycra won and admired from afar while conserving their energy for the 250m time trial. Pressure was mounting.
The 250m course was a little challenging, with a strong cross wind and a rather impressive near 90-degree bend. However, all crews raced in the race matrix and it was
SPORT
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