I have never thrived in team sports. As hard as I tried, my skill set never particularly suited shooting a ball up the hockey pitch or keenly marking an opponent in netball. Yet, up until Oundle, in my nine years of prep school, the only sports options given to me were netball, hockey and rounders (later cricket). Don’t get me wrong, I was incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to get to know how to communicate as a team and to improve my tackling and attacking alike. But I felt blessed when the array of sports on offer widened in Oundle, particularly after fifth form. This article will discuss the less conventional sports offered three times a week that promote strength, discipline and most importantly, having fun when exercising.
The most mainstream of my choices was my first new sports undertaking: swimming. Young Fourth Form me lacked confidence in the pool. As a toddler, I was scared of swimming and water, and when I finally learnt to swim (very reluctantly might I add) I was never particularly fast. The wonderful coaches at Oundle cheered me on from the sidelines. They taught me breath control and proper technique, especially for what became my favourite stroke, back stroke. I progressed from the development squad to a more advanced lane for which the coaching was less laissez-faire and more dedicated in its training style. I even got the opportunity to enter several inter- and intra-School Galas, though my skill set was less impressive than my competitors. I became accustomed to the Olympic-sized swimming pool, and gradually came to not dread the 50m sprint ahead of me. All this goes to show how important the swimming staff are to improving self-confidence, crucial survival skills and pace in the water.
When I got to fifth form, I knew that I wanted to take advantage of the plethora of more creative options for sports. Growing up, I had always loved to watch dance shows like ‘Strictly Come Dancing‘, ‘The Next Step‘ and ‘Dancing with the Stars‘. Dance was my calling. Before dance, my coordination was less than adequate and my moves were what you might call ‘clunky’. Our teacher, Miss Krane, came in from an external studio and mentored us to embrace a diverse range of dance styles from hip hop to contemporary. Ask any dancer – whether in the advanced or beginner class – and they will tell you that the dance show is the highlight of the year. I participated in two of these annual Lent Term events in The Stahl. Not only did I get to create memories backstage with new friends that I will cherish, but also, I learnt the importance of turning up to rehearsals on time and juggling different commitments. It is definitely an undertaking that I wish to continue at university and beyond.
In the Sixth Form, my physical fitness has become more of a priority for me. Gym and ‘Combination Sports’ have given me time to improve my strength training, stamina and overall mental health. In the gym, a personal trainer guided me on how to safely use machines to optimise muscle growth as a growing teenager. The gym is well-equipped in our Sports Centre and is accessible to all pupils with various dedicated time slots each day. So, I could build a schedule around my allotted sports sessions to maximise training gains. Combination Sports is similar, in that it focuses on cardio (with spin sessions), weight training and HIIT. The difference is that it is an instructed class with a trainer. She always greets us with a smile and motivates us to overcome the mental block preventing us from reaching our full potential.
Overall, there is a sport for everyone at Oundle, no matter your background in sports and your skill set. The Sports Department is very keen to give us every opportunity to become fitter, to exercise for pleasure, and to work as a team, even if the sessions are more individual.
