I hope you all had a super half-term. It might have been a week for walks, runs, bike rides – maybe even sea swims, as the last of the summer ebbed away and autumn tightened its grip. Don’t forget our Pilgrims' Way virtual award. Pupils can accumulate their totals over any distance-type activity. Keep a log of it and send it to me, with parent sign-off, so that they may receive an embroidered badge. The distance to achieve is the length of the walking trail from here to Canterbury along the Pilgrims' Way – at least, our notional version of it – that's 133 miles or 214 km. It would be brilliant to award some more in whole school assembly.
Football
Congratulations to Gabriel O, Giovanni S and James Z who have made it through to the next round of ISFA U13 football trials. The three are aiming at a spot on the South Central squad to play at Shrewsbury School next April. We wish them luck.
On the subject of ISFA, our U13 third round home tie with John Lyon has been organised for Friday 12 November, 2.30pm kick-off. Spectators are welcome.
This afternoon we have football with Twyford, on Thursday we have an Under 8 and 9 mini-festival with Twyford and Farleigh and we finish the week with Saturday’s fixtures with Elstree. I’m afraid the U12 and 13 re-scheduled swimming for Monday 8 November at Twyford has been pushed back to next term.
Fives
Fives returns as a commoner (5-6pm) on Monday evenings with Mr Rainer. It is a wall game akin to squash but with gloved hands. We have had national champions in the past and we’re looking forward to its post-Covid re-emergence. Thanks to Mr Rainer for running Fives. It will continue through to Easter in this slot and is open to pupils in Year 6 and above. If your son is interested, please contact Miss Higham. If necessary, priority will go to pupils in Year 8, then 7, then 6.
OPRO
OPRO mouthguard fittings take place here on Friday 5 November. Please check your email inbox for more details or if this service is of interest.
Tennis balls
I’m afraid I am experiencing a sense of loss in school lately. The humble tennis ball, an object of great utility has all but disappeared from the school yard, grid, or whatever school equivalent you care to name. At least, this seems the case for Pilgrims’ and pilgrims. Unfortunately, lockdown appears to have erased its use from playground memory. It was an unofficial, essential item of a pupil’s pockets; one tennis ball, complete with initials in thick permanent marker.
Not so very long ago, here at school, every so often there would be mass clearances of the gutters with tennis balls returned to queues of pining owners. The tennis ball, largely unscathed (perhaps a little bleached on one side) was back in action once more for throwing games, bowling practice, pit-pat, yard cricket and even football.
I don’t really mind fetching the purple balls for PE that have somehow found their way into general use on the Grid, from the swimming pool, but I found myself wondering what used to happen before. And there it was, the tennis ball - all but forgotten. When I was at school (sorry!), the tennis ball was THE thing to have, certainly for its aforementioned versatility and staple in a break-time football match. How good it is for skill development, with the use of a small ball in developing skills of touch and control, of passing and striking! If you can do all that with a tennis ball, just imagine how good you’d be with a size 4! It doesn’t break windows or roof tiles (claim unverified), it’s such a simple yet essential piece of kit.
We have famously heard of Wayne Rooney and Phil Foden finishing a Premier League match and then going home to play street football with their mates in their old neighbourhoods. In my mind’s eye, I can see the jumpers for goalposts and the tennis ball that they must be using. They credit their skill and mastery, in part, to the street football they grew up with. Futsal, from South America, is based along the same principles of possession and development of touch with a smaller, heavier ball.
Bring back the tennis ball! It would be great to see it in our school yards once again.
Andrew Short
Director of Sport | Housemaster at Main School