Kilgraston Senior Invitational tournament 2023
Following the success of Friday’s Scottish Challenge Plate win, our Senior XI were busy again at the Kilgraston Invitational Senior tournament. We were delighted to invite three Junior players who are part of our Hockey Academy programme in Upper Four and Lower Fifth to gain experience of this annual event and help prepare them for forthcoming Under 16 and Under 14 Midland trials.
Charlotte, Natasha, and Willow did not disappoint, and all played a crucial part in winning the group stage of the tournament. The schedule saw all three finals (5th v 6th, 3rd v 4th and 1st v 2nd) all go to running penalties; testament to the excellent standard of play on display.
Our final against Strathallan school was no exception with the final score one goal apiece after a great goal from Lexie. After three running penalties from Fern, Martha and Lexie which resulted in another (some amazing saves from Goalkeeper Lower Fifth Academy player Melissa S too!) it moved onto sudden death!
Such a close final, but eventually Kilgraston scored a silver medal place. Our opposition teams named Lexie as their player of the match and the player of the day went to Melissa S who has stepped into the 1st XI team halfway through the season following an injury in the squad. Such an exciting group of players who can’t wait until next season!
Well done and thank you to all involved.
Mrs Ferry, Head of PE
Kilgraston Cross Country 2022
We were delighted to welcome back our parents to support the Whole School Interhouse Cross Country event on Tuesday after an absence of spectators of three years. We enjoyed super weather and the course took all pupils from the Reception class to Upper Sixth around the beautiful campus here at Kilgraston.
We had an array of outfits from a green monster to an inflatable donkey as well as our competitive runners – it’s true to say everyone had fun! We had runners from all parts of the Kilgraston family and congratulations to Mr N Campbell who won the staff race.
The four houses of Inchcolm, Arran, Moncreiffe and Kinnoull battled for points in each age group with everyone who took part getting participation points too! The results are:
Whole School
1st Lexie Upper Sixth (Arran), 2nd Ishbel Upper Four (Kinnoull), 3rd Carlota Upper Four (Inchcolm).
Thank you to everyone for making the event such a success.
Sports Day 2022
Kilgraston Sports Day 2022 took place June 9th and 10th with the sun shining for both the Junior and Senior events.
This year our Senior Sports Day started on Friday morning. Each house gathered on Front Lawn in their colours and were piped to the sports field by Lower Fifth’s Libby before the event compère, Mr. Allaker, who did a fantastic job.
The first event was the 100 metre sprint in year groups (Fourth Form, Fifth Form and Sixth Form). It was followed by the Long Jump, Shot put and High jump. Each event was very fun to watch, but my favourite was the high jump! The other two running events were the 800 and 200 metres. The fun races included the egg and spoon race and the sack race. There was an egg and spoon race for the teachers and parents too.
The last races of the day were the relays, which were in the usual year groups, with an extra one which is the staff against the sixth form.
At the end senior event, Libby piped us to the finish line for presentations to the Champions from Mrs. Davie. Thank you to Mrs. Ferry and everyone who made this years sports day so successful.
Jaya, Upper Four
Kilgraston Tennis Tournament 2022
On Friday 27th and Saturday 28th May we hosted our annual Kilgraston Tennis Tournament, the Kilgraston Invitational Doubles event. This is always the most important date in our season and it was a very special two day tournament.
On the Friday, we competed against other independent schools including Morrison’s, Craigclowan, Dollar, Strathallan, Mary Erskine’s and Lorretto. There was some amazing tennis on display as the girls competed for the under 12 and under 14 trophies. The Kilgraston team did incredibly well, with Olivia and Willow winning the under 14, A Pool, winning all 6 matches. To top it off, our Upper Four team came third in the B Pool, which meant that Kilgraston won the overall under 14’s event (A and B pools combined).
On the Saturday it was time for the under 18 event, where we played against Dollar’s top four pairs and Morrison’s top two pairs. Kilgraston’s number one pair: Olivia and Pauline (both only 13 years old) won the A pool beating the Dollar first pair (both 17 years of age) 6 games to 3. It was an inspired performance by Olivia and Pauline, who stuck to their game plan throughout the match and executed their tactics with conviction – well done girls!
I am so proud of the Kilgraston Tennis Team. The girls showed amazing team spirit, fair play and determination throughout. Now it’s back to training for next year!
Billy McNeil, Kilgraston Tennis Coach.
Kilgraston polo team picks up the pace
Each week, a group of Kilgraston girls make their way to Kinross, collecting sticks and saddling-up their charges.
Polo is a fast-moving sport, rapidly growing in popularity and, throughout the year, the pupils take lessons at the Thom Bell Centre, just twenty minutes from the School.
“It’s been really exciting to learn new skills,” say Flora Allen, already a talented equestrian, but keen to expand her ability, “although in show jumping you are often competing as part of a team, it is usually on an individual basis, so, with polo, it’s great to be taking part with your friends, all at the same time.”
While Flora was an experienced rider, together with Mia from Germany who has previously played polo, the other three girls had never had a go at the game. “Funnily enough,” says Flora, “we’d all played hockey before and that proved very beneficial!”
Girls use Thom’s horses - riding the same ones each week so that they become familiar with the animal - learning about neck-reining, chukkas and how to ride people off with your shoulder. “First of all we started on the wooden horse,” said Flora, “learning to hold reins correctly, so soft mouths aren’t damaged and also our stick-swing. Obviously, it’s absolutely vital that you don’t hit the polo pony.”
Having conquered the wooden model, girls moved onto actual ponies and started walking and using a small, soft, football to improve their aim: “Very quickly, we moved through the paces, cantering up and down the arena. It’s great fun!”
Girls have improved quickly, now forming a team - competing at Cirencester Park Polo Club in June - with more tournaments over the summer: “I just can’t wait,” says Flora.
Equestrian is an important part of life here at Kilgraston, find out more this here.
Kilgraston Tennis Academy - season update
Kilgraston tennis stars have done so well this term, showing amazing determination and team spirit. We’ve been so busy with coaching and matches and we would like to share with you some highlights from the last couple of weeks.
On April 28th, we had a very well-earned draw against Strathallan seniors, we were over powered by their A Team, but the youngsters in our B Team, fought incredibly hard to get a 5-4 win – which was incredible so well done to you all.
Last week we played away at Glenalmond and again it was a very close encounter, with both teams producing some fantastic tennis. Our under 14 team won overall and our under 15’s lost narrowly to a tough side so again well done on a fantastic team effort girls.
I would like to mention our Tennis Academy players - Olivia and Willow (both L4), who have been a standout doubles pair this term. They were undefeated against Strathallan under 13, under 14, seniors, St Leonards under 15 and Glenalmond under 14. It took the might of Dollar’s Senior Team (both 18 years old) to defeat Olivia and Willow who are both 13 years old and the score was so close 7-6 6-7 8-10 to Dollar. Incredible effort girls, we are so proud of you.
Our next match is against Morrison’s on Saturday 14th May at home, please come down and cheer the players on.
Billy McNeil, Kilgraston Tennis Coach
Ski Trip 2022
Over Easter, PE department staff Mrs Ferry, Miss Patton and Miss Dutch took a group of pupils to Austria on the first overseas ski trip since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The group of 23 pupils and staff went to Alpendorf, in the Eastern Alps and had a fantastic time. Here Martina writes about the trip:
The 2022 ski trip was to Alpendorf, Austria, a beautiful place with amazing landscapes. During the five days we spent there, we had a range of activities. In the evenings we took part in Alpine Coaster and Bowling, which helped us get along and have fun while mixing all together.
Every day we had a buffet breakfast with many different savoury and sweet options, then every day we got a €10 voucher with which we could buy our lunch on the slopes and then we had dinner which included a soup as a starter, a main course and a dessert.
Each day we got five hours of skiing guided by instructors that taught us new skills and helped us improve while enjoying ourselves. I think it was an amazing experience that helped us create new friendships in between year groups and discover some new skills or passions for skiing or mountains.
Martina, Lower Fifth
Kilgraston Hockey Invitational 2022
It was a beautiful sunny day as the 13 teams from around Scotland took to the hockey pitches for the Under 13 and Under 11 Kilgraston Hockey Invitational.
We welcomed around 170 girls from eight different Scottish Prep schools, the first time we have been able to host this event since the pandemic in 2019 and the teams’ enthusiasm showed.
The excitement was palpable during the semi-finals and finals, particularly when the teams had to go to sudden death penalty shoot-out.
Well done to St Mary’s for their first place in the Under 11 category and to Edinburgh Academy for their first place in the Under 13 category and thank you to all the teams, staff and parents who took part and came to watch. We look forward to next year. Read more about sport at Kilgraston including our Hockey Academy.
National squad hockey success for Kilgraston pupil
Lower Sixth’s Lexie has had a phenomenal summer playing for Scotland under 17 squad, winning three caps in a matter of months. Lexie, who has been playing hockey for seven years, plays for a number of hockey squads including Perthshire’s First XI team.
She said: “This year has been a great year for my hockey. I started of going to trial out for a regional team called Dundee Devils. I was really thankful to be selected for this and I was made captain of the team.
“Then, at the start of the summer holidays, I was scouted to play for Scotland and over summer I played for Scotland against England in Leeds, then again for Scotland against Wales where I scored two goals at the School Games. At the end of the holidays, Scotland played in a tournament called Futures cup in St Albans, near London and we won the bronze medal and that meant I won my third cap for Scotland all in the space of a few months.”
But when it comes to sport, Lexis does not just shine at hockey, she also has superb tennis skills and has also played District netball. She said: “I play tennis for my club and have played for north of Scotland.
“The tennis facilities at Kilgraston are amazing with two different types of courts and a very hard working and dedicated coach. Last year I also played netball for Perth and District but I struggled to fit everything in so I had to drop netball at this level but I’m looking forward to playing for the school.”
In the future Lexie would like to continue to her sport. She said: “I would like to go to university and do something sport related but I’m not quite sure at the moment. The school have wonderful facilities to accommodate hockey, from our all-weather pitch to the gym in the PE department and the hockey coaches initially with Mrs Stott and now with Mr Stott, have all helped me on this journey.”
Amazing work Lexie, we are all so proud of you.
Kilgraston Cross Country 2021
Welcome to Kilgraston Cross Country 2021 event which we were delighted to see back in its usual format of the whole School running together.
It is the first of our House events with those all-important House points to be won. It is always a colourful and cheerful event and this year, thanks to Upper Sixth, we were even joined by a bunch of bananas and a few dinosaurs.
The sun seems to always shine for the Kilgraston Cross Country and after Miss Patton had concluded an energetic warm-up, the runners lined up at the start line before Mrs MacGinty signalled the start of the race.
It was fast and furious for some round the track and it was looking extremely close to call in places.
Well done to everyone who took part but huge congratulations to Upper Sixth’s Poppy for her first place, closely followed by Upper Fifth’s Greta in second and Lower Four’s Ishbel in third. In the Junior School, huge well done to Lower Second’s Conall for his superb and speedy first place.
Finally, thanks Mrs Ferry for all her organisation.