Sport For All
I have always believed that today’s second or third team players are tomorrow’s club stalwarts, secretaries and fixtures organisers. It won’t be the schoolboy star fly-half who serves the post-match food behind the counter; he’ll still be in the changing room applying the hair gel. It will be those for whom the game means more than how many goals or tries are scored. Those people who keep their local sports clubs going through unheralded hard work and commitment are the lifeblood of communities and their passion is borne from the camaraderie that comes through playing sport as a young person, rather than how talented they were at any particular game. It is why it is so important to get everyone enjoying the sport they play, irrespective of the level they reach. Physiques change, bodies grow, skills develop, speed quickens and pupils of all ages find things they are good at that will stand them in solid stead for later life.
Mrs Murray gave an excellent presentation about the sports department on Monday evening. She outlined the philosophy of the school’s approach to sport and what we are doing to create an environment in which everyone feels valued for the sport they can offer. Marrying up the conflicting ideals of giving opportunities to all, while simultaneously developing the elite performers is not straightforward but the intentions are there and we are laying firm foundations to develop every pupil through timetable changes, fixture and curriculum reviews, cohesion in the planning of activities and clubs and more emphasis on skill development rather than the result of any particular match.
“Life isn’t about winning everything, it’s about having the grace to learn about yourself and, by putting yourself against the challenges of sport, you don’t only learn about sporting techniques, but you also learn about what sort of person you are, what kind of character you are.” (Lynn Davies, Olympic Long Jump Gold medallist).