Sporting Highlights
Throughout the year pupils participated in a wide range of coaching skills days and competitions. Pupils from all year groups represented the college at county level. Pupils had opportunities to participate in Athletics, Cross-Country,Netball, Basketball, Camogie, Ladies Football, Hurling, Gaelic Football and Soccer. The following list is not an exhaustive record of all competitions and activities the pupils were involved in– it is simply an abridged version of events so that you can appreciate some ofthe sporting opportunities available to pupils in the college.
On 18th January 2011 the Under 14 Gaelic Panel were victorious in the Derry Vocational Schools Championship. They were defeated by Cavan in the Ulster Semi-Final. The Under 14 squad 2011-12 managed to retain the Derry title in December2011. They will play the winners from Armagh in the Ulster Championship on 28thJanuary 2012.
Pupils across the school participated in the annual trip to Park Head to see Celtic play on 27th and 28th January 2011.
On 24th February 2011 Years 8-10 girls were involved in a Netball Coaching session facilitated by Northern Irish Netball coach Brenda Boyle.
In February 2011 Years 8-12 boys participated in the Derry Vocational Schools Basketball Blitz.
In April 2011 Year 8-12 girls were involved in the Sperrin Netball League. The Years 8,9and Senior teams were all awarded first place in their respective tournaments and the Year 10 team were awarded second place.
On 1st April 2011 a group of students fromYears 8-12 participated in the Derry Vocational Schools Cross Country Event in Owenbeg.
On 15th April 2011 the Year 8 Camogie and Gaelic Football teams participated in the Derry Vocational Schools Blitz in Owenbeg. The girls were winners of their tournament.
In April 2011 Steven Johnston, Patrick Bradley and Enda McFerran achieved Derry Vocational Schools All Stars for Football. Ulster All stars were also awarded for hurling to Enda McFerran, Rory McGurk, Conor Doherty.
On 20th May 2011 Year 8-10 pupils participated in a Camogie Development Day, organised for all the schools in the RLP by the BTEC students in St. Patrick’s College, Maghera.
On Friday 27th May 2011 a group of Year 8-11students travelled to Templemore Sports Complex in Derry to participate in a range of track and field events at the Derry Vocational Schools Athletics Competition. St. Paul’s proved a force to be reckoned with and were announced joint winners for 2011.
In June 2011 Year 9 and 10 pupils participated in a Hurling coaching day, facilitated by the Ulster Council Coaching Officer Kevin Himphey.
On 10th June 2011 Year 9 girls took place in a fun cross community day playing rounders at Garvagh High.
On 20th June 2011 pupils from Years 8-11 participated with St. Mary’s College, Clady in a joint camogie development coaching day. The day, facilitated by coaches from Derry and Antrim, was focused onthe development of skills and agility.
On 22nd June 2011 Years 8-11 girls participated in a Golf Awareness Day. The purpose of the interactive event was to stimulate pupil interest in the sport and generate interest in ladies golf in the Mid Ulster area.
On 23rd June 2011 Year 8 pupils in St. Paul’s participated in the Kelly McGoldrick Memorial Tournament in Clady. The pupils were winners of the highly successful event organised by Year 10 students from St. Mary’s.
From 12th -15th September GCSE PE students participated in orienteering sessions facilitated by the staff at Woodhall.
In October 2011 St. Paul’s hurlers participated in the under 14 and Under 16 Vocational Hurling Championships. Both teams represented the school with determination and integrity.
From 14th to 18th November all Year 8 pupils participated in a residential at Woodhall. Pupils were involved in a range of activities including team games, orienteering, human jenga, canoeing and archery.
On 10th December 2011 a strong and impressive Senior Girls panel was defeated in the Ulster Camogie U16 Final. They were narrowly beaten by St. Catherine’s Armagh.
In December three Year 12 pupils, Aoife Quinn, Clodagh McKinney and Katie Bradley, were selected for trials for Derry Vocational Schools All Stars in camogie. Katie Bradley progressed through to the next round for selection in February.