Sport

Our pupils participate in a wide variety of athletics events during the summer term, using our own grass 400m running track and field throwing/jumping area at Countesswells. Our annual Sports Day is one of the highlights of the year, where Junior and Senior School pupils compete in a variety of track and field events in a bid to become the Sports Day Champion from P6-S3. We also have a House Relay competition, which is the final event of our Sports Day and the last of the academic session, contributing towards the overall House Champion.

Available to all pupils in the Senior School, co-curricular Badminton takes place weekly at RGU:SPORT for S3-S6 and the Beach Leisure Centre for S1-S2 during the autumn and winter terms. It is open to all boys and girls from S1-S6, with more than 100 pupils coming along each week. The club is run in a relaxed manner, and many enjoy finishing their week with some sociable games, while others choose to play more competitive games, working their way up the rankings list. Some players will go on to enter local tournaments, and many of these players will also go to training with local development squads or other local clubs.

Basketball is available in the Senior School for both boys and girls from S2-S6. Basketball as an activity takes place once a week, the Senior Team also train once a week and play in the Aberdeen City Schools League.hey also compete against other schools in the surrounding area. In addition to this, we enter a team in the Open Boys Scottish Schools Cup. We have had a number of pupils from the College train with local clubs, and some have gone on to national representation.

Indoor nets start in January in preparation for the Cricket season. During the summer term, Junior and Senior teams train once a week. We have six teams (P6 - 1st XI) who compete in the Scottish Schools Cup and Cricket Scotland festivals. In addition, they also play regular fixtures against other Independent schools, The Forty Club, The University of Aberdeen, and local primary schools. 

Due to the length of the term, we encourage pupils to continue playing cricket and support them in accessing the provision at either Gordonians Cricket Club or other local clubs.

Pupils in Junior and Senior School have the opportunity to compete for their house and their own place in the school’s annual Cross Country Championships, which take place at Countesswells during January or February, from P4-S6. Pupils from P5-S6 also have the chance to represent the school as an individual and as part of a year group team in the Grampian Schools Cross Country Championships, which take place at Balgownie Playing Fields.

Senior Football (S4-S6) is open to all at the start of the year, and a training squad is selected to represent Robert Gordon’s College in the Scottish Independent Schools League and the Scottish Schools Senior Shield. There are 24 members of the senior squad who train weekly at Countesswells or at Banks O’ Dee’s Spain Park 3G pitch in the winter. We also have a number of boys and girls who have gone on to represent the district at a variety of age groups, in either the Independent or Scottish Schools sides.

Golf is available to a number of our pupils, mainly in the Senior School, who compete throughout the year. Robert Gordon’s College enter a variety of tournaments across the academic session for pupils of a variety of ages and golfing abilities. 

We participate in an over-13’s tournament hosted by St Leonard’s in St Andrews. We hold a Senior School House Golf Competition, open to all golfers with a handicap, giving them a chance to represent their house and win much-valued house points. During the summer term, we return to St Andrews, and some of our Junior School pupils have the chance to compete in the St. Leonards Under-9, Under-11, and Under-13 Tournaments. These are open to a variety of golfers, with or without a handicap, providing a good way for many to participate in their first competitive game.

Our Senior School pupils compete in the local Aberdeen Schools League during the third term and the annual Paul Lawrie Aberdeen Schools Individual Championship, which is held in June.
 

Golf is also offered to Senior School boys and girls as a Sport option in S5 and S6.

In Boys’ Hockey, up to four teams play or train most weekends against a variety of other schools across the country, playing in a schools’ national league at 1st XI level and entering the S3 and 1st XI Scottish Schools Cup.  Where possible, midweek local fixtures played against local teams at Countesswells.  All players have the opportunity to represent North District at either U14, U16, or U18 level, which in turn can lead to national representation. 

Girls’ Hockey also trains weekly and plays competitive fixtures every Saturday from P6 upwards, and the College regularly fields 12 teams. Each season, the 1st XI and S3A enter the Scottish Schools Cup, and the 1st XI, 2nd XI, S3A, and S2A enter the Coach Logic Hockey Leagues. This creates lots of competitive matches against the very best schools in the country. Pupils are encouraged to trial for the North District Squads at U14, U16, and U18 level, and this is the start of the pathway to national representation. A large number of pupils choose to play Hockey at Robert Gordon’s College, and a key aim is to effectively balance excellence and participation.

There are pupils who also play for Gordonians Sports Clubs and other local clubs.   

The Netball programme is open to all girls from P3-S6. P5, P6, and P7 pupils have the opportunity to compete in local tournaments and the Grampian Rose Bowl competition. Training is onsite from P3-P5, whilst the P6 and P7 teams use Aberdeen Sports Village for training and also fixtures in the summer term. Additionally, Robert Gordon’s College hosts the Junior School Outdoor Invitational Tournament at Countesswells. From S1-S6 Senior girls are entered into the Aberdeen League, ASSNA Tournaments, and the Scottish Cup competition. Several Senior girls represent the Grampian U15 and U17 district squads. Robert Gordon’s College players frequently progress into pathways, performance academies, and national training squads. 

There are pupils who also play for Gordonians Sports Clubs and other local clubs.   

In Rugby, 14 teams play or train every Saturday. We have two teams at every age group from P6-S6. They play in local and national conferences and cup fixtures against the very best schools and clubs in the country. Many of our pupils go on to district or national representation, along with training with the national squads. Many pupils go on to play at a variety of levels and remain involved with the game throughout their lives.

There are pupils who also play for Gordonians Sports Clubs and other local clubs.   

Ski race training for Junior and Senior School pupils is held weekly after school at Garthdee. Robert Gordon’s College pupils and teams compete in all the national indoor, dry-slope, and snow competitions and have won the Indoor Ski Cross Scottish Championships for the past three years. We have a rich history of talented skiers and boarders, with pupils in national training squads and competing all over Europe every winter.

At Robert Gordon’s College, we are very lucky to have our own swimming pool at our Schoolhill site, which means the Swimming Club is very popular. This club is open to pupils in both Junior and Senior School, taking place both in the morning and after school. The Swimming Team take part in a number of competitions across the year, including our Junior and Senior School gala’s, swim matches, and triangular events against other schools, Scottish Schools Swimming events, and a national invitational competition for independent schools amongst others. 

At Robert Gordon’s College, there are plenty of opportunities to get out on the court and play tennis. We have 12 outside courts which are available during the summer term with the opportunity to play for our Senior Tennis teams throughout the autumn/winter terms. The Senior Tennis teams play in the Scottish Schools Tennis Championship for senior boys and girls. Training for the Junior and Senior School players has proven to be a popular choice for many of our competitive players, as well as students who just enjoy a more recreational approach. All of our coaching sessions are staffed by a qualified tennis coach.