Chronicle Summer 2024

47 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Jen Law What do you do at Teddies and how long have you been here? I joined Teddies in September as the Assistant Director of Sport - I work alongside Nic Bond to coordinate the sports programme and provide endless opportunities for the pupils at Teddies to get I have loved sport from a very young age. The first sport I played was tennis as my mum is a keen tennis player but once I got to school I got involved in many sports including netball, hockey, badminton, cross country, football and basketball. In secondary school I continued playing numerous sports and represented my county in badminton, hockey, netball and tennis and played tennis and hockey at club level. At university I represented the 1st team in hockey and continued to play tennis for my local club during the summer. I still play hockey and tennis regularly and recently I have also developed a real love for cricket and enjoy playing in the staff cricket team in the Summer Term. Aside from the traditional team sports I love the outdoors and regularly ski, go climbing, cycle and walk in the mountains. What inspired you to teach sport? My love of sport and the incredible experiences I have had playing at all levels made me want to inspire others and give them similar opportunities. My PE teachers at school were huge role models for me and they inspired me to want to become a PE teacher myself. What do you enjoy about working at St Edward’s? Teddies is a hugely enjoyable environment to work in. I am really lucky to work with amazing people, teach motivated and engaging pupils and have access to incredible resources. I love working at a school that really understands the importance of sport. What are the highlights on the horizon for sport at Teddies? There are so many amazing things to look forward to. Next year will see our teams going on the first long-haul sports tours for over five years. In December we’ll be heading over to Malaysia for a netball tour and then the cricketers will voyage to Sri Lanka in February. Both tours promise to be incredible experiences for our pupils. This summer saw the first full School Sports Day take place after a long hiatus, at the Horspath Athletics and Sports Ground during Gaudy Week. It was great to see the the pupils competing so passionately for their Houses. What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? At school one of my teachers once told me that experiences that push you outside of your comfort zone are often the most rewarding and life changing. This has certainly been the case for me - from attending a university far from home, living abroad for three years, travelling the world on my own, moving jobs and living in new places. Each of these decisions was daunting and anxiety-inducing but I’m so glad I made them. What are you currently reading? I am currently reading Sarina Wiegman’s autobiography. I think she is a very inspirational woman and has had a huge impact on women’s sport in particular, encouraging more women to participate in sport and motivating them to become sports coaches. She is an important role model and a prominent figure in shaping the next generation of athletes and coaches. involved in a wide variety of sports and activities. Tell us about your own sporting history.