including one who played for England U17s in European Championship qualifiers. In addition, three players earned call-ups to the England ISFA squad, with another three featuring for ISFA regional teams – a fantastic achievement. Team Spotlight: U13As Reach National Final The headline story of the season was the U13A team’s impressive run to the ISFA National Final, marking Dulwich’s fourth appearance in a national final in as many years – an outstanding record. The campaign began with two tense victories over St Dunstan’s and Forest School, each going to penalties. Both demonstrated the squad’s composure and resilience under pressure. In the quarter-final against KCS Wimbledon, Dulwich came from behind to win 2–1, showing real defensive discipline and character. The semi- final versus Hampton was another tight affair. After taking the lead, Dulwich were pegged back, and the match ended in a draw. Confident from previous shootouts, Dulwich scored all their penalties and made two key saves to secure a place in the final. Held at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium, the final against St John’s Leatherhead was a hard-fought contest. St John’s led 2–0 at half time, but Dulwich pulled one back and pressed for an equaliser. A late push wasn’t enough, and two goals in the final minutes saw St John’s win 4–1. Though they finished runners-up, the team’s effort, spirit, and quality throughout the cup run was exceptional. Reaching the final is a major achievement and a reflection of the strength of the squad and bright future of the College’s football programme. Well done to the U13A squad and coaching staff on a memorable and inspiring season. ◎
Swimming with the current by Tracy Palmer, Head of Aquatics
The 2024/25 season has been another excellent year for Dulwich Swimming, with strong perfor- mances across all year groups. Swimmers took part in several local galas, giving both experienced and younger competitors the chance to gain confi- dence and achieve personal bests. The senior squads focused on two major events: the ESSA National Relays, and the Bath Cup. In September, 20 swimmers from Years 7–13 competed in the ESSA qualifying round at Whitgift, with standout swims from Spencer Blackburn, Ridley Brown, Rex Backen, Naldo Go, and James Pane, who competed bravely despite injury. An historic milestone followed in November as all six Dulwich teams qualified for the ESSA National Finals in Birmingham — a first for the College. Racing at the Commonwealth Pool against some of the UK’s top school swimmers, our teams delivered multiple personal bests and demonstrated excep- tional sportsmanship and team spirit. In March, our Senior boys placed an impressive 4 th in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the prestigious Bath Cup. Special credit goes to team captain Andreas Kokkini, for two long-course personal bests, and to George Henderson, who performed superbly following illness.
Beyond school competitions, several of our top swimmers qualified for the South East London Regional Summer Championships — an achievement in itself. Roman Cazzol, Louis Morgan Davies, Edward Henwood, and Anthony Ward all came away with medals. Louis and Edward were crowned Regional Champions after securing gold. Many will now go on to compete at the English and British Championships this summer, and we wish them every success. This year’s results reflect the strength, depth, and determination of Dulwich swimming, laying a strong foundation for future success. ◎
This year’s results reflect the strength, depth, and determination of Dulwich Swimming
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