Mr Nolutshungu [OC 2013], our guest of honour, invited guests, Staff, Parents and Boys.
May I add my warm welcome to this special evening of celebration.
We have two ceremonies at College which laud the achievements of the academics viz. PrizeGiving and Speech Day, but tonight’s function enables us to honour the boys who have excelled in the cultural arena and on the sports field. It is an absolute blessing that we have been able to experience a comprehensive co-curricular programme after two years of very little. 2022 has seen a memorable series of events in the area of sport and culture.
On the cultural front, our Director of Performing Arts & Music, Mr Simon Stickells along with Mrs Kamany Thaver, Director of Cultural Affairs and Drama, produced two superb [productions viz ‘By Jeeves ‘ and ‘Sophiatown”] which we were both thoroughly enjoyed by the audiences.
The Afrikaans Society followed up their productions with the Tienertoneel group who participated in two high standard competitions with one being placed 3rd in KZN.
The Music department performed across the province and nationally with schools like AFFIES, KES, PBHS, Michaelhouse, St Johns (as part of their 125th celebration), Epworth and St Anne’s. We resumed our inter-school cultural exchanges with AFFIES and PBHS, KES which included the choirs and jazz band as part of the annual sport exchange which saw almost 850 boys involved. A truly memorable occasion was had by all, with our boys receiving a standing ovation at both PBHS and KES. The College Choir participated in ATKV Applous competition and excelled being placed 1st in the non-Afrikaans boys school merit section and receiving gold in the process.
Our debaters continue to do well by with six of them chosen for the KZN team. R Froise, was chosen for National Debating representing KZN and MH Moosa chosen as part of the reserve team.
The year will conclude with the annual Christmas Carol Service which resumes at One Life in collaboration with Merchiston and hopefully one or two other key feeder schools. We look forward to many of you joining us on the night.
A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend our annual Public Boys Schools Heads’ Conference at Selborne College who are celebrating their 150th with the theme being ‘Hope for the Future”. One of the key note speakers was Kim Van Kets and her topic was SURVIVE, ADAPT & THRIVE (Grin and bear it!!) . Kim is an attorney by profession and an endurance athlete.
She recently completed the circumnavigation of South Africa, 67772km in 148 days by foot, bike and kayak. She named it ‘Tri the belove country “
Kim whose mantra is “It always seems impossible until it is done” shared a few pertinent points and life lessons that we could all take on board.
- Surround yourself with the right people
- Reward yourself but only when you deserve it
- Have a strategy but be flexible enough to change it
- Self-deprivation to drive oneself
- Get out of your comfort zone
- Even good change is hard – plan for it!
- Focus on the positive (HOPE)
- Translate the dream into a goal ( never the right time)
- Develop discipline and routine in the good times
- Take care of the important things (broken window syndrome) FIX IT!
- Don’t be immobilised by the enormity of your goal ( navigate your way over stones you will eventually cross the mountain)
- Listen to your heart
- Have FUN
On the sporting front a significant number of our boys and teams have excelled on the international, national, provincial and at 1st team or age group level and these will be chronicled in the Headmaster’s Addendum which will be available at Speech Day at the start of next term.
I would however like to draw your attention to a number of highlights:
- Maritzburg College has in total 320 boys and old boys who have secured international selection – more than any other school in the country. This is certainly something that we can be jointly proud of. Two of the most recent are N Mchunu rugby Springbok and Bafana Bafana player B Shandu
- N Mosebi [mens athletics], L Bester [SA u19 rugby], S Mbonambi [SA U18 rugby], I Kayembe [SA champs athletics],L Kunene [SA champsathletics], J Sweetnam [SA champs athletics] , A Simelane [ SA u19 cricket], I Hemingway [canoeing], J Glyn-Cuthbert [canoeing], R Stockhill [SA champs athletics], T Nana [squash], M Mason [squash], S Redelinghuys [table tennis], T Royappen [table tennis], R Marais [SA U19 hockey], L Walker [SA National Enduro], B Kent [SA u16 polocrosse], D Heeralal [SA Karate] , S Venniker [canoeing ], & K Vogt [canoeing], J Bragin [SA Mens Polocrosse Champs runner up and U21 horse manager] have all excelled nationally
- Our participation level is one of the best in the country with College boasting the most number of teams in basketball, cricket, hockey, rugby and soccer
Because of the many successes of our boys, it is very easy to talk about highlights; however the fundamental nature of involvement in co-curricular activity will always be the ongoing week-by-week commitment of our boys, to activities which will broaden and enrich their experience of life, and enhance their personal development.
At College one would possibly like to attribute that success largely to the core values, culture and more recently our College credo – instilled in them whilst in the corridors, classrooms, on the sport fields and on the stage that is College and thereafter the Maritzburg College Old Boys’ Association who form ‘Brothers in an endless chain’. They celebrate their 125th birthday this year one of the longest associations in the country.
For our boys to achieve these levels of success in so many areas there are passionate people behind them such as their coaches, trainers, managers and of course their parents.
Whilst College has a policy of appointing teachers who will take part in the co- curricular dimensions of school life, we are exceedingly fortunate to also have some outstanding outside coaches who support you in your endeavours.
There are many boys who do not have these advantages and I would encourage you all to make sure that between now and the end of the year, that you take the time to say thank you to those people who have coached, managed, resourced, transported or generally taken an interest in you.
I would particularly like to acknowledge Mr Ryan Kyle, Deputy Headmaster in charge of our Co-curricular programme and all the directors, mics, coaches and managers for their endeavours and the manner in which they have promoted, so positively, these important areas of school life in our strive for an all-round holistic education.
I take this opportunity at the same time to thank the College Estates team, under the leadership of Mr Ken Hackland for all their hard work. The College Estates staff take a great deal of pride in the standards of the facilities and grounds and their efforts are sincerely appreciated.
No team or group can perform to the best of their ability unless they are well nourished. To this end, I would like to pay tribute to Mrs Heather Lawson and her catering staff who look after the culinary needs of our boys, staff and guests with aplomb.
I trust everyone will enjoy this occasion and the opportunity to celebrate the year in sport and culture at College. Congratulations to those who are recognized today through the awarding of prizes and trophies, but also congratulations to those of you, who in your supporting roles, have enabled the stars to shine.
Finally, a vote of thanks to Mr Ryan Kyle, Mr Simon Stickells, Mesdames Stacey Emerson, Nolwazi Ngcobo and SupersportSchools for today’s awards ceremony.
Thank you
CL Luman (Headmaster)