St Stithians in festive mood
THE 36th St Stithians Sports Festival takes place next Thursday. More than 2 400 athletes will congregate on the school grounds in Bryanston over the next two weekends to participate in multiple sporting codes and cross-country in what is the biggest school sports festival in the country.
The Prep Festival, hosted by St Stithians Girls’ and Boys’ preparatories, takes place from April 11-13 with more than 25 preparatory teams participating in more than 300 fixtures of netball, rugby, and tennis.
In just nine years, the Prep Festival has grown from six schools competing in just rugby to more than 25 schools competing in rugby, netball, and tennis – and this year, squash as well. St Stithians College is happy to see 19 schools for rugby, 13 for netball, and 13 for boys’ and girls’ tennis and five for squash.
At the Prep Festival, Saints will welcome schools from Gauteng, Kwazulu-natal, the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape.
“The Prep Sports Festival has grown and developed into a major draw card in the sports of rugby, netball, and tennis and we are happy to be adding squash to this year’s repertoire,” said Tim Nuttall, rector and executive head.
“The aim of our festival is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their sport skills, form new friendships but, most importantly, to learn to play sport in the true spirit of the game.
“In order to achieve this goal we require three critical components: supportive parents, passionate staff, and most importantly enthusiastic students.
“Our festival over the last few years has provided us with bucket loads of these and I am positive that this year will be no different,” says Jakes Fredericks, head of the boys’ prep.
Celeste Gilardi, head of St Stithians Girls’ Prep, says: “Our girls, staff, and parents are looking forward to hosting our Prep Festival. The girls are very excited to be part of this festival and have worked hard to secure their places in the various teams. Sport is a wonderful vehicle for the players to come together to forge new friendships based on a mutual love of sport.”
“The Saints Sports Festival can only happen through many, many people and organisations pulling together in one team.
“I say a warm thank you to our staff and parent organisers and volunteers; to our sponsors and particularly our title sponsor Standard Bank; and to our suppliers and service providers who combine to create this spectacle,” says Nuttall.
Besides great sport, Saints Prep Festival will offer exciting food and entertainment for visitors.
Sportsmen and sportswomen can further develop their skills and enthusiasm by participating in the netball, cricket and soccer skills clinics, watching the demonstration netball games by Gauteng Netball, and meeting a sports celebrity or two. Sports clothing, kit and custom gum guards will be available for purchase, and experts will be on hand to help prevent and treat sports injuries and to discuss sports nutrition. Aspirant golfers will be able to hit a couple of balls in a mini driving range, and have their golf swings analysed.
Our Friday night auction will present an opportunity to take home amazing sports memorabilia and other package,s including three sportsthemed children’s parties, pro golf lessons and sponsorship of an indoor-netball league team.
Fun activities such as dance and slime-making workshops will fill the time between matches. Parents can relax in our cocktail bar, or the Old Stithian Association beer tent, or the chill zone where neck and shoulder massages will be available.
“The 2019 St Stithians Prep Easter Festival promises to be bigger than ever before. This would not have been possible without the St Stithians Girls’ and Boys’ Prep staff and parent bodies who have joined forces and have been formidable drivers in planning and running the event. I would also like to thank the numerous sponsors who have made a significant contribution, and to whom we are extremely grateful.
“The power of the St Stithians motto ‘One and All’ has been evident in teamwork and collaboration among the organising committee,” said Alicia Greenwood, chairperson of the festival.