Week in Review: 20-25 May ("Sports Day")

“Just play.  Have fun.  Enjoy the game.”  ~Michael Jordan

“If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?”  ~Vince Lombardi

“God made me fast.  And when I run, I feel his pleasure.”  ~Eric Liddell

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly …” ~1 Corinthians 9:25-26a

Much like last week was consumed with the grade 8 play, this week was consumed with anticipation of and participation in our school's annual Sports Day.  When students enter the secondary campus, they are assigned to one of two sports “houses,” either the red team (“Alpha”) or the blue team (“Beta.”)  Siblings are always assigned to the same house, so typically families are united in their loyalties.

When Stacey moved in with us, we became a house divided.  Her team, Beta, had a five year winning streak before Andie’s team, Alpha, broke that streak three years ago and then maintained a three year streak of their own.  Who would take the honours this year?

So I managed to find two outfits (one for Friday and one for Saturday) that broadcast support of both red and blue, and we headed for the campus.  Until mid-morning on Saturday when they decided to let the tension mount, a computer monitor displayed the running point tally, and more often than not it was neck-and-neck. 

Out on the “sports oval” (basically an all-purpose playing field enclosed by a 400m track), various events were taking place.  Back in the stands area, entrepreneurial people were selling various foodstuffs including barbeque chicken sandwiches, ham and cheese rollups, homemade doughnuts, iced coffee, sodas, ice cream cones (which is significant because we haven’t had ice cream in our store in months - this family must have trucked this in on their own!) … even sushi rolls made by some of our Japanese friends.  Yes, we came to cheer, but we also came to eat.

Even if some people played with their food.

I think, like the play, the rest of this story is best told in pictures …  

Opening in prayer to the God who gave them the ability to run and throw and jump ...

Everyone did what they could to display team spirit.

Team tug-of-war - a win for Beta!

Andie participating in the Obstacle Course

Andie crossed the finish line first in her heat of the 200m - way to go, Andie!

Andie displays her form in the long jump.

The finish of the senior guys' 1500m was picture-perfect.

Stacey's dad (center) happened to be in town for some training and got to come out and watch.  You can bet he was proud!

Stacey had unique - and consistent - form in her long jump ...

... and this woman runs her heart out!  Way to go, Stacey!

The Cyclone involved sub-teams of four running around cones while holding on to a cardboard pole (yes, they eventually broke, which is why Stacey's pole is half the size of Andie's pole in these pictures), and then running back and the entire team jumping over said cardboard pole (which. even though they broke, were better and caused less impact injuries than the bamboo poles they'd used in the past), then carrying the cardboard pole over the top of the crouched team back to the front where the next group of four took it and ran for the cones.  *whew!*  A win for Beta!

Girls against girls and guys against guys, the Chariot rider wore a Velcro flag and tried to protect his or her own while attempting to steal those from the other teams.  Three people carried the rider and tried to keep him or her out of harm's way.  Girls and guys won for Alpha!

After all of the regular sports day events were over, they had a 4x100m relay and a 800m race for the community.  My favourite moment was when these high school guys (bottom right) jumped in and ran with one of our older community members as he slowly but surely completed the 800m.

And the winner is ... BETA!
Final score, Alpha = 1253 and Beta = 1308.