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Summerhill School

Summerhill School

Sports Day

Daniel S Martin, with a rundown of the excitement of Sports Day.

A constant buzz ran through Summerhill on Friday the 28th of June, as sports day took place. It took a lot of planning and teamwork from both teachers and students, but the day came and sports day was a massive success. The day was split into five parts for different year groups to compete. The whole day culminated in the whole school flocking to the field for the final competitions.

Starting off the day, year 8 took part in various different events for their respective houses. Maya Woodward won the girls’ 1500 metres race for Draco and Orion’s Tommy Bristowie won the boys’ race. The javelin event was bested by Daniel Dews from Draco, competing in the boys’ competition, and Emily Slegeon for Orion, in the girls’ competition. Orion won the boys’ triple jump thanks to Zack Pokett, but Draco’s Megan Smith won the girls’ triple jump event. Winners of the long jump included Charlie Tighe from Orion for the boys and Phoebe Crampton from Ursa in the girls’ long jump. The second running event, the 800 metres competition, helped Orion gain points from the girls’ and boys’ 800 metres, won by Erin Mecker and Matthew Bull from the house. Starting off the throwing events, the shot put competition saw Ursa win the boys’ shot put, but Pegasus the girls’ competition. Finally, points for the discus event were collected by Ursa and Draco.

As Year 8 returned to the school building to continue with their lessons, Year 10 filed on the field, prepared for the upcoming competitions. Ollie Blackford for Pegasus reached first place in the boys’ Javelin and Isabelle Bladon did the same for Pegasus in the girls’. During the running events, Molly Walker from Orion won the girls’ 1500 metres race and Pegasus’ Louis Rodgers achieved first place in the boys. Fay Peters, sporting red, won the girls’ 800 metres, but it was Charlie Van Veen in yellow who crossed the finishing line first for the boys’ event. Draco’s Josh Bradshaw gained first place for the house in the boys’ long jump competition, but Belle Hewit from Pegasus took first place for the girls event.

Once break concluded, the year 9s took to the field for their events. In the running events: the 1500 metres were won by Laura Richards for Draco and Alex Johnson for Orion, the 800 metres was won by Maddie Crowe and Harvey Hunt for Orion and in the 400 metres Orion achieved first place, reached by Connie Owens and Oliver Whitehouse. Ursa and Draco came out with first in the boys’ and girls’ triple jump, Rebecca Sardle competing for Ursa and Bradley Safe for Draco. Bradley Safe also got his house first place in the boys’ long jump, followed by Chloe Duckett from Orion for the girls’ competition. Orion won both of the javelin and discus competitions, but Draco took first in the boys’ and girls’ shot put.

The final single year group to take to the field was the year 7s, who replaced the year 9s on the field just before lunch. Orion won the boys’ 1500 metres race, with Finn Elron achieving place, but Draco’s Sophie Brookes took the first place position in the girls’ race. Pegasus won the boys’ long jump and Draco reached first place in the girls’ event. In the boys’ triple jump, shot put and discus Pegasus left victorious. The javelin event went to Draco and Orion won the girls’ discus.

To conclude the day, all years joined together in celebrating and competing alongside the other houses down on the field for lessons 5 and 6.  The afternoon started with the 100 metre event, where: Niamh Cox and Will Slater took first place for Draco in the year 7 races, Leah Male won the year 8 race for Pegasus and Matthew Bail for Draco, Orion took first place in the year 9 races, Maddie Crowe and Max Fereday racing for the house, and Dray Simmons from Orion and Mia Green from Pegasus won the year 10 sprint. Following this was the 200 metres race, where the winners were: Dillion Thomas and Jasmine Reason for Draco in the Year 7 races, Phoebe Crampton for Ursa and Tom Parry for Draco in the Year 9 and Orion in the Year 9 Girls. As the afternoon breezed past, the relays started. The Year 7 relay saw Pegasus’ team winning the girls’ race and Draco’s winning the boys’. Then, Orion’s team of runners came first in each of the year 8 relays, the year 9 girls’ relay and the year 10 boys’ event. Pegasus achieved first in the year 9 boys’ relay and the year 10 girls’ relay. Concluding the day’s events was staff relay, which saw Ursa come out victorious in the event. Mr Guest was the final runner for the house, crossing the finishing line and securing the races first place position, and when we asked what he thought of the team’s success he said, “I’m elated, so pleased.”

Throughout the day, the ethos for each House was judged, but culminated in the afternoon on the field. Each house had their own tactic that the hoped would secure them the first place position. Orion began with a red smoke flare, followed by every other houses in their respective colours, Draco had a giant dragon, Pegasus its own flying horse and Ursa had Mr Wollerton dressed as Winnie the Pooh. Each house also had their individual chants that were shouted, screamed and sang throughout the afternoon.

As the final result was announced, the entire school huddled round the podium. The Crowd went wild when it was cried out that Orion had won sports day for the second year in a row, with Pegasus second, Draco third and Ursa last.