Tuesday 25 March 2014 Three netball teams from The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) are celebrating victory in the finals of two national schools championships. Less than a week after the U16 team became champions at the England Netball National Schools Competition, the U15 and U19 teams won trophies at the Independent Schools Netball Cup, bringing to a close the most successful netball season in the school’s history. Since GSAL came into being six years ago following the merger of Leeds Grammar School and Leeds Girls’ High School, its netball teams have chalked up 19 appearances at the finals of these two prestigious national competitions and won six titles. For most members of the senior team the 2014 national finals were their last major competitions before they leave school this summer. Having finished as runners up in their age group at the England Netball schools final, they finished their season on a high by taking the U19 Independent Schools Cup title. The match was a repeat of the 2013 final against Lingfield Notre Dame, and GSAL won 39-20 to retain the title. Head of netball Mrs Cath Johnson said: “We are very proud of this team’s achievements over the years; they have played in all national finals for their age. This previous experience and their determination to succeed were crucial to their performance in these important finals.” “It is important to create interaction between the age groups and the older players have become role models to younger team members.” The younger teams are well on the way to emulating the success of the seniors, with the U15 team securing the U15 Independent Schools Cup title in a tense final against Guildford High School. Drawn at 48-48, the match went to extra time before GSAL nosed ahead to win 57-56. Just a week earlier at the England Netball National Schools Competition, the U16 team had reclaimed the U16 title last won by GSAL in 2012. General Senior School Sixth Form News
