Farewell to Will James

It's our last weekend of sports fixtures in 2025 and a poignant moment for our Head of Games and Rugby, Mr Will James. We are really sad to be saying goodbye to Will after 11 happy years at Ampleforth. Will joined us in June 2014, after a successful career playing rugby for Gloucester Rugby and for Wales.

Ampleforth has a strong sporting reputation and there have been notable successes and achievements under Will’s leadership. Sport is integral to life here for all our students, not only for those in the top teams or participating in national, regional, and county performance pathways. Will should be very proud of our 100% student participation rate and across such a broad range of sporting opportunities besides the long-established staples of rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, and tennis. Under his tenure, our students have enjoyed fixtures against other schools in everything from water polo to raft-racing, fencing to shooting, and squash to basketball. 

As a committed believer that sport is about personal fulfilment and wellbeing, as well as learning to work in teams and develop the resilience necessary to achieve goals, Will has made sure that sport is enjoyable for all through an enthusiastic and positive coaching approach. Often called the Big Man, behind the imposing and unmistakeable looks of a 2nd row rugby player, he is a gentle giant with a kindness and thoughtfulness which have earned him a huge following amongst students and staff alike. His sports tours – and not just the ones to Sri Lanka or South Africa – have never been more popular. 

Will, his wife Rose, and daughters Bethan (B20) and Loyce (B22) leave the Valley to return to their family home in Devon. They go with our very best wishes and with a great debt of gratitude.