The Year 10 girls from Carisbrooke College took part in the annual netball tournament together at Cowes Enterprise College on 6 November. A huge thank you to Cowes for being such fantastic hosts as always!

This was the team’s big step into competitive netball after a couple of months of training sessions with Ms Makepeace, and with many players taking to the court for the very first time, there was a buzz of nerves and excitement as the girls faced off against some strong island schools. 

The girls suffered a setback early on with the news that Netball legend Ms Makepeace was unable to make the tournament and so the girls had to settle for team waterboy and kit man Mr Peake to come up with the tactics (pass, pass, pass and shoot).

The opening two games against The Island Free School (TIFS) and Christ the King (CTK) were a tough learning curve. With rotations giving everyone a chance to play, the girls had to quickly adapt to the fast pace and physicality of tournament netball. Despite the early setbacks, Liberty, Amelia, and Poppy showed excellent defensive awareness, keeping the score lines lower than they might have been and showing real resilience under pressure.

By the third game, things started to click. Facing one of the tournament favourites, Ryde School B, Carisbrooke put on a brilliant defensive display to hold them to a 0–0 draw, a huge improvement and a well-earned confidence boost.

Next up was Ryde School A, another strong side, and though the girls battled hard, they were outplayed by a team with a bit more experience. But heads never dropped and that determination paid off in the next fixture against local rivals Medina College.

This was a thriller! Medina went ahead 2–0 before Holly struck to bring Carisbrooke back into it. Medina replied, but once again Holly found the net, twice more in fact completing an impressive hat-trick! The game finished 4–3 to Medina with Carisbrooke nearly tying the game at the very end, but it was an electric performance full of heart, teamwork, and passion and further to that the sportsmanship was lovely to see and the GA from Medina must have a personal shout out.

In the final matches against Ryde A and The Bay, Carisbrooke continued to create chances but just couldn’t find that elusive first win. Even so, the team’s spirit never wavered. Elana, Holly, Summer, and Lily were dangerous in attack positions, while Olivia and Emily worked tirelessly through the middle to keep the ball moving. Jasmine, Lilly, and Molly all impressed in the wing positions, supporting transitions and showing great fighting spirit.

The girls finished the day with one draw and six defeats, but the results only tell half the story. They showed massive progress, outstanding teamwork, and a brilliant attitude, exactly what school sport is all about.

With continued commitment to training and maybe a few joining local clubs, there’s every reason to believe this talented group will come back stronger, sharper, and even more determined next year.

Well done, Carisbrooke College Year 10 girls, we’re proud of you!