Eton Fives

Eton Fives was first played in one of the bays of College Chapel by the steps up to the north entrance. Today’s courts retain some of the original features of the original court — the buttress, ledges, and steps. This is the only Eton game to have spread beyond Eton, although it is almost wholly confined to England (and Nigeria — where it is played by thousands!).

The basic pattern of play is quite like rackets or squash, but there is no singles version of the game, and you hit the ball with your hands (protected by gloves) rather than a racket.

The School Fives Club is thriving, and at least 20 boys in each year group represent the School. Regular block fixtures are played in the Michaelmas and Lent against all the leading Eton Fives schools, such as Harrow, Shrewsbury, Highgate, and St Olave’s, and there are matches too against adult teams such as the Old Etonians, the Jesters, and Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Eton also enters the Williams Cup (an inter-school competition for senior teams), and is currently one of the most successful schools.

There are internal House and Open competitions and leagues for individual pairs and teams at various age groups, as well as a popular Master & Boy competition.

At the end of the Lent Half Eton always has a substantial entry for the HSBC National Schools Eton Fives Championships, which are held in rotation at Shrewsbury. Highgate and Eton (it was our turn in 2006), and for which over 300 pairs from 30 schools enter overall. Etonians won the main competition in 1996, 2003 and 2006, as well as the Under-16, Under-15 (four times), Under-14 Novice (four times) tournaments and the Williams Cup (twice) in the last seven years.

Click here for details of this half’s fixtures.

Click here to visit the Eton Fives Association website.