Bulletin

Earlier today, on Monday, 19 August, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet proudly announced its 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗕𝗢𝗗𝗬 for the upcoming academic year of 2024/25.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆, 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳: Muhammad Ahmed, Xavier Barlow, Farronique Booysen, Tara Ferreira, Erin Gedult, Trystan Hulleman, Sarah Jacobs, Shaakir Kazi, Kyle Liebenberg, Daniel Marais, Kenza Neill, Milano Pongoma, Ndodana Speelman, Aaminah Steele and Uyintando Ziswana.

As these young leaders step into their roles, we remind them of the words of John Quincy Adams: “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳.” This quote encapsulates the essence of leadership – the ability to inspire and uplift those around you.

With this new responsibility, the prefects are encouraged to serve the school with pride and dignity. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹, 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦 is more than just an annual event; it’s a tapestry woven with deep emotions, fierce competition and unforgettable memories. Every year, this special occasion seems to draw out the very best and, at times, the worst in us. But this duality is not something to be feared or resented – it’s reflection of our deep passion and unwavering commitment to our children. We cheer with all our might when they excel and we feel every stumble as if it were our own.

The intensity of our emotions during Interschools stems from a place of love, pride and an earnest desire to see our children succeed. It’s in these moments that our true selves are revealed, for better or for worse. We find ourselves in the joyous highs of victory, but also in the quiet moments of reflection after a loss.

This ebb and flow of emotions is not new. Interschools has always been this way – 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙.

INTERSCHOOLS REULTS

Senior Rugby
While Volkskool’s 1st XV may have taken home the win (22-12), it was the Union team that truly captured our hearts! You fought valiantly, showing strength and determination that exceeded all expectations. We couldn’t be more proud of you! Your passion and spirit shone brightly today!

More Results
U/13B: 17 – 17
U/13A: 5 – 5
U/14: 0 – 53
U/15: 7 – 5
U/16: 8 – 25
3rd Team: 0 – 39
2nd Team: 6 – 24

Hockey
In a thrilling chapter of Union’s storied history, the 1st team hockey girls clinched a narrow yet glorious victory over Volkskool with a score of 1 – 0 during the 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 encounter.

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 to our champions!

More Results
U/13B: 2 – 0
U/13A: 0 – 1
U/14A: 9 – 0
U/16A: 1 – 1
2nd Team: 8 – 0

Senior Tennis
Union’s 1st girls’ team showcased their talent by winning decisively with a score of 8 – 1. The 2nd girls also performed admirably, clinching a narrow victory with a score of 5 – 4. However, the 1st boys faced a tough challenge, ending the match with a score of 1 – 8 in favour of Volkskool.

The 2nd boys and 3rd teams fought valiantly, but ultimately fell short, with scores of 2 – 7 and 2 – 7 for the 3rd girls and 3 – 6 for the 3rd boys, respectively.

Junior Tennis
The first team girls fought valiantly, narrowly losing with a score of 4-5.

The second team girls, however, shone brightly as they clinched victory with a solid 6-3 win. Kudos to them on a stellar effort!

𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝘀’ 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲. The first team boys faced a formidable challenge and, despite their best efforts, fell to their Volkskool counterparts with a score of 0-9.

The second team boys also put forth a commendable effort but ended with a score of 1-8. Both teams demonstrated great sportsmanship and tenacity and their commitment to the game is something to be proud of.

Quiz
Our quiz team put forth a stellar effort, narrowly missing out on victory in a nail-biting finale, finishing just one point shy with a score of 37-38 in the dying moments of the quiz.

Speeches
Our junior and senior speech learners also took centre stage, displaying eloquence and grace that left a lasting impression on everyone present. 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗺𝗸𝗲, 𝗝𝗼𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 (1st place) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗲 comported themselves with remarkable poise, embodying the very essence of what it means to be wonderful representatives of our school.

Chess
The high school teams (Grades 8 to 12), saw the Union 1st team lose 5-9, with the 2nd team making a clean sweep with a point tally of 14-0 in their favour, to claim an overall victory of 19-9 in the division.

Meanwhile, the Primary School teams (Grades 5 to 7) dominated the board, with the 1st team winning 10-4 and the 2nd team winning 13-1, to claim an overall win of 23-5.

Not to be outdone, the Union Preparatory School, Graaff-Reinet team (Grades 1 to 4) fought valiantly to secure an 11-9 victory, contributing to Team Union’s overall triumph.

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝟱𝟯 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝟮𝟯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀.

The 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗦 engaged in a fun match that showcased the lighter side of competition, facing off against the Volkskool side. In a spirited encounter, the Matric players lost 7-13, but the camaraderie shared during the games proved that 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.

We are thrilled to announce that Mr André Human has joined Union High School, Graaff-Reinet as our new Director of Rugby.

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘔𝘳 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦.

Mr Human has dedicated the past 17 years to the sport of rugby, working as a professional full-time coach at various levels, both nationally and internationally.

His coaching journey has taken him across South Africa, Ireland and even Uzbekistan, where he served as the National Coaching Consultant for their Rugby Federation. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺.

Beyond his coaching prowess, Mr Human also holds a qualification as a maths educator. This educational background allows him to prioritise the holistic development of our young rugby players, maintaining a healthy balance between academics, rugby and personal growth. 𝙃𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙢𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.

Notably, Mr Human’s own rugby career adds to his depth of understanding and knowledge.

He played for Stellenbosch University while pursuing his B. Comm. (Maths) degree and later competed in club rugby in Italy and France. He went on to represent the Stormers and Border Bulldogs professionally, as well as the SA Defense and SA Central Union Team.

Mr Human’s coaching journey began at high school level, where he honed his skills at Stirling High, Grens High and Dale College. He then progressed to coaching professional rugby, leading the Border Bulldogs in the Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup for five years.

His expertise also extended to coaching international sides, including Galway Corinthians RFC and Old Crescent RFC in Ireland. Most recently, he made significant contributions as the National Coaching Consultant for the Uzbekistan Rugby Federation, mentoring both men’s and women’s rugby teams in 7s and 15-a-side formats.

With an impressive rugby CV, Mr Human’s experience spans coaching schools, premier club rugby in South Africa and Ireland, as well as the Currie Cup and Super 15 Rugby. His strong understanding of schools’ rugby further enhances our programme, as he brings valuable insights and strategies to elevate our team’s performance.

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿é 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲.

His passion, expertise and commitment to the holistic development of our young rugby players align perfectly with our school’s values.

𝘛𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥.