It was an afternoon for celebration on Thursday 27 April 2023 as Rydal Penrhos enjoyed it annual Senior Colours Awards, a recognition of the achievements of its pupils both inside and outside the classroom.
Rydal Penrhos is a school that continues to improve academically, with a superlative standard of teaching and exam results that go from strength to strength. Despite this, the school never allows itself to become distracted from the superb achievements of its pupils in sports, drama, and music, among other extracurricular fields.
The Senior Colour Awards are a celebration of these achievements. Pupils are awarded colours or half-colours for their achievements in those fields. Additionally, historic cups and prizes are presented to some of our top performers, which always proves a memorable moment in their school careers.
The prize ceremony certainly highlights the diverse talents of the school community while recognizing the hard work and dedication that is involved behind the scenes.
The winners of the Senior Colour Awards include Head Girl Ester Ball-Iversen, who won the Derbyshire Trophy for Girls’ Sport, and Jacob Cousins, who won the Morphy Cup for Boys’ Sport in addition to Full Colours for Hockey, Full Colours for Rugby, Full Colours for Cricket, Half Colours for Golf, and Half Colours for Fives.
It was also a proud day for our artists. Talented musician and trumpet exponent Ethan Bytheway, who was also recognized at the Senior Spring Concert, won the Ruth Johnson Cup for Musical Contribution to the School. Deputy Head Boy Tristan Martin won the Robson Cup for Best Acting Performance for his incredible turn in Under Milk Wood, which demonstrated real talent and maturity.
A full list of award winners is available here.
Rydal Penrhos was honoured to welcome Mr Phil Thompson, former Liverpool FC Captain and Sky Sports pundit, to present the awards. Mr Thompson is a legendary figure in the world of football, making history during his playing career at the Merseyside club, where he later served as caretaker manager during the Gérard Houllier era.
Across the course of his career, Mr Thompson led Liverpool to the pinnacle of European and domestic football, winning three European Cups, seven First Division titles, two UEFA Cups, one FA Cup, four League Cups, and later two Premier League Manager of the Month Awards. Mr Thompson is widely regarded as one of the top players of his generation and a leading voice off the pitch.
After presenting the prizes, Mr Thompson was kind enough to participate in a question-and-answer session, addressing queries prepared by pupils. He shared his thoughts on various topics related to football, including the current state of the game and the impact of money in football, as well as broader life lessons.
Mr Thompson recalled his favourite memories as a player and his close connection to the city of Liverpool. He pointed to Mr Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool legend, as the best player he ever played with, highlighting his philanthropic work off the pitch as much as his incredible achievements on it.
Mr Thompson’s main message to pupils; be kind. The challenges involved in mastering a sport, acting or musical performance can help promote virtues like kindness, teamwork, togetherness, and resilience. These are important qualities that can help pupils succeed not just on the sports field or on stage but also in life. For this reason, Rydal Penrhos is keen to promote and support pupils’ involvement in extracurricular activities, as the lessons they learn will serve them well in the future.
