Sports Day St.Mary’s School Mount Abu

The 81st Annual Sports Day at St. Mary's School, Mount Abu, was a sporting spectacle.

On April 1, 2010, St. Mary's School Mount Abu broke with tradition by celebrating its 81st Annual Sports Day on a day that was not to be mistaken with April Fool's Day. This change surprised many former students, as they were familiar with sports activities after the Annual School Concert in September or the first week of October.

The timetable change was not a whim, but a required modification because of the severe water deficit. The school year began on February 15, 2010, with a month-long summer vacation beginning on May 15, 2010. This year, the Sports Break coincided with the Easter Holidays; hence, Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday was chosen as the day for the sports spectacular.

The mood at St. Mary's School, Mount Abu, was fraught with expectation despite the unusual circumstances. They carefully placed white canopies to offer shade from the sun during the athletics celebration.

They did not limit the sports enthusiasm to the youngsters; parents were also an important part of the day's events. Jennifer, a proud mom, was looking forward to the celebration and had entrusted the duty of collecting memories to another parent. She wanted images of Junior at Keith's debut sports event, eager to participate in remembering her child's first sports day at St. Mary's.

For those familiar with the school's traditions, there was an evident sense of nostalgia mixed with apprehension. Will there be the usual passionate gathering of ex-students on this unusual occasion? The attraction of the sports day, which is usually held later in the academic year, may have taken many past attendees by surprise.

As the day unfolded, the St. Mary's community warmly embraced the change in tradition. The 81st Annual Sports Day proved the school's capacity to face obstacles elegantly and inventively. The beautiful white canopies provided shade and symbolised unity and tradition.

St. Mary's School Mount Abu acknowledges the qualities of determination, flexibility, and resilience that unite students, parents, and teachers across generations. They will remember the 81st Annual Sports Day as a one-of-a-kind chapter in the school's rich history, when tradition met innovation and fair play won despite all obstacles.

The School on Sports Day Maundy Thursday

They organized the programme well. The boys and the staff did a remarkable job of getting the place into top shape. The dashes, novelty events, drills, and relays entertained us immensely.

 To view, the dashes and relays click on the links below

The Final Dashes 50m,75m and 100m

Inter House Relays

Open Challenge Relay

To watch the drill display, click on these links

The Club Drill displays Senior Boys' class 9 and X

Cricket Drill classes 7 and 8

Aerobics Drill classes 5 and 6

To watch some photographs taken on Sports Day click on the link

http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsleyster/SportsDayStMarysSchoolThe81stAnnualSchoolSports#

Or click on the link below to watch it on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=607486053&aid=197957#!/photos.php?id=607486053

SPORTS DAY [ 29th SEPTEMBER,2008 ] ST.MARY'S MOUNT ABU

 ST.MARY'S MOUNT ABU

Bruno, one of the school dogs

Clicked Plummy on the way to school

The field is prepared for sports rehearsal

11'feet yet to go Lower Kodra Dam

A boarding student’s life is fantastic. Today, I drove to school via foggy curved roads, it coated my eyelashes in small globules of water droplets, and my head and the few strands of hair that remained glistened with beads of the late afternoon misty sprays that I had driven through. As I passed through the gates near the chapel, it overcame me with nostalgia for the happiest days of my life.

Memories of bunking out of limits to avoid earning a “one-way ticket” flooded back. I recall bunking lunch and running helter-skelter all the way to the school lake to get the eggs of the Bird of Paradise. Brother Keane, the Archangel of the Christian Brothers, captured me while ascending the wall behind the bogs. Before he could throw a tonne of bricks at me, I held up my hand and signalled to him to keep the peace because I couldn’t speak to him. I gently and delicately removed two eggs out of my mouth into the palm of my hand, much to Keane’s amazement. 

He indicated for me to go get gone before delivering the dreaded declaration, “You have earned your one-way ticket home.” In the years afterwards, I’ve earned quite several tickets, but Lady Luck has always been on my side, and they have never sent me home.

Mr. James came over to say hello as I was remembering at the refectory, and our talk focussed on the concerning monsoon conditions. This year’s rains started late, and we have gotten little rain; if the scenario continues, it will be difficult for us Abuites, as they only provided us with water every three days and for just two hours. Amen! If the rain gods do not favour this Abode in the next weeks, it will be back to bathing twice a week for the next year. I recall the excitement of washing one’s self to one’s heart’s content flat in three minutes every Thursday and Sunday. Every time we left the general bathing area after the two days, we felt like newborn babies. You won’t believe it, but there were some guys who attempted bunking and getting their twice-weekly baths if it was workable. Whew!

When I looked at the primary field, it intrigued me to see the servants hard preparing the field for the field and track activities that would signal the school’s sports day on September 29, 2008. I’m sure all St.Marians will remember with fondness the thrill of competing against other teams for the coveted prizes and the “COCK HOUSE “the overall winning team. 

September is a month of work, tears, and excitement for the lads because it brings out the best in everyone, including the staff, servants, boys, and Princey. With the guys singing on stage for the Annual Concert, followed the next day by the school’s Annual Sports Day, the Olympics fade into obscurity. The lads truly put on a show, and I can assure you that their performances are on par with, if not better than, those of the pros in the Olympics.

I enjoyed this time of year because it brought out the best in me. To date, NO ONE, I repeat, NO ONE has beat the schoolboys at the open school relay put out to the public; I wonder how the Olympic champions would do on St. Mary’s soil.

I’ve included a couple of photos above that I’m sure will evoke sentimental recollections of days gone by. Enjoy your watching!