Battalion Blog

The annual Coleraine Battalion Volleyball competition was held on 25th and 26th November 2010. The Volleyball competition was divided into 2 sections, the Junior U-15 and Senior U-18 sections. Junior U-15 Section 9 companies were represented and after the initial group stages, the Semi-matches were paired as follows 1st Garvagh vs 2nd Limavady. 1st Coleraine vs 1st Portrush. 1st Coleraine ran out fairly comfortable winners against 1st Portrush, taking the match 2-0. The second semi-final was a much closer affair, with 2nd Limavady winning the first set by the narrowest of margins. 1st Garvagh responed strongly in the second set, winning 15-5, and then wrapped up the match with a close win in the 3rd set 15-13. The Final between 1st Garvagh and 1st Coleraine was an evenly contested match, with 1st Garvagh running out eventual winners by two sets to nil. Senior U-18 Section 8 companies were represented and after the initial group stages, the Semi-matches were paired as

On Thursday 28th October the Coleraine & District Battalion of the Boys' Brigade held the first competition of the new session. Boys and leaders from throughout the district attended the event at the Bowling Alley in Coleraine Jet Centre. Everyone had a fantastic night, congratulations go the everyone who took part, especially the winners, organisers and staff at the Super Strikers 10-pin Bowling at the Jet Centre. Senior Winner – Andrew 1st Ballywatt 136 Runner-up – John 1st Ballywatt 112 Junior Winner – Peter 1st Tamlaght 94 Runner-up – Stephen 1st Tamlaght 91 Junior (with Buffers) Winner - Matthew – 5th Coleraine 125 Runner-up – Louis – 2nd Coleraine 120 Team Competition Senior Winner – 1st Ballywatt 404 Junior Winner – 5th Coleraine 448 More photos on Facebook...

Congratulations to the following young men and their officers on the achievement of The Boys' Brigade's premier award - The Queen's Badge, during the 2009-2010 session. Adam Dorrans (1st Ballywatt) Andrew Lyons   (1st Ballywatt) Gareth McClenaghan   (1st Ballywatt) Jonathan Alcorn   (1st Balteagh) James Purcell   (1st Balteagh) Jordan Greer   (1st Coleraine) Ryan McCarter   (1st Coleraine) Connor Wallace   (1st Coleraine) David Quiston  (2nd Coleraine) Philip Gilliand  (5th Coleraine) Alexander Gourley  (5th Coleraine) Andrew Mawhinney  (5th Coleraine) James Scott  (5th Coleraine) Andrew Bloomfield  (1st Drumachose) Andrew Guy  (1st Drumachose) Stephen McAleese  (1st Drumachose) Mark Riley  (1st Drumachose) Glenn McAfee  (1st Dunboe) Andrew Laughlin  (1st Kilrea) James McCaughern  (1st Kilrea) Andrew Paul  (1st Kilrea) Andrew Robinson  (1st Limavady) Robert Kirke  (2nd Limavady) Jude Readdie  (2nd Limavady) And congratulations to Mark Callaghan (2nd

BB CONNECT empowers, develops and connects young people throughout BBNI. We aim to retain, equip and support the young leaders of the Brigade and allow them to help make the decisions which shape the Brigade now and in the future. BB CONNECT has organised 3 roadshow events around Northern Ireland for senior boys and leaders (male and female) aged 16-30. The nights consist of information stations about KGVI, NVQs, BB Connect and the Northern Ireland team to India in summer 2011, as well as activities from “igym star”, Ireland’s first arcade style mobile gymnasium (visit the company website www.igymstar.com) The India team is in partnership with Habitat for Humanity NI, and follows the success of the 2007 and 2009 BB teams. The team involves working alongside homeowners building basic, affordable housing for their families. All that is required is a sense of humour and a desire to work! The first roadshow is taking place at First Antrim Presbyterian Church on Tuesday 5th October

Eight teams from the Coleraine & District Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade took part in the first of their outdoor events for the session. This was the Orienteering Competition with Downhill Forest being the venue. Thankfully the weather was dry and mild unlike the cold and snowy conditions of late. The 14 marker course had a mixture of difficult and more obvious locations which proved a challenge to the wide variety of age groups. The eventual winners were the reigning champions 1st Garvagh BB Company who completed the course in 47 minutes, finishing 4 minutes ahead of their nearest rivals 1st Balteagh BB Company. 1st Garvagh Team Winners 1st Balteagh Runners-up 2nd Coleraine Team 1st Kilrea Teams 1st Garvagh Teams

Spring Competition Junior Challenge 2010 BATTALION HEAT The 2010 Junior Challenge competition will be held on Saturday 6 March 2010 in 1st Macosquin at 2.00pm. Companies may enter 1 team of 4 boys accompanied by at least 1 officer. The officer will supervise one of the challenges. Boys should wear their blue BB polo shirts and shorts along with trainers/gym shoes. Full details of event were published in Junior Section Newsletter January 2010. Congratulations Congratulations to 1st Kilrea the winners of the Junior Section 5-a-side competition and runners-up 1st Garvagh. Also, at the Figure Marching the winners were 1st Macosquin and runners up were 5th Coleraine. The Leading Boy was from 1st Kilrea Company. James Craig - Junior Section Northern Ireland District Representative