After 14 years playing Rounders for England, Georgia Stanworth decided that 2021 was her year to resign from playing for her country.
Georgia’s interest in rounders first started when she was in primary school. She recalls Mr Hill, her teacher, persuaded her mum and dad to let her stay after school on a Friday to take part in the rounders after school club.
She said
“My mum and dad didn’t think I was going to be any good at it, but they let me do it anyway, along with the many other clubs I was already taking part in. When they came to watch, they realised I wasn’t too bad.”
Georgia recalls that it was Mr Hill that took them to competitions and that’s where her love for the game started. When she moved into secondary school she joined the school rounders team. A formidable rounders team, they played in many different competitions, even qualifying for the Rounders England national school finals. When Georgia was 12 she joined a Star Center, a club focused on developing rounders in the local community. It was run by ex England rounders player, Rachel Hurst. Over time, Rachel became a role model for Georgia and it was Rachel that recommended Georgia trial for England when she was 12 years old.
Georgia recalls
“At my first trial I turned up to try out as a backstop. One of my memories is from when we were demonstrating throwing skills. One of the selectors told me my arm was too good for a backstop and asked me to change position to an out fielder.”
From then on Georgia trialled as out fielder or on 1st post. She never looked back after that. She played for every squad from U13’s, U14’s, U15’s, U16’s, U18’s and to end her time with England, the Senior Squad.
Georgia has been on two tours as a player to the Isle of Man. Both times the England Squad came away unbeaten. Because of her commitment, Georgia had the honour of captaining every age group, until she moved to the Senior Squad. She had a massively successful sporting career playing rounders with England, only losing one game in her 14 years.
Georgia remembers fondly
“During my time playing I also had the amazing opportunity to coach the England U14 squad for 4 years. The girls I coached were amazing, as was the commitment from their parents. I loved every second of coaching these girls. I hope that they learnt from my experience, as much as I did from coaching them. I got to take them on tours to The Isle of Man and Guernsey. A lot of the girls I coached then, play alongside me now in the Senior Squad.”
She has so many memories from playing and coaching rounders but two that stick in her mind are; Frankie George making an outstanding one handed catch, defined by Georgia as ‘the best catch I have seen in my playing career’ and in her first season, being asked to go on tour to the Isle of Man and play in an older age group.
As a player and a coach Georgia got to travel all around England, as well as to Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man and Guernsey. She finds it hard to pick a favourite place where she has played.
Georgia finishes off by saying
“Even though my career as an England player has come to an end, I still compete in two local leagues in Rochdale and Saddleworth, where we have just won the league with an unbeaten streak.
During my 14 years of playing and coaching I have so met so many different people and it has been amazing to get to know each and every single person. The girls in the Senior Squad are more like family.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me, especially my parents who drove me around the country for 14 years. To all my coaches who believed in me over the years. It has been an honour to represent my country for so long.”
