This past week/end was Interhouse Sports Day at Woodstock School. Sports Day=Track and Field. Our school competes in houses-merlins, eagles, and condors.
Let me explain why this is perhaps my least favorite sporting event at Woodstock. Students spend around two weeks-zero days preparing for this event. From 5th grade-12th grade, the students participate in a variety of track and field events. The 9-12th graders also do absurd things like throw a javelin with no proper training. I don't know how to throw a javelin, and honestly, I avoid that part of the track like the plague. I mainly focus on the 5th and 6th graders-as I am their "coach". It's chaos and madness all around, but I try to make the best of it.
Saturday was the main day of events, but we had some predetermined events during the week (shot put, high jump, JAVELIN, etc.). It was a sunny day, and there were no casualties. I only had a few tears from my 5th and 6th graders, which I managed to dry throughout the day. Overall, they did great. The rest of the displays of "athleticism" were mediocre at best, but the kids seem to like winning medals? Kids run 13-second 100s and think they are olympic-ready.
Even worse, after interhouse sports day, we take the top two from each event to compete against our rival schools at Wynberg Allen. These kids practice all month morning and night, and my kids have two weeks-zero days of practice.
The highlight of the day was the staff relay. The merlins team was looking strong and fit. Myself, an English teacher, a nurse, and dorm parent took the track to represent the MERLINS! We easily came home with the gold. Even crazier, they actually gave us medals. This is a thing that happens frequently at WS--the staff want the spotlight and medals.
I had a slow walk home with the junior school kids. Their dorm is on the way to my house, which is about a 1000 ft climb from the field. Walking slowly and chatting with the kids actually made the walk less horrible. After I dropped the kids off at their dorm, I continued on my way. I soon encountered a monkey party on my path. I attempted to scare them off, but I was unsuccessful. I even got slightly chased away by a smaller more fit monkey, which sent the message loud and clear. So I walked down the path and took another path. Of course the monkeys were waiting for me at the top anyway. I then tried to avoid them and take another path. The entire time I was thinking in my head, "How can I win a gold medal at sports day and still be the target of these monkeys?" Looking back, I never considered using the medal as a weapon or sort of ransom. I can never tell if the monkeys are being territorial or just messing with me.
I just hope there aren't any monkeys at Wynberg...
Let me explain why this is perhaps my least favorite sporting event at Woodstock. Students spend around two weeks-zero days preparing for this event. From 5th grade-12th grade, the students participate in a variety of track and field events. The 9-12th graders also do absurd things like throw a javelin with no proper training. I don't know how to throw a javelin, and honestly, I avoid that part of the track like the plague. I mainly focus on the 5th and 6th graders-as I am their "coach". It's chaos and madness all around, but I try to make the best of it.
Saturday was the main day of events, but we had some predetermined events during the week (shot put, high jump, JAVELIN, etc.). It was a sunny day, and there were no casualties. I only had a few tears from my 5th and 6th graders, which I managed to dry throughout the day. Overall, they did great. The rest of the displays of "athleticism" were mediocre at best, but the kids seem to like winning medals? Kids run 13-second 100s and think they are olympic-ready.
Even worse, after interhouse sports day, we take the top two from each event to compete against our rival schools at Wynberg Allen. These kids practice all month morning and night, and my kids have two weeks-zero days of practice.
The highlight of the day was the staff relay. The merlins team was looking strong and fit. Myself, an English teacher, a nurse, and dorm parent took the track to represent the MERLINS! We easily came home with the gold. Even crazier, they actually gave us medals. This is a thing that happens frequently at WS--the staff want the spotlight and medals.
I had a slow walk home with the junior school kids. Their dorm is on the way to my house, which is about a 1000 ft climb from the field. Walking slowly and chatting with the kids actually made the walk less horrible. After I dropped the kids off at their dorm, I continued on my way. I soon encountered a monkey party on my path. I attempted to scare them off, but I was unsuccessful. I even got slightly chased away by a smaller more fit monkey, which sent the message loud and clear. So I walked down the path and took another path. Of course the monkeys were waiting for me at the top anyway. I then tried to avoid them and take another path. The entire time I was thinking in my head, "How can I win a gold medal at sports day and still be the target of these monkeys?" Looking back, I never considered using the medal as a weapon or sort of ransom. I can never tell if the monkeys are being territorial or just messing with me.
I just hope there aren't any monkeys at Wynberg...
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