In his February blog new Grey College headmaster Deon Scheepers cuts straight to the chase, mentioning how the increasing overlap of school and professional rugby as well as schools using rugby as a marketing strategy is placing pressure on boys to perform well like never before.
A lot has recently been said and reported in the media about the increase of doping in sport at school boy level. Since the onset of professionalism sport, but rugby, in particular, has been transformed at schools and this has led to more pressure on school boys to perform so that they can make a career out of the sport. Not only are boys under pressure to perform on the sports field but they are also expected to commit themselves to one sport, at the expense of others, at an early age. This has also been the case with rugby. Agents signing boys through their parents at school boy level is on the increase and boys are often not prepared to handle this added pressure to perform. Some schools also use rugby as part of their marketing strategy and lure boys to schools with the promise of enabling them to pursue a career out of the sport.
At Grey College boys are expected to participate in a summer and a winter sport as well as a cultural activity of their choice. This has been part of the school’s tradition for the past 158 years and is an aspect that we value here at school. We also believe that boys should be thoroughly prepared for all contact sports, but especially rugby, to minimize injuries and to become fully prepared and conditioned for the demands of a particular sport. However, the school, as an educational institution, is against the use of any form of illegal substances, whether to enhance sport performances, or for any other purpose, and support all efforts to eradicate this amongst school boys. The school will also not hesitate to act strongly against boys who are found guilty of any form of substance abuse.
@Greenwood: I hope I’ll be dead and buried by the time that happens.
@Greenwood: That will be a dark day for SA when schools have a super league based on how many kids they bought or inticed with the help of a union.
Nothing new here – bloggers have been saying this for the past 2 years – many of the boys are juicing it whether it be “fringe” non roid juices like Creatine or more sinister products – Creatine in it self can be potentially dangerous when quantaties are abused – there have been reports of athletes having heart failure due to an extra scoop or 2 of this stuff – then there is the cost of testing the boys for substances and so on……
The trend of senior provinicial unions enticing talented schoolboys to their setups and “assisting ” them with placement at local schools is only begining – watch this space
IMO semi-professionalism in SBR is well under way now and give it a a year or 3
and we will see full blown “unofficial” professionalism abounding – the more affluant schools
, private and semi-govt schools will end up playing in a super league because they will be so strong that most local school would not be able to compete with this “Super Group”
Brave words from the head of the ARU (http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/aru-chief-executive-bill-pulver-proud-of-codes-track-record-with-performance-enhancing-drugs/story-e6frf4pu-1226572657142#.URNO1KUqZSw) Let’s hope rugby can stand the test…….?
I cannot agree more. Schools must guard against one-sided development. It may not be possible to take part in all sports at the same level, but I can remember Jean de Villiers as a more than capable wicket-keeper with one or two cultural overtones as well. No matter how many squads or national teams a player is chosen for, he/she remains a pupil at a school and owes a fair degree of loyalty to the school.
We have been ahead of the curve again on this.
Breaking news today in aussie: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/illegal-drugs-and-links-to-organised-crime-widespread-in-australian-sport-according-to-shocking-acc-report/story-e6frf9jf-1226572459574
Apparently widespread drug use in sport in Australia discovered by the government. A story to watch.