Ex-Priory and Westfield pupils competing in sports, as reported in the News and Sports Mail, May-August 1978

If I read through the sports pages of The News and Sports Mail during summer 1978, during my first year at Priory School, looking at athletics coverage, female power was all the rage.
(Fareham AC's "man mountain" followed some years later)

I knew Tracey Goodall (Priory) and Donna Hillyer (ex-Westfield Junior School, then at Springfield), via Tracey, who both competed for Portsmouth Atalanta athletics club.
They were reported almost on a weekly basis.

 

Tracey Goodall (note her first name was spelt incorrectly) Sports Mail, 5 August 1978

  

I've yet to locate a portrait of Donna Hillyer, but don't know if she's in this line-up for the Hampshire Schools Championship photo in The News, 9 June 1978 (please contact me)

 

Although Priory School's sports day at Alexandra Park in July 1978 wasn't reported, nevertheless Priory's pupils competed in sports, despite the fact that the school, because of its inner city location, never had a full-sized football pitch or athletics track for practice.

However, there was an open space, since built on, located within the school on the corner of Fawcett Road and Rugby Road, where there was a long jump run and pit. When the road layout was re-arranged around Bradford Junction (Victoria Road North) more space was created for tennis and hockey pitches.

For football (autumn and winter) and athletics (summer), pupils were bussed to open ground adjoining Warren Avenue, Milton. I remember walking home back to Southsea most Friday afternoons straight after football still wearing my claret and blue kit!

 

 

 

The Portsmouth Second Year Schools League held at Alexandra Park, reported in Sports Mail, 17 June 1978.

A Competition, Boys: Long jump, Mills (King Richard), 4.70m = Kevin? Mills,

Javelin, M. Tyler (King Richard), 27.0m = Mark Tyler

 

B Competition, Girls: 100m, Goodall (Priory), 14.4 sec = Tracey Goodall

High jump, R. Harvey (Priory), 1.20m = Rachel Harvey

 

The same event, reported in The News, 20 June 1978.

 

A Events, Boys: 400m: Vincent (Priory), 65.1 secs = (don't know his first name)

A Events, Girls: Long jump: Goodall (Priory),  4.49m = Tracey Goodall

B Events, Girls: Long jump: Marsh (Priory), 3.90m = Margaret Marsh

 

  

Finally, anyone remember teacher Roy Smith at Westfield Junior School? I remember seeing him about, but was never taught by him! Report in The News, 30 May 1978.

[Revised 14 September 2018 to correct title and include details of Priory School's outdoor sports facilities]