What a year in the world of sport it has been. We have lived through and continue to live through sporting disruption that many of us have never witnessed before and, hopefully, will not witness again.

As we entered January 2020, no one would have believed the Six Nations would be paused until late October, the European Football Championships cancelled until the summer of 2021, the Premierships divisions for all sports stopped with immediate effect, the London marathon cancelled, the cricket season wiped out, Wimbledon cancelled, the Olympic Games postponed to 2021 and all sport played behind closed doors on its return. Personally, a Saturday and Sunday afternoon felt very different with no “5 live radio” sports commentary to indulge in, and while the media did its very best replaying “EURO 96 and Italia 90” it was not quite the same. It certainly felt like the rug was pulled out from under my feet with everything stopping so abruptly.

However, there was a silver lining to all the chaos!! General health and fitness is such an important component of our physical well-being and one thing the lockdown did provide was time, the opportunity to embrace exercise and activity, albeit under the restrictions, and enhance our health and well-being. It was welcoming to read and hear so many reports where individuals took up new activities, the like of rambling and cycling, while Mr Joe Wicks created an exercise phenomena which engaged hundreds of thousands of children and adults in exercise on a daily basis. As we endure a second lockdown, thankfully with professional sport and importantly school sport still permitted, I do hope for the health of the nation, that many have maintained their exercise levels where they can, looking after their well-being and physical health.

I am delighted that school sport continues and at Bethany we have been able to develop our sporting provision throughout the term. Working within the year group bubbles and sport’s governing body guidance we have been able to increase our curriculum time and facility usage, progressing from the initial induction recreation based activities in September, to reintroducing our key sports, including hockey, rugby, netball and football, alongside gym sessions this month. It has been wonderful to see our pupils moving smoothly back into school sport, engaging in activities and flourishing with a competitive edge once again. We have captured a snap shot of our pupils enjoying their sport this half term in the picture gallery as we continue to edge towards sporting normality.

As we move towards January 2021 and the New Year, there is no telling what will be around the corner for sport, but we all very much hope it continues to grow back into our daily lives and before not too long it is back to the good old days!

Even in these strange times, the sports department continue to be immensely proud to hear about the achievements of our Bethany pupils outside of School and how they are excelling in their specialist sports. We wish them all the success in the world and encourage them to remain hungry for success and to continue with their development, not letting the current climate curtail their commitment to achieving their full potential.

Congratulations goes to all the pupils playing for clubs outside school at all levels. Keep it up all!

Matt Payne, 
Director of Sport