The Will to Win

Headmaster’s Routh Assembly Address
Wednesday 3rd April 2019

Good morning
Well done to you all for making it to the last week of what has been a particularly long Lent Term. A well-deserved break is almost upon you, followed by a very short Summer Term. However, before we get there, a few traditional formalities, including this morning’s final assembly to celebrate the term’s successes. Especially your sporting successes.

I once foolishly asked my daughter, when she was still at school, what she thought of a message I had given in an assembly on morning. Ever supportive, she said “If you don’t stop playing the ‘sport prepares you for life’ card, someone is probably going to kill you. Most likely me.” I don’t care. At the risk of my life, I’m going to say it again today. Especially today, with the exam term looming, because what works on the sports field works in the examination hall.

As this season’s competitions and tournaments wound up last week, I can report that Bromsgrove’s sportsmen and women have played in a remarkable 825 matches so far this year. Resulting in 498 wins, 75 draws and 261 losses. And, because many of those games were part of longer campaigns, those wins including topping local leagues and national championships. More of which in a moment.

They say, of course, that winning isn’t everything, although a few famous sportspeople would disagree.
American Footballer star Vince Lombardi once said “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” American Soccer star Mia Hamm went further, saying “The person that said winning isn’t everything, never won anything.” Maybe their compatriot, the ace golfer Arnold Palmer put it better when he said “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting it is.”

The hunger to win, to be the best, is in all of us to some degree. Whether that is a desire to be better than others are, or just to keep being better than yourself, beating your last performance. We all like to win and we all hate to lose. The paradox is, you must learn to lose in order to win. That is, the motivation to push yourself hard enough to win often comes from the fear of losing. In the words of a veteran sports commentator, “Losing feels worse than winning feels good.” Not quite grammatical, but you get the idea.

The word “feels” is the important one there. Winning feels good. Sport is physical, but winning is emotional. You only needed to look at the faces of our Senior Netballers as the final whistle blew in each of their national championships to know that. So too, the joy amongst the Sevens team. Elation trumps pain at the moment you know you have won.

The exact same emotion caused the Housman team to leap in the air with delight when they won the academic House Challenge last week. Intellectual triumph feels the same as sporting success. The circumstances may be different but the emotions are the same. The difference of course, is that there is no audience to encourage you in the final of most academic challenges. I saw runners in Monday’s 1.2 relay physically speed up when supporters from their House called them on. Despite their exhaustion, when they heard that vocal encouragement, they literally ran faster. Sadly, there are no supporters to cheer you on in the examination hall.

Neither is there immediate feedback on how you are doing. There is a time clock to glance at, but no scoreboard. Invigilators are present to prevent cheating, but no coaches to call time-out and tell you where you might improve. It may be your all-important final, but you don’t see the score or get feedback for a month.

Nevertheless, I still believe that what has worked for you in winning 500 matches this year will also work in your examinations.

I don’t believe there are “natural” athletes. Just those who train long and hard. And you know I don’t believe in luck. I’m sure you’ve heard the famous quote from the golfing great, Gary Player, “It’s funny, the harder I practice, the luckier I get.”

The winners that we are shortly going to congratulate all have four things in common.

1. They all dragged themselves out to train at times when their muscles were protesting. Times when they had a hundred other temptations to distract them.

2. They have all mastered the rules of their game. They know how it will play out, what to expect, how to react. Their decisions in the heat of the moment are based on confidence and knowledge of the rules.

3. They all had great coaches. People who have worked on their strengths, ironed out their weaknesses. People who want a win as badly as they do.

4. Which leads to the fourth thing; they all had a hunger to win. They could imagine the emotion, how good that was going feel, and imagining that moment was what kept them focussed and drove them on.

Hence my belief that sports skills are life skills. Especially for those of you who will be revising over Easter in preparation for Mocks, GCSE’s, A Levels or IB examinations. Those four things apply:

1. Train hard. Resist distractions.

2. Become experts in the rules, know what your exam papers will look like and how they will be scored.

3. Trust in the teachers who coached you and draw on their advice

4. Be hungry to win. Keep picturing how good it will feel on Results Day and use that to drive yourself on in your revision.

Do that, and victory is yours.

Before we make presentations this morning, could I offer my thanks to all who entertained us in last night’s wonderful Pop & Jazz Concert. A really enjoyable way to wind up the term and so heartening to see the wealth of young talent coming through our dynamic Music Department.

Could I also take a moment to give advance notice that the winner of the Housman Verse Prize, our annual poetry competition in the name of our most famous alumnus, will be decided next term.

Following on from the Staff Reading Prize, this year's Housman Verse competition will also be inspired by the theme of 'Changes' . All entries to Mr Dinnen by 29th April please. The winning entry will be read in Routh on 6th May.

House Challenge
Last Friday’s final was a nail-biting affair that all came down to the very last question. Lupton and Thomas Cookes were eliminated in early rounds, leaving Housman to face defending champions School House in the final round, where the teams were quizzed on their knowledge of the Arts. By the last question, School House had 9 points to Housman's 8. However, School buzzed too early, allowing Housman to close the gap, requiring a final, tie-breaker question. Which was (in case you are interested) "Which writer famously hated the semicolon and refused to use it in their works?" I’m sure you will all know that was Kurt Vonnegut, but Taymour hit the buzzer first, giving Housman the win and leading the elation I mentioned earlier. That ended a superb afternoon of academic challenge and I commend all who took part, as well as the Monitors for their slick organisation of the whole competition. I now invite the winning Housman team forward to receive the trophy.

House Debating
Sticking with intellectual challenge, over the past few weeks we have seen an impressive range of debates and arguments put forward in the Senior House Debating Competition. Again, well done to all who competed and it gives me great pleasure to announce Mary Windsor House as winners this year.

Bromsgrove Service
It has been an exceptionally busy term for Bromsgrove Service with nearly 50 different activities occurring each week. In our privileged position, it is important that we take the opportunity to give back to our local community and many of our students have gone above and beyond in their Service activities. The following pupils have made significant contributions this term. Jamie Cox, Kristi Lee and Artem Khodachuk and I invite them forward to receive awards for their work.

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award
It gives me great pleasure to invite the following to receive their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards:
Isabella Breithaup, Josh Cunningham, Holly Heslop, Archie Holder, Paul Xue, Charles Sapwell, Tia Hill, Madeleine Bache, Lisa Bradburn

Badminton
The captains of Badminton who have been awarded their school caps have colours to announce.

Basketball
The captain of Basketball who has been awarded his school cap has colours to announce.

Cross Country
As I have mentioned, the 1.2 Relays were raced on Monday afternoon and I congratulate all who participated and those who turned out in support. If I could mention one small disappointment, you should never leave an event until the last competitor finishes. It takes courage to push on even when you know you are last and I congratulate the anchor runner from School House for doing so. I also commend all of you who did stay to clap him home.
Girls House Winner:
3rd Housman Hall 2nd Thomas Cookes 1st Hazeldene Fastest Lap: Natalie Hatfield

Boys House Winner:3rd Lupton 2nd Walters 1st Lyttelton Fastest Lap: Ash Kandola

The Halstead Cup for the most improved cross-country runner is awarded to William Ayliffe.

The captain of Boys Cross Country, who has been awarded Major Colours, and the Captain of Girls Cross Country, have colours to announce.


Football
The results of the Senior House Football competition are: 
3rd Elmshurst
2nd School House
1st Walters

1st XI Player of the Year is awarded to a player who has led by example in both effort and performance. This years’ player of the year award goes to: Josh Tidmarsh

The Captain of Football, who has been awarded his School cap, has colours to announce.

Golf
In one of the oldest School fixtures, the School drew against the Old Bromsgrovians at Blackwell GC to retain the Webb Cavill Trophy. Pairings of Captain James Lord and Alfie Broadhurst and Anabel Crowder and Lily-Rose Hunt secured the School’s points.

Hockey
The John Downey Cup is awarded to a player who has contributed fully during his time at Bromsgrove. This year it is awarded to: Tom Maidment

From a very strong field, the Girls Hockey Player of the Year is presented to Sienna Horton

The Captains of Hockey, who have been awarded their School cap, have colours to announce.

Netball
The results of the inter-House Netball competition are:
In the very closely contested Cup:
3rd place- Housman Hall
2nd place- Thomas Cookes
1st place- Oakley

In the Plate:
3rd place- Hazeldene
2nd place- Oakley
1st place Thomas Cookes

Netball Player of the Year:
This year’s Netball player of the year goes to someone who has real impact when on court, always giving 100% in both training and matches. The well-deserved award goes to Tumba Katanda.

The Captain of Netball who has been awarded her School cap has colours to announce.

Rugby
The Perrey Thompson Trophy is awarded to a player who has made the most significant contribution to rugby during their time at Bromsgrove. This year’s award is presented to: Ben Turner

1st XV Player of the Year:
This player has played with great commitment and skill all season. This Year’s player of the season is: Peter Olley

The Captain of Rugby, who has been awarded his School cap, has colours to announce.

Squash
The Captain of Squash who has been awarded his School cap has colours to announce

Swimming
The Captains of Swimming have colours to announce

Table Tennis
The Captains of Table tennis, who have been awarded their School caps, have colours to announce.
Table Tennis Player of the Year trophies go to: Daren Hui and Jade Ngan.

National Competitions
You have just witnessed the spectacular array of sport in which Bromsgrove teams have participated this term. Proving that we have not only breadth but also depth, I am proud to say that we have also reached the finals in no less than five national competitions, a remarkable feat for any school.

The Girls' Table Tennis team were very impressive when they competed at the All England Schools championships held in Hinckley, finishing 3rd and narrowly missing out on the runners up position. That was a fantastic achievement and I invite the team forward to receive their individual trophies.

Making a national final is one thing, winning it is another. Last week, a large number of you managed to catch the live streaming of the Senior Boys Rugby 7’s team as they won the Vase Trophy at the Rosslyn Park tournament. 240 teams from throughout the UK competed for this prestigious event, the largest schoolboy tournament in the world. The team played superb rugby over two days and I congratulate them all on maintaining our proud tradition in this sport.

Bromsgrove may have a reputation as a rugby school, but we are also a co-educational community and girls sport matters just as much. Pleasingly, it also excels just as much. Indeed, this year our Senior Netball team qualified for not one, but three, national competitions, winning the Independent Schools Cup and the Sisters n sport competition, and taking third place in the English Schools championships.

Their final match typified an outstanding season, played in a superb atmosphere as both schools had great support along to encourage them. Competitive and physical, the girls maintained control in the centre and were clinical in converting their chances. It was a consummate team performance, but along with the win came the bonus of Ellie Preece being named Player of the Match. It is with real pride then, that I ask our national champion 7’s team and our double national champion Netball team to come forward together, as is fitting in a co-ed School, to receive their medals and our congratulations.

It remains for me only to wish you well for the Easter Break and to remind you once again, if you are revising for important examinations; prepare to win. I leave you with the words of Muhammad Ali, who said “I hated every minute of training, but I always said to myself, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'”

Please stand for the Grace