Date Posted: 27th June
Categories: Prep SchoolSenior SchoolSport
it’s either egg and spoon and sack races for the youngsters, or the reserve of the sporty kids in senior school.
But Wycliffe is changing the perception through the introduction of a ‘legacy sports day’ which encourages its pupils to try something new and compete in a sport that they wouldn’t normally play.
Wycliffe College’s legacy sports day was inspired by the 2012 Olympics, which had legacy as its theme.
Ben Taylor, Director of Sport at Wycliffe, said:
We still have our ‘traditional’ sports day in the afternoon, but the morning is turned over to encouraging students to move out of their comfort zone by taking part in a sport they don’t play very often, or at all.
“Last year we had pupils trying things like fencing, basketball, shooting, table tennis, and rowing.
“Part of the aim is to level the playing field a little, but it is also about being more inclusive and giving pupils the chance to discover a passion or skill at any point in their school career by avoiding the pitfall of putting them off at an early stage because they are not immediately high achievers.
“We have seen pupils excel in a sport often at a later stage, often in something they assumed they wouldn’t be any good at.”
Research shows that sports participation in school is associated with higher levels of wellbeing for young people, as well as developing self-belief and mental toughness.
“We encourage pupils to try something new and push their own boundaries,” said Ben.
“We provide sport for pupils who are budding Olympians, those who want to try something new, or those who enjoy sport at a non-competitive level. A healthy lifestyle is central to life at Wycliffe.”
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