Reflections on the Commonwealth Games - Part 1
During the summer break, along with other members of our community, I volunteered as part of the Commonwealth Games. It was a fantastic few weeks across the whole region and I am sure many of you were involved or attended some of the events.
Alongside volunteering, I managed to watch some mountain biking, hockey, beach volleyball and rugby 7s. I was particularly interested in the hockey, partly because it is ‘my sport’ but also because as a volunteer, I was part of a small group looking after the hockey teams and their training. This meant I was able to see their training and how they then performed on the pitch.
We needed to make sure they had enough water, that ice baths were ready and pitch side equipment was available, but once this was done, there was time to watch some of their training sessions. I had hoped to get some ideas but many of their drills were similar to ones that I already use. The difference was the focus and intensity they brought to each practice session. While this wasn’t the case with all teams, the English women (and to be fair, also the Indian women) were incredible. Off the pitch, they were relaxed but the moment training started, they followed every word from the coaching team, they practised every small detail over and over again and they focused on the things they could control, such as set pieces. Most of the sessions were based on breaking down small elements of the sport rather than practice games.
In Tuesday’s assembly and during some of the pastoral information evenings, Mrs Press spoke about how small changes to our daily habits can have a significant cumulative impact. At the Year 11 pastoral evening, Mrs Skilton led a session looking at different ways that we can learn information and prepare for examinations. During both of the sessions, I reflected that what I saw from the England women’s team was a good example of what was being recommended. By avoiding distractions, they maximised their time on the pitch, which allowed them time to relax off it. By focusing on the key skills and routines, it meant they performed when it mattered. They won the gold medal beating Australia in the final.
Andrew Wright Headmaster
(Bulletin No 51 - 23rd September 2022)
Photo Credit: The Hockey Paper