What a Summer it has been for Year 10’s Willow Danks! We have many sporting stars at Saint Aidan’s, but few can claim to have representative honours at TWO sports. The details of Willow’s achievements in both tennis and golf really take the breath away!
In tennis, Willow experienced success at the following tournaments:
- U-14 tour winner in Yorkshire
- U-14 tour runner-up in Cheshire
- Area final winner in Pathway to Wimbledon
- Pathway to Wimbledon regional finals runner-up
- A win at the National Finals at Wimbledon itself
- Winner of the Lytham Ladies Summer Championships – against a 17-year old player
- Last-16 in Lancashire Championships at Bolton
The chance to play on the hallowed turf at Wimbledon is something that doesn’t come up for many people, so to tread in the footsteps of Federer, Borg, Laver and Murray was an amazing opportunity.
But the sporting achievements didn’t end there. Swapping her racquet for her golf bag, Willow was off round the courses of the North-West pursuing her other love. And out on the course, Willow managed the following:
- Winner in the Royal Lytham Junior Spring Meeting
- Represented Lancashire against Cheshire, winning her match as Lancs won the trophy
- On the winning team as Royal Lytham beat Royal Birkdale – both Open Championship venues
- Made the cut in the Lancashire Ladies Championships at Clitheroe
- Stableford Champion at the Lancashire Girls U-14 meeting
- Seventh in the North-West Championships at Knott End (second placed girl) – out of 67 competitors
- Joint first in the Fylde Coast Junior Golf Championships
- Won her match as Lancashire beat Yorkshire
So, a very busy Summer, with hopefully more success to come. Willow said ‘The highlight of my Summer was my Wimbledon appearance. However, my biggest achievement was a personal and team victory for Lancashire versus Yorkshire in golf.’
Deputy Head, Anthony Lord, commented, ‘Willow takes all of her success in her stride. We see the victories, medals and certificates, but nobody gets to see all the training, hard work and travel involved. Every credit to Willow’s parents who get her to all these places too!’
