I have been a keen member of interhouse sport ever since I came to All Saints’ in mid August 2018. I regularly represented Forrest House and attended the games afterschool on a Thursday, participating in the multitude of sports played during those 4 years; earning myself numerous MVP awards and coaches awards from the Interhouse sport coaches during that time.

At times there were only a few particpants from Forrest and we had to face other houses with more team players. During these times I displayed my sportsmanship, always participating to the best of my abiIity, never giving up and always encouraging my other team members. This is a quality I have developed in my numerous out of school sporting activities but it has most certainly strengthened during my time in Interhouse Sport. I have discovered that I can successfully play more sports than I would have thought, as Interhouse sport offered the opportunity to try new sports. I feel that I strengthened my relationships with my fellow Forrest students, as playing sport together every week creates bonds with your teammates and a sense of belonging. I also got to know students in other year groups, through the experience I had playing sport with them representing our house. I am also grateful for the bonds that I created with my coaches, as it meant I had more familiar faces during house meetings, events and around the school. This ability to connect year levels in a fun and casual setting is very unique to Interhouse Sport.

The casual, supportive and friendly setting of Interhouse sport allowed me to express myself through the sports, try my best and take risks, without fear of feeling judged. This is very much thanks to the amazing coaches and Forrest leaders who made me feel welcomed and safe on their team. It also encouraged more people to come and play who were maybe not so sport inclined, which I believe to be a very special aspect of school sport and especially interhouse.

I very much enjoyed my time playing in Forrest Houses’ Interhouse Sport team, and wish any future teammates the same amazing experience I had. Go Forrest!