Month: May 2024

We take great pride in our cricket programme led by our exceptional Director of Cricket, Jimmy Anyon. With a philosophy rooted in nurturing individual strengths and fostering a love for the game, our program emphasises confidence-building and teamwork. In this interview, Jimmy shares his journey, coaching insights, and the ethos that drives our cricket teams to excel both on and off the field.

When did you first start playing cricket?

I first start playing cricket in the garden with my dad. I was a real little child, and I’ve got a memory of my gran making me pads out of ice cream tub lids, playing with a tennis ball in the backyard of the farm. It’s probably one of my oldest memories. I must have been four or five then. So yeah, quite a long time back.

Why do you think you fell in love with cricket?

I don’t know! I fell in love with a lot of sports and I think I just happened to be better at cricket than the other sports and that’s probably why I carried on longer. It’s a game you can’t conquer. It’s one of annoying games that you can’t perfect and then you just want to keep getting better at it over time. It’s an internal battle that you’re always having with yourself when you play cricket. So, I think it’s the mental side of it that I enjoy and that’s kept me going with cricket longer than other games.

Was there an early icon of the game that you looked up to that drove you forward?

Yeah, Mike Atherton was my favourite player as a kid. I wanted to be like Mike Atherton. I wore the same same helmet and used the same bat. Then I became a bowler, and after that, it was probably Shane Warne. Then Darren Gough and Glen McGrath were my two bowling heroes.

Who out of the current crop of players inspire you?

You can’t help but be inspired by quite a lot of them. I mean, look at the success of England, especially under McCullum and Stokes, I mean Stokes is pretty inspirational what he’s done with English Cricket. Joe Root is probably one of the best batters the country has produced. The freedom that the white ball team play with – it’s just something that we’ve never seen before in English cricket. So, I think if you can’t be inspired by the current crop of England players, you’re probably not going to be inspired by cricket, I guess.

What’s your proudest coaching moment in cricket so far?

A few lads I’ve worked with have gone on to become professional cricketers. That’s obviously great; I’ve helped them on their journey. By the same token, just this morning I got a message from a Year 12 kid who’s not played cricket for three or four years and now suddenly wants to take it up again. So, both ends of the spectrum. So, I’ll say that anybody that you help get where they want to be on their cricket journey; that’s why you do the job.

You’ve got players of all levels here at Sedbergh, how do you help players develop confidence to go out and be their best?

I think you try to build confidence in a player and how you get there is just keep reminding people of what they’re good at. I think most people focus on what they can’t do. So really try and focus on what people can do first. Everybody’s got some strengths and some skills and if you can stick to those, you tend to perform to the best of your ability.

If you’re constantly looking at the negative, asking yourself, “What can I fix? What am I doing wrong? How can I get better?”, it’s not always a helpful state of mind. I think you’ve got to look at what am I good at and keep reinforcing that and reminding yourself what you can do. So, as a coach, I try to get people to recognise what they’re good at and not worry too much about what they can’t do.

What’s your mentoring style within that? So that people know what they can do and how that fits within the 11?

You’ve got the strengths that are going to build a team. So, how you get that to work within a team is just to highlight the parts that are helpful. Cricket’s a weird game; it’s an individual game played in a team. So, when you are batting, it’s you versus the bowler. If you get the individuals playing to their best, that will benefit the team. So, you’ve just got to look at it and go right, if this player is an attacking batter, he’s just got to go for it. If he’s going to get 30, 40 runs more regularly when he goes after it – as opposed to trying to grind it out – then you’ve just got to let the player do that.

I always try and find that area of the game that helps a player be proactive and I think that will help the team.

As a parent or coach what’s the best kind of question conversation can you have with a player to support the player’s confidence and move them forward?

Obviously it’s nice if you get a hundred runs or take wickets, but it’s processes for me, “How did you go about today? What was good?” You could have played well and you could have got three. You could have had a really tough spell and then nicked a good ball. So, if you asked the question, “How’d you do?” and you’ve got three – then you’ve done badly.

If you have stuck to your game plan and your processes and you got out to a good ball, you’ve got to celebrate the process, not the end result. And if you keep doing the right process, the results will eventually come, which is difficult to believe if you lose a wicket or two.

So, I think that’s why you need support from home and from coaches, especially as a young person, to try and understand that if you keep doing the right thing the results will come. So, I’d have those questions around that and did you enjoy it? That’s the other reason we play. Let the kids enjoy it, let them make mistakes. Don’t be too harsh on people. Any game where you’ve got more thinking time than doing time is tough, especially this day and age. People now have social media pressures and people take the mick out of each other on social media when they get no runs. So I think you’ve got to take that weight off people and take away from the performances and go, “How did you train in the buildup? How did you put into practice? It didn’t work today, don’t worry about it. Keep going because it’ll work down the line if you keep doing the right thing.”

How would you want our Sedbergh teams to be described by spectators and the opposition?

I would want Sedbergh teams to be described as positive – enjoyable to watch and showing how much fun they’re having in each other’s company.

I think if you look at the England team as a template, obviously that’s how everybody would love to play cricket. I appreciate that’s not always possible – you’ve got different players, different conditions, and you’ve got different facilities, but you can take elements of that. Right now I’m seeing an England team that looks like it’s really enjoying what they do.

We want to take our game to the opposition and we want to enjoy each other’s company while we’re playing. Hopefully that means players want to come back and play next week and the week after and the week after.

Old Sedberghian Imo Boddy (Robertson, 2015-17) has etched her name into the record books for the second time in two years, as she completed the UK National Three Peaks on foot in just over 6 days.

This latest feat of endurance is another accomplishment that Imo can now add to her impressive and ever-growing resume. As an Upper Sixth pupil here at Sedbergh, Imo created and completed a triathlon which is now known as the “Boddy Challenge”. A 6 mile swim in Lake Windermere, running Windermere marathon and then cycling the 20 miles back to Sedbergh.

Imo has continued to push herself, mentally and physically, with her endurance challenges. In 2021, she completed seven marathons in seven days and in 2022 she entered the record books for the first time; becoming the fastest female to run from John o’Groats to Land’s End.

Without doubt, this latest challenge was Imo’s most ambitious and toughest yet. Not only covering 700km, but also summiting the three highest peaks in the UK; Ben Nevis (1345m), Scafell Pike (978m) and Snowdon (1085m). The previous best time was set in 1979 by English long-distance walker Ann Sayer MBE, in a time of 7 days and 31 minutes.

Averaging over 100km a day, Imo worked her way from Scotland, through England and into Wales and just after midday on Tuesday 21st May, Imo made it to her finish point in Caernarfon to stop the clock at 6 days, 5 hour and 43 minutes, eclipsing Sayer’s time by 18 hours.

In an interview with Sky News later that day, Imo said; “It was so tough. I dug very deep and I’ve had an amazing team – my coach set a very good schedule and the last 31 hours we had about 4 hours sleep.”

“Hopefully we can keep that record standing for another long period of time.” Imo added.

Sedbergh School Headmaster, Mr Harrison, shared his congratulations to Imo saying; “Well done Imo! There will be many of us who remember you showing similar determination at school. Huge congratulations on a remarkable achievement.”

You can see more updates from across the 6 days of Imo’s journey on her Instagram.

Following in the footsteps of Sedbergh School rugby giants, Ben Redshaw is cutting his teeth in the adult game with Newcastle Falcons. The interview below shows the journey this far, and in what has been a difficult club campaign for the Falcons a young Yorkshire man is ticking off major milestones in his pursuit of full England honours.

Can you describe yourself in 3 words?

I’d definitely say I’m motivated (very!). I’m stubborn (also useful). I’m confident.

What made you fall in love with rugby?

Playing week in week out alongside my best mates since the age of 5 from west park to Sedbergh school to now Newcastle falcons. The opportunity to see the world whilst playing and making my friends and family proud. That’s what made me love the game. 

Where and when did you first play rugby?

I first played at west park Leeds aged 5.

Who’s your best rugby friend?

I think if I had to pick one it would be Tye Raymont, we grew up together at the same primary school and same club. But I have made so many mates for life through rugby.

Which three rugby personalities past or present would you invite to dinner and why?

Jonny Wilkinson, as he is the GOAT of English rugby. 

Dan Carter as he is the GOAT. 

Jonah Lomu as he was the GOAT of rugby in his time. 

These players have had an immense impact on the sport and would be great to see their perspective on the modern game.

What’s your proudest moment in rugby so far?

My proudest moment would be slotting the winning kick vs Blackrock College in my last year of school. As well as being invited to train with the England World Cup squad out in France.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Fall in love with the process. 

Where would you like to be in 5 years time?

In 5 years I would love to have represented my country and be playing consistently in the premiership whilst still enjoying every minute of what I am so lucky to do.

OUR NEW HOUSEMASTER FROM SEPTEMBER 2024

Name: Mr Rupert Bunday BSc, iPGCE
Email: rtfb@sedberghprep.org

Rupert is excited to be taking over as Housemaster of Cressbrook from September 2024. Many of you will already know Ru as our Director of Sport; he can be found on touch lines and games pitches day in, day out, supporting pupils to achieve their individual potential in sport, whatever their experience.

Rupert will be joined in Cressbrook by his wife, Ellie, currently studying for a PGCE in Geography, and their young daughter, Harriet who attends The Mulberry Bush Nursery.

Rupert attended Chafyn Grove Prep School and King’s Bruton in Somerset, where he full boarded from the age of 7, as his parents were posted overseas with the armed forces. He went onto Cardiff Metropolitan University to study for a BSc in Sports Development before completing his teacher training through Buckingham University. Ru joined Sedbergh in 2018 after 5 years as a Residential House Tutor, PE Teacher and Master i/c of cricket at Giggleswick School. You could say boarding runs in the family as his parents have both led Boarding Houses in the south west after leaving the military.

We caught up with Rupert, asking him about his own boarding experiences, his vision for Cressbrook and some fun questions from the boarders*:

1. What do you consider the most important part of the boarding experience at Sedbergh Prep School? I believe the most important part of the boarding experience is to make sure everyone in the House feels safe and included, a place where we can create a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere that the boys can call their ‘home away from home’.

2. What do you think boarding means to our pupils? Hopefully fun, excitement and an endless number of opportunities to enjoy the company of others, to learn and to grow as an individual in a safe, secure and welcoming place.

3. What memories of your own boarding experience will you bring to Cressbrook? Some of my fondest memories of school involved boarding and the friends that I made at boarding school are still to this day some of my closest friends. Living at school and enjoying all the opportunities that come your way really help to shape the person you become and the relationships that you make on the way. To that end, I would like to encourage friendship across the boarding houses and will really encourage the boys to get stuck in and involved in every opportunity Sedbergh Prep offers.

4. How will Mrs Bunday and Harriet be involved in boarding life? They are both excited about making the move to Cressbrook. Mrs Bunday (herself a boarder from a young age) will certainly be involved in the Boarding House and quickly become a familiar face to both the boys and parents, and Harriet will be around in the House, especially at mealtimes!

5. What values do you want boys to leave Cressbrook with? Alongside theSchool Ways of the Wolf values of ambition, kindness, creativity, collaboration, respect and courage, I would like the boys to be brave and try new things and not fear failure.

6. What is your view on the role of technology in a Prep School boarding house? It certainly has a role in order to keep parents informed either through social media, or phone calls, but I think it is really important that the boys learn the important life skills of socialising (verbally), spending time with friends, creating memories and enjoying the ‘now’, instead of being caught up in ‘screen life’.  I am aware that the Department of Education are keen to ban mobile phones in schools, but I think ‘all things in moderation’ is a good motto in the boarding house.

7. How will boys have the chance to shape their own boarding experience? The boarding house is the boys’ ‘home away from home’ during term time and I am keen that their voices/opinions are heard. Every pupil voice is important and will be listened to through, but not limited to, pupil forums, informal discussions and feedback sessions.

8. *What made you want to become a Housemaster? Having been a boarder since I was 7, I have always loved the buzz and the atmosphere created in a boarding house where boys from different cultures, backgrounds, beliefs and views live together. I am looking forward to being a part of that buzz in Cressbrook. I have a particular empathy with those boarders whose parents live a long way from Casterton, as for much of my time as a boarder my parents lived abroad.

9. *What is your favourite film? Cool Runnings or Shawshank Redemption

10. *What boarding activities would you like to organise when you join Cressbrook? I am fairly open minded with regards to the activities, and really would like these to be led by pupil voice. However, I would like to see activities that not only allow the boys an opportunity to celebrate their strengths but also push them outside of their comfort zones and try something new. I am keen to ensure that we cater for ALL the boys and thus have a variety of activities.

11. *What is your favourite food? Steak and chips!

12. *Which famous person would you most like to meet and why? I would love to have met Nelson Mandela; he would have been fascinating to speak to – someone who showed true determination. I would also like to meet Barack Obama – he is a fantastic public speaker, and I would love to ask him for some pointers as well as about his time as President.

13.  Will you bring any pets to Cressbrook? Yes, but we will be mindful of those who do not like animals. We have two very friendly dogs, a black lab called Holly and a fox red lab called Cassie.

14.  How would a friend describe you in 3 words? Generous, approachable, friendly