Magazine 2018

12. Mid Air 13. All smiles in all colours. 14. Almost finished 15. Go, go, go 16. Jumping for joy 17. Our first race in Grade 1 - what fun 18. Winning ways at the finish line 19. Take off 20. Power walking for winners 21. I love running 22. Shot put throwing 23. House gathering “Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” – Michael Jordan Every year the Junior Preparatory learners gather on the far end of the sports field to celebrate the gift of movement. This year was no different. On a beautifully calm late-summer’s morning, the house colours of Yale, Cambridge, Harvard and Oxford stood waiting to greet our energetic athletes. For the Grade 1 learners, this is a new experience. There is tremendous excitement mixed with nervous energy, not just from our young athletes but also from the parents, watching from the sidelines. But as soon as the whistle blows for the first event, all is forgotten and all energy is focused on the fun that each individual athlete is having. Once the echo of the final war cry had faded over the vast sports field, it was time for the action to begin. Boys and girls in blue, yellow, green and red lined up for their first test: the 400m race. This is a test of endurance, twice around the track. The question that all the athletes face is when to start sprinting. Some will sprint from the start, others will start sprinting agonizingly late. There is a sweet spot which a few athletes get just right. Not all of our bodies are designed the same way, not everyone can run a long way, not everyone can run a short way quickly, not everyone can jump very far and not everyone can put a shot. There is an event for everyone at the Junior Prep Fun Sports Day, with a skill that is learned and practised in the weeks leading up to the big day. A fan favourite this year was definitely the beginners’ shotput event. It is an event where the crowd can get relatively close to the action and cheer their superstar on the big stage. There are coaches in the shotput areas too, to give words of support and encouragement and to guide our young athletes with their technique. 12 13 The Grade 3 learners hold long jump trials in the weeks leading up to Sports Day, with the best jumpers qualifying for their final jumps on the day. There is plenty of excitement around campus as the names get released, and especially as the athletes line up at the foot of their run up. This must be what being an Olympian feels like! As with all major athletic meetings the final events are the sprints. The atmosphere by this time is fever pitch. There is a distinct beauty in the way the sprinting events unfold. The precision of placing your hands in the starting block with your knee tucked into your chest. As the whistle sounds – the transition into the acceleration phase. Tension from the spectators to see who takes an early lead. The athletes now in full flight down the track, natural speed for everyone to see. Finally, the final push to the line and the lunge over the finish line. Citius, Altius, Fortius, - Faster, Higher, Stronger. The Olympic motto. This is what our athletes were aiming for. SPORT Preparatory 68. 21st Edition