Sports

HEAD OF SPORTS –   MS. T. GANYAUPFU

Our aim as the sports department is to have a school where learners have access to a robust, well-structured and highly organised physical education and sports programme, which will promote social development and life skills, as well as basic exercise and advanced skills training whilst exposing every child to all the sports offered by the school. All this is done in the confines of a fun and safe environment extensively involving all learners from Infants (ECD A to Grade 2) and the Junior Department, Grades 3 to 6. The Riverside sports programme sustains a very positive impact on both girls and boys. Most importantly the learners must continue to learn communication and interaction, while being challenged to excel physically and mentally. The learners are taught valuable skills such as integrity and they will continuously be taught to have a very high regard for the truth, playing according to the rules as well as acting in ethical ways at all time. Riverside offers excellent sporting opportunities, coaches and equipment. In general students have two afternoons of sporting activities per week, Tuesday and Thursday. The school has qualified coaches who are affiliated with national sports boards for the sport they   coach.

HOCKEY
Riverside has girls’ hockey which is played in winter.  During winter season the under 9 to under 11 girls were being coached to play 7-aside matches. The games are played on a reduced field size, this is a national policy designed to allow children to develop basic skills and knowledge of hockey, and the games are played without goalies. The fillies Hockey team had an opportunity to compete in one festival where they played 7 games, won 4, drew 2 and lost 1 The seniors play full field hockey and the senior girls are being trained to be cautious and coaches places a huge emphasis on safety. The school will field 2 senior teams and 2 fillies teams and 2 grade3 teams next season; the girls will get exposure playing in festivals and tournaments.

CRICKET
Cricket is a summer sport played in Term 1 and Term 3 The school has the ability to field a Grade 3 team, colt team and senior team. The boys and coaches are committed to their cricket. The boys often use their free time to practise their batting and bowling skills in our indoor court. Next season our boys will be ready to participate in tournaments and festivals. This term the boys are being equipped with adequate skills to prepare them with the correct skills in preparation for the next season. The school has a qualified Cricket coach that trains the boys.
 
RUGBY

Rugby is a winter sport and the juniors play in a 10- Aside version, while the seniors play 15-Aside. The school’s main emphasis is on safety, skills development and mass participation. There is a clear vision of making sure that the boys are equipped with the correct skill sets in order to prepare them for the next season so that they will compete competently, this is designed to improve the quality of our player base. The school has a qualified Rugby coach that trains the boys.
 

CROSS COUNTRY
Cross Country is only run in the first part of the First Term. It is compulsory for Grade 3 through to Grade 6. Training takes place twice a week culminating in the Inter-House Cross Country. 

SWIMMING
Riverside school views swimming as a critical life skill. Swimming lessons are conducted in Term 1 and Term 3. In the swimming terms classes have an hour swimming lesson per week. This program involves all classes from ECD to Grade 6. The program is tries to ensure that all learners have a high swimming proficiency. Particular focus is given to the Infants, and this effort is centered on ensuring that every learner feels confident and safe in water. For learners who take up swimming as a sport, they are able to do this as a chosen sport during the weekend program. We are preparing the learners for the next season where we will host our first Interhouse Championship Swimming Gala in the 3rd Term. Prior to that we will have a non-Championship Gala, this will be done to ensure that all learners regardless of ability are involved in competitive races. The learners by the next season should have the adequate skills required to take part in swimming galas with other schools.
 

SOCCER
The school has a very impressive record in soccer. There are 4 senior teams and 6 junior teams and there is a separate grade 3 group. The 1st, 2nd, Colts A and B teams participate in the CHISZ League. The other soccer teams play against different schools, as well as in an internal league. This scenario ensures that the boys get decent game time. The school ensures that all teams in all the age groups have coaches and enough training equipment to use. All the practices have structure and are meaningful. The First team regularly goes on tours to Pretoria in South Africa.
 
CLUBS
We offer a very comprehensive cultural program for every learner. In preparing learners for an ever-changing world, we strive to equip them with skills that teach them about values and team work and at the heart of this, is to have all learners exposed to all clubs offered by the school.
We offer the following clubs:
· Chess                                                 

· Debate and Public Speaking                                      

· Music
· Science

· Table Tennis                                              

· Cooking
· Art                                   
· Marimba

Journalism
To mention our first highlights of our cultural program, we achieved very good grades during the Poetry and choral speaking at NIAA Eisteddfod.
Each club has its own story to tell.
Not every learner is an academic or a sportsperson and so with our Cultural Program, we aim to give all learners, whether sporty or not, a chance to find an activity they can make their own and gain confidence from, whilst equipping them for the challenges they will face in life.