Fast Hands, Sharp Minds: Fives at Sedbergh Prep
If I had my way, every brownfield site not yet ear-marked for a vast Persimmon or Barratt housing estate would be populated with Fives courts. Like chess, rugby and fly-fishing, Fives is one of the finest forms of exercise for the body and relaxation for the mind. The game itself is simple: using your hands, you strike a ball and ensure it does not fall below a splinter-ridden plank strapped to the front wall – the ‘blackboard’ (ours is, curiously, painted red). At Sedbergh we play Winchester Fives, and the presence of a small buttress on the left-hand wall introduces a glorious element of randomness, demanding lightning-quick reactions and adapted strategies: ‘Don’t try to kill the ball every shot. Build the pressure, then finish.’
Since 2009, Fives has captured the imagination of numerous Prep School players, several of whom have gone on to captain the Senior School Fives team – and, in the case of Taylor McGuire (E), to win two National Championships. I have equally high hopes for our latest enthusiasts, shown here playing with Taylor.
Recent former Prep School Players and their Fives Achievements:
2009/10 – Oliver Thompson, U14 Singles SF; Ben Lawry, U14 Plate Singles Champion; Lawry and Thompson, U14 Doubles SF
2011/12 – Ben Lawry, Captain, Colts Singles SF; Lawry and Thompson, Colts Doubles SF; Tom Robinson, Colts Plate Singles Champion; Hayden Thompson-Green, U14 Singles SF
2012/13 – Ben Lawry, Captain, Open Singles QF; Lawry and Thompson, Open Doubles QF; Laurie Stone, Plate Singles Champion; Tom Robinson Colts Doubles SF
2013/14 – Laurie Stone, Captain; Tom Robinson, Open Singles QF; Taylor McGuire, U13 Singles Final
2014/15 – Tom Robinson, Captain, Plate Singles Final and Plate Doubles Final; Taylor McGuire, U14 Singles Champion
2015/16 – Hayden Thompson-Green, Captain; Taylor McGuire, Colts Singles QF
2016/17 – Taylor McGuire, Colts Singles SF
2017/18 – Taylor McGuire, Captain, Open Singles QF
2018/19 – Taylor McGuire, Captain, Open Singles Champion
2019/20 – Tom Young, Captain
2020/21 – Jack Taylor, Captain
