Cricket, Sport Results

Creating The Perfect Pitch

It is a fundamental principle that you cannot play good cricket on poor wickets.

With the rugby season behind us, the cricket season having recently commenced and the much-anticipated Cape Schools Cricket Week on our doorstep, a lot of careful and thoughtful work has gone into the preparation of the cricket pitches as well as the in- and outfields of Union’s Murray and Puttick fields these past months.

As the humble grass on which the season’s matches will be contested plays a critical role in determining the outcome of a match, Union thought it vital that the condition of the school’s turf satisfies players, coaches, spectators and administrators alike this season.

To ensure that everyone’s high expectations are met, Union delved into the depths of horticultural science to engineer the ground carefully to everyone’s satisfaction. This has been particularly difficult owing to the quality of water that has been available for use, with the salt content, in particular, providing the school with headaches.

Thanks to the generous support and immense efforts by numerous individuals, Union is happy to report that all the hard work is bearing fruit and that the turf should be pitch-perfect for Cape Schools Cricket Week, which kicks off on Friday, 20 September at Union.

The run-up to this festival has seen a lot go on behind the scenes at Union to ensure joy is brought to the cricket connoisseur.

The grass and soil were measured and analysed to make sure they are healthy and have the right amount of compaction and moisture.

A lot of attention was also focused on the school’s pitches, which received a complete once over – they were drilled, scarified, the old bully was taken out and fertiliser and top soil added. The pitches were then watered and nurtured back into shape.

All of this would not have been possible without:

• Mr Donald Kingwill (who knows all the intricacies of Union’s pitches) and his crew of groundsmen who have been mowing, cutting, compacting, watering and crushing bully day in and day out.

• Mr Petrus Botha of N1 Construction who has not only made his roller available for the purposes of compacting the pitches, but also very generously helped the school in transporting water to flood the pitches on a weekly basis.

• Mr Derek Light who donated 180 square metres of kikuyu grass to use where needed on the in- and outfields.

• Mr David Stern who assisted in sourcing new bully for the pitches and Mr Campbell Scott of Campbell Scott Machine Hire who made his tipper truck available to the school for the transport thereof.

• Mr John-Allen Biggs who provided invaluable advice and support.

• Mr William Coleman and Mr David Stern who facilitated the testing of the soil which enabled Union to fine-tune the preparation process. Mr Coleman also donated kelp fertiliser and Gyp-Flo.

• Mr Peter Brotherton who supplied fertiliser and manure.

At Union, we firmly believe that good pitches and immaculate fields promote the game and develop good cricketers.

We, therefore, hope that all the hard work and preparation these past couple of months will help our players, as well as those from visiting schools, give their best on the field.

We look forward to the season with much anticipation.

Sport Results

Cricket Coaches Attend Level 2 Coaching Course

Congratulations!

For any cricket coach to deliver a programme or service of value, they need to be properly equipped, not only with the correct techniques for cricket, but also the ‘soft skills’ of coaching and to be brought up to date with the different changes in the game.

At Union we aim to equip our coaches to develop their own skills from where they are at currently and to open their eyes to what is out there for them to use.

We are therefore very pleased to congratulate Mr Raymond Hamilton and Mr Stephen Bezuidenhout who recently attended a Cricket South Africa Level 2 Cricket Coaching course and passed the examination with flying colours!

The course, presented by Mr Christo Esau, Coaching Manager of Eastern Province Cricket, covered all aspects of coaching and various teaching methods, as well as practice organisation and planning.

Sport Results

Hockey Coaches Learn From The Pros

The beauty of hockey is that the game depends on a group effort – which includes the coaching team.

To give Union’s players the full support package necessary to perform at their best, five Union coaches travelled to Potchefstroom on Friday, 6 September, to attend a hockey clinic hosted by the Investec Hockey Academy at North West University.

Headed up by former SA Women’s Hockey legend, Sulette Damons, who also happens to be a proud Old Unionite, this was no ordinary hockey clinic.

The course was kicked off by the highly qualified and experienced Shaun Hulley, who managed the SA women’s team that recently won the 2019 Varsity Cup as well as the team that won the PHL in 2017.

As Shaun believes it is important to share the wealth of knowledge he possesses about hockey, he went into amazing detail about the nature of the game, sharing some very interesting tips and strategies while doing so.

The group then had the privilege of meeting one of the best umpires in the world of hockey – Annelize Rostron.

This was a real treat for Union’s coaches as she proceeded to explain the rules of the game in detail with some uncertain rules and regulations being clarified by her as well.

The third session saw an expert in the field of Sport Science Services share some important information on how to maximize the strength, fitness and general conditioning of athletes.

Step-by-step, she explained the importance of pre-season and in-season training and complemented this with information about which programmes to incorporate into the different preparations throughout the season.

Sulette Damons then concluded the day with a practical training session, where she demonstrated different skills, as well as defensive and attacking drills.

She also touched on some game plan ideas and formation set-ups to assist the coaches in different match situations.

Sport Results

Rugby Coaches Enjoy Informative Course

On Saturday, 7 September, Union High School’s rugby coaches attended a World Rugby Level 1 coaching course.

The course was presented by Mr Anthony Heugh – an experienced World Rugby Coaching Educator that has earned the respect of top coaches across the globe.

Mr Heugh is a former Eastern Province Elephants coach, and served as technical analyst for the SA Women’s team at the World Cup hosted in England in 2010.

Union’s upcoming coaches found the course to be very beneficial, while the school’s more experienced coaches found the course instructor’s guidance on how to thoroughly plan, deliver and review practices and how to put an entire season’s plan to paper, very helpful.

The coaches will complete the Level 2 course in February next year, where after all coaches will be assessed in May to be awarded their World Rugby Level 2 qualification.

Bulletin, Hostels

HAH Girls Visit The Valley of Desolation

On Sunday afternoon, 8 September, Mrs Lehesta Galloway took the Herby Arnott House girls to view the geological phenomenon that is the Valley of Desolation.

The Camdeboo National Park’s most popular sight, the Valley of Desolation – often called ‘The Cathedral of the Mountains’ – is a hauntingly beautiful valley with outstanding views featuring rugged, piled dolerite columns set against the backdrop of the endless Karoo plains.

From the nearby Toposcope viewpoint, which was also visited by the girls, Graaff-Reinet can be viewed in its entirety from above, nestled in a bend of the Sundays River.

Bulletin

Thank You!

Earlier today, Wednesday, 11 September, with South African National Parks Week in full swing, the ground staff and cleaning ladies of Union Pre-School, Union Preparatory School and Union High School were treated to a special picnic at the viewing deck at the parking area of the Valley of Desolation in the Camdeboo National Park to thank them for their hard work and contribution to the efficient running of the school.

Bulletin

In Memory of Jenni Wiggill

Jennifer Wiggill (6 December 1959 – 5 December 2018)

A bench dedicated to the memory of Jenni Wiggill (6 December 1959 – 5 December 2018) has recently been added to the Union High School campus.

The bench was donated to the Union Schools by the friends and family of Jenni Wiggill, as well as the Class of 1977.

The bench is situated in the shade of a tree, between the Union High School’s AstroTurf and the adjacent tennis courts.

Bulletin, Cricket

New Carpets For Cricket Nets

Union’s cricketers will soon benefit from improved training facilities as all of the lanes at the cricket training nets are currently being fitted with new top-of-the-range carpets.

We hope this investment in our training facilities will lead to an outcome players, parents and the wider community will be very proud of in the cricket seasons to come.

Bulletin, Eco-Schools

Union Celebrates Arbor Week

Union High School proudly celebrated Arbor Week with the planting of a tree (adding even more beauty to the educational facility) during a special assembly early this morning, Friday, 6 September.

This special event is held every year at Union during the first week of September, to celebrate South Africa’s trees and raise awareness of their importance and need for the conservation of indigenous trees that are threatened by extinction.

During his address to the learners, headmaster Mr William Pringle gave a brief history of Arbor Week, whereafter he spoke to the learners about the importance of planting trees, the role of trees in our daily lives and how they benefit the environment.

As the school is committed to planting indigenous trees, Union chose to plant the celtis africana, commonly known as the White Stinkwood or Camdeboo Stinkwood, for the occasion.

The Camdeboo Stinkwood is an indigenous deciduous tree that can grow to between 7 and 12 metres in height. It is hardy, frost tolerant and drought resistant. It attracts many birds like Rameron pigeons, willow warblers, black-eyed bulbuls, mousebirds and crested barbets that feed on the fruits and disperse the seeds. It is also a haven for insects.

It is hoped that Union’s annual Arbor Week celebrations will inspire a custodianship of the country’s natural resources in the learners and that they will come to see the trees as natural treasures.

May the newest addition to Union’s tree population provide shade and aesthetic value for generations to come!