Team Sports

Team sports are a cornerstone of life at Plymouth College, fostering teamwork, resilience and a passion for healthy competition. Our pupils enjoy diverse opportunities to participate, develop skills and represent the school with pride across a range of disciplines.

Girls' Hockey Success

Our Girls’ Hockey squads have achieved considerable success, with pupils regularly gaining representative honours for Devon, West Panthers, Performance Centre and UK Lions. National success has been achieved, including winning Tier 2 National Championships.

The programme is led by our Director of Hockey, who holds a joint role with Plymouth Marjon Hockey Club and is significantly involved in the Devon Player Pathway and the Great Britain ACP course. Hockey is primarily played in the autumn term with Saturday block fixtures against other South West independent schools, mid-week local games and participation in England Hockey Schools Championships.

Training takes place on our school astro turf pitch at Ford Park, as well regularly on astro at Plymouth Marjon University.

Developing Football Talent

Plymouth College Football benefits immensely from the support of the Plymouth Argyle Football Club Community arm, which provides consistent and regular coaching to pupils of all ages. This valuable partnership enables talented Plymouth College footballers to progress into the PAFC Development Programme, opening doors to potential opportunities within a professional footballing environment. We are proud of alumni Michael Cooper, who began his professional career as goalkeeper at Plymouth Argyle.

Football operates as a recreational club during the autumn term and becomes the main competitive sport for boys in the spring term. Our fixture list is robust, featuring matches against schools such as Shebbear College, Stover School, Torquay Boys’ Grammar, Devonport High School for Boys and Mount Kelly, with fixtures generally taking place during mid-week games lessons.

Plymouth Argyle Football

Rugby Union Heritage

For over two decades, our fifteens and sevens rugby teams have been recognised among the country’s most consistent performers and a significant force in the South West. We have a proud history of producing international players at U18 and U16 levels, with alumni like Henry Slade, a current England International and Exeter Chiefs star and Paul Ackford, who represented England and the British Lions. Many former pupils achieve representative honours and play for major clubs.

Each team, from U12 to the 1st XV, benefits from experienced coaches and we field six teams, ensuring high participation. The senior programme incorporates strength and conditioning, skills training, matchplay and nutrition, aiming to help players achieve their highest potential. Our fixture list includes leading South West schools and tours, while junior teams compete in county cups and national competitions, all within an inclusive environment that welcomes players of all abilities.

Thriving Netball Programme

Netball at Plymouth College continues to flourish, with participation and success growing year on year. The club operates during the autumn and spring terms, with dedicated squads for each year group training regularly. Our programme is expertly coached by Mrs Riley Harling, former Bath Netball team with county and Regional League 1 experience, who brings a wealth of knowledge to our pupils.

Player development is further enhanced by our strength and conditioning coaches, who focus on fundamental movement patterns specific to netball, aiming to improve performance and reduce injury risks. Many of our pupils also play for the local Firebirds Netball Club, which trains at the College, providing additional coaching and playing opportunities. Successful tours, like a recent senior trip to South Africa and international experiences for junior teams, further enrich our netballers’ development.

Cricket Excellence Year-Round

Cricket at Plymouth College is a comprehensive, year-round programme built on high-quality coaching, a very strong senior fixture card and clear pathways to the professional game via District, County, University Centres of Excellence and First Class cricket. We have a history of successful overseas tours to destinations like Sri Lanka and South Africa with development squads, providing invaluable experience.

At junior level, the school consistently produces county representatives and engages actively with county programmes, including hosting winter training for Devon girls. A long-standing one-to-one Saturday coaching programme provides highly specialist, individualised coaching from Level 3 coaches. The winter programme also incorporates strength & conditioning with tactical input. Numerous alumni, such as Jake Libby (Worcestershire/Nottinghamshire CCC) and James Burke (Surrey CCC & England U19), have progressed to professional and high-level county cricket.