Traditionally, Dean Close has been highly successful in County, Regional and National level competitive sport. Many Old Decanians have gone on to play elite level sport, with many ODs playing professional Rugby and National League Hockey and with other individual success in other sports.
Over the last two decades, Dean Close has consistently qualified as National Finalists every year for both boys' and girls' indoor and outdoor Hockey.
Hockey Boys'
U18 National Champions 2009
U18 National Outdoor Joint Winners 2020
U18 National Indoor Finalists 2020
U16 National Champions 2012
U16 National Indoor Finalists 2020
Hockey Girls'
U18 National Champions 2013
U18 National Indoor Finalists 2020, 2021
U16 National Indoor Finalists 2020, 2021
Individual Honours
Current pupils
England U18 - Edward Stevens, Anna Payne
Wales U18 - Connie Davies
England U16 - Caitlin Thompson, Sebastian Friessner-Day
8 DCS pupils played in Futures Cup in August 2021.
5 pupils play in the National League for Gloucester HC, 2021-22.
3 pupils play National League for Cheltenham HC, 2021-22.
International Hockey ODs (Since Class of 2020)
GB U23 - Alex Chihota, Nick Nurse, Jacob Payton, Ellis Robson, Oliver Smart
England U18 - Oliver Smart, Nick Nurse, Adam Gower
Wales U21 - Theo Bancroft
Wales U18 - Sydney Davies
U14 (2020) County Champions and Regional Qualifiers
U16 (2021/2) County Champions and Regional Qualifiers.
Individual Honours
We are proud to have 5 girls train within a performance environment with Superleague Franchises, this season 2021-22: Severn Stars U19 National Performance League - Martha Steele Severn Stars U17s - Ella Taylor Severn Stars Nova Academy - Nuala Benson and Serena Ihle-Matthews Team Bath Athlete Development Centre - Emily Cox
Further successes have come from Old Decanian Flo Edwards who represented England for Nets and Loughborough Lightening Superleague. Many of our Decanians also go on to represent their University teams at various levels.
Dean Close enjoys direct links with the RFU Regional Gloucester Academy. We are a formally affiliated link School with our close relationship dating back to 2016. We currently have a number of boys performing at a very high level in all of the various age group pathways, with 8 Old Decanians playing in the Premiership.
Individual Honours
Current Pupils
England U18
George Merritt, Ioan Jones
U18 Gloucester Rugby Academy
George Merritt, Ben Peters, Ioan Jones, Jack Thorne, Reuben Whoodam, Harvey Bullen, Nacho Eleyae
Professionally contracted ODs (since 2020)
Gloucester Rugby
George Barton, Archie Benson, Lloyd Evans, Josh Gray, Matty Jones, Tom Seabrook, Freddie Thomas
University Scholarship Contracts through Gloucester Rugby
James Pollard, Bertie Taylor
Elite Academy Player - Jack Park
London Irish - Tom Pearson
Bristol Bears Rugby - Tiff Eden
Other Old Decanians of Note
Peter Browne (2006, Field) - Ulster, Harlequins, London Welsh
Tom Johnson (2000, Tower) - Exeter Chiefs, England Rugby (8 caps)
Modern Pentathlete U19 Championships 2021, 2nd place - Ollie Hodgson
British National Schools Biathlon Championships, 6th place - Ollie Hodgson
Cross Country
Our Senior Boys team placed 2nd in Regional Qualifier, competing in ESAA Cross Country National Finals 2021 with placed 23rd overall. Elite runner Luke Davis finished 17th individually.
Gloucestershire U18 Cross Country Team 2021/22 - Gaia Bowerman, Joshua Collenette and Luke Davis.
