Woodham Sports Academy held its sixth annual presentation evening at the Xcel Centre on Monday. The event celebrates the achievements of students who attend Woodham’s elite sporting academies, which deliver coaching in twelve different sports. These include football, dance, gymnastics, swimming, water polo, basketball, netball, table tennis, cricket, handball, boxing, mountain biking and leadership academies.
Dave Parnaby, the legendary Middlesbrough Football Club Academy Director, presented the awards. Dave has been responsible for the development of many professional players, including Jonathan Woodgate, Stuart Downing and former Woodham students Ross Turnbull and Jason Steele.
The first award of the evening was the Year 7 Individual Achievement Award, presented to Gregor Mills. Not only does Gregor train with Woodham football and basketball academies, he is also an extremely talented ice hockey player. He has been selected to play for Team England’s under-13’s and has represented his country in four international matches in Slovakia.
The winner of the Year 8 Individual Achievement Award went to Ben Alderson. As well as being part of the basketball academy, Ben is involved in both rugby and water polo, where he is part of England’s under-14 talent academy.
Bethany MacDougall won the Year 9 Individual Achievement Award. She is an exceptionally talented gymnast who has been British Champion for two consecutive years. In October 2017, she travelled to Poland to represent Great Britain in the European Championships, winning a bronze medal.
The Key Stage 3 Contribution to Sport Award celebrates participation in a range of sports as well as sports leadership. The winner of the award was Sydney Etherington, an extremely talented dancer who takes every opportunity to perform. Sydney has also been selected to take part in Woodham’s Thailand experience next summer where, together with a group of students, she will travel to northern Thailand, volunteering in an elephant sanctuary.
Team of the Year was awarded to the undefeated Year 7 basketball team, who train with Woodham Deputy Headteacher and Durham Wildcats coach, Danny Morgans.
The Year 10 Individual Achievement Award was won by another exceptional dancer, Georgia Thelwell. Georgia has already been offered dance scholarships for when she leaves school and has been invited to perform on the main stage at Disneyland Paris this summer.
Woodham Sports Academy Leader of the Year was awarded to Cameron Turner Neill. Cameron is a member of both the Leadership Academy and the Mountain Bike Academy which spends Friday nights riding the exciting trails in Hamsterly Forest. This year, Cameron has also completed a Sports Leaders Award and has impressed everyone with his work with younger students.
Jon Hardy won the Year 11 Individual Achievement Award. He is a talented performer in a vast range of sports and has excelled in both GCSE PE and BTEC Sport.
The Sports Personality of Year Award went to Aaron Busby who has shown great character and sportsmanship throughout his membership of Woodham Boxing Academy.
The final award of the evening was the Mark Bulman Award, named in memory of a former Woodham student who epitomised determination, hard work, resilience and positivity. It was awarded to Mackenzie Alton. Mackenzie plays for Darlington Football Club and boxes with Woodham Boxing Academy and Shildon Boxing Club. He has become a role model for younger students and is a positive influence on those around him.
Woodham Academy headteacher, Christine Forsyth, said: “I am amazed at the number of exceptionally talented students at Woodham Academy, many of whom are competing at international level in a wide range of sports. Given the dedication and discipline needed to succeed at this level, it is no surprise that Woodham Sports Academy students also achieve at the highest level academically, making the school one of the highest performing schools in Northern England.”
