SPORT
U15 S RUGBY SUCCESS
I have had the pleasure of being involved with the U15s rugby at Dulwich in each of the seven years I have worked here. This year started with a wonderful pre-season tour to Biarritz, where the boys demonstrated an appetite for hard work and a desire to make the most of the season ahead. For the boys, the season was never about the win or lose column, but more about striving to do their best, growing, learning and developing along the way. The boys’ attitude was exemplary and they should be commended for their dedication and commitment. Learning continued to be the theme, as each week the boys put into practice what we had learned that week in order to give them as many strings to their bow as possible. Then, on one memorable night at the home of the European Champions, Dulwich beat Hurstpierpoint to gain entry into the quarter-finals of the Natwest Cup for the third year in succession. For the third year in a row we then lost, at home, to a better side, and whilst the boys were hugely disappointed, they didn’t let this faze them, as they followed this up by winning every Sevens competition they entered. This extraordinary run had me reaching for the record books, where I could find no example of this ever happening before. Again, it wasn’t the fact that these boys won that I seek to celebrate here, but more the desire, hard work and refusal to give in, whilst remaining thoroughly good blokes along the way, that was so impressive.
I believe that three events encapsulate the very reason why sport still thrives in schools. The health and wellbeing of our boys has never been more at the forefront of our minds and I believe sport and physical activity, if delivered in the right manner, can help develop character, ease stress, create lifelong friendships, break down cultural and economic barriers, create memories and be a huge source of fun. The amount of sport that the boys engage in here at Dulwich is enormous and none of this would be possible without the dedication of the staff who give up their time so willingly to ensure that we have a referee, a minibus driver or a marshal for every single fixture or event. To them, we owe a huge debt of gratitude. The heads of each sport do a wonderful job in such a busy school, to deliver on so many fronts while recognising there is always room for improvement. Our grounds staff, catering and support teams do a fantastic job across the board. And to the parents who support so religiously from the side of a pitch or a pool or a lake, your involvement and commitment is hugely appreciated and valued. But really, the main stars here are the boys, who I believe grow, mature and develop as people through their experiences within sport, no matter at what level they play.
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