The Cross-Country season has ended with John Fisher once
again the no.1 comprehensive school in the country for the second year running.
Let me repeat that, the No.1 comprehensive school in the
country.
Where does this claim come from? There are many
cross-country events in the year, all of which are important, however the truly
significant meets and the races where a national comparison can be made are
undoubtedly the Senior Knole Race at Sevenoaks School and the Senior XC Relays
at King Henry VIII school in Coventry.
In both these events the JFS team ran superbly finishing 14th
and 13th team – but crucially the first comprehensive school to
finish.
With the huge resource available to the type of school we
are regularly competing against, evident by their kit, transport, staff and
often training camps abroad the students in the cross country team have done
themselves and the school proud once again.
This quote from an experienced runner sums up this sport:
Cross country is the
epitome of an endurance sport. It requires an incredible amount of mental
toughness. Unlike many sports, you cannot step aside for a minute to collect
your breath. You must stay tough and keep running. You cannot give up - even
when the competition is breathing down your neck and you feel like dying. You
cannot give up - even when you've been running for a solid 20 minutes and
you're barely halfway there. You cannot give up - even when all you want to do
is to stop and instead you must sprint down muddy slopes, push up to the
summits of giant hills, and hurtle around hairpin turns with 80 other runners.
You cannot give up- even when you're standing on the starting line knowing you
have 40 solid minutes of pain awaiting you. Cross-country runners are some of
the toughest people out there. Cross-country is a wonderful, challenging,
rewarding, impossible sport.
The level of commitment shown by all of the JFS runners, in
what is, let’s be frank hardly a glamourous sport and at a time when most at
school are involved in Rugby is awe-inspiring.
The 2016-17 season has once again been a real success.
Regularly in the top 6 positions at the many events we compete at with the
highlight being the Seniors winning at Charterhouse and finishing in the top 3
at Lancing College, Radeley, SLH and at the South East Championships at Harrow.
The Inters have finished 2nd at Hampton and Wellington College, and
the Junior team finished 2nd at Charterhouse, 4th at
Lancing and 3rd at SLH and Wellington.
In all we competed at 25 races or relays which is a very
busy season. Regular Junior runners included the impressive Year 7 trio of
Ebuka Nkamuo, Matt Conway and Leo Ostinelli supported by Charlie Kitchen, Paul
Hewitt and a number of others. In year 8 Alfie Smith has had a tremendous
season and is now a regular in the Senior squad – runner against boys 5 years
older) joined of late in the Seniors by the ever improving Freddy Georgiou. Joe
Conroy has been a notable mid-season recruit.
Amongst the Inters Pater Edwards has been consistent in Year
9 alongside Joe Logue and Harry Smith in Year 10.
The Seniors have excelled and next year will be even more
competitive. Ben Brant and Dan Hodgson have run well, with Gianluca Ercolano
and Jacob Jones both improving and impressing. From the 6th Form,
Joe Halfacre and captain Sean McAllister sign off after 7 years of commitment
to the Cross-Country team. Ricky Lutakome has led the line with distinction
once again, and remains the Surrey Schools and Club Champion. He is a force to
be feared by other schools and has claimed personal medals for his performances
with regularity. He has been joined in a strong unit by Alex and Ryan Galvin
whose dedication to the JFS cause has remained steadfast since Year 7, alongside
the dependable Fabien Daburn and new recruit Finley Wells who has made the team
stronger.
Ricky, Ryan and Finley recently ran in the National English
Schools Final in Norwich representing Sutton and all ran with distinction. We
are also delighted that uniquely all 6 Sutton entries to the mini-marathon this
year will be from John Fisher.
So all in all a fantastic season with lots of medals to show
for the boys hard work and commitment. The future looks bright with good depth
in the Seniors and enthusiasm and skill on show from the lower age groups. The
challenge remains to improve and get faster, after all we have a title to
defend – Best comprehensive in the country!
The following 6th form runners are to be awarded school ties in recognition of their service to JFS Cross Country
Sean McAllister, Joe Halfacre, Alex Galvin, Ryan Galvin, Ricky Lutakome, Finley Wells and Fabien Daburn
The Cross Country
Shield is awarded this year not only to the runner who has represented the
school the most, 22 times out of the 25 fixtures, but whose improvement has
been dramatic and the result of hard work and personal drive: Jacob Jones
Enormous thanks to Miss Tomes and Francis Upcott for their time and contributions.
Mr D.Fell
M i/c Cross-Country
