Response to post – Tipping Point: Grey High Gym Makes Way for a R15m Music & Arts Centre
There are a plethora of inaccuracies in the article. The cost of the Music and Arts Centre (which will also cater for other important needs of the School) is considerably more than R15 million. The decision to build the Centre and enhance the School’s renowned music programme, which is enjoyed by somewhere in the region of 120 active musicians, did not come at the “expense of the school gym”. The building of the Centre was deemed critical because of the marked deterioration of the local Feather Market Centre and made possible only because two Old-Greys generously gave R12m specifically to get this critical and long-outstanding project off the ground.
The School does not have a gymnasium which has now lost out to a Music and Arts Centre. It has a room with weights which is hardly fit for purpose. Learners who are in the various senior rugby squads attend a fully-fledged local gym which generously supports the School’s rugby programme. This notwithstanding, plans are well progressed in designing a new state-of-the-art High-Performance Centre that will cater for, not only rugby, but also other sporting disciplines at the School, including cricket, rowing, water polo, etc. Various concept plans have already been drawn by the School’s architects in this regard. The Centre is intended to include a fully functional gym. The Grey Foundation has already committed R5m to the project. Hopefully, Old-Greys who love rugby and wish to support the School’s rugby programme will come forward and help fund this particular project.
The averment that Grey’s sporting facilities are no longer a source of pride is false and damaging to the School’s reputation. One need only drive passed the School’s campus to see the brilliant condition of the grounds. In terms of building, maintaining and enhancing the School’s sporting facilities, this is largely made possible by the generosity of Old-Greys and the Grey Foundation. There is no doubt that the building of a High-Performance Centre is a priority, hence the committed funding from the Grey Foundation and the further efforts that are being made to proceed with this project.
Reference is made in your article about deteriorating rugby statistics since the current headmaster took over. This bald statement is simply nonsense and whatever the results, they have nothing to do with the current headmaster or any decisions taken by the School’s leadership (whether internally or by the SGB). Whilst it is so that the School’s First XV finished a disappointing 19th on the SA School Sports rankings at the end of 2024, the u16A team finished 8th, the u15A team finished 6th and the u14A team finished 15th. In so far as the First XV of 2024 is concerned, it is perhaps necessary to mention that this senior group commenced at the School in 2020 and played almost no rugby when they were u14 and u15. Nor was this group bolstered by any bursary recruits at any time. Moreover, unlike many of their competitors who have substantially larger numbers to draw from, learners are required to play both a summer and winter sport. This creates challenges in getting learners fully prepared for the rugby season, but they do have the benefit of enjoying a more rounded education on the sports field. This notwithstanding, in 2024 the First XV ran both Paul Roos Gym (No.1) and Grey College (No. 2) fairly close in what proved to be highly competitive and entertaining encounters.
In so far as the alleged lack of financial support for the School from old-Greys is concerned, this could not be further from the truth. The Grey Foundation, which serves to support the School through the Old-Grey community, has been phenomenal in recent years. Notwithstanding the pandemic, the deterioration in the local economy and various other factors that have militated against securing donor funding, the Grey Foundation has increased contributions from Old-Greys by more than 60% year on year over the past 5 years. This has been made possible by the increasing generosity of the Old-Grey community with which the School has been blessed.
The author of the article in question has ventured into critical territory without a firm grasp of the facts, opting instead for assumptions and uninformed commentary. While it’s apparent that the writer possesses a genuine passion for the School and its rugby programme, the reckless dissemination of such inaccuracies does nothing but harm the School’s reputation. It is disappointing that anyone, particularly an Old-Grey, would resort to anonymous, unfounded critiques on a social media platform. This approach not only undermines the writer’s credibility but also does a disservice to the longstanding legacy and communal spirit of Grey.
@Ryan (Comment #19)
I understand there have been some changes again but the rugby management were proactive in visiting schools outside their normal feeder area a few years back. 2 very talented Jbay boys went to Grey, I think they are /15 this year. I hope this practice continued.
RYAN COMMENT #19
@Ryan (Comment #19)
Well said, and it confirms the reality for many schools in terms of their rugby programmes. Except for the number of big boys schools with a strong rugby history and tradition, schools will have to take a realistic view on their rugby expectations in terms of rankings. SBR is professional these days, and with limited numbers and resources, sacrifices are needed in order to try to keep up with the top rugby programmes. Many schools are facing that crossroad currently. The sooner a school (coaches, old boys, parents and the boys themselves) decides whether they want to be a top 10, 50 or 100 rugby school, the better for all involved’s sanity. Those then choosing that school, needs to buy into that vision and except it for what it is. We all love SBR, but the landscape has changed drastically the last two decades, and will keep on changing even quicker.
@Ryan (Comment #19)
Thanks, good perspective
Grey High has always sat in an interesting position in SA school sports. One of the things I’m most proud of as an old boy is that the school succeeds across sporting codes. Whether it be producing Olympic or Paralympic swimmers, current South African cricketers, a 2 X world cup winning rugby captain or professional golfers, the school has always had an emphasis on participation to the best of your ability in whatever code and provided the mechanisms for you to achieve. Do I wish we were ranked in the top 5 every year? Yes. Do I wish that the school had a more proactive approach to rugby talent pre grade 8? Yes. But I would never want it to compromise on what essentially makes the school so special. There is a place for everyone to thrive. The reality is that Grey will produce top 10 1st XV’s if it can hold on to boys after u15/u16 and retention has been an issue since 2015/2016. But I highly doubt it will ever skew its resources towards rugby at the expense of everything else.
Firstly, I must commend the writer of this article whose rebuttal I feel totally convinces me. It portrays Grey High in a very good light with a passionate and generous community of old boys, parents and local boosters who believe in the school’s principal, governors and management. Music and Theatre Centre? Good for them and the community there. Sports Centre upgrade? …it’s on the way, R5 million a nice deposit. Maybe the Kolisi foundation could lend a hand for a few more Bob.
Absolutely can’t wait for this season ! Schoolboy rugby just adds a lot of flavour to our schools!
As a matter of fact Grey play PR Wynberg Grey bloem annually…last year juniors played SACS Rondebosh Bishops St johns aswell…I think this year they are playing 2 KZN schools at the festival.
@Dion Grey have no choice but to dominate among the junior teams because all the other school’s u14,u15 and u16 are all over the country
Grey 2024 u14/15/16 teams dominated EC completely..definitely a process in place that is working….there are 6/7 playas from 2024 ..I see Grey hopefully definitely going one better this year ..should dominate EC this year…have some tuff fixtures at the home festival aswell in March….exciting times…
Not like EP Cravenweek team filled with KC boys could win a match not sure if KC would have beaten Grey last year at all.
@Dion I obviously can’t name the boys but their conditioning is not impressive. In the last couple of years Grey’s representation in the CW has not been more than 5 in the 23, in 2023 they only had Pemba and Bandz and that’s the same year Marlow had like 7/8 excluding Yabo Nzdimela and Mfupi who were at Marlow in grade 8 and 9 but moved to Glenwood. Congratulations on the 1 defeat in the summer, maybe this year will be Grey’s year. We’ll see
@skywalker Grey are definitely a prestigious school but their rugby program is NOT impressive for a school in a region where most schools produce their own talents. Most schools are depleted because they get raided by other schools. Worrying thing for Grey now is that the one advantage they had over most schools is slowly diminishing because Kingswood are now the biggest spenders in the EC. If Grey played in KZN they’d find wins hard to come by. I expect Kingswood to dominate again this year and schools like Queens, Selborne and Framesby to be up there as usual, Pearson will continue to improve. Marlow, St Andrews and Dale will beat anyone and definitely lose to anyone. I fear for Graeme and Hudson Park and as for Grey I don’t think they’ll beat the top 4 schools.
RAPS??
HPC
@Raps (Comment #6)
As an outsider I have always considered Grey a top rugby school. The last few years have still be strong for them. Northwood played them in 2019 and they were one of the top 10 teams in SA that year if I recall. As per the stats mentioned in the article above, they are highly ranked in all age groups as it stands. So I am interested to hear your views that they are actually losing ground and falling off the pace. What is the reason and where do they stand currently?
If a ranking of 19 feels disappointing, imagine how 36 must feel on this blog’s ranking. And the yearly ranking since 2019 shows a precipitous decline.
I find this embarrassing because there is starting to be a clear gap between local rivals Pearson/Framesby and Grey high. Their boys’ conditioning is shocking and below par, I mean I saw a couple of their forwards during the NextGen festival who are built like 3rd team outside backs and makes you wonder about this gymnasium. They have very little to no representation in provincial youth teams these days. What’s more embarrassing is that schools with way less resources like Stellenberg, Outeniqua and EG Jansen are glaringly better than Grey. They lost their best u16 prospect to another school. Times have truly changed
@Grasshopper (Comment #3)
Nee f@k Parri! As jy nie hare het nie gee niemand om nie..niks, nada, fokkol
😂😂Moer snaaks as 2 souties stry oor die korekte grammer!Ek het nie n clue wies reg nie…
@Spice (Comment #2)
Bald or bold, you tell me which is correct in this context. I got an A in English & have an Oxford English grad in my team…
BALD STATEMENT
Read a book!
BALD STATEMENT