SPORT
U18 S LONDON CUP FINAL V BRENTWOOD 2017
I believe that to gain success in whatever it is you are striving for, you have to have been through some form of adversity along the way. Never has this been more apparent than in the way the season evolved for our 1st XI football team. A departing coach, a rain-sodden tour to Spain and a tough start to the season against Hampton all meant that these boys could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel in early January. However, with captain Freddie Maher at the fore, leading in a manner that Shackleton would have admired, our boys worked harder than ever to turn their season around and ended up in two cup semi-finals. Sadly, they lost one away at Brighton College, but won the second to set up a fascinating London Cup final against that well-known footballing M ore important than winning is the opportunity we have to try. If boys are inspired to take part, it can be hoped that this will engender a lifelong love of physical activity and an understanding of the positive benefits this can have. In a generation where a boy’s gaze is often distracted by a computer, a smart phone declaiming the latest social media epidemic or the latest Whatsapp group discussion, days like the Junior School Sports Day are special. Under the watchful eye and careful planning of Mr Davies, the Junior School Sports Day encompasses everything that is good
powerhouse, Brentwood School. The final, played under lights at Beckenham Town FC, was a demonstration of just how far endeavour, determination and attitude can get you. Under the watchful eye of Mr Whaymand, Dulwich put in a huge performance to walk away 4-1 winners on the night. While the result was fantastic, it was the manner in which those boys went about their business that was so incredibly impressive. There was a togetherness, a determination, a resolve and a resilience resonating through the boys that night in what was easily the best 1st XI performance I have seen during my time here at Dulwich. These boys had taken on the mantra of ‘Do what is right, not what is right for me’.
JUNIOR SCHOOL HOUSE ATHLETICS
about sport in schools: mass participation, where every boy – and I mean every boy – in the Junior School represents their House in at least two events. It really is a wonderful occasion, where the whole of the Junior School, including staff, gather together and have a great deal of fun in the name of sport. In a recent survey conducted by the University of Minnesota, the underlying factor of why children play sport remains this – to have fun with their friends. Anyone who watched the Junior School Sports Day will, I’m sure, agree with these findings.
136
Made with FlippingBook Online document