The Chronicle, No. 669, January 2016

6 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

sporting tradition and success. We recruit teachers who are highly active sportsmen and women, which is of huge benefit to the pupils. We don’t want to become a school where we have teachers in the classroom and sports coaches on the pitches and no crossover between the two. The elite programme has changed in recent years. The school is busier than it used to be. It’s difficult to bring pupils together for a dedicated training session – as the programme used to run – but we now have Mark Munro, full-time strength and conditioning coach, and Rachel Hallam, part-time elite sports coach, who provide bespoke training programmes for each individual. Pupils train and meet with Mark and Rachel as and when their wider school timetable permits. Younger sports scholars still get together for a group session once a week. This approach allows a tailored programme – each sport can focus on their particular requirements. How do we look after the pupil who is not at all engaged in sport? Sport is compulsory – all pupils will participate in at least three sports sessions per week. To cater for all levels, we offer a range of activities, not necessarily team sport, but physical activity – such as dance or golf – so that everyone can find a way to be involved. Pupils can have fixed ideas about sport. They might have been pigeon-holed in previous schools and see themselves at a certain level. It’s the same with any area of school life – academic, music, outdoor pursuits. If you come to a new school, you have to give things a go. You never know where you might find yourself. Why is sport important in school? The physical health benefits are vital, as is the fostering of team spirit. Sport offers challenge in a different environment, away from the classroom, but there is a great deal of crossover between the two. We try to help pupils understand that it is easy to become engaged in sport at school – all facilities, coaches and opportunities are on site and readily available. If they take advantage of these now, and create good habits for the future, it will help them enormously in later life. How do we look after our elite sportsmen and women?

Are we particularly successful at certain sports at the moment? Yes. The national competitions give us a chance to measure that success. The rowers were in the internationally-contested Henley Final two years running. Our cricketers compete for a prestigious trophy, the John Harvey Cup, and have won it for the past three years (beating Radley, Marlborough, Bradfield, Winchester and Cheltenham in order to do so). Our girls’ hockey teams always perform exceptionally well - the 1st XI were crowned County Champions last term and secured their place in school history as the second most successful team ever. The 2015 boys’ rugby XV enjoyed arrived at Teddies. I represented the A team from Shells right through to Fifth Form. It took me three years of pain to finally win my first ever hockey game against Wellington which was a massive relief. I then went on to represent the 1st XI in the Lower Sixth and will do so again this season. AJ Woodland In 2011 I arrived at Teddies on a Sports Scholarship. Teddies sport offered a variety of activities from main sports such as rugby, hockey and netball to health and fitness, and spinning. Being at Teddies has allowed me to play alongside some of the best sportsmen in our region (including Miles Hammond, England U19 and Gloucestershire cricketer), and to work with some of the best coaches (such as Mr Hanslip, former England U16 rugby coach). Whatever your ability, Teddies has a great deal to offer. I have always enjoyed rugby but the Shell season was very up and down. Having not won a game in the first half of the season to being undefeated in the second was a huge achievement. Having watched the 1st XV play on the prestigious Upper 1 since Shells made me want to represent that team even more. Now in the Upper Sixth, having played two years in the 1st XV, I have earned my colours and stand as a leader within the team. My most profound Teddies rugby memory would be either beating Radley away from home last year or kicking the winning penalty in a 13-12 win against Bloxham. I had never played hockey before I

I am always impatient for the Summer Term – and cricket. I have always had a huge passion for cricket and couldn’t wait to get started at Teddies. I have represented the 1st XI since Fourth Form and have been lucky enough to be involved in three of the most successful teams Teddies has produced. I earned my colours in the Fifth Form and that year saw the Teddies 1st XI become the most successful team in 150 years. The 2015 Teddies 1st XI went on to win the John Harvey Cup for a third successive year in which we beat the likes of Radley, Marlborough and Bradfield. AJ was previously at Davenies.

their best season since 2005. A number of our girl and boy rowers have represented GB in recent years and several are currently in contention for the squad – and so the list goes on. Tell me about coaching. As sports have progressed and we offer more options, there has been a need to recruit more coaches. We have a highly- skilled team, including over 20 Oxford and Cambridge Blues, 10 individuals who have competed at international level – including an Olympian – and five who have coached internationally. We are very fortunate to be in Oxford, a city closely linked with