Fives
i/c Fives: Mr C Hedley-Dent (chd@blundells.org)
Blundell's must be one of the oldest fives playing schools in the country, with records going back to 1625. Fives is still played throughout the year, although the majority of school fixtures take place during the Easter term. The school has six Rugby Fives courts which, unlike Eton and Winchester Fives courts, have no buttressing.
Sherborne, King’s Bruton and Clifton College provide the bulk of local opposition although the school team has been known to travel as far afield as Radley, Bloxham and Rossall for tournaments. 2003 saw the first Blundell's Fives Tour to Scotland. School teams enter the National and West of England Tournaments each year. The school also hosts touring Club teams such as Deep West and The Jesters and a number of Old Boys regularly return to use the courts.
All Blundellians, regardless of experience, have access to the Fives courts, which are undergoing extensive renovations during 2003. Both gloves and balls are provided by the master in charge and stocked in the school shop.
SH played against Pilgrims School recently
Fives 2008
Captain of Fives: Richard Longstreet OH/W
| Senior A | Senior B | Junior A | Junior B | School House | Ladies | |
| West of England | ||||||
| King's Bruton | Won 132-27 | Lost 51-65 | ||||
| White Rose Club | ||||||
| Pilgrim's Winchester | Lost 140-202 | |||||
| Christ's Hospital | ||||||
| RFA | Lost 67-113 | |||||
| Malvern College | Won 113-95 | Won 116-59 | ||||
| Clifton College | ||||||
| Sherborne | Drew 96-96 | Lost 110-116 | ||||
| Bedford Modern | ||||||
| King's Bruton 1st (Away) | Lost 95-97 | |||||
| Radley College | ||||||
| Kelly College | ||||||
| OBs | ||||||
| National Championships | ||||||
| Edinburgh Tour |
Fives 2007
Captain of Fives: Joe Lambert P/W
| Senior A | Senior B | Junior A | Junior B | Ladies | |
| West of England | Plate Runners-up | Plate Winners | |||
| King's Bruton | W 132-18 | W 132-51 | |||
| White Rose Club | W 111-105 | ||||
| Pilgrim's Winchester | L | ||||
| Christ's Hospital | L | ||||
| RFA | W 96-89 | W 44-42 | |||
| Malvern College | |||||
| Clifton College | postponed | ||||
| Sherborne | W 142-117 | W 166-84 | |||
| Bedford Modern | W 132-72 | L 84-92 | |||
| King's Bruton (Away) | W 89-74 | ||||
| Radley College | |||||
| Kelly College | W 168-70 | ||||
| OBs | |||||
| National Championships | |||||
| Edinburgh Tour |
Fives 2006
Captain of Fives: Oliver Beach W/OH/W
| Senior A | Senior B | Junior A | Junior B | |
| West of England | ||||
| King's Bruton | W | W | W | |
| Pilgrim's Winchester | L 46-113 | |||
| Christ's Hospital | W 94-73 | |||
| RFA | L 81-120 | L 42-46 | ||
| Malvern College | L 75-85 | W 89-34 | W 48-44 | |
| Clifton College | postponed | postponed | postponed | |
| Sherborne | L 105-119 | L 104-110 | W 162-89 | |
| Radley College | ||||
| Kelly College | ||||
| OBs | ||||
| National Championships | ||||
| Edinburgh Tour |
Season Report 2005/6
The Fives Club has had yet another busy and successful season with over 50 players regularly taking to the courts and even more playing in Activities and Quiet Hours. Wayne Enstone, who is featured in the Guinness book of Records for holding the British number one ranking for 15 consecutive years, gave an extremely constructive and well-received coaching workshop.
We have been able to field competitive teams at all levels from the U13 ‘Mackerels’, who performed well at the Pilgrim’s tournament at Winchester College, through the ranks of the unbeaten Junior Colts, Senior Colts, a 2nd IV to the 1st IV at the top of the tree. Despite starting the season with an encouraging win against King’s School, Bruton, the 1st IV struggled to find the winning formula, losing matches against Malvern and Sherborne by very narrow margins.
The Tour of the North in February was another great success. Kindly hosted by Fettes College, the Senior Colts IV (Richard Longstreet, Jack Eadie, Eddie Lock and Austin Squibbs) played with great spirit and determination beating the hosts 76-68 but lost to a very mature Merchiston Castle 83-100. The Junior Colts were a very well organised and dominant outfit throughout the tour and indeed for the whole season. Represented by Hugh McDowell, Matt Kvesic, Ben Hall, Guy Durant, Dominic Waldron and Andrew Longstreet, they outplayed tough opposition to beat Merchiston Castle 88-24, Fettes College 86-68 on tour and Sherborne 162-89 at home. Hugh McDowell collected the Year 9 Cup beating Matt Kvesic 11-4 and both players look to be outstanding prospects for the future.
The OB match in March was poorly attended by OBs but those present, a mix of boys and girls of all ages, enjoyed a good afternoon with Jack Eadie and Andrew Wyeth OB winning in a close final against Oliver Beach and Ben Hall. The National Mixed Doubles held at Bradfield College in May is always a fun way to end the season and this was no exception. Alex Steel OB and Joe Lambert teamed up to reach the semi-finals and Jessica Morton and Richard Longstreet won the Plate Competition.
Many thanks to WEHS, CHD, PFR and IRD for their coaching contributions, without whose help the success and smooth running of the club would not be possible. The players have certainly benefited from their enormous wisdom and range of eccentric shots including the Etonian Overhead Smash and the Radlean Backhander. Oliver Beach has been an outstanding captain for the season and a great support in encouraging the junior players and coaching the Ladies team despite being considerably restricted by a recurrent dislocating shoulder, an all-too familiar affliction. He has an extremely promising future in the game as he moves on to university. Congratulations to Eddie Lock, Jack Eadie, Austin Squibbs, Jessica Morton and Serin Hartopp on being awarded their Junior Colours for Fives.
Fives 2005
Captain of Fives: Richard Dyke P/W
A busy and enjoyable season on the Fives courts has seen an excellent coaching workshop by Wayne Enstone, a 1st 1V tour to Edinburgh and several well competed matches. Richard Dyke won the Senior Rice Cup in an exciting final against Oliver Beach and Will Denford threw himself around the court to great effect to take the Junior Cup. Claire Bowen, paired with the Head Master, Mr Davenport, outplayed all opposition to win the school's first mixed doubles competition from an impressive field of twelve pairs.
The Ladies Team of Claire Bowen, Kathryn Atherton, Alex Steel, Katie Yeo, Kate Palmer, Caroline Makepeace and Viki Grohmann travelled to Malvern for the National Championships and met with considerable success. Kathryn Atherton reached the semi-finals, Katie Yeo both the singles plate and, paired with Viki Grohmann, the doubles plate. They have been a loyal and enthusiastic squad, who have made excellent progress and as they are now leaving the school it is a fitting opportunity to thank them for their efforts. They will, hopefully, find a way of continuing the sport in the future. Lady fives players are fairly rare outside of Blundell's!
The 1st 1V suffered from injury and particularly the loss of Oliver Beach early on, through a dislocated shoulder, meant that they struggled to be a highly competitive force. However, Richard Dyke again competed with distinction in the Nationals at St Paul's and he has competed for both Tiverton and Exeter Clubs, including a very close needle match against the national number 2.
The Junior and U13 squads are looking extremely promising with Jack Eadie, Richard Longstreet, Matt Kvesic, Ned Menheneott and Freddie Gabbitass all being young players of some note. Congratulations to Joe Lambert, Rob Currell, Alex Steel, Claire Bowen, Katie Yeo, Richard Longstreet, Kate Palmer, Caroline Makepeace and Kathryn Atherton who were all awarded their colours and to Richard Dyke for gaining his All-rounder Full School Colours.
RDJM
Fives 2004
This has been a very enjoyable and comparatively calm season on the fives courts at Blundell’s. The numbers suggest that the popularity of the sport is still on the increase with 36 regular players and another 40 who manage to get on court once a week, with a notable migration from the squash courts. The conditions, usually treacherously unpredictable, remained favourably dry for all but a few sessions throughout the winter months and the squad of boys and girls enjoyed a number of fixtures of all codes of the game.
The 1st IV played well against school opposition securing convincing victories over Malvern and King’s Bruton with a particularly exciting win over a very strong Sherborne team. Heavy defeats at the hands of the more experienced players of the Jesters, the RFA and Tiverton kept any inflated egos in check and proved a useful lesson in technique and strategy. Richard Dyke and George Graham as the regular 1st pair played well at the West of England Tournament reaching the final of the doubles’ plate without really fulfilling their potential. Ed Mills and Phil Duncan improved considerably and by the end of the season were a potent force in the doubles play. All four boys were awarded their Half Colours for their sound efforts and memorable performances this season.
The girl’s squad of 10 trained well and maintained an air of heightened enthusiasm. They attended the Ladies competitions at St Paul’s and Malvern College which remain the only source of open competition and were greatly enjoyed. On 1st February, Blundell’s hosted the first South West Fives Tournament for Girls but in the event of no other schools entering Blundell’s recorded a resounding win! Despite the lack of competition the girls demonstrated a good level of skill and motivation with Alex Steel winning the silver quaich in an exhausting final against Kathryn Atherton. The latter along with Claire Bowen and James Lock were awarded their Junior Colours. Henry Oakes won an excellent final against Richard Longstreet for the Year 9 Cup, both promising prospects for the future.
Fives 2003
Captain: Damian Rivett OH
| 2003 | 1st 1V | 2nd 1V | Colts |
| Sherborne | L 96-123 | W 66-37 | W 164-22 |
| Jesters | canc' | ||
| King's Bruton (a) | W 122-43 | ||
| Clifton College | W 126-56 | ||
| King's Bruton (h) | W | W | |
| Malvern College | L | W | |
| Edinburgh Tour | |||
| > Sedbergh | L 122-141 | ||
| > Edinburgh Accies | W 120-32 | ||
| > Fettes | W 144-124 | ||
| > Merchiston Castle | L 102-142 | ||
| > Loretto | L 89-138 |
| West of England | D Rivett & D Atherton - quarter finals |
| Boys Nationals | R Dyke - quarter finals |
| Ladies Nationals, Winchester | |
| Mixed Doubles, Bradfield | |
| Year 9 Tournament | Winner: H McDowell Runner-up: J Hunt |
| Old Boys Tournament | Winners: D Atherton & WEH Silk Esq |
Junior Colours: Oliver Beach OH, Alex Steel GH
This has been the busiest season on the Fives courts for a long time. Eighty pupils have been playing the game in some capacity, from the highly competitive to the mildly amusing. They were effectively kick-started into action in January by en excellent training workshop delivered by Howard Wiseman, some masking tape and a box of Kellogg's Rice Crispies. The 1st 1V achieved some memorable results against King's Bruton and Clifton College, but were overwhelmed by stronger opposition at Sherborne and Malvern. Damian Rivett captained the team with typical aplomb for the second successive year and he must be commended for his excellent service to the sport at Blundell's over the last three years.
The tour of the North was a great success and played in fine spirits. The hosting schools, Sedbergh and Fettes College, were extremely generous in accommodating us and they provided exciting and well-matched opposition. We were outclassed by the talented Merchiston Castle and Loretto teams who gave us a useful, if painful, lesson in brain over brawn. The tour was greatly enjoyed by all and has certainly fired up the junior teams who are keen to repeat it next year.
The arrival of 10 girls on the Fives courts caused quite a stir for all the right reasons and they proved to be a highly motivated and enthusiastic group. Early promise was fulfilled later in the season when Alex Steel and Claire Bowen were selected to play for the Colts 1V, competing admirably against the Malvern boys. Finding school fixtures for the girls has proved to be a difficult and fruitless task but the National Ladies at Winchester and the Mixed Doubles at Bradfield were invaluable experience. They were highly enjoyable competitions and have consolidated the girls interest in the game.
Particular praise should go to Oliver Beach and Alex Steel who received their Junior Colours for outstanding play throughout the season. Both players have tremendous potential and with a little more refinement will hopefully fulfil this on a National level in years to come. Megan Griffith and Caroline Makepeace are also to be congratulated on achieving their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Certificates having used Fives as the physical component of their awards.
RDJM