Sports Report

Netball

Michaelmas 2023 has proven to be successful for our Homerton Netball. Anna and I (Sophie T) have captained the team. We have secured a commendable position at the top of the league, winning four out of five matches. I think a real testament to the strength of our team is the mix of ‘players of the match’ we have had. Each game has seen a different player voted as the ‘player of the match’ by the opposition: Sophie L, Amanda, Anna and Talia. The team’s collective dedication and proficiency on the court have been evident throughout, with over 14+ players regularly attending weekly training sessions. The diverse composition of our squad, which includes enthusiastic freshers and post-graduate students, has contributed to a dynamic and supportive team environment. At matches and training, we regularly have a mix of freshers, second-years, third-years and post-grads in attendance. In one of our most successful matches this season, we had nine players attend, which is extremely impressive when you realise nine students brave the long cycle to Girton for the match. In addition to our regular league matches, we participated in a mixed tournament alongside the football team. The event was a great success, with over thirty students participating. It was great fun and the environment was fun and welcoming. In fact, it was so successful there was enough interest in a mixed netball team that we entered a team into mixed netball cuppers for Lent term!

Sophie Tallon

Women’s and NB XI Football

The Homerton Women and NB Football team’s second season playing as an unaffiliated college (one of only four colleges to do so!) has got off to a flying start. With four league fixtures and one cuppers fixture played in Michaelmas term, we are proud to say that we have maintained a 100% start to the season! Not only have we managed to win all our games but have also done so by significant margins with 33 goals scored and only four conceded. This is largely due to the incredible turnout that we have had in our training sessions and matches with 17 players available for our cuppers match against Fitz/Corpus! Despite the fact that Fitz/Corpus play in the division above us and that they won the league/cuppers double last year, they simply could not match the numbers that Homerton put forward and the spirit on display, with the fixture ending 6-1 to Homerton.

A special mention to our current top scorer, Lalini Colas, with 14 goals from 5 games. For context, Erling Haaland’s record breaking first season at Manchester City saw him score 52 goals in 53 games for a goal ratio of 0.98. Lalini’s goal ratio for us is currently 2.8. Vicky Olomana is also close behind in the race for the golden boot with 10 goals so far this season. We must also highlight our strengths in defence allowing us to boast such a comprehensive goal difference in the league. Both Nadeen and Sophie Boxall have been awarded player of the match for their defensive displays against Trinity Hall/Trinity/Emma and Fitz/Corpus respectively, and we are also very lucky to have two very dedicated goalkeepers in Cozzie Hunt and Anna Chabot, with the former also playing for the Merlin’s!

We have a lot to look forward to in Lent term with 3 more fixtures to play in the league, starting with the highly anticipated match against Downing, with whom we are level on points! We also have two more cuppers group stage fixtures, which will determine whether we go to the quarter-finals and beyond! We are all also very excited to start playing in Homerton kits, with the majority of the team opting for personalisation 🙂

What an exciting time to be playing football for Homerton!

Kata Csiba

Men’s I XI Football

With a strong batch of new players looking to fill the pretty huge boots of last year’s departees, this season represents a brand-new chapter in Homerton 1s football.

Our league season opener against Jesus saw us matched up against one of the top teams in the league and, under challenging conditions, a 2-0 loss was tough to take but showed the strength of the team. The bold tactical decision to play star left-back James in goal paid dividends as he put in a stellar performance. Bouncing back in the cup to win 2-1 in the first round of cuppers against Sidney Sussex was a great result, as a big cuppers run is very much on the cards this year. Goals from Toby and myself (Gregor) secured a win that warranted a more flattering scoreline. A string of unfortunate postponements meant Gonville and Caius was our only other league game this term and the less said about that particular 1-0 loss the better. With only two league games played this term, the best of our season lies ahead of us and there’s very little doubt that results will be much more positive in the league once we can actually get the games played. The news remained good in the cup, with our final competitive game of the term being a 3-0 win against Corpus Christi. Ife and Thomas added themselves to the goal scorers for the season in a very well controlled game. Sprinkle in a couple of friendly wins, and you get a term that has been a solid foundation for the rest of the season in a year of unrivalled player turnover. A favourable side of the draw in cuppers is a source of immense opportunity for this team to do something special.

Further good news is that training has never been better attended, with huge numbers week in week out, more players than we have the bibs to accommodate. A superb end to the term’s training saw the football club pair with Let’s Get Men Talking to run a fantastic 5-a-side tournament and the football Christmas dinner was another excellent event.

UTG

Gregor Fowler

Men’s II XI Football

The football second team looked to this season as a re-build, where a sense of identity and togetherness would be forged to make the ‘2s’ a more attractive team to play for – and not just the ‘middle’ team. There is also silverware to be won: having been relegated last season, the overriding aim is to get back to the hallowed land of Division 3. Coupled with the task of defending the Shield title from last year, hopes were high going into October. And those hopes appeared to be realistic: the opening day of the season was a big statement, an emphatic 9-1 win over Queens II’s. This was a sign that not only was quality higher than ever before, but that Homertonians had bought into the project, with eighteen players getting minutes overall.

A week later away at Pembroke, it was a vastly different game, but the same outcome: three points. Despite trailing at the break, the 2’s scored three in the second half, courtesy of a Max Baker brace and a Tawab Abdul long-shot, displaying a resilience that would stand them in good stead going forwards. Attention soon turned to the Shield and, despite not being given a bye in the first round like most other second teams, the Griffs cruised past Trinity Hall, keeping their first clean sheet of the season in a 3-0 win. Suddenly, though, the 2s were brought back down to reality after their dream start. A 3-1 loss at home to Lucy Cavendish firsts was tough to take after a strong performance, but mistakes at the start of each half exposed areas to improve. A moment to reflect, as the 2s battled their way to a good point against the Cambridge University Chinese Elite society the week after and, more importantly, conducted themselves in a commendable manner amidst a ‘tasty’ encounter.

Coming from behind on three occasions displayed the battling spirit of this team, which was on show yet again in a 5-5 draw with Pembroke in the second round of the Shield. Against a much stronger outfit than the Pembroke team played in the league, this tie went to extra-time and ultimately penalties, which was marginally lost. Heartbreaking, and a tough pill to swallow as they realised that it would not be them lifting the Shield again, but a performance to be proud of. The short trip to Girton was all that was left of term – despite being 3-1 down deep into the second half, a quick brace from Max looked to give the 2s a solid point on the road, but a last gasp winner meant that the elusive win has to wait until Lent Term. 14 players making the journey to Girton was a remarkable achievement though, given last season’s difficulty getting 11 out for home games. Sitting second in the league, a promotion spot, the 2’s have ultimately set themselves up for a potentially magical second half of the season, and have built a great community along the way.

Jack Deasley

Men’s III (Fourths) XI Football

The Fours enjoyed the start to this season with plenty of new faces – mostly, but not limited to, the freshers. Having achieved a promotion spot last season but unable to progress due to logistic issues, it was understood that we would be one of the stronger teams in the league this year – and a title challenge on the cards.

The season opened with a tough game – Trinity away. We have been led to believe that Trinity won every game they played in this league last season but weren’t promoted through the same issues we faced. It seemed as though the league could have been decided on day one. Homerton proudly rose to the challenge with an emphatic 6-0 win with help from an Alfie Cason hattrick and various stand-in goalkeepers. The spirit of the IVs rose as the boys looked to continue with this momentum. A couple weeks passed without a game being played but training sessions continued positively. Our second game saw another hattrick, this time completed by one Tomos Miller, aiding in a 4-2 win over a strong Clare side. Once again, the team looked to take this victory in their stride and build onwards, resulting in another 4-2 result in our favour against Robinson. The IVs had well and truly come into their own and began gelling as a squad, on and off the pitch. The season then ended with another incredibly tough fixture as another title contending team brought the unbeaten streak to an end. A 5-2 result sadly went in favour of a strong Downing side but all this did was make our lads hungry for more. There is no doubt in any players’ mind that they can go on to win the league as they have set the foundations for an incredible season.

UTG
CJ Sinha

Women’s Rowing

The women’s side have enjoyed a successful Michaelmas campaign, racing in 4 competitions throughout the term. We began by racing in Uni IV’s, comfortably beating Pembroke in the first round and then were unfortunately knocked out by John’s, who ended up making the final.

Our second race was Isle of Ely Head. It was a great experience to race off Cam and we were very pleased to finish in second place. It was a hugely exciting race, involving blade clashes with other boats and a few overtakes. The women performed incredibly well under the pressure and worked really well as a team.

Next up, we raced a 2.5km course in Winter Head where the 8 came 11th in their category, and the 4 came 4th in their category. These races were incredible, and it put us in a great place for our final race of the term: Fairbairns Cup. Our W1 and W2 competed in the annual Fairbairns Cup, with our W1 overtaking St Edmunds, getting the best result in over a decade for the side. W2 also had a great race and rowed home with the backdrop of a beautiful sunset.

It’s important to mention that our novice women’s side have also had a great Michaelmas term, despite a lot of cancelled outings due to poor river conditions. From QErgs, and Clare Novice Regatta, to Emma Sprints and Fairbairns Cup, our novices have had a great start to their rowing career and we look forward to seeing their transition to the senior side in Lent term.

Kira Dhariwal and Anna Bevan

Men’s Rowing

The men’s side have had a very successful campaign this term. We started the term off by getting back up to speed after the summer in smaller boats, preparing for our first race, Uni IV’s. Despite getting knocked out early on to the eventual winners, it was a good experience for the boys and our new cox in getting race experience.

We then switched back to 8s in preparation for Fairbairns. After a few illnesses in the middle of the term, we really came into our stride and started improving rapidly. We went into the end of term feeling very confident. At the 4.3 km Fairbairns race, we finished 18th amongst the Cambridge colleges, the best the men’s side have placed for the past few years.

This result also shows we were much faster than crews amongst us in our bumps campaigns, putting us at a good place ready to train for Lent bumps. We look forward to the novice men joining the senior side next term after winning their first race at Emma Sprints, and competing at Clare Novice Regatta. All in all, it is looking very promising for HCBC men’s side next term!

Thomas McCarter

Rugby

Homerton rugby has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2023-24 season. With winning comes pressure, so after the 2022 victorious campaign we certainly had a target on our backs as the term got underway. The mighty Griffs (and our partners in crime St Catz) have embraced these expectations and I am happy to announce an undefeated set of Cuppers results so far, with a semi final lined up next term. Queens, Pirton, P.E.S.T, and Downing have all felt the force of Homerton’s rugby prowess, turning their matches into a symphony of triumphs.

Off the field the boys have enjoyed each other’s company in the form of some unforgettable socials, creating the strong bonds needed to succeed both on and off the pitch. We have also been fortunate enough to have a strong intake of freshers who have entered the club with energy and ambition. Going forward into the rest of the season, our focus will be on winning Cuppers, organising even more stash orders and most importantly keep enjoying the game we all love… 20 plus 1.

Tomos Miller

Lacrosse

This lacrosse season has seen unprecedented success for Clomerton. We go into 2024 undefeated and promoted into division 2, where we’ll no doubt continue this upwards trajectory! Homertonians Tilly and Fahim have been key players on the team despite only starting lacrosse this academic year. Fahim was voted ‘Rising Star’ going into Lent at our Michaelmas Awards ceremony, and Tilly likewise for ‘Friendliest Face’ for always bringing good vibes! She was Player of the Match in her first ever game of lacrosse against Sidney/Lucy Cav, where we won 11-2 with an outstanding performance from her.

Other key players include Clarites Hannah, Bei, Lenka, Ollie, Alex and Patrick. Aside from winning competitive matches, we’ve had numerous friendlies with Newpus, Emmanuel and Pitzwards – all of whom were also present at our end of term swap! Michaelmas has seen a rebuilding of Clomerton Lacrosse after the majority of last year’s team graduated last year, and I couldn’t be prouder of both the wins and the community we’ve built together this term.

Eat, Sleep, Clomerton, Repeat

Aadarsh Khimasia

Squash

For the first time, we have joined forces with Caius to form team Homertaius.

Homertaius has stormed through the Michaelmas term with an unstoppable 5/5 victories! No college has survived the wrath of the Griffins, with Trinity and Downing putting up a commendable battle, but ultimately succumbing to the overpowering might of the Griff.

It’s fantastic to see the variety of players at the weekly training sessions, ranging from enthusiastic freshers, all the way up to veterans of the game!

As of now, Homertaius fields two successful teams in the league, a true testament to the dedication of each of the players!

Keep up the hard work and let’s hit the ground running in Lent term!

Ben Pang

Badminton

Badminton continues to be popular amongst Homerton students with 30+ active members participating in weekly training sessions and fixtures. Once again, the society has proved a fantastic place to foster new friendships, particularly for our first-year undergraduate students.

Decked out in a brand-new sports kit, we have competed well against other Colleges this year. Following the Covid disruption in previous seasons, the College leagues now have a more balanced representation across the board. Our two open teams finished the year strongly and our First team recently won promotion back to division 3. October also saw the reintroduction of our women’s team and we hope to see them rise up the league standings and grow in confidence over the coming months.

This academic year looks to be the closing chapter for many of our longstanding members who have represented the College for three years or more. We would like to express our gratitude to all of them for bringing great enthusiasm and a winning spirit. Furthermore, on behalf of the whole society, we would like to thank Homerton College for providing a generous funding package.

We look forward to following the progress of the badminton society in future years.

Lewis Kelsall & Kogulan Vipulan – Homerton Badminton Presidents 2023/24

Table Tennis

The Homerton Table Tennis Club has continued to grow this term, now boasting a total of 18 members. Throughout the term, we had regular practice sessions in the JCR, which were always filled with fun and amazing rallies! Using the club funding, we supported two teams to participate in the university college leagues. Impressively, the Homerton Team 1 emerged as the champion of Division 3 and will be promoted to Division 2 in Lent term! Meanwhile, the Homerton Team 2 secured third place in Division 5.

Lewis Tang

Blues Awards (since September 2023)

• Anna Chesca – Tennis
• Esah Hayat – Tennis
• Bethany Merrifield – Rowing
• Julien Scardigli (Half Blue) – Handball
• Isabella Weber (Half Blue) – Tennis
• Gabriel Ho (Half Blue/Club Colours) – Water Polo