St David's Newsletter

From the Desk of Bradley Ireland - Deputy Head: Extramurals

Children have unique development needs and timeframes. They are not miniature adults; they are children first and sportsmen/actors/musicians second.

Children need to make their own choices. Accept that their passion for an activity may change over time and it may not match our preferences.

Unconditional love – children need to know they are loved for who they are, not what they do. Bear in mind that our actions might be sending conflicting signals to our children.

Children need positive role models. How do we behave when the chips are down? How do we handle success and failure? Are we maintaining a healthy balance in our own lives?

Appreciate good performances from all participants from all teams. Not only is it respectful but it helps to reduce a child’s self-centredness.

Sportsmanship is crucial. Fair play, respect for match officials, honesty and an appreciation of the rules are vital.

Recognise and reward effort and progress and not just the results. Winning or losing at an early age is not an indicator of later success. The process of mastering skills and learning lessons is more important and that might not mean always winning when young.

Accept that there will be setbacks. These setbacks are an important part of developing resilience and mental toughness for life. Resist the temptation to constantly smooth the boys’ path. Encourage self-management and independence and let them take responsibility for their own activities.

Support the development of each boy as a person with a strong character and values. Ensure that interactions are positive.

Emphasise enjoyment for the boys (the adult’s enjoyment is secondary).

Be patient. It takes time to learn the necessary skills. Encourage and motivate during the lean times. The long-term benefit will be worth it.

St David’s Marist Inanda is extremely proud of Joshua Nott (Matric 2011) who has been selected as a 2017 Rhodes Scholar. Joshua is the second St David’s alumnus to be awarded this most prestigious scholarship to study at Oxford, the first being Robert Louis Amato (Matric 1960). While at St David’s Joshua excelled in academics, sport (specific honours: swimming) and was a College Prefect.

Joshua Nott is a young South African, dedicated to South Africa's Constitutional imperatives. He is a graduate from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Social Science in Law and Political Studies achieving distinction in Political Studies. Thereafter, Joshua studied towards his LLB degree and recently graduated cum laude, with class medals (first in class) for Criminal law; Jurisprudence and Criminal Procedure.

Joshua has represented South Africa through the South Africa-Washington International Programme (SAWIP), where he spent 8 weeks in Washington D.C. working at the prestigious think-tank - the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Joshua is keenly interested in social justice and has pioneered a number of workers’ rights and student focused initiatives during his time at the University of Cape Town. On the professional front, Joshua has worked for international and domestic think tanks, including; the CSIS and the Institute for African Alternatives (IFAA). Currently, Joshua is working at Bowman Gilfillan as a Candidate Attorney in the Litigation Department.

In December, 2016 Joshua was selected as one of 95 Scholars selected from: Australia, Bermuda, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Jamaica & the Commonwealth Caribbean, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland), SJLP (including Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine), United Arab Emirates, United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In October of 2017 Joshua will begin his studies at Oxford University and will read for either a Masters in Social Science or a Masters in Philosophy