Sports Day 2023

SHS Sports Day 2023: What a fabulous, successful day!

Each year, the annual Sports Day fixture provides us all with the opportunity to get out into the fresh air, spend some quality ‘bonding’ time together and, above all, have some sporting fun! And this year, we were once again lucky to have the weather on our side (apart from a brief, five minute downpour!).

Students of all sporting abilities are encouraged to take part on the day but it’s also a brilliant show case for those more able sportsmen - quite deservedly - to shine on the day. Each year, it’s amazing to see everyone cheering their form members on and it goes without saying that Form Tutors can’t help but become extremely competitive about their own class performance, roaring their support as students race along the tracks and do well in their chosen events. And this year it was particularly great to see so many parents/carers join us to cheer on their loved ones.

Sixth Formers played their part

There to support both staff and students were our Sixth Form students, who helped out with events such as shot put, long jump and high jump. Acting as event ‘go-betweens’, they were also responsible for providing the ‘control team’ with event results as and when they happened. 

Talented Media Team

Our talented Media students – led by Mrs Glendenning – really stepped up to the plate this year, live- streaming events and broadcasting live interviews with student winners throughout the day. Our interviewer was none other than Head of MFL Mr Johnson, who was an absolute natural behind the microphone/onscreen, congratulating the winners and encouraging them to speak live on camera. Working brilliantly together, the Media team of students and staff were highly professional from the onset and they really did the school proud.

Students did us proud!

Students really threw themselves into the competitive spirit of the day and it was interesting to see so many ‘photo finishes’ between competitors. The behaviour of the boys was superb and staff felt understandably proud of their conduct throughout the day. In addition, all staff, grouped in faculties, were expected to compete in every main event, including field, track and relay. Suffice to say, the students thought this was fantastic and really enjoyed watching their teachers being put through their paces!

Every single student gave their very best on the day, but there are a few ‘top performers’ who deserve a special mention as follows:

Year 7:

• JACK T – won the 300m and 1500m race
• TANA G – won the 200m and 800m race
• DONTE T  -achieved a new high jump record for the school

Year 8:

• CARLOS C  - won the 100m race and also the triple jump, relay and long jump
• SAM T – won the 300m and 800m race and shotput
• HARRISON S -1500m race and Discuss

Year 9:

• AIDAN R –won the 1500m race and triple jump
• ROBERT T –won the 200m race and high jump

Year 10:

• OLIVER M - won the 200m race (setting a new school record) and Discuss

The P.E department would like to say a really big thank you to all students, staff and parents for making this year’s Sports Day at Kingsmeadow on Thursday so successful –and fun! However, we must say a big thank you key organiser Head of PE Mr Colbert and his team for delivering such a smooth running event.

SPECIAL SPORTS ACHIEVEMENT STUDENT PROFILE 

A Sports Day event presents the perfect opportunity for every student – whatever their sporting ability – to take part and do the best they can. For some students, it’s the ideal chance for them to demonstrate resilience and perseverance in a subject area that they perhaps find rather challenging. For others, it really is the perfect platform to demonstrate their sporting prowess.

We have a good number of students at Southborough that, through a combination of natural ability and hard work, perform exceptionally well in their chosen sporting field. Below provides a brief sporting profile of a number of students that are ‘flying high’ at their chosen sport. Each student is an absolute credit to our school.

Harry W –Champion Golfer

Year 9 student Harry W recently represented the school at the Surrey Schools Golf Championship and played unbelievably well. He came 3rd overall against students of all age groups. Please see the scorecard and photo below. Harry is a very keen golfer and has been a member of Surbiton Goft Club for over six years now. For the past year, he’s also been a member of Burhill Golf Club. He most recently came second position in a Club Championship tournament and 4^th in an Under 14 ‘Rookie Tour’. Harry plays off a 10 handicap, an amazing achievement for someone of Harry’s age.

Oliver M – Talented England Football Player

 Year 10 student Oliver got his first England ‘call up’ in April 2022; he’d just turned 14 years of age and it was a ‘massive’ moment for him. He worked incredibly hard both on and off the pitch, understanding that the fitter and healthier you are in both body and mind, the better you perform on the pitch. By October 2022 he received his second call up. Oliver’s International debut as goalkeeper took place at St Georges Park, Burton on Trent (home ground for all 23 England teams) against Belgium and he has since represented England in an U15 football tournament at Pinatar Arena in Spain, where his team beat Japan. During this particular game, Oliver made three great ‘saves’, - including a last minute penalty save   - making it the greatest game of his life so far! Oliver continues to go from strength to strength playing for England and we look forward to hearing more about him in the near future.

Leonardo B and Jayden T – Champion Basketball Players

 As talented basketball players who regularly represent the school in tournaments, Year 8 students Leo Bowman and Jayden T recently took a trip to Budapest, Hungary to take part in the European Basketball Youth League. Their team won the entire tournament, making British basketball history as this was the first time a British team had won!  Leo was also awarded ‘ EYBL Best Player on the Team’ Award, something he understandably feels especially proud of. Both students work hard at their sport and hope to make it to professional level one day.

Sam T – Gifted Athlete

Year 8 student Sam has been involved in various forms of running since he was four years old. As a member of the Epsom & Ewell Harriers Athletics Club, Sam has spent the last nine years developing his running strength and skills via a variety of competitions that include 400 metres, 800 metres, cross-country and many other indoor athletic events. Last year Sam pretty much won every single running event for his year group at our school Sports Day and was also part of the highly successful Year 8 team that won the Borough Indoor Athletics tournament earlier this year.

Unsurprisingly, Sam now represents Surrey in National competitions and during the Easter holidays, Sam travelled up to Stoke on Trent with his supportive family to take part in a series of events. As Team Captain of the Under 13 Boys team, Sam won or was placed in a number of races, including 6 lap, 8 lap relay and speed bounce (achieving 84 hurdle jumps in 30 seconds!). Suffice to say, Sam certainly played his part in Surrey winning the National tournament overall, gaining the title ‘UK under 13 Boys Athletics Champions’. Sam has gained a number of additional successes since then and also beat a 40 year school record in the High Jump earlier in June at the Borough Athletics with a result of 1.65metres. In ‘old money’ terms, that’s a 5ft 4 inches jump!

Finally ……..

We would like to extend our congratulations to each and every student who worked tirelessly as ball boys at the recent Wimbledon All England Tennis Championships. They were a real credit to themselves and the school!