Sports Wrap Term Two 2023
The season has come to a close and it is with great pride that we reflect upon the incredible journey of our 1st XV Rugby team. Throughout the season, our primary focus was building a strong rugby culture within the school and most importantly the team.
From day one, we emphasized the importance of setting high team standards, both on and off the field. Our players embraced this philosophy wholeheartedly and strived to uphold these standards throughout the season. Their commitment to discipline, respect and hard work has been truly commendable. The boys were part of the pilot strength and conditioning “Bonisa” program which required that the boys show up and work hard for an 8-week period in the off season. Many of the boys boasted incredible physiological and even psychological gains from this program. Mr. Manyisa and Mr Hayes put in a lot of time into developing these boys and it has paid major dividends.
One crucial aspect that we emphasized to the team was to focus on our performances rather than fixating on the results. We knew that if we focused on playing our best game, the results would naturally follow. This mindset allowed us to stay grounded and focused during both victories and defeats, helping us to grow and learn as the young team that we are. Losing only two matriculants this year is going to serve as a major advance as we progress into next season.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this season has been witnessing the bonds and friendships formed within this team. The camaraderie and support shown by our players and even their parents have been truly remarkable. The team spirit was evident in every match as they fought together and celebrated each other's successes. These incredible friendships and bonds will undoubtedly endure beyond the rugby field.
Our Limpopo tour this year was certainly the most challenging moment of the season. We faced tough opponents in unfamiliar territories but the team displayed exceptional resilience and determination. These experiences served as valuable learning opportunities allowing us to identify areas for improvement and grow as individuals and as a team.
Looking ahead, we have already begun planning for the future. We recognize that there is always room for improvement and we are committed to raising the bar even higher next year. We will continue to work on refining our skills, enhancing our tactical understanding and strengthening our physical conditioning.
Additionally, we will focus on further nurturing the rugby culture we have built, ensuring that it remains a driving force within the school’s rugby boys and team. We will encourage an environment of continuous learning, mutual respect and support. The coaches are incredibly proud of each and every member of the 1st XV Rugby team. Their dedication, passion and commitment to excellence has been truly inspiring.
As we reflect on the season, we’re confident that the bonds forged, the skills developed and the lessons learned will propel us to even greater heights in the future. The future looks bright for our 1st XV Rugby team for 2024 and we cannot wait to see what we will accomplish together.
A big thanks goes out to all the players, coaching staff, and supporters who have been an integral part of this remarkable journey. Here's to the continued success and growth of our 1st XV Rugby team in the season to come!
Junior Rugby News
The Junior Rugby Team, consisting of U14 and U15 players, faced unique challenges throughout the season due to limited numbers in each age group. However, the team successfully combined the age groups to form a competitive side, showcasing resilience and determination. This report highlights the progress made by the team, the development of individual players and the strategies employed to overcome the obstacles faced.
Attendance and Player Development:
At the beginning of the season, attendance was initially low as some players were new to the sport and had no prior experience with rugby. However, as the season progressed, a solid core group of players emerged, displaying commitment and enthusiasm. These players embraced the sport, demonstrated significant improvements in their skills and became valuable contributors to the team's overall performance.
Skill Development:
Throughout the season, a primary focus was placed on developing basic rugby skills and understanding the rules of the game. The coaching staff dedicated time and effort to ensure that all players, especially those new to rugby, acquired a strong foundation in these essential areas. Fundamental skills such as passing, tackling, running lines and rucking were emphasized, enabling the players to become more confident and competent on the field.
Position-Specific Training:
Recognizing the importance of specialized training, the coaching staff implemented position-specific drills and exercises. By tailoring the training sessions to each player's role within the team, the individuals gained a deeper understanding of their responsibilities and improved their positional play. This approach helped enhance the overall cohesion and effectiveness of the team during matches.
Game-Specific Skills:
In addition to basic skills, specific attention was given to game-specific skills. The coaching staff focused on strategies, set-piece plays and game scenarios, equipping the players with the necessary tools to adapt and excel during matches. This targeted training facilitated the players' comprehension of game situations, allowing them to make informed decisions on the field.
U14 and U15 Integration:
To ensure that all players had the opportunity to participate in games, the U14 age group occasionally played 10-a-side rugby. This modification allowed for a more balanced match setup when there were insufficient numbers to form a full 15-a-side team. Furthermore, all U14 players were consistently encouraged to play up an age group and compete in 15-a-side matches with the U15 group. This arrangement fostered their development, challenged their abilities and promoted camaraderie among the players across both age groups. The players had various successful games in terms of players building their confidence and knowledge of the game. The team lost graciously and accepted where they could improve and allowed the coaches to focus on areas of improvement. The team was also humble in victory and always acted in a sportsman like manner.
In conclusion, the Junior Rugby Team's season was characterized by resilience, growth, and teamwork. Despite the initial challenges of limited numbers and inexperienced players, the team thrived as the season progressed. Through focused training on basic skills, position-specific coaching and game-specific strategies, the players displayed remarkable improvement and dedication. The integration of the U14 and U15 players further enhanced their development and fostered a strong sense of unity within the team. The coaching staff commends all players for their commitment and perseverance throughout the season, and we look forward to their continued progress in the future.
U16 Rugby News
The U16 Rugby season was a transformative journey for our team marked by remarkable growth beyond the game of rugby. Throughout the season, our young men not only honed their rugby skills but also exhibited significant growth in communication, behaviour, teamwork, and discipline. This collective development fostered unity, respect and a strong sense of camaraderie among our players.
Our players showcased remarkable improvement - the boys were committed and focused in practice sessions and every player displayed unwavering commitment to personal growth and as a team. This resulted in enhanced confidence and a deeper understanding of the game and this allowed for more effective performances during matches.
The players grew as teammates and built incredible friendships. The team's transformation from a group of individuals to a tightly-knit unit was noteworthy with trust and reliance on one another deepening throughout the season. This was particularly clear when they came together in the face of some difficult defeats.
Looking back on the season, the group can take great pride in the growth and accomplishments of the U16 Rugby Team. The players not only excelled in their rugby skills but also experienced significant personal growth. This season will be remembered as a transformative journey where we grew together, forged lasting bonds and achieved success through our collective efforts. The lessons learned and the memories created will undoubtedly help shape the lives of our players both on and off the field.
Cross Country News
Cross Country has had a wonderful 2023 season with a few changes to the training structure. We included strength training with the help of Mr Ona Manyisa at the White Rhino and we had an excellent coach, Mr Godfrey Mashegwane, come in to take the afternoon training sessions. Two of our students, Soziwe Madolo (Grade 12) and Ntando Mbatha (Grade 8), were selected for the Northern Gauteng District Team - a great achievement! The sport has also grown this year with many new students joining the team. Well done to everyone who ran this year. We look forward to the continued success of the sport in 2024.
Hockey News
The hockey pre-season began with our year-round Friday Night Lights sessions where the kids begin to re-grasp the basics and continue to build everyone’s excitement for the season to follow. Then, trials came around and everyone impressed - teams were selected and the season began!
Soon after that, the U16 girls headed to the St Andrew’s U16 tournament and the 1st Team boys went to the SDC23 tournament at St Dunstan’s. Leagues began and the ball truly was rolling. Derby days, league matches and friendlies were taking place throughout the season and the players did a great job in handling and enjoying the busy workload.
The school was able to produce 4 complete teams for both the girls and boys - 8 in total. The grade 8 students showed the school that there is a great future ahead. The U15 and 1st team boys then went to Aitken and Boden tournaments with the U15’s bringing home a bronze medal for the school. The 1st team boys and girls then went to the Redhill Youth Festival and both placed 5th overall.
A usual highlight for the hockey season is the Uplands Tour; this year we made the trip to Uplands and were able to take 10 teams with us. The boys and girls had an amazing time.
Squash News
This year brought a renewed vigour to squash at St Peter’s College. Having built a solid base of players, we welcomed new faces as the year began with some enthusiastic Grade 8 players. Our regular team players focused on developing their skills from the previous year to become even more competitive.
One of the first major displays of our squash talent was inter-house squash. This year we managed to field 6 players in both Bishop and Lourie with Oriole close behind. Several grade 12 students joined in to help support their house in a bid to raise the profile of inter-house events. In a stunning upset, Bishop just pipped Oriole to the win by the smallest of margins. Despite the narrow loss, Oriole were team players to the end which help them win the Spirit Award for 2023.
The school’s league this year brought a new challenge in that the U19 C League was divided into an A and B pool. The finals would see the ranked teams from each pool play each other for the final positions. Our squash team has forged a strong bond with three players continuing on from the previous year: Ethan Tedder, David van Zijl and Nikhil Maharaj. We were also delighted to welcome Kishan Khimjee to the team who, despite only having started squash this year, has shown a remarkable talent for the sport. Kean Waterstone, a young Grade 8 with raw talent, aided us when some players were sick or injured.
We were scheduled to play 7 matches in Pool A, however, we received a walkover for one match (as St John’s could not field an E team at that time), and a schedule clash lead to us calling a split of points with Helpmekaar (St Peter’s was attending the Upland’s tour on our schedule match day and Helpmekaar started exams, so there was no way to reschedule before the playoffs).
Of the 5 matches we played, the results were as follows:
vs Mondeor: Won 14 – 0
vs Marist Brothers: Lost 14 – 6
vs Jeppe: Won 12 - 4
vs KES: Won 12 – 3
vs St John’s D: Won 11 – 6
At the end of the Pool A matches, we were ranked 2nd in the League. This meant that for the playoffs, we were in the overall 3rd/4th match. Our opponent was St Dunstan’s and we defeated them with relative ease to win the match 14 – 0. This placed us 3rd overall in the U19 C League out of a total of 14 teams entered.
A huge congratulations to both our players and our resident coaches, Kelvin Ndlovu and Ezra Vergotine. Everyone has worked hard to build the team to where it is now and we can only improve from here.
During the course of the season, we had also participated in 2 tours/festivals. The first was against Beaulieu in Term 1. As always, Beaulieu posed stiff competition, resulting in our team losing this particular match. We were able to field a team of 7 players which did help build confidence in how we are developing our depth as a team. The second tour was to Upland’s College in Term 2. Our players came prepared for a tough match and managed to beat the team fielded by Uplands which was a great ending to the year of squash. They even found the energy for some extra practice time with the Upland’s players which helped build some camaraderie between our schools.
Based on the growth we have achieved this year, we are confident that squash will continue its growth in 2024 and look towards confidently winning the U19 C League next year.
Netball News
Our netball pre-season this year started early in March with a clinic and a rule discussion for our players. Fun was had and the excitement started to build for the upcoming season. The clinic also included some team building activities that our players could enjoy and grow strong relationships through. Soon after that, we had entered teams into many festivals such as the Krugersdorp (Best of the West) Festival, the St Andrew’s U16 & 1st Team Festivals, the St Mary’s Waverley Festival and the 1st Team St Stithian’s Easter Festival.
After many days of trials, St Peter’s College managed to put together 13 teams this year. For the first time in our history of netball, St Peter’s College had five U14 teams and we managed to schedule fixtures for all the teams. The league consisted of 7 games and 4 derby days, of which Uplands is always a highlight for the players. We toured Uplands this year and the players had an amazing time.
At the end of the season, our U14 A team and 1st Team also participated in the Redhill Youth Festival and both teams placed 3rd. Both these teams also had the opportunity to play against Northfields International School from Mauritius and played an amazing game of netball.
We are extremely proud of our U14 A, U14 B, U16 B and U17 A teams, as they made it through to the D13 District Championship. Our U16 B team placed 4th whilst our U14 A, U16 B and U17 A teams all finished 3rd in our District.