On a gloomy March day, we took 2 pairs to the U16s category of the National Schools’ Championships at Eton College. There are few more remarkable sights in sport than Mark Williams patrolling the 16 courts of the game’s spiritual home hollering the details of the next fixture whilst just feet away boys (and, happily, now girls) of seemingly all sizes and standards fling themselves into the world’s fastest, noblest and most enthralling ball game. It was into this cauldron of mizzle and sporting endeavour that messrs Elston, Parham, Platt and McLellan (the latter pair Removes, and mere whippersnappers compared to most of their opponents) were thrust after Mr McLellan was good enough to chauffeur us from Charterhouse.
The day began with an improbably lengthy group stage, where as far as we could see most everyone qualified from their pools but still needed to undergo as a bare minimum six gruelling sets of Fives to get there. Needless to say, Charterhouse 1 (16s) and 2 (15s) both survived this anti-climax of a selection process, on the back of victories against such diverse opponents as RGS, High Wycombe and Malay College (Malaysia), easily the most exotic ticket in the first round draw. The proximity of the burger stand at the back of courts 9 and 10 threatened to derail Hector Platt, who complained before his third qualifier (with Shrewsbury 1, of all people) that his blood sugar was running dangerously low – eventually we found time to refuel him before his first knockout round game with Shrewsbury’s second U15 pair.
That, unfortunately, was where Fin and Hector’s journey ended – albeit in a full-blooded contest full of quick-fire volleying and some frantic back-court play. Rob and Rob, however, marched imperiously onward with a victory over a Shrewsbury opponent of their own, only to come up against the might of Eton 2 (after something of a hiatus while other games were wrapped up). Despite two close-fought opening sets, the Eton boys never looked like losing, eventually winning in three.
Congratulations to all boys, who did themselves and the School proud, not only to reach the latter stages of the competition but also for the good humour with which they played the game; all agreed that they had both enjoyed their day out and learned plenty along the way.
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