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Sport (curriculum and extra-curricular) |
Hebron School has a long sporting tradition. We believe that exercise and healthy outdoor living, both recreational and competitive, are essential to the development of young lives. One of the school’s aims is to prepare students effectively for life after school and, in encouraging involvement in sport and exercise, we hope that our young people will develop an interest that will become a useful hobby during their adult years.
Curriculum sport: this is part of our Physical Education (PE) programme which is a timetabled subject. We have two full-time PE specialists, a man and a woman (both from Australia), a Head of Outdoor activities and several staff and International Guests who contribute coaching and enthusiasm. From time to time we bring in specialist coaches, most recently in swimming and in cricket. The PE syllabus seeks to teach the children about health and safety issues (there is a compulsory First Aid course), the importance of regular exercise, ball skills, racquet and bat / stick skills, fitness training and the value of team work. Above all, we seek to inculcate the best qualities of sportsmanship and leadership.
Students will have two 40-minute compulsory PE lessons weekly from the Junior School right the way through to Standard 13 (the top year). When a student leaves Hebron, even if he or she is not particularly interested in sport, we ensure that they have basic First Aid skills, know how to swim, appreciate the value of healthy exercise, can understand the rudiments of mainstream sport and value good sportsmanship. They will have ‘tasted’, if not mastered, the following sports and games: athletics (track and field), swimming, cross-country running, football (soccer), field and indoor hockey, cricket, volleyball, basketball, badminton, tennis, squash, softball and touch rugby.
Extra-curricular sport: each week day, after 4.00 p.m., there are voluntary team practices, matches and games. Hebron enters teams for the Inter-School tournaments organized by the Heads’ Association in the Nilgiris. There are 24 schools in the Association and the level of competition, especially in the main team sports, is quite high. In recent years Hebron has performed particularly well in boys and girls’ soccer, boys and girls’ hockey, girls’ basketball, swimming, cross-country running and in certain athletics’ events. (In 2005 we reached the semi-final of the U14 boys’ football tournament and were finalists at U16 and U19 level. On each occasion we lost to St.Joseph’s, Coonoor, who have 1400 boys compared to our 200!). In addition to these we regularly enter teams for competitions in cricket, volleyball, tennis and badminton. In most sports there are teams at 3 age groups – U14, U16 and U19.
In addition to representing the school, there is the possibility of representing the District (the Nilgiris) and even the state (Tamil Nadu). Selection for these teams takes place following trials organized by the District Associations. In recent years we have had students in the District hockey squads (boys and girls) and District cricket squads (boys). In 2002 the whole of the U19 girls’ hockey team represented the Nilgiris and came runners-up in the state tournament. In 2004 two girls were selected for the state hockey trials and one girl athlete was considered for selection in athletics.
Inter-House sport: most of the Inter-School sport takes place in Term 1 (August-December) leaving the Hebron Inter-House sport for Term 2. This is called Blue / Gold and there is competition in every sport at various age levels. Each student is placed in either Blue House or in Gold House (the school colours) at the time they arrive at Hebron. The major Blue / Gold competitions are in cross-country running, swimming and athletics. Every student is expected to take part in each of these sports and enter the trials before the Sports’ Days.
Sports Leadership Award: in 2003-4 the school began to take part in this voluntary activity. It is arranged by the Sports’ Council in the UK and students are taught the essentials in fitness, health and safety, rules and officiating in several sports. The Award itself is internationally recognized.
For further information about Hebron sport, research the news section
of this website where there are match reports. These include the weekly
Friday Staff / Student matches and the Term 2 Leavers / Stayers games.
Some reports are also accompanied by photographs. Photos: Cross Country Swimming Gala Staff vs Student football Leaver vs Stayers football Inter-school girls hockey Inter-school girls football Girls vs TN Football August 2005 |