Pupils from Rookwood School had
the chance to make their own Olympic memories this week when they took part in The
Independent Schools Association’s
Festival
of Sport- a ‘mini-Olympics’ for the independent sector attracting 32
schools from all corners of the country.
The event, which opened with a
spectacular parade at the University of Nottingham Sports Centre, attracted
over 800 pupils and covered an array of sporting events including athletics, swimming,
hockey and basketball.
The twenty Rookwood pupils (aged between 14 and
fifteen) performed “above and beyond the school’s expectations”, commented Rookwood’s
Head of PE, Miss Liz Brown.
The Under 15 squad competed in the netball and
football competitions as well as the swimming gala and the athletics, with the
boys’ football squad gaining the U15 bronze.
This was swiftly followed by a resounding success in the swimming gala;
an individual bronze for Will Turner in the 50m backstroke was followed by an
outstanding display from the Rookwood girls (silver medals in both the girls’
medley relay and the squadron relay
followed by a bronze in the girls’ freestyle relay).
Day two of the Festival brought further triumph with
individual golds for Faye Baker (100m & Long Jump), Aaron Criston-Greet
(Long jump) and Joshua Chatee (200m). Another silver medal was then awarded to
Ella Neil for the 300m with the U15 girls relay team picking up final silver before
the day was done!
Miss Brown concluded that the Festival was “an inspiring
event that allowed Rookwood pupils to be part of a very unique experience –
something that will stay them for the rest of their lives”.
Gwilym Price, ISA’s Director of
Sport, said:
“2012 is an incredible year for
British sport and what better way to mark it than by giving all of these
children the chance to take part in their own Olympics”.
“The Festival of Sport is the
largest sporting event we have ever undertaken and has been the perfect way to
celebrate the lead up to the 2012 Games. As ever, we have seen some outstanding
performances in all events and have been struck by the levels of sportsmanship
and commitment shown by our pupils.”
“We know that each of the 800
young people who took part will take away their own Olympic memories which will
stay with them for a very long time.”
Roger Brierly, Chair of ISA’s
Sports Committee, commented:
“When London was selected to host
the Olympic Games we started to plan for an event which would give hundreds of
pupils from up and down the country their own Olympic memories. The Festival of
Sport has done just that – and has been a unique celebration of enjoyable sport
and Olympic values.”
