U14 Junior Grand Prix review - next generation showcase their skills

 A total of 35 teams took to the court across three venues – with Wapping Wildcats, Newcastle Staffs and South Bucks the hosts clubs. 

Different formats were used at each of the locations depending on the numbers of teams participating and the time available. 

For a number of the players, the 4v 4 format was their first taste of a competitive tournament. 

The girls’ section was spilt into three pools, with Pool A then divided into two groups of five teams, where matches were played over one, extended set. 

The Boswells School A topped the first group with four wins out of four, followed by Richmond A, who were runners-up. 

In the second group, Richmond B emerged as the strongest team, pipping Wapping Wildcats B to top spot. 

The top and second placed teams then contest one final match and it was Boswells and Richmond B, who underlined their earlier successes as group winners by beating Richmond A (31-19) and Wapping Wildcats B (32-20) for a second time. 

Girls Pool B was split into two groups – Premier and Championship. 

In the Premier competition, Newcastle Staffs A finished top of the table after winning each of their matches 2-0 for an 8-0 sets record. 

They beat their club-mates Newcastle Staffs B, who were second with a sets record of 5-3, ahead of Ashfield Vipers A, who had the same sets record but a slightly inferior points difference. 

In the four-strong Championship group, Newcastle Staffs D won two and drew one of their matches for a 5-1 record and were closely followed by Coventry and Warwick Riga (4-2). 

Those two sides then played off in a final and it was the Warwickshire side who came out on top. 

Six teams contested Pool C and it was Royal Wootton Bassett who took pride of place at the top of the table with four wins and a draw from their five matches, which were staged over two timed sets. 

The team they drew with, ENVC, finished in second place ahead of Newbury on points difference. 

The boys’ section saw Pool A also split into two groups – one containing four teams and the other three. 

The Boswells School A topped the first group, winning all three of their matches as Richmond A finished runners up. 

The second group was won by AST Academy, with The Boswells School B in second place. 

Crossover semi-finals saw Boswells A beat Boswells B and AST Academy defeat Richmond A to set up a keenly-contested final, which Boswells A won 31-25.  

In Pool B, four teams battled it out, with Coventry and Warwick Riga winning the group stage by virtue of a maximum three victories from three. 

Newcastle Staffs A finished second, but were then able to turn the tables as the sides played off in the final. 

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