On Saturday, 11 March, Unionโs 1st hockey team travel to Gqeberha to participate in the annual ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ weekend.
Our team was drawn with some tough opposition, coming up against Kingswood College, Pearson High School, Victoria Girls and Alexander Road. ๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ช๐ณ๐ญ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐บ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐บ!
Union High School, Graaff-Reinet’s ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ traveled to Despatch today, to participate in the annual Hoรซrskool Despatch Sports Day.
The girls took the field against DF Malherbe, Brandwag and Despatch, respectively.
The girls lost their first encounter against DF Malherbe 2 – 0, after which they proceeded to win both their encounters against Brandwag and Despatch 1 – 0.
๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to the team on a great set of results and to Charlize Vorster, who scored both goals for Union
A bus-load of swimmers from the Union Preparatory School and Union High School, Graaff-Reinet represented the Karoo at the annual ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ-๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ held at Merrifield College in East London on Thursday, 2 March.
The high standard of swimming at this event continues to amaze ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐๐.
As always, competition was fierce in all events – 60 in total – but the Karoo swimmers never gave in, giving their best in all their races.
The dayโs climax saw all age groups racing in relays. It was an incredibly close competition and thoroughly enjoyable to watch as a spectator.
๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to the Karoo team who claimed second place among the competing districts with a total of 378 points and congratulations to Albany who claimed victory with 430 points.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ: โข ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ โ 1st in the Girls u/9 Freestyle and 3rd in the Backstroke โข ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ โ 1st in the Girls u/9 Backstroke โข ๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ป๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ป โ 2nd in the Boys u/10 Freestyle and Butterfly and 3rd in the Backstroke โข ๐ง๐ฎ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ โ 1st in the Girls u/10 Freestyle and Backstroke and 2nd in the Butterfly โข ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ โ 3rd in the Girls u/10 Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly โข ๐๐ถ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ โ 3rd in the Girls u/11 Freestyle and Breaststroke and 2nd in the Butterfly โข ๐๐น๐น๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐น๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ป โ 2nd in the Girls u/10 Breaststroke โข ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐พ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ-๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฎ โ 1st in the Girls u/11 Breaststroke and 3rd in the Backstroke โข ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป โ 3rd in the Boys u/13 Breaststroke โข ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ป โ 2nd in the Boys u/11 Backstroke and Butterfly โข ๐๐น๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ฝ โ 3rd in the Girls u/13 Backstroke and 2nd in the Butterfly
Our learners were also an integral part of the Karoo relay teams that did very well on the day.
Union is so ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ of all our swimmers who committed and gave their time to swim for their district and would like to thank them for their stellar efforts.
๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to Grade 7 learner Zoรซ Mills on winning a silver medal at Swimming South Africaโs ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฆ held in East London this past weekend, 3 to 5 March.
In addition to clocking new personal best times in all her races, Zoรซ claimed second place in the 200m Breaststroke in the Girls u/12 category with a time of 3:38.33 (an 11.32s improvement on her previous PB!)
๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to Grade 9 learner Tristan Hope who participated in the SAIC Pre-Ride at Louvain in the Western Cape this past weekend.
Tristan entered both 80km endurance rides held over the course of the two days.
On Wednesday afternoon, 8 March, Union hosted Gqeberhaโs Hoรซrskool Pearson High School for a ๐ ๐๐-๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐.
The encounter saw Union’s 1st team girls having to exert a relentless effort from the very first push-back to the final whistle against a highly polished Pearson outfit.
Facing immense pressure from the Pearson side throughout the match, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ก๐จ ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ก๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐, ๐ฉ๐ค๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐.
Despite their best efforts, however, outstanding teamwork by Pearson saw Union suffering a 4-1 defeat.
Armed with lessons learnt from this encounter against one of SA’s top 10 hockey teams, the girls are keen as mustard to travel to Gqeberha this weekend, where they will compete at the EP hockey trials.
The 1st team match was preceded by an ๐จ/๐ญ๐ฐ๐ and an ๐จ/๐ญ๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐.
From the opening whistle, it was clear that the Pearson sides didnโt travel all the way to Graaff-Reinet for anything less than a win.
They fought hard and played with heart, and in the end, they emerged victorious in both matches.
It was encouraging, however, to witness the potential of our u/14 and u/16 players. The respective encounters against Pearson armed them with valuable match experience early on in the season and, having witnessed some inspired moments of play by the Union girls, we look forward to seeing how these two sides will develop throughout the season.
On Thursday and Friday, 4 and 5 May, Union High Schoolโs primary department will present a stage adaptation of the beloved animated film, ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐๐๐.
๐พ๐ค๐ข๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ฉ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎ, ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ก๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ง๐จ, the musical will showcase the thrilling adventure of Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder as they face ruffians, thugs and a budding romance on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.
Donโt miss the opportunity to follow Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in a musical adventure that will take then from a lonely tower, into the raucous Snuggly Duckling Pub to the distant Kingdom, where they both, finally, find home.
๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฆ๐บ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ Union High School, Graaff-Reinetโ๐ด ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฑ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ด๐ข๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ข๐ด๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด.
Union High School, Graaff-Reinet was granted the privilege of hosting the regional leg of the ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐ข๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ’ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ this past Sunday, 5 March.
The event โ which brought together the top hockey talent in the region – provided a memorable experience for everyone involved.
All the players demonstrated a great deal of respect for their opponents and the officials and should be commended on their exemplary conduct โ they are a credit to their schools.
The positive atmosphere, exceptional play and overall sense of camaraderie made the tournament a huge success, and served as a testament of how sport can bring people together.
Both Unionโs 1st team and 2nd teamโs quality of play was exceptional throughout the day, with all the girls displaying a lot of skill, speed, and a high level of sportsmanship.
Their ๐๐ ด๐๐๐ ป๐๐ are as follows:
Union 1st team beat Cradock 2 โ 0 and Brandwag 4 โ 0, losing 2 โ 0 to DSG.
Unionโs 2nd team lost 3 โ 0 against Hoรซr Volkskool and 2 โ 0 against Kingswood, drawing 0 โ 0 against Victoria Girls High School.
๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ช๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค coaching staff, Mr Calvin Beck, Mrs Cathy Pringle, Mrs Claire Lemke, Mr Steggman van Zyl and Mrs Bronwen Langmead, to Mrs Elsebรฉ Moos and her First Aid team, to Mr Maarten Kruger and Mr JP Kruger, Mr Donald Kingwill and his groundsmen, as well as to all the parents and members of the community who supported the players on the day.
A word of thanks is also extended to Mr Louis Steyn for assisting us with the scaffolding for the SuperSport cameras and Spar for their valued sponsorship of the event.
On Monday afternoon, 27 February, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet’s ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ ๐ด ๐ง๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฆ boys and girls, hosted their Middelburg Hoรซrskool (Karoo) counterparts for an afternoon of competitive tennis.
The Union girls dominated their matches, winning 6-0. ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ช๐ง๐’๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฎ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐๐ก๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ 4-2 ๐ซ๐๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐จ. The Union boys, however, bounced back in the mixed doubles, with Union winning 5 of the 8 matches, leading to Union winning the fixture with 13 matches to Middelburg’s 7 overall.
This past weekend saw Unionโs 1st team hockey girls travel to Bethlehem to participate in the annual ๐ฉ๐ข๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐.
This was Unionโs first year participating in this prestigious pre-season festival. During the four days of intense competition against some of South Africaโs top school hockey talent, Union managed to record 2 victories, suffering 4 defeats.
The tour provided the girls with valuable match experience for the season ahead and saw them bonding over blood, sweat, blisters, tears and laughter.
Special mention must be made of Unionโs formidable goalie, ๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ช๐๐ก๐ (๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ), who was awarded the festivalโs Sportsmanship Award. Well done, Musa!
On Friday afternoon, 24 February, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet’s rugby boys participated in Hoรซr Volkskoolโs 2023 ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฆรซ ๐๐ณ๐ถ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ – a pre-season tournament that allows local rugby teams the opportunity to effectively finalise their pre-season preparations in a competitive yet relaxed and accommodating environment.
While some of our players had to sit this one out due to cricketing commitments, the rest of the boys who have been putting in the hard yards with their pre-season training, valued the opportunity to take the field again.
We extend our ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ to Volkskool for inviting us to participate and giving our boys the opportunity to play. It was an enjoyable afternoon for all involve.
