A group of Senior School students were asked to give their opinions on what sport means to them.

Jessica Thomas

Sport is more than a just a hobby for me, it brings me a huge sense of joy and satisfaction. For as long as I can remember, being competitively involved in sports was always a priority to me. Looking back on my sporting commitments; playing, coaching and refereeing are all involvements I know I will continue to call highlights of my time here at KingsWay School. The friendships formed, the team environments and the many great successes achieved are all great memories I will hold on to for life. I am so happy that sport has always played such a prominent role in my life. Chucking around a ball at lunch, practical lessons in PE and of course, the netball and touch rugby seasons are all things I value and look forward to. It’s not just the enjoyment that sport brings me that draws me to it, but the ways in which I can quite literally become a better person because of sport. I have learnt so many great things over the years, such as trying my best to be a leader and a role model to my teammates, how to win and lose gracefully and also furthering skills such as perseverance and grit which will be of benefit to me in many other areas. Game day is always the best day of the week for me because it is a chance to involve myself in one of my biggest passions. Sport is definitely an area I will be heavily involved with throughout my life.

Ruve Smuts

I participate in team sports because I love being in the outdoors whilst getting fitter within a team environment. There is nothing better than getting up early in the morning to hit around a few hockey balls with some great friends, knowing that they will support and encourage me. I also enjoy going to a game after school, knowing that there is a whole team that will motivate me to keep going, even if I’ve had a busy and hard day. Joining several sports teams has given me the opportunity to get to know people that I would not have met otherwise, especially in different year levels. I enjoy creating a positive environment for new players in my teams as I remember how I appreciated this positivity when I was younger. Sport is a great way to relax, have fun, get fit and make lifelong friends.

Carlos De La Fuente

Personally, I cannot imagine my life without sports. Since I have been able to walk, I have always carried some form of a ball around, playing with it constantly until it drives my parents crazy. Progressing through my years in school, I always looked forward to PE or playing sports during lunchtimes, afterschool or for a team. After experiencing its impact on my life for a long time, I feel many people belittle sport to just ‘exercise’. Although it does serve as a health benefit, it is so much more than that. Sport has shaped me into the person I am today. The amount of lessons and life skills I have received from sport are countless. It has taught me how to overcome difficult challenges, persevering until the end. Sport also serves as a stress relief for me. Many students would admit that school is hard, and sport has been one of many methods I have used to settle me down. It has also allowed me to interact with people I may have never met, forming strong friendships that I wouldn't have made otherwise. Especially during my later years in high school, I have had the privilege to coach a talented Year 8 Basketball team. Despite their success and growth as players, my greatest fulfilment comes from the fact that I know I’m shaping these players’ lives and this interaction with people I may have never met is one of many reasons why sport is so meaningful to me.

Niko Forlong

Sport is a great way for people of different backgrounds and cultures to join in and play a game they love. It brings people together and teaches valuable lessons such as respect, teamwork, selflessness and perseverance. Sport is always a way for me to let off some steam and just enjoy the company of my teammates, have some banter and just have fun. Positive team culture is probably the most important factor for me to have a good healthy team. When people are putting in the effort, learning new skills and feeling positive about themselves and others and having fun, the team is likely to become successful and enjoy a good season. The result  is a feeling so unparalleled and just undeniably, awesome.

Georgia Dixon

Sport to me isn’t just about winning. It is a way I can connect with other people in my community. It is an opportunity for me to get to know new people that I normally wouldn’t get the chance to. Through sports, I have made friends of all different ages, schools and environments. Many of the close friends I have now have been made through sports, whether it is in teams I have played in, coached or even from teams I have played against. Even if we have completely different interests and lifestyles I can connect with them through something we both love and enjoy doing which I think is one of the things I value most about being involved in sport.

Joe Tollemache

Sport has created limitless possibilities for me. I participated in my first football game at the age of 5 and since then I’ve taken part in more than 10 unique sports, as well as coaching and refereeing; and I have travelled to places I couldn’t have imagined. The hunger to thrive, become actively involved and progress in my abilities is what encourages me to succeed in other areas of my life. Sport brings adrenaline, excitement and an endless amount of banter, particularly in the KingsWay School sport community. I’ve persevered through the lows and highs of sport. All these lessons have taught me to be grateful for everything, and if I could give any piece of advice, I would say to value all the time you have playing sport before you no longer can.

Joseph Chan

I love the way that sport doesn’t just benefit physical health but it also improves our overall well-being. I have played sport throughout my life and sport has motivated me to improve on areas of weakness, including helping to develop my character through perseverance. It has also reminded me that everything I do, I do for the glory of God. For me personally, by having this mindset when competing, it has helped me to brush off my losses. So for me, sport is something that improves my overall well-being but most importantly it gives a chance to give glory to God.

Viaan Saunderson

Who I am, the values I hold, including character, I strongly credit to my experiences of sport at KingsWay School. Wearing the iconic blue uniform has meant more to me than just competing for another school match. As counter intuitive as it may seem, the blue and gold attire have reminded me that there is more to competition than simply competing. There is always another layer of meaning for why we do the things that we do. For me personally, it’s been the sensational feeling of representing and exercising my faith through my sport. When I play Tennis, it is a uniquely personal form of worship to my Creator. It is through competition and practice that I have come to know God more intimately.

Renee Vautier

I have been playing sport since I can remember. It has always been a big part of my life and for me is a way that I connect and have fun with my classmates, family and even new people. Sport for me is just as much fun as watching it than playing it. Seeing people from different year levels/age groups unite and work as a team is something special. People who watch on the side-line to support help make the team a whole. It brings us together as a community. Sport for me is not just about the enjoyment I get from playing but the amazing impact that it has on people's lives off the field. I've learnt many life skills from playing sport, such as leadership, teamwork and sportsmanship. These are skills formed from playing sports competitively and non-competitively

Connor O’Reilly

Sport has always been a major factor in my life, and has provided me with a multitude of benefits. From how to work hard, to how to work as part of a team. From a young age, sport has provided me with a sense of confidence that I did not inherently possess. In more current times, swimming has been extremely beneficial for both my physical health and my mental strength. Knowing that I can work through hard times is something that has allowed me to metaphorically, “keep my head above water” in challenging times. I know that these qualities, amongst others, are ones that I will carry throughout my life, and are ones that I am eternally thankful for.