Sports Development Programme   Close

History of Sport at Cheltenham Ladies' College

1854 CLC opened

Callisthenics and Dancing were timetabled. Callisthenics was changed to Swedish Drill about 1890 and later to Dalcroze Eurhythmics. Various types of gymnastics were taught.

1880 Cricket introduced. Girls mostly learnt from their brothers. Tennis was played in Boarding House gardens and on the Montpellier courts; younger girls played Rounders. Girls were taken to Public Baths on ‘Clean Water Days’ to swim.

1889 When the Cambray building was bought it already had the Fives & Squash Rackets court ‘long desired by Miss Beale’.

1890 Riding was added to the prospectus for the first time, though girls had hired horses from commercial stables from the beginning.

1891 Field was rented, then bought. It was called the Playground. Girls taught themselves to play Hockey.

1897 Fencing was taught.

1900 Archery, croquet & badminton equipment was bought for ‘the playground’.

1910 Swimming Pool was built. Basketball was also available.

1914 Hockey, Cricket, Tennis, Netball (in bad weather) were played, with Badminton for Post-School pupils.

1916 Lacrosse started. The first match was against Abbey School, Malvern; it was hoped that inter-house lax matches might be organised as each house had a lax team as well as a Hockey XI.

1928 Netball was no longer a ‘recognised Coll game’ (it had been played by girls whose parents objected to hockey).

1939 Fencing was reintroduced, having been removed in 1915 from the sports offered

1966 Individual sports on offer to Seniors were Golf, Squash, Archery, Orienteering, Badminton, Sailing, and Canoeing. Squash was played on Cheltenham College courts.

1969 Judo and Trampolining, added. Swimming was now available in the winter, though not at the College pool.

1971 The last Cricket season.

1972 Curriculum sports had increased to: Hockey, Lacrosse, Gym, Dancing, Tennis, Athletics. Also available as Senior options were: Netball, Judo, Squash, Badminton, Fencing, Golf.

1974 Pavilion at Field replaced. Table tennis offered.

1981 Skiing, Water-skiing, Cross-Country offered.

1985 Netball returned to the curriculum.

Post-O level (UC5) students had opportunities for Windsurfing, Golf, Dry-skiing, Fencing, Aerobics, Badminton, Archery, Roller Skating.

1990 Rowing Club started.

1994 Sports Hall opened. All sports facilities were now available on site. New pool opened.