It was a historic moment for RGC Sport on Friday with two of our teams competing at national finals in Glasgow.
Our 1st XI Girls Hockey team were triumphant winning the Challenge Cup at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, and our S3A Netball squad fought hard against strong opposition on the court at the Emirates Arena in the Scottish Cup Final.
Mr Harper, 1st XI Coach, said: “I’m immensely proud of the girls and their achievements, not just in the Challenge Cup Final on Friday, but over the course of the season. The girls set themselves some really ambitious goals this year and collectively they’ve shown outstanding commitment to work towards achieving them. We’ve now won both the Senior North District Tournament and won a Senior National Final, competing and beating some strong sides along the way in high pressure matches. This shows the depth we have in our squad and all 18 girls have played a huge role in these achievements. Two of our girls were unable to play in the final on Friday due to injury, which is a great shame but every player had a huge role in helping those girls on the pitch achieve something they can all be proud of, playing on a big stage, in front of family and friends.”
Kate, S6, 1st XI Captain, commented: “Friday was the best possible way that our team could have ended such a wonderful and successful season together. We all knew from the beginning of the season that winning the Challenge Cup was our end goal and we were more than capable of achieving it. I am so proud of everyone in the team for the hard work and dedication that they have shown throughout the year as we would never have gotten here without it. The moment when I heard the horn signalling the end of the match on Friday is a moment I will never forget and being able to experience this with an amazing group of girls is a special memory for everyone to cherish! We would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Harper for always believing in us and pushing us to our best each week and to Mrs Roberts for her consistent support this year!”
Reflecting on the monumental achievement of this being the first time since 2017 that RGC Netball progressed to the national finals, Miss Duddy, S3A Coach, shared: “I am exceptionally proud of what the girls have achieved over the course of the season. After previous Cup campaigns had seen them reach the quarter and semi-finals respectively, they set the goal of reaching the Scottish Cup Final at the start of the season and never once lost sight of it, taking each game as it came and sticking to our processes. The girls have shown outstanding commitment and a fierce desire to be better each game, whilst supporting each other through the challenges and injuries we’ve encountered this season.
“The Cup Final was the culmination of three seasons of hard work and dedication from this team and I am delighted they got to the Final that they so richly deserved. Although the result did not go our way this time, the girls continued to fight until the final whistle, showing fantastic resilience and team spirit throughout. To play at the Emirates Arena was a fantastic opportunity for the girls to play on a bigger stage, showing their technical prowess in front of a big crowd and a truly special experience, which I hope they will carry with them for seasons to come. Every member of the squad has contributed significantly this season and they should all be extremely proud of themselves.”
Tammy, S3A Captain, added: S3 Scottish Cup finals day marked a key moment for our team, a culmination of three years of dedication and hard work. Stepping onto the court filled us with excitement and determination, but we encountered a challenging opponent, showcasing a style of play that tested our limits. Despite the challenging circumstances, our team fought hard, displaying resilience and unwavering spirit. Although we weren’t able to take the victory this time, the experience of playing in front of a large crowd was truly special.
Mr McLeod, Director of Sport, highlighted: “Friday was a fantastic day of sport at the College. To have two teams competing at a national level in prestigious tournaments on the same day in the same city was very unique and special. We were delighted to see so many members of the Robert Gordon’s College community at both the hockey and netball finals in Glasgow and to witness such a high level of competitive sport in action. We hope these cup finals inspire our pupils to show that with hard work, dedication and commitment they are able to compete at the highest level of school sport in Scotland.”
Watch
Hockey Highlights:
Netball:
RGC Sport teams compete at national finals in Glasgow