Shrewsbury Fives' coaches nominated in National Awards

Two members of Shrewsbury School staff have been nominated in this year’s Eton Fives Association Awards. 

Master I/C Fives, Adam Morris, has been nominated for Coach of the Year and Seb Cooley has been nominated for Player of the Year in the EFA End of Season Awards. The Old Salopian Fives team has also been nominated for Team of the Year.  

Mr Morris said: “It is fantastic to have been nominated for coach of the year. It is especially pleasing to have been recognised for this in my first year as Master I/C Fives, I must be doing something right!  

All credit must go to my fellow coaches, in particular Seb Cooley and Andy Barnard who have been superb in coaching our Senior Boys and Girls throughout the season. The pupils have been superb, and I hope there can be more success in the coming years.

Mr Cooley, who has been National Fives Champion for 12 consecutive years, added: “I’m delighted to have wheedled out a nomination for player of the year: the company is certainly illustrious. 

As I’ve previously written, coaching is a two-way process and being involved with the constant creativity of our young players keeps me thinking about new and unusual shots: this is a constant technical, as well as mental, asset. I should single out particularly Digby T-W (I, UVI) and Rory M-O'B (Ph, UVI), our top boys’ pair, whose competitive edge has kept the whetstone from gathering moss (at least one too many metaphors).  

“Further, there’s Jack H (Rb, V), in whose presence it is on every level impossible to be either tired or bored. Then there are those new to the sport: Third Formers Michael D (I), Jonty S (O) and Max M (O) amongst others, whose desire to test themselves - and some success in doing so - is a reminder that experience, though powerful, isn’t everything. Finally John Williams, who in composing the Force theme, has provided a musical background with which to hold in anchor that mental state. 

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