Winter Sports

Sport features prominently at SACS and we are fortunate to have a wide range of sports facilities and participation at all levels, regardless of expertise and is encouraged by enthusiastic, competently trained coaches.

The intention is to enable each pupil to realise his full academic potential and to develop into a well-balanced, tolerant and socially skilled person, who is able to cope with his ever-changing world.

The SACS motto, Spectemur Agendo, ‘Let us be judged by our actions’, motivates our mission.

The Junior School has 4 grass cricket pitches, 8 cricket nets, 4 rugby fields, aquatic centre, gym hall, mini hockey astro and a main hockey astro, tennis and squash courts.

Winter sport currently offered at SACS includes:

Cross Country

SACS Junior School offers cross-country as a winter extra-mural sport. It helps to build and maintain fitness levels as, while participation in one team sport each term is compulsory at SACS Junior, cross-country does provide an athletic avenue for those boys who prefer to participate as individuals within a sporting code.

Runners at all Grade levels are accompanied at all times by fit, dedicated members of staff. Grade 1 and Grade 2 boys practice once a week and get to know the SACS course. The Grade 3 boys are challenged to test their speed, while the fittest of the boys are led into the Newlands Forest in a weekly outrun to test and build their endurance. Small groups of boys, who merely wish to enjoy the beautiful natural environment of SACS, are also taken on runs at a more leisurely pace.

On most Fridays in the second and third terms, weekly inter-school races take place at different venues around the peninsula. The U7 and U8 boys run 1km, while the U9 and U10 boys run 2km. U11 and U12 boys race over 3km and the U13 and U14 boys run 4km. A group of about 30 SACS boys regularly participate in these Friday race meetings. We have some very talented and speedy runners who often do well in their races and are invited to various stages of WP trials as the season progresses.

In August each year, we host our Annual Inter-House cross-country meeting on the SACS campus. All boys are encouraged to participate and score valuable points for their Houses and the spirit amongst the boys is always high.

The top 10 placings from U9 to U13 are then selected to represent SACS at the annual Pentangular Cross Country event against Bishops, Rondebosch, WPPS and Wynberg.

Hockey

Hockey is one of the major winter extra-murals at SACS, and boys start playing the game from their first year at the school. Our boys have the privilege on playing on one of the most beautiful Astros in the world, with Table Mountain looming large over us. We also have a mini-astro which allows us some extra practice space and well as an additional match facility.

Grade 1 and 2 boys practice once a week and play mini-hockey. At these practices they learn the basics structure of the game and foundational skills. The Grade 3 boys play twice a week, which includes matches on a Wednesday against other schools in our area at the home of Western Province Hockey, Hartleyvale.

Our senior hockey (U10-U13) is incredibly well attended . We have four to five teams per age group, and we could possibly make even more. All of our teams have one practice and one match a week. We often participate in tournaments in both the northern and southern suburbs, and our Grade 7s get to play matches in Durban whilst on their annual tour of the city.We also host our own U10 Hockey Festival which is attended by over 15 different schools.
U10 teams play six-a-side hockey with no goalie on a quarter field. Our U11 and U12 teams play 8-a-side on a half field with a goalie. The U13A team plays 11-a-side full field hockey, while the B, C and D teams continue to play 8-a-side.

Hockey at SACS is played at a very high standard and many of our boys make the Western Province or Zonal Team each year.

Rugby

SACS’ proud rugby history dates back to the 1800s when Bishops and SACS engaged in their first ‘battles’ at Newlands – the home of South African Rugby. Throughout the years, these encounters have produced warriors such as Dr Cecil Moss, Frank Mellish, Peter Kirsten, Percy Montgomery, Paul Delport, and Kyle Brown. These gentlemen’s skills developed from the firm foundations of SACS Rugby and all went on to represent their country as Springboks.

190 years on, rugby continues to be enormously popular at our school, with as many as 24 league teams playing the game with SACS spirit each Saturday. The school motto, “Spectemur Agendo”, “Let us be judged by our actions”, motivates the teams to give of their very best when they pull on the famous hooped jersey.

Squash

Squash is played at SACS during the winter terms at the High School courts. Each year, the sport grows in numbers and the commitment, enthusiasm and determination of the boys are the key qualities that drive this growth.

Any boy in Grades 5 – 7 is eligible to play squash; they are required only to be of a competent level and have a sound knowledge of the scoring and refereeing systems to begin. Trials take place early in the second term and the teams chosen represent the school in an inter-schools league. Squash is unique at SACS in that players compete on the basis of their ability, rather than their age, and will even find themselves playing against girls in the league. A ladder system offers an incentive to work hard at the game so as to qualify for each week’s league matches

Table Tennis

Table tennis is played by boys in Grades 5-7 at SACS. Three teams participate in the league, and competition is fierce to climb the ladder and earn places on these teams. Even practices, although enjoyable, are competitive.

The boys practice on Mondays and Tuesdays and play matches on Wednesdays and Fridays. Singles and doubles matches help the boys hone their skills, and they enjoy both being part of a team and playing individually.

The popularity of table tennis at SACS is reflected in the excellent results achieved each season.

Download the latest winter extra mural timetable

Matches are an integral part of learning about sport and are arranged through leagues and fixtures when appropriate in terms of age and emotional maturity.