All the schools arrived on time and play got started before 10am. The early starts for schools coming up from Ayrshire didn’t seem to affect the players as play got started at a good tempo with lots of fun being had across all courts.
The girls competed well in the morning before being split into two pools in the afternoon. These proved to be very competitive, pool B saw Queensferry B run out as victors with a real noise buzz coming from the court that was very encouraging.
The top pool saw 5 different schools compete; Belmont House, Belmont Academy, Queensferry, Marr College and Dundee High School. To see such a broad range of schools involved at the top end was great to see and there is definitely not a shortage of potential School Games talent out there. The pool ended in a 3-way tie between Queensferry, Belmont Academy and Marr College, with Marr College retaining the festival title on points aggregate.
With longer games
in the boy’s festival, individual players from the teams came to the fore to impose themselves on their matches. The matches in pool II for the boy’s competition were extremely close and competitive as Belmont Academy C, Belmont House and Queensferry B’s matches all finishing within a few points of each other. The most pleasing aspect however, is the fact that despite the close games there was still a conscious effort to focus on improving ball control.
In the afternoon top pool the standard of play was excellent across the board with Kinross HS with each festival they attend, but it came down to two well renowned school programmes to battle it out, Queensferry High School and Belmont Academy. The level was high and the noise from the court equally so, as all the teams that were not taking part in any matches at that time gathered round the court to watch. It was Belmont Academy who ran out victorious playing with impressive speed in setting and hitting.
The only downside to the day was that it had to end, as the pupils certainly had more than enough energy to continue competing and as organisers we certainly wouldn’t have minded continuing to watch.
Many Thanks to John Scrymegour, for organising the festival, although he was greatly missed on the actually day, put it a great deal of support work for the event. Martyn Johnstone ensured the day ran smoothly and national team player, Nicola McKenzie, who used to compete at the festival not so long ago was a great help and inspiration.
Graeme Spowart
Club & Participation Development Officer
