Using the ‘yoUR Leaders’ principle where every student has a different leadership role within the group, Harrow Way Key Stage 3 Leadership Academy recently prepared a fantastic new competition to welcome Young Leaders from John Hanson School … New Age Kurling!
Jordan Simcox was the Event Manager, with Tyler Hiscock, Anthony Wharton, Chloe Maxwell and Jaymie-Lea Barnes as officials. Callum Bendall was an excellent equipment manager, Lauren Erskine was Inclusion Manager and Holly Guiver was very accurate on the score table. Harrow Way entered two teams into the competition. Harrow Way 5 was managed by Charlie Harper, with his team of Emma Helsdown, Beth Jeffries and Chantelle Gleed. Harrow Way 6 (Isis Haywood-Mann, Chelsey Renshaw and Brendan Harris) was managed by Laurence Smith. Jake Baugh and Martyn Craggs organised the refreshments very efficiently.
Louis Hatchett, Chloe Gleed, Jodie Wilson and Robyn Barnes (the Sport Admin team) wrote reports for the website during the competition, while Mark Todd was the star photographer.
Jordan welcomed all the Young Leaders to Harrow Way. He highlighted the Paralympic Value of ‘Equality’ since New Age Kurling is a game everyone can play, whatever their ability or disability.
Louis reported: ‘On the 15th October, John Hanson joined Harrow Way to try out a new partnership between the two Leadership Academies. The sport in question was New Age Kurling and the competition was to be the first ever in Andover – history was made! The fierce competition began with John Hanson having the correct technique of combining a good amount of force without going too far, while Harrow Way’s stones did not go quite as far. However, over the next few games Harrow Way began to learn the right technique to send the stones. This brought the competition back to being pretty close and the noise and excitement in the Gym must have been heard all over the school! In the final stages of the league games, it was anybody’s competition to win as there were only two points between the two schools. It was all down to the last game, which ensured three teams ended with nine points each. In the final it was Harrow Way 5 and John Hanson 3, with Harrow Way winning by one point.’
Chloe, Jodie and Robyn interviewed many of the players. Chantelle said, “I am excited about meeting new people. I also don’t really mind who wins, it’s the taking part that counts.†Chelsea from John Hanson said, “I am feeling quite confident and am enjoying the games.†Charlie, Harrow Way 5’s Player Manager, said how much he was enjoying the many games he had competed in. He also said he was having a good time playing against John Hanson because he was getting to know other people better and was learning more about the two schools.
The next meeting of the two Academies will be in December when John Hanson welcome Harrow Way to a Wheelchair Basketball competition. We are already looking forward to the games as well as meeting our new friends again.
Miss Sturges would like to thank the Leadership Academy for all their excellent organisation, leadership and for a really fun competition. They should all be very proud of themselves!