Latest news from our gifted athletes
Tom Hughes came away with three separate honours from Prestatyn Cricket Club’s annual Presentation Evening, which was held last month.
The 13-year-old, who has been put forward for county trials as a result of the standard of his play with both bat and ball, scooped the U13 Player of the Season Award after averaging 25 at the crease, which also produced eight unbeaten scores.
He was also the recipient of the U13 Batsman of the Year and the Rising Star Award for his exceptional performances, which also saw the pupil take 12 wickets in 14 games.
Coach Paul Wiggin, said: “Tom is a focused player that gives 100 per cent to achieve the highest standard he can. He always wants to learn and listen to all the coaching he is given.”
Mr Leach, added: “Tom has progressed considerably throughout the season with both the school side and Prestatyn, and this is testament to the exceptional commitment he has shown to improving all areas of his game."
Chay Bonnington, a Year 8 pupil at the school, was named as the top U14 Boy at the Anglo-Welsh Ski Championships, which were held at the Chill Factore in Manchester.
The 12-year-old produced a number of impressive runs down the indoor slope to claim the crown, which is one of a host that the pupil has achieve since taking up the sport at an early age.
The talented skier will look to continue his fine form at the North Wales Ski Championships tomorrow (Thursday, September 14) at Plas y Brenin, with the pupil aiming to make a significant contribution in the hope of qualifying for the national finals.
Mr Boyd, said: “Chay has a long list of achievements to his name despite his tender age, which bodes extremely well in terms of what he can achieve in the future.
“Our skiing programme has received a very positive response from our pupils and has also brought with it a great deal of success, which is testament to the hard work put in by programme leader Dave Robson.
“Chay is a key component of the squad and hopefully this latest competition win will be the catalyst for another strong year on the slopes.”
Adrian Lewis, a Year 10 pupil at the school, was part of the Golf Academy team that travelled to Edinburgh for the annual ISGA Scottish Open on Monday, September 18.
The 14-year-old produced a number of impressive shots on the difficult Kingsacre course, and his superb showing earned the pupil a seventh place finish in the individual net competition, which featured more than 80 of the brightest young talents in the country.
There was further success in the form of Charley Simpson and Reuben Bather, who continued their fine season with a top 15 finish in the pairs’ event
The trio were also key components in Rydal Penrhos defeating Denstone College in the first round of the HMC Foursomes North competition, and they will take on Oswestry School in the next round this week.
Welsh international Reuben made light work of his opponent in an 8 and 7 win, which was followed up by Charley securing a 3 and 2 triumph.
Adrian held his nerve to claim a final hole victory in dramatic fashion to round off another successful outing for the Academy, which has gone from strength-to-strength in recent months.
Charley Simpson, a Year 8 pupil at the school, added to his list of recent achievements with a high finish at the ISGA Radley Putter Championship, which was held at Radley College on Sunday, September 10.
The golf scholar produced a number of exceptional strokes throughout what was a promising opening round of 33, and he improved on this performance during the afternoon round where he managed to produce a score of 28.
This left the 12-year-old with a tied sixth final placing in a competition that featured some of the most talented golfers in the country.
This is the latest in a long line of successes for the pupil since his arrival in September 2016, which has brought with it regional and national triumphs in what has been a highly promising career to date.
Mr Boyd, said: “Charley continues to demonstrate immense potential and this performance is another that he can be hugely encouraged by.
“He has shown a tremendous work ethic since arriving with us, which is a good trait to have and will go a long way to ensuring his natural talent is maximised to its full potential.”
Henry Maitland-Davies has been out of action for a number of weeks due to an ankle injury, but made an instant impact on his return to the RGC U18 rugby side.
The scrum-half was named among the replacements for RGC’s clash with Newport Gwent Dragons, and came off the bench to aid his side’s cause with a pair of tries in an impressive outing.
There was further reason for encouragement in Sunday’s clash with Cardiff Blues at Stadiwm Zip World in Colwyn Bay, with Davies started for the first time in since his lay-off and scored the hosts only try of the contest.
It promises to be a huge year for the 17-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the Wales U18 squad last year after reaching the final stages of the trial process and he is hoping to go one better this time around as one of the more senior members of the U18 squad.
Also turning out for the Gogs was fellow pupil Tomos Davies, who also gave a good account of himself in his role as part of the pack in both contests.
Mr Boyd, said: “Henry has worked hard to overcome his injury and this has ensured he has picked up where he left off for RGC.
“He is one of the most talented players in his age category anywhere in the country, and hopefully this will bring with it a great deal of success in his final year with the school and our Academy, which is run in partnership with RGC and the Welsh Rugby Union.”
We are delighted to announce that Emily Cashell has been appointed Hockey captain for the forthcoming season.
The Upper Sixth Form pupil was given the news at a whole school assembly on Monday, September 11, and she take up the position with immediate effect ahead of a busy term for sides across all age groups.
The 17-year-old is following in the footsteps of sister Hannah, a 2016 leaver who represented Wales at youth level.
Also given leadership roles were Elinor Davies and North Wales squad representative Sammy Sherrington, who were named as Vice Captains and will work closely with Emily in the hope of a successful campaign.
Our first XI will be taking on Eirias High School, Oswestry School and Altrincham Grammar School in the coming weeks, in addition to their recent contests with an Old Girls’ side at the annual Founders’ Weekend clash for the Natalie Moss Shield.
Mr Boyd, said: “Emily is a fantastic choice as captain as she not only is a very talented individual, but also demonstrates the right leadership qualities which we also look for prominently in the role.
“All three will serve as role models to younger members of the school community, and we are confident that they are going to thrive in their respective roles.”
Head Boy Alex Benfield will take up the role of rugby captain for the First XV ahead of a busy term of fixtures for the group.
Working with the skipper will be Harry Dean, who has been given the role of vice-captain after demonstrating significant leadership qualities during his time at the school.
The new captain, who is also Rydal Penrhos’ Head Boy for the academic year, will be looking to put his experience to good use to aid what is a very talented team which has been further boosted with the additions of RGC U18s player Tomos Davies, Welsh rugby league international Will Lynch and Pwllheli standout Jan Lotter.
Talented forward Harry, who has represented Chester Rugby Club at senior level, is a strong personality with a tremendous attitude and the pair were part of the school side that took part in a pre-season festival at King’s School Macclesfield.
Mr Boyd, said: “Alex and Harry have shown the right qualities since being part of the side to thrive in their respective roles.
“Not only are they popular members of the school community, but they both lead by example both on their field and in the classroom.”
Josh Manning is now ranked number one sailor in the country after achieving the feat at the RYA Welsh Zone Championship Regatta.
Together with RS Feva partner and Pwllheli Sailing Club teammate Lucy Hughes, they managed to claim a notable double from the event which has propelled them to first place in the Welsh rankings after a highly consistent campaign on the water.
After a highly competitive weekend of action, Josh and Lucy emerged victorious in the General Fleet Handicap Race, with fellow pupils Eddie and Kevin Farrell finishing in a creditable sixth position.
This result also ensured they secured the Overall Fleet in what has been an exceptional season for the Welsh RS Feva squad member, who recently received a £500 grant from the Royal Yacht Association which enabled him to make significant improvements to his boat.
A number of other sailing squad members were also in action, with Felix Corson (15th), Llion Morris (17th), Christian Cheesley (22nd) and Zac Hay (23rd) all giving a good account of themselves in the Topper Main Fleet.
No fewer than eight pupils came away with notable finishes at the RYA Bala Onboard event.
Year 7 pupil Llion Morris continued his exceptional season on the water by emerging victorious from the RYA North Wales Festival Topper Gold Fleet event, with fellow pupil Felix Corson close behind in second.
Aidan Skinner produced another fine performance to come away with a fourth placed finish, while the Prep School trio of Fflur Pierce, Freddie MacLaverty and Keira Luke crossed the line in fifth, sixth and tenth respectively.
There was yet more success for the school’s squad in the Regatta event, which saw a one-two finish from Zac Hay and Isabel Rogerson to round off yet another fantastic event from the talented group.
Mr Boyd, said: “Our sailing squad has demonstrated their immense promise throughout the summer, which is thanks in no small part to the dedication of Max Todd and his staff and they are to be congratulated for their continued efforts.
“Llion has enjoyed a very busy summer and his passion for sailing is matched only by his determination to succeed, and we are excited to see how he develops further when he makes the transition from prep to senior school this year.”
Josh Lynch and Sam Bixby were part of the RGC West U15 squad that took on RGC East at Bangor Rugby Club last week, and the duo produced strong efforts to contribute to their seven tries to four victory.
They will now begin training with the squad on Monday evenings in the hope of further success in the future and add to the impressive list of RGC success stories that have emanated from Rydal Penrhos in recent years.
Loose head prop Sam, who represents Bangor, gave a very good account of himself during his time on the field, with the 14-year-old also recently winning the Most Improved Cricketer award after a fine season in school colours.
Outside centre Josh, who is also part of the Sale Sharks Rugby Player Development programme, is part of the Bethesda set-up and also turned in a highly encouraging display despite being one of the younger members of the squad.
Mr Boyd, said: “Both Josh and Sam have shown significant development for both school and club in recent months, and they are thoroughly deserving of their squad selection.
“We have had an enormous amount of success with our RGC Rugby Academy partnership, which has brought a number of internationals and many graduates are still involved in the senior squad as they continue to establish themselves as an elite force in the Principality Premiership.”
Teddy Roberts, a Year 10 pupil at the school, has been rewarded for a highly successful return to the pool after an eight month absence with a call-up to the Swim Wales Skills Academy Squad for the 2017/18 season.
The 14-year-old caught the eye of selectors thanks to a triumphant return at the Welsh Summer National Championships, which saw the pupil re-establish himself as the number one 100 metre butterfly swimmer nationally in his age category.
He also received further recognition for his efforts in the form of a congratulatory letter from Aberconwy Assembly Member Janet Finch-Saunders.
She wrote: “It is with upmost admiration that I write to congratulate you (Teddy) on your triumph at the Welsh Summer National Championships.
“The magnitude of these achievements is apparent when considering that you are now placed third in the national 100m freestyle rankings, and first in the 100m butterfly. More so, I believe that all this was achieved after an eight month periods out of the pool.
“Evidently, you are extremely talented, and have the potential to have a successful professional career as a competitive swimmer. Good luck!”
Mr Ruszkowski, said: “This is fantastic news and is sure to aid Teddy’s development considerably.
“He has an enormous amount of potential in a number of disciplines and if he continues to show the right commitment to improving then the next few months for Teddy will be very exciting indeed.”
Zach Speakman, a Year 10 pupil at the school, has achieved his pre-season target after earning a call-up to the Welsh National Youth Squad.
The 14-year-old was named as part of the set-up after earning a top 15 UK ranking in the 200 metre Individual Medley, confirming his status as one of the most talented young swimmers anywhere in the country.
It has been another outstanding campaign from the sports scholar, with the pupil turning in another standout effort at the Welsh Summer National Championships last month.
Zach produced another memorable performance to come away with one gold, one silver and one bronze from the event, which showcased the best swimming talent throughout Wales.
Mr Ruszkowski, said: “I have been a huge admirer of the way Zach has applied himself throughout the season, and nobody deserves this national squad selection more than him.
“He has demonstrated a tremendous work ethic and has plenty of scope to improve even further, which he is sure to do now he is part of the Welsh set-up.
“Everyone is thrilled with this selection and hopefully we have just scratched the surface in terms of what Zach can achieve in the future.”