It was more than just a match for more than 50 pupils from a Harrogate school who took part in a "once in a lifetime" sports tour almost 9,000 miles away in South Africa.
It was also a voyage of discovery for the young sporting talent at Ashville to explore the country’s diverse landscape and forge new international friendships.
With no fewer than four sports sides - rugby, hockey, football and netball – competing in at least eight matches, the teams celebrated wins both on and off the pitch.
Both pupils and staff welcomed new friendships at host schools across the country – from Cape Town to Johannesburg to Stellenbosch.
Head of Ashville, Rhiannon Wilkinson, said:
“This unique tour has given our pupils a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience rich history and cultural insights this wonderful country has to offer – further expanding their horizons on a global scale.
“Although I am committed to the importance of academic education, I am equally passionate about the importance of a broader, holistic education. This ensures young people of all ages have opportunities to develop aspects of their personality and character which academic work alone cannot reach.
“Participation in trips, co-curricular activities and opportunities outside the classroom is essential in facilitating personal growth and development.”
The South Africa sports tour, the largest in the school calendar, is one of a diverse range of trips and visits on offer to pupils, including international, national, and local locations.
Each provides a variety of stimulating experiences that contribute to the creation of inspired learners - from Geography field trips to Iceland and the Lake District, to History and Politics trips to New York and Washington DC; from a Music tour across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany to Modern Languages trips to Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid, Paris, and Nice.
As part of the packed South African itinerary, pupils enjoyed fun in the sun at the Winnie Mabuso Foundation, marine life at the Two Oceans Aquarium, surf lessons on the False Bay Coastline at Muizenberg Beach, an unforgettable sunset at Table Mountain.
The striking Cape Canopy tour saw the group visit a World Heritage Site within Cape Nature’s Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve and they visited Cape Point, exploring the lighthouse and admiring penguins at Boulders Beach.
The most thought-provoking aspect of the tour was a visit to Langa Township in Cape Town where experienced guides gave tours of the homes, schools, business and places of worship.
Ashville’s Director of Sport, Simon Clemerson, said:
“The air of silence signalled the pupils’ deeper understanding of the differences in cultures and living conditions across the globe.
“The tour saw multiple wins and narrow losses for all teams, with notable gains – particularly at Curro Durbanville High School which saw six victories out of eight matches.
“Yet, the friendships forged, special memories and unique experiences go far further than the wins ever can.”
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