Term 1 #9 22 March 2019

To the Andrean Community

There is something really special about the Graeme College Rugby Day that makes it one of my highlights of the year, every year. A fantastic festival atmosphere, competitive schoolboy sport, and a full community turn-out makes for a great community day. Although the staff get treated to a ‘fancy’ lunch, this year I could not resist visiting the food-tent, where I was able to ‘inhale’ a quick spit-braai roll (a noteworthy gastronomic experience) as my warm-up exercise for lunch.

I bought a raffle ticket for the ‘Cow Pat’ fundraiser - it is my earnest hope that on the day of our actual Graeme fixture when the ‘draw’ takes place (after the game, I was pleased to learn), as the cow wanders across the field, it chooses my ‘spot’ to deposit its benevolence.

I really do value our friendship with Graeme.

Our boys enjoyed a great day of rugby, the U14s triumphant (in spite of a nail-

College

Nec Aspera Terrent

St Andrew’s College

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will that go

among so many.”- John 6:9

I am sure you all know the miracle story of Jesus feeding 5000 people with

five loaves and two fish. All Jesus needed was one little

boy to offer what He had and then Jesus was able

to take it and multiply and perform a great miracle. What can you offer Jesus today? Have an awesome

day. Father David

Newsletter

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

www.sacschool.com

God Bless

Alan Thompsona.thompson@sacschool.com

biter of a second half, where victory was almost clutched from us), the U16s enjoying a good win, and the First XV entertaining a full house of supporters with their game against SACS, from which we emerged victorious.

This is, I thought to myself, what schoolboy rugby is all about. I particularly enjoy the atmosphere in our rugby club at the moment. The focus on building excellence in our programmes allows every boy to develop and flourish, be it in the U14C or in the 1sts. Our approach is not to ‘buy’ in a team through scholarships or post-matric machinations – it is, rather, to grow and build our boys and to empower them to play with passion and enjoyment. In fact, fifteen of our starting line-up in the First XV have been with us since at least Grade 8 (many since before that, as Preppies), and not one receives any form of financial support in the form of sporting scholarship or rebate.

To us, sport is intrinsic to education, and, although ‘working with what we have got’ creates some degree of seasonal variance in performance, it most certainly allows our boys to develop their own unique giftedness, and flourish. Because as good as winning is, it is but a small part of the benefit of sport in a school curriculum. To sacrifice the individual child to the process of buying wins meets a short term institutional need, but ignores the young lives that are that institution.

By focusing on process, working for incremental gains, training hard, being well prepared, and building on the College DNA of Nec Aspera Terrent we are able to create sporting excellence - that our boys give of their best and never give up. If we take care of all of that, and have fun, the results take care of themselves. WEEK AT A GLANCE

Friday 22 March:World Water Day12h00 - Golf vs Grey HS (A)18h30 - Speakers Society

Saturday 23 March:Grey Rugby Fest - 1sts, U16, U15, U1419h00 - DSG Matric Dance

Monday 25 March:19h00 - Plato Society

Tuesday 26 March:Golf - Affies Tournament (to 29/3)

Thursday 28 March:13h00 - Flight Booking Deadline for Easter Term

Visit: https://my.sacschool.com for full calendar

FarewellSt Andrew’s College bade farewell to Harry Townsend recently.

Harry made a huge contribution to the Rowing Club and he will be sorely missed by the boys and staff at College. We wish Harry all of the very best for his future endeavours in the United Kingdom.

Matric Parents:Certified copies of Grade 11 School Reports will be given to all the Matric boys on Friday 22 March during their Tutor Period. 

These documents are needed for their university applications and they must scan (using a scan app on their phone works well (ScannerApp is a good option)) or they can photograph the document then email it to themselves (if necessary) to attach it to their university application forms. Original copies of their reports are also available on the Parent Portal (not certified though).

Wishing our boys all the very best with their university applications.

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

www.sacschool.com

COLLEGE LIFETour to RomaniaSt Andrew’s College is represented by three boys at the very first Transylvanian Youth Summit to be held at Transylvania College in Cluj-Napoca from 18-22 March. They will also enjoy a cultural tour of Romania. Matthew Thompson, Philip Beynon and Olwethu Pule will join a group of ten schools from four continents to debate three globally relevant topics - The Rise of Extreme Nationalism, The Right to Education and Education for Diversity. Transylvania College is a member of the G20, an informal coalition of schools from around the globe initiated by past St Andrew’s College Headmaster, David Wylde.

The St Andrew’s boys are having a fantastic time in Romania and are currently involved in Day 2 of intense debate around the issue of Diversity in Education. The boys have enjoyed tours of Cluj-Napoca and also spent a day at the Baisoara Mountain Resort, where Day 1 of the debates took place. There was still a very thick layer of snow on the Carpathian Mountains which made for a fun experience.

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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Witch Hunt

CastMartha: Sbonga NduliNicholas: Lulo MfabaBailey: Erin PowersWitch finder: Liam McNaughtonDoctor: Anda RatsibeCaptain: Siya GeorgeOld Woman: Anako Maleki

Lead ChorusJohn Marshall Summer BarrattJenna Geyve Sima MgudlandluNchiro Nkutu Marshall ParhamAmy Thompson

The CrowdDavid Ball Josh FurtnerLeseli Headbush Morgan HerringMia Karimba Inga LuthuliSiphumelele Mazwi Estelle MinasNtsika Mduba Sesihle MraraSongi Mugwanya Sean RuwodoMia Babaya Bukho FumbataZanda Nkukwana Emma PorterGrace Rushmere Janice RuwodoJack Schmidt Asemahle VandalaNikita Xhanti

BackstageLuka Zeravica Jake TullisAza Nonxuba Hlonela NtshingwaSika Malesu Mbulelo MkosiSiphesihle Zita Jotham Moremi

A cast of Grade 8 and 9 girls and boys presented Stuart Arden’s Witch Hunt last weekend on the Espin lawns at DSG.In brief, rumours start about an old woman who lives in the woods who provides herbal remedies to the poor. Following objections by the local doctor, she is soon labelled as a witch and blamed for the drought and famine that has left people starving and sick. Following the death of a child, the villagers turn on her and she is burned alive by a mob, despite the desperate pleas of the child’s mother who tries to save her.

On one level, it was a simple little tale but on another level, it spoke to xenophobia, stereotyping, judgmental attitudes, the dangers of hatred and of a mob mentality. Each day, news stories tell of man’s inhumanity to man and of atrocities being committed all over the world.

Despite being flooded out, blown away by wind and left in the dark by Eskom, the cast showed unbelievable tenacity and grit. They committed completely to their play and gained invaluable skills in the process. They were a delight to work with and we are proud of their efforts.

Dionne Redfern and Tim Barnard

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

www.sacschool.com

School reports will be available on the myCollege Parent Portal which you can access via https://my.sacschool.com

Please can we encourage you to also take the time to check and update your contact details as necessary when you are in this space. It is critical that we have your correct information at all times please. May I also ask you to ensure that your name appears in the right format, eg: du Toit or Du Toit. This ensures that when we are writing certificates or publications, we have names 100% correct. Thank you for your support in this matter.

My College Parent Portal

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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Drug Awareness WeekMarc Schroeder, author and speaker from the Eastern Cape focuses on uplifting or inspiring high school students to unlock purpose in their lives. His message is one that if a person can realise their purpose and live it, then the storms that roll through their lives will never knock them down; they will be rooted.

I encourage the young to define their own terms for success, and to not measure success in monetary terms, but rather in the way they feel in the world. I am the author of the book, Sleeping with Dogs, which is my story; how I managed to escape from a life threatening drug addiction. Only by changing my game plan, by discovering purpose was I released.

Alex Harris – Adventurer and Inspirational Speaker | Explorer and Endurance Athlete

Alex’s message is simple. Each one of us will one day face our own personal Everest. It might not be 8848m of ice and snow, but whatever it is, our ability to overcome self–doubt and disbelief will allow us to taste success. Focusing on Passion, Perseverance and that illusive thing called Purpose, his talk changes one’s perspective on what are the things that really challenge us. Alex also discussed his crossing of the desert with a team, one a recovering drug addict.

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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Open Water Scuba ExperienceFor the past two Sundays, 14 girls and boys from DSG and St Andrew’s have been in the aquatic center from early morning until late afternoon, learning the skills that are required for Scuba Diving. Each day we learnt something different with an amazing group of instructors. Last Friday afternoon we made our way to Port Elizabeth, where we were hoping to complete our course and become qualified divers. We were yet to realise what an unforgettable and fun experience we were about to undergo. Our Saturday began bright and early, as we woke up at 6:00am in order for the first group of divers to be out at sea before the usual Port Elizabeth gushing winds began. Our first open water dive came with much anticipation and nerves of some possible sea sickness. However, once geared up and out to sea we were all smiling and enjoying the ride out to our dive spot. Under water, we perfected the skills we had previously learnt and spent some time looking at the beautiful marine life. Three boat dives were completed on Saturday, but the fourth was postponed to Sunday due to the weather conditions. Our evening was filled with laughter as we dined at Bay West Mall and saw a movie, before heading back to our BnB ready for an even earlier wake up the next day. Sunday saw the groups completing their shore dives, which we began from the beach. It was a completely different, but necessary, experience. During these dives we covered all the required skills. Thankfully the weather was in our favour and we managed to go out to sea once again in the afternoon. This dive was spectacular! We saw sting rays, multi-coloured fish, an octopus, some glowing coral and ragged-toothed sharks. All round, the trip was one that will never be forgotten by the divers who now stand tall as qualified open water and advanced open water scuba divers.

An enormous thank you must go to Ms Boynton for organising every aspect of the trip and creating a wonderful atmosphere of fun. We also send a big thank you to the MTC dive center for all the hard work done by their instructors in getting us all qualified and keeping us safe.

Acacia BellDSG Grade 11

Landon Crowther, Luke BarkerScuba Divers Danique Bouman

Thumbs Up!

Heading out to open water

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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SPORTDear All

RugbyLast Saturday we were privileged to be part of a very successful Graeme College Rugby Day. This early-season event has become a feature on the Grahamstown sporting calendar and has attracted most all of the prominent rugby-playing schools from the Eastern Cape over many years. In recent times the day has included an U16 and U14 division which has provided further opportunities for schools to get in some early season game time and to assess where they might stand for the season. Graeme College once again put on an excellent day which was blessed with beautiful weather and good crowds.

The College teams had a really positive day with the U14As grabbing a close-fought 29-26 victory against their Cambridge High School rivals, against whom we have seldom managed a win at this level in recent years. This win would have instilled much-needed confidence in the side and we hope that this will enable them to perform to their full potential as the season progresses. The U16As played against Pearson High School and ran out deserved winners after matters were very even early on in the game. There were moments of deft skill and others of impressive power that augur well for the season. The 26-10 scoreline was a good reflection of their performance. The 1st XV overcame some early nerves to settle into their pattern of play as they dominated the SACS team and never looked like they would lose. It was another opportunity for our boys to prove themselves as the full squad were given good exposure to the game at this level. Ultimately the better side won on the day as the College side ran out solid 27-13 winners. This should give the team some measure of confidence when they take on St John’s College and Jeppe Boys High School in the Grey High School Festival on Thursday and Saturday this week. The U16, U15 and U14A sides will all be playing at the Grey Festival against St John’s College and Framesby High School on Thursday and Saturday respectively.

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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CricketOur 1st XI Cricketers travelled up to Pretoria last week to play in the National Finals of the CSA Coca Cola T20 Schools competition. This competition saw the champion schools from all the franchises playing in pools and then play-offs at the University of Pretoria campus. The team were treated like professional cricketers throughout and got a real taste of what it is like playing cricket at the higher level. After a slow start, the team finished really well with convincing wins against St Andrew’s School from Bloemfontein (Knights franchise) and Paarl Gymnasium (Cobras franchise). All in all the boys rounded off an excellent term of cricket in a positive manner and they can be proud of their achievement of making the national T20 finals.

FootballOur 1st XI Footballers took part in the Victoria Park High School Challenge in Port Elizabeth this past weekend where they found the going tough. As is hoped for in these early-season events the team showed steady improvement and they would have been very pleased with their performance against hosts Victoria Park High School in the final game. The team headed off to Cape Town this week where they will play in the Wynberg Boys’ High School Festival. This should once again prove to be a building block for their progression as they take on a number of leading Cape Town schools.

HockeyOur U14A Hockey side played in the Rob Taylor Memorial Festival hosted by Selborne College in East London last weekend. Whilst finding the going tough up front, the boys came together well and by the end of the festival were proving themselves to be very competitive with the top teams. They have gone off to Cape Town this week to play in the Independent Schools Hockey Festival hosted by Bishops. This will be another intense test of their ability and character and they will no doubt benefit greatly from the experience gained. A number of College hockey sides played friendlies against Kingswood College on Wednesday with pleasing results. This bodes well for the season.

TennisDylan Marx, still U15, played at No 2 for the Eastern Province U18 Tennis side at the Interprovincial Tournament in Gauteng this past week. Dylan did wonderfully well winning 5 of his 6 singles matches and also losing just 1 of his boys doubles matches. He has a very bright future and will have gained massive experience from playing at this level. Mr Walter Eksteen, our own tennis guru, coached the team.

SwimmingThree of our top swimmers, Martin Wolmarans, Joss Hempel and Oliva Lange have headed for Durban where they will

Four junior golfers, Andrew Mackenzie, Jeffrey Carle, Matt Pope and Mitch Lowe, played against Nico Malan High School at Humewood Golf Club last week Friday. Andrew and Mitchell played solid golf and easily dispatched of their opponents with a comfortable victory. They were just far too superior! Matthew and Jeffrey were however embroiled in a tight match that went down to the 18th hole. Sadly though, they went down and therefore the fixture was halved.

compete in the SA Junior National Championships. These boys have all swum national qualifying times and we wish them everything of the best as they compete against the best in the country.

GeneralWith the derby day fixtures not yet having started in earnest, the balance of the Hockey and Rugby Clubs have been involved in selection sessions and practice games. An innovative Pizza League has seen the senior rugby players competing hard against each other. This all a good part of preparing for our first genuine derby weekend when we take on Grey High School at home on 5/6 April.

A good contingent of College boys will travel down to support the rugby teams at the Grey Festival on Saturday. Those boys that have opted to go down, along with those parents and OA’s that are able to get there, should provide a vocal presence at the games. We hope that you will all enjoy your sporting weekend, wherever you may be.

Kind regards

Pete AndrewDirector of Sport

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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Boat Naming and End of Season Awards EveningOn Friday the 8th of March, members of the Rowing Club as well as parents and staff gathered to celebrate the end of the rowing season.

This year’s gathering was a particularly joyous occasion as we were able to formally celebrate the arrival of two new rowing boats to the College fleet with a special event to christen them.

The boats, both four-man vessels from the Italian manufacturer Filippi were named after the very successful and long-serving College coach John Gearing and after multiple South African international oarsman and Olympic Gold medal winner, James Thompson, himself an OA and former pupil of John Gearing.

The boats were set up on Lower Field to conduct the christening ceremony and as the crowd gathered, the rain poured down, marking what was surely an auspicious occasion. The Headmaster Alan Thompson and Father David Stansbury blessed the boats as is tradition in the Rowing Club. We were very privileged to welcome James Thompson himself to christen his own boat.

Later at the awards evening and a delicious dinner at the Highlander, we were very fortunate to hear from James Thompson about the beginnings of his rowing career and experiences whilst at College, leading right up to the culmination of his rowing career when he represented South Africa at two Olympics and in particular the famous victory at London 2012. James’ Olympic gold medal was passed around at the dinner and those present were inspired by the many experiences leading up to that medal and in particular how important James’ years of school rowing were in that process.

Following James’ speech, a number of awards were presented for achievements during the season:

• Khunga Mnqokoyi - Most Improved U14 Rower• Josh Chester - Outstanding U14 Rower• Julian Walsh - Most Improved U15 Rower• Scott Moorcroft - Outstanding U15 Rower and

Cambridge Sculling Medal for Best Sculler in the Club

• Callum Readings - Most Improved U16 Rower• Jacob Erasmus - Outstanding U16 Rower• James MacRobert - Most Improved Open Rower• Daniel Zahn - Outstanding Open Rower and Ergo trophy• Mathew Conroy - Club Man of the Season.

St Andrew’s CollegeNec Aspera Terrent

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U14A vs Cambridge U16A vs Pearson

Rowing Awards Dinner featuring the new Director of Rowing Ed Goodier

CSA T20