School make lifelong memories at National Table Cricket Finals Day
The Cheltenham school battled through regional rounds to take on 11 other schools at the Home of Cricket, and while they didn't take home the trophy, they revelled in playing at an iconic sporting venue.
The school only started playing the sport this academic year but teacher Richard Gill explained how it has already taken off amongst pupils who loved their day in London.
'They have loved it,' he said. 'We rocked up at school at 5.45 in the morning, there was lots of energy on the bus on the way here. We have had some really good individual and team performances.
'We are quite a new school, so these pupils are the pioneers. Looking back at it in a few years' time, they will really appreciate what they have done and the amazing opportunity.
'It has been amazing. We didn't think we could achieve something like this at the start of the year.
'We have got several pupils hooked for life and they had never played it before this year.'
Table cricket is a fully inclusive, adapted version of the game aimed at young people living with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities played on a table tennis table.
Teams of six compete to avoid fielders and hit specific scoring zones while the ball is bowled using a ramp.
The Lord's Taverners runs its national competition each year, with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools from across the country taking part.
The sport provides opportunities for participants to benefit from all that sport can offer, something Gill has seen first-hand.
'Their confidence has grown massively, they have met so many new people on their journey and they are quite happy to talk to them,' he added.
'They have a really strong sense of pride and ownership around table cricket. They are trying to get more people involved at school and everyone wants a bit of it now because they've got to a national final. Everyone at school is so proud of them.'
For the first time in the competition's history, National Finals Day took place as part of Disability Cricket Day, the biggest ever one-off showcase of disability cricket hosted by the MCC, ECB and Lord's Taverners which saw all formats of disability cricket on display from grassroots to elite level.
The day was brought to a close by the first ever international disability cricket fixture on the main ground at Lord's, the third of a seven-match Vitality IT20 Mixed disability series between England and India.
'I saw table cricket for the first time a few years ago now and coming to the final here at Lord's today, you are struck immediately by the competitiveness, the keenness and the camaraderie,' said Lord's Taverners President and former England batter David Gower.
'Everyone's spirits are high and it's fantastic to see people getting everything they want from the game, who, as we know, wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity. Events like this are hugely important.
'The players are all so good, and they are all having immense fun. The atmosphere is just vibrant, and I love being a figurehead for Tavs, especially on days like today.'
The Lord's Taverners impacts the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality. The charity works across the UK and beyond to provide inclusive and impactful cricket programmes, empowering young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities – visit www.lordstaverners.org
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