SSt David's Newsletter - 10 March 2017

From the desk of Mr Brad Ireland: College Deputy Head - Extramurals
This week sees the official change of the sport seasons. In the College space, all boys are fully involved with either Rugby or Hockey. While some hockey teams will be participating in the season-opening ‘Festival of the Saints’ on Saturday 11 March, others will get their first opportunity to play in a match next week. The start of the winter season is always accompanied by a buzz around the school and much excitement. The bulk of this week and next week will be filled with trials and training in preparation for the main fixtures that start next week. I look forward to an enjoyable and competitive day of matches against St Alban’s College at home in both rugby and hockey next Saturday.
The Prep boys have started athletics and they are all busy preparing for the athletics meetings that also start next week.
I have included two infographics that highlight some very important points relating to schoolboy sport. Please take the time to carefully consider the messages portrayed. It is our intention that the St David’s sports experience be a very positive one for all parties involved.
This is also an ideal opportunity to remind all participants and spectators about the school’s code of conduct for sport. Please spend a few minutes with your son today reading through the extracts below.
CODE OF CONDUCT - SPORT
Student Sportsmen

Do your homework each evening and prepare for tests and assignments.

Conduct yourself with good sportsmanship. Follow the rules of the game. Respect your teammates, your opponents, the coaching staff and the officials.

Follow all school rules. They apply to all practices, competitions and team trips. Do not smoke, drink, take drugs or use any prohibited substances.

Attend all practices and matches and arrive on time with the appropriate equipment.

Be “coachable.” Arrive at practice with a willingness to learn, to contribute to the team’s goals and to give of your best.

Be a supportive teammate. Align your own ambitions with those of the team, and look to the team first and yourself second. Remain positive, committed and competitive regardless of the amount of playing time, your own performance or the score.

Communicate with teammates and coaches. If you have a problem or concern, speak with your team captain or a coach.

If you have a concern that remains unresolved after a conversation with your team captain or coach, please follow the appropriate line of communication: Head Coach, Housemaster, Deputy Headmaster, Headmaster.

Conduct yourself in a way that brings honour to yourself and St David’s Marist Inanda.

Student Spectators

Cheer for St David’s Marist Inanda teams and not against opponents.

Be a considerate host at home fixtures and a courteous guest at away fixtures.

Respect the student athletes, coaches, and officials. Do not address them individually or make derogatory remarks about them.

Remain in the St David’s Marist Inanda spectator section, and refrain from directing cheers toward the opposing spectators.

At fixtures, whether at home or away, respect the school’s property and facilities.

Respect the playing fields both during and after a fixture.

Be gracious in defeat and humble in victory.

Parents

Make sure that your son’s documentation is submitted in good time.

Schedule your son’s appointments so they do not conflict with team practices and competitions. If you provide transportation for your son, make sure he arrives on time for practices and competitions and has the equipment he needs for the sport.

Take an interest in your son’s sport experience by taking an interest in the experience of the whole team.

Model good sportsmanship for your son by respecting opponents and officials. Cheer for St David’s teams and not against the opponents.

Let your son know that win or lose he is loved and that his efforts are appreciated.

Respect the coach. Do not coach from the stands. Leave the coaching to the coaching staff. Do not raise concerns with the coach before or after a contest as this is not an appropriate time for resolving problems.

Follow the correct channels of communication. If your son has a concern, he should first speak to the team captain or coach. If this action does not resolve the problem, the parent and/or student should meet with the Head Coach together.

Keep things in perspective. As a general rule, if you have a concern, please wait twenty-four hours before suggesting that your son meet with the coach.

Expect your son to conduct himself in a way that brings honour to himself and St David’s Marist Inanda.

Water Polo - A great end to the season by Dean Whyte
The 2016/17 season for St David’s ended off on a high winning the Gauteng Schools Reef Cup at St Stithians this past weekend. In what was a dominant display of water polo as well as great mature character in high pressured times during the tournament.
This tournament was the goal to build towards throughout the season but did not come without its trials and tribulations.
Some of the highs included:
Drawing (2-2) with the winners of the Grey Bloemfontein Water Polo tournament – Grey High
The narrow loss to St Johns College (6-7) at Pretoria Boys High School Festival and then bouncing back in the next game to beat rivals Jeppe High School (9-8)
Winning the Gauteng Top 8 Shield final against Parktown Boys’ High School.
A convincing win against Crawford College Lonehill (10-4) in the Reef Cup Final, and Goalie of the tournament was awarded to Jared Boden.
We achieved overall a 70% win rate and the season closes with many fond memories for both Boys and Coaches, we plan to carry the seasons successes to the second half of the year. With 8 Matriculants leaving, it will bring a new set of challenges for us amongst topping this seasons result but we will continue to strive towards great successes through the values of what it means to be a Marist man in sport.

Front: M. Farr, J Boden (Keeper of the tournament and Tournament Team), D Whyte (coach), R Lehane (captain and Tournament Team), J Farr, N Poole, G Kourie
Back: J Breen (Vice Captain and Tournament Team), R Kamstra, B Stewart (manager), M Bester, G Gace, M Mason, T O’ Donoghue, D Kamstra and R Pritchard

Basketball – Determined to be the Kings of the Court By Elivis Ukpong
Although Basketball is relatively new at St David’s, the sport has grown in leaps and bounds within the school over the past few years. In the 2016/2017 season, the 1^st team enjoyed some noteworthy victories against some of our toughest competition which includes beating St Stithians College for the first time in September at the St Peter’s tournament and again at the just concluded St John’s tournament.
The team finished the St Peter’s tournament unbeaten by winning all 6 group matches this past weekend.
Another first time victory for St David’s Basketball was the hard-fought win against St John’s College at the Kearsney College tournament in October 2016. Of course it is worthy to note the spectacular achievement of beating Jeppe High School for Boys twice in one week. Our 1st team also enjoyed success at the recently concluded St John’s tournament finishing at 11^th place out of 28 schools who participated in the tournament.
St David’s basketball has climbed up the SA Schools Sports ladder currently ranked at 18th according to the latest ranking of 3 March 2017 : http://www.saschoolsports.co.za/basketball/national/basketball
this-weeks-sa-schools-rankings-3-03-2017.html

Back row: Luke Tollman, Garrick Pagel, Wandile Bhembe, Braydon Wooley, Ewan Thorpe.
Front row: Karabo Maepa, Declan Banks, Rorisang Shongwe, Ross Martin, Molemo Theys, Leo Michael, Simbainashe Kanyangarara

St David's Marist Inanda in the Pool
This season the St David’s swimming teams once again proved that dedication and training can deliver results. At the Alan Burt Top Ten Invitational Gala the A team finished in second place behind Westville High School and this was followed by a third place at the Annual Westville Invitational Gala behind Westville High School and Grey College Bloemfontein. The A team then went on to take second place at the Inter-High Relay Gala while the B team won their section. The season then culminated with the Inter-High Individual Galas where both teams delivered superb performances and did their School proud when they finished as the champions.
Mrs Jenny Greensill