Fairfax water polo star: A talented Fairfax Academy water polo player has made a splash after winning a coveted trophy – which is handed to sport stars of the future in memory of one of the school’s greatest athletes.
Emily Hewston, who has been playing water polo for eight years, was presented with the Burt Noone Trophy at Fairfax’s Celebration Evening on January 11, in recognition of her outstanding dedication to the sport. The Trophy is awarded annually, in memory of power boat racing champion Burt Noone, a former student who died tragically in 1995.
This week Emily was also presented with an engraved plaque to commemorate her win.
She said: “I wasn’t expecting an award at all, so it was a real surprise when my name was called out!”
A member of Solihull Water Polo Club, Emily trains for eight hours a week after school, and is also a representative on the sport’s West Midlands youth panel, which works to encourage other young people to take up water polo.
Her skills have also seen her called up to represent her country at international level.
She said: “I’ve competed in the Midlands League, the National League and the new Conference League and I played for Great Britain in the Czech Republic, which was a brilliant experience.
“In fact, I’m meant to be going away three times this year – to Jersey, Italy and a training camp in Malta.”
Kay Noone, Burt’s mum, said Emily’s dedication to the sport made her a fitting recipient of the trophy.
Kay said: “When a young people get these opportunities to excel in sport you want them to feel they’ve really achieved something, and that their efforts are recognised. It takes determination and grit to succeed in sport, and I was so impressed by what Emily has done.”
Burt, who was known to many as BJ, was posthumously awarded the title of British Power Boat Champion after his tragic death in an accident while competing in 1995.
Kay said: “Burt followed in the footsteps of his father and brother, who were both world champions of power boating.
“He was very well known at Fairfax for what he did in power boating – he even stood up on stage and gave the students a talk about racing. He had a tremendous personality and packed a lot into his 16 years.”
Now the trophy, first awarded at Fairfax in 1995, has become part of the school’s heritage, keeping Burt’s name alive in the sporting community.
Fairfax water polo star is an inspiration
Principal Sean Castle said Fairfax continues to produce passionate and talented athletes across a wide variety of sports.
He said: “I think Emily is amazing – she is an example of what can be achieved in sport if you apply yourself, and she is a very deserving recipient of the Burt Noone Trophy. If you look at the names engraved on the trophy, you’ll find some of the best athletes Fairfax has ever produced, and now her name has been added to that list.
“Sporting life encompasses our school’s culture and ethos. There’s a lot of sporting talent at the school – and it’s impressive how many different sports the students participate in.
“A lot of our students play for local teams as well, and we encourage them to continue playing sport outside of school because it’s not only great for their fitness and health it also promotes personal development and helps them learn important transferable skills.”
Alongside Fairfax water polo star Emily, the academy has other students who represent England and Great Britain in a variety of sports, including cricket, martial arts and snowboarding.
Mr Castle said: “I think our house system helps Fairfax encourage a friendly but competitive approach to sports, which then develops the students’ abilities.
“It something we care a great deal about. PE teachers are given time to teach sports outside of the normal curriculum, and students will come out of lessons every other week to compete in house sports. I think this sets Fairfax apart from other schools.”
Water polo star Emily wins the Burt Noone Trophy
A talented Fairfax Academy water polo player has made a splash after winning a coveted trophy – which is handed to sport stars of the future in memory of one of the school’s greatest athletes.
Emily Hewston, who has been playing water polo for eight years, was presented with the Burt Noone Trophy at Fairfax’s Celebration Evening on January 11, in recognition of her outstanding dedication to the sport. The Trophy is awarded annually, in memory of power boat racing champion Burt Noone, a former student who died tragically in 1995.
This week Emily was also presented with an engraved plaque to commemorate her win.
She said: “I wasn’t expecting an award at all, so it was a real surprise when my name was called out!”
A member of Solihull Water Polo Club, Emily trains for eight hours a week after school, and is also a representative on the sport’s West Midlands youth panel, which works to encourage other young people to take up water polo.
Her skills have also seen her called up to represent her country at international level.
She said: “I’ve competed in the Midlands League, the National League and the new Conference League and I played for Great Britain in the Czech Republic, which was a brilliant experience.
“In fact, I’m meant to be going away three times this year – to Jersey, Italy and a training camp in Malta.”
Kay Noone, Burt’s mum, said Emily’s dedication to the sport made her a fitting recipient of the trophy.
Kay said: “When a young people get these opportunities to excel in sport you want them to feel they’ve really achieved something, and that their efforts are recognised. It takes determination and grit to succeed in sport, and I was so impressed by what Emily has done.”
Burt, who was known to many as BJ, was posthumously awarded the title of British Power Boat Champion after his tragic death in an accident while competing in 1995.
Kay said: “Burt followed in the footsteps of his father and brother, who were both world champions of power boating.
“He was very well known at Fairfax for what he did in power boating – he even stood up on stage and gave the students a talk about racing. He had a tremendous personality and packed a lot into his 16 years.”
Now the trophy, first awarded at Fairfax in 1995, has become part of the school’s heritage, keeping Burt’s name alive in the sporting community.
Principal Sean Castle said Fairfax continues to produce passionate and talented athletes across a wide variety of sports.
“Burt followed in the footsteps of his father and brother, who were both world champions of power boating,”
– kay noone
He said: “I think Emily is amazing – she is an example of what can be achieved in sport if you apply yourself, and she is a very deserving recipient of the Burt Noone Trophy. If you look at the names engraved on the trophy, you’ll find some of the best athletes Fairfax has ever produced, and now her name has been added to that list.
“Sporting life encompasses our school’s culture and ethos. There’s a lot of sporting talent at the school – and it’s impressive how many different sports the students participate in.
“A lot of our students play for local teams as well, and we encourage them to continue playing sport outside of school because it’s not only great for their fitness and health it also promotes personal development and helps them learn important transferable skills.”
Alongside Emily, Fairfax has other students who represent England and Great Britain in a variety of sports, including cricket, martial arts and snowboarding.
Mr Castle said: “I think our house system helps Fairfax encourage a friendly but competitive approach to sports, which then develops the students’ abilities.
“It something we care a great deal about. PE teachers are given time to teach sports outside of the normal curriculum, and students will come out of lessons every other week to compete in house sports. I think this sets Fairfax apart from other schools.”