On Saturday, 17 September, Union High School, Graaff-Reinetโs senior tennis girls played their hearts out in doublesโ and singlesโ encounters against their counterparts from the The Diocesan School for Girls – Senior School on Union’s Bremner and Arthur Kingwill House courts in Graaff-Reinet.
What better time of year to focus on some of the โnew growthโ at the Union Schools!
Over the past couple of weeks, visitors to our school would have seen that there are several areas under construction, with builders hard at work in every nook and cranny of our campus.
โข We were excited to break ground on the new junior school classrooms on the corner of Donkin and Caledon Streets a short while ago. The ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ก๐๐ช ๐๐ก๐ก๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ข๐ข๐ ๐ฆ is taking shape at an incredible pace and is on track for completion before the end of the year.
โข The radical ๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ is also well underway. Once completed, Unionโs science lab will be a tech-forward, bright, friendly and comfortable educational space, second to none in the province.
โข The ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ก๐๐ข๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐ข๐๐ฆ’ ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ข๐ is also nearing completion. Once finished, the elongated pool will measure exactly 25 metres in length, which will allow the school to host formal swimming galas and in doing so, generate, and allow for, renewed commitment from our swimmers and coaches to take swimming at Union to new heights.
We are incredibly excited about these projects – ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บโ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐น๐ต ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ด – and are exceptionally grateful as a school for the innovative thinking and collaborative teamwork of the Union Schoolsโ Governing Body members in realising these enormous undertakings and the support of the generous sponsors backing the various projects
This past Tuesday afternoon, 6 September, learners from 10 schools in Graaff-Reinet competed for fantastic cash prizes at a ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง held at the Botanics Sports Club โ hosted by ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐.
โข In the Primary School’s B-league, Union placed both second (Grade 7 learner ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต) and first (๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ณ in Grade 5). They both had a score of 4.5 out of 5.
โข In the Primary School’s A-league, Union placed first through Grade 7 learner ๐๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฒ, who won all five her matches.
In the category for high schools, Unionโs senior players did exceptionally well in both the A and B league, coming out tops in both.
The best player, overall, in the high school section was Grade 11 learner ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, who won all five his matches.
Union extends a special ๐ช๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ to the following sponsors for their contribution to the event: Wรผrth, Haslop & Mason, Mynhardt Construction, Montego Cares and Steel Pipes & Fittings.
Are you a youth looking for an awesome journey? Are you a parent who would like their child to experience the outdoors and learn while doing in a safe and wholesome environment?
Leadership abilities, teamwork, self-motivation, commitment, perseverance, environmental and cultural awareness and strong values are just a few of the life skills scouts acquire whilst having fun and ‘learning by doing’. Positive peer pressure and outdoor activities all contribute to individuals growing up with the belief that they can and are changing the world in order to leave it a better place than how they found it.
The Graaff-Reinet Scout Troop meets every week on Thursday evenings in the Chookie Geard Scout Hall in Neser Street and is open to all boys from Graaff-Reinet in Grade 5 to Grade 12.
๐๐ข๐ก๐ง๐๐๐ง Mrs Tess Neill at 072 178 7699 or tessneillsa@gmail.com to find out more.
Seen here is the ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ-๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฎ: (back) Adriaan van Jaarsveld, Aidan Ferreira, Sibabalwe Mbutye, Daniel Marais, Alex Neill, Ben Lemke, Ethan Raath, (middle) Jordan Maritz, Tristan Hudson, Maqhawe Norman, Quinn Naude, Brett Kenmuir, (front) Kyle Liebenberg, JJ Liebenberg, Joshua Neill and Jayden Swart. Absent: Mark Lemke
This past Friday, 9 September, Union’s ๐จ/๐ญ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ง team played a T20 match against Queen’s College Boys’ Primary School in Queenstown.
Queens batted first and scored 137 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Unionโs best bowlers were ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ถ, ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ and ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ who took one wicket each.
Union then went in to bat, and, unfortunately, fell short by 18 runs. Unionโs best batsmen were ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ and ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ.
The next morning, Saturday, 10 September, Union’s u/13As took on their Queens counterparts again โ this time in a 50 over encounter.
Union went in to bat first. The boys got off to a slow start and, with a regular loss in wickets, only managed to put 68 runs on the scoreboard before they were all bowled out.
Queens managed to chase down the score in the 10th over with two wickets down. Union lost the match by 8 wickets.
This past Saturday, 10 September, Unionโs u/11A cricket team was hosted by Queen’s College Boys’ Primary School in Queenstown for a ๐ฐ๐ฌ-๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ encounter.
Queens won the toss and elected to bowl first on a misty and cool morning.
Union openers got off to a good start and put on seventy runs for the opening stand.
The batting momentum was slightly stalled with a quick loss of wickets in the middle order, however, a good partnership for the seventh wicket ensured they reached a competitive total of 155/8 in their allotted forty overs.
Good performances with the bat included ๐๐ผ๐๐ต ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐น๐น who made 46, ๐๐ผ๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฉ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ (25) and ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ (16).
The Union team showed a spirited performance with the ball by never giving up and eventually bowled Queens out for 138.
The stand out bowlers included ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ who ended with figures of 3-22, ๐๐ผ๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฉ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ (2-16), ๐๐ผ๐๐ต ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐น๐น (2- 31) and ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น (2-32).
There was much excitement among the members of the ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ hockey team, after they walked off the AstroTurf on Wednesday afternoon, 10 September, as the very first victors of Union High School, Graaff-Reinet‘s ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฃ (an internal competition).
The team – captained by Caytah-Leigh Koeberg and Soso Mroro – put forth a stellar effort all round to remain the only unbeaten team during the tournament. ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ the captains and their respective team members, Sarah Jacobs, Lisa Menos, Katelyn Trollip, Amy Waddelow, Ambesiwe Tokwe, Alex Short, Jade Slater, Elizabeth Houseman, Sinalo Khali, Zoรซ Mills, Brogan Koeberg, Sesethu Kotishini, Bukhobenkosi Nomatye, Ashley Shell and goalie Joy Merifield.
๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข the following hockey players, who, based on their performance during Union High School, Graaff-Reinet’s recent Premier Hockey Cup, were selected to participate in an off-season hockey training programme with Unionโs 1st team hockey coach, Mr Calvin Beck.
Hoรซrskool Pearson High School in Gqeberha are set to host their annual ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ as of today, Thursday, 8 September.
The 2022 edition will once again see 20 of the top cricket-playing schools in the province in action, including Union High School.
โข Today at 13:30, Union will face Otto du Plessis in a T20 match, on Friday they will face Victoria Park in a Time Format match and on Saturday they will be taking on Westering in a 50-over match.
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต and ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป
๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ to junior rugby players, ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป and ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต, on being included in the EP rugby sides for two upcoming tournaments.
๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ป will represent the Eastern Province u/12 side at the Southern Regional Tournament being played from 29 September to 1 October in Riversdale, while ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ will represent the province as part of the u/13 EP Sevens squad at the Earl Hill Coastal Sevens Tournament being contested on 16 and 17 September in Kareedouw.
๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ
The first leg of Unionโs ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฃ was contested at the Union High School, Graaff-Reinet AstroTurf this afternoon, Monday, 5 September, and saw the Wolves take on the Bulldogs to draw 1-all and the Renegades face off against the Knights, with the Knights claiming a 4 โ 2 victory.
Day 2 of Unionโs ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฃ was another competitive affair, with both matches being tightly contested.
๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ to the Renegades who beat the Bulldogs 3 โ 0 and the Knights, who remain unbeaten, having won their match against the Wolves 3 โ 2.
โข Day 3 (Wednesday, 7 September) will see the Bulldogs take on the Knights (14:00 โ 15:00) and the Renegades face off against the Wolves (15:00 โ 16:00).
