The new Sports Dome is open
In an exciting opening ceremony the new Richard Huish Sports Dome was officially opened on Thursday 31st August. In keeping with its future key role in furthering the College’s outstanding sporting reputation, the Dome was immediately ‘buzzing’ with activity. Huish was proud to welcome back elite students from the past who had all been members of national championship winning teams.
First on were two teams comprising of the 2000 & 2001 British Colleges Women’s basketball champions and their 2003 & 2004 successors. The game was extremely keenly fought with both teams level on score until the final two minutes. Three point scores from Becky Brinley and on the opposing team Jenny Ridgway kept the games tied into the final thirty seconds with Hannah Watkins scoring a freethrow to win the game in the dieing seconds.
The formal opening was then conducted in front of 200 current Huish sport students who had just completed an exhausting full day of pre-season training. The new dome was officially opened by Ray Stokes, the retiring chair of governors and Robert Woodman from Somerset County Cricket Club. This was followed by a thrilling display by the gymnasts of Taunton Deane Gymnastics Club.
Last on was the men’s volleyball team of 2003-2005, [national champions in 2005] who played against old rivals Wessex Volleyball Club from Weymouth. Another high level sporting contest ensued with Huish unfortunately being beaten by an extremely impressive Wessex side two sets to nil.
The Dome will ensure further exciting developments both for Huish Sport and the local sporting community, and will undoubtedly enable Huish to maintain and develop its reputation as a local, regional and nationally recognised centre of sporting excellence.
