Essays

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". Games and sports are an integral part of education. They assist in the overall development of a child. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body; sports and games keep a student physically healthy and fit. Moreover, mere bookish knowledge will produce only bookworms. Hence, sports have become an essential part of the curriculum of schools everywhere.

Our school too stresses upon this aspect of education and provides coaching to various sports to help students develop interest towards sports. We have games like Cricket. Hockey. Basket Ball. Volley Ball. Table Tennis, Tennis, Athletics and Gymnastics - a wide variety from which the students can choose according to their interests.

The culmination of these sports activities is seen on Annual Sports Day, usually conducted in the last week of January. Preparations start a good number of days before the D-day and the entire school gets converted into a sports ground.

Everybody feels sporty, light and active. It is a great change right after Half-Yearly examinations and the lazy winter break. All students work hard all year round to win medals, citations and awards. Thus, with the announcement of the preliminary round matches, students start giving their names on behalf of their Houses depending upon the sports they play. Each House is vying to grab the best-house shield, and individual athletes and players aim for the best all round player of the year cup. Other students who do not directly participate in the sports "Relp by working in the background by helping to prepare fields, preparing charts, numbering and listing events, working the score-board etc.

The entire school gets into the mood of play except for students of the 10th and the 12th standard. But on the main day even the students of these two classes cannot suppress their excitement. After days of preparations, preliminary matches and semi-finals, a week is allotted for the final matches. The students encourage their House teams with slogans and banners. The spirit to win is seen everywhere and the whole atmosphere gets electrified.

With all the matches over and the victors decided, everyone anxiously waits for the prize distribution ceremony. Members of respective Houses can be seen in their sports dresses, House badges or ties and shining black shoes. The day starts with the daily assembly. Then the students sit on the chairs around the stadium as per the place allotted to their respective Houses. We all keenly wait for the Chief-Guest to arrive. The school band and the march-past students take their positions. Meanwhile the trophies gleaming on the prize table tempt all.

With the call of the band, all heads turn on the Chief Guest's arrival. The band plays the tune as the Principal ushers the Chief Guest into the ground at the dais. Then starts the spectacular march past at the beat of the band. The Chief Guest takes the salute. After the march past, the drill takes place for the primary section. After the drill, there is usually the performance of the gymnasts of the school or the demonstration of karate skills.

In the end, after the colourful dance performance, the Principal reads the report of the various events and the result of the matches. Finally, the Chief Guest is invited to the stage for the long awaited prize distribution as the proud students receive their prizes with humility amidst thunderous applauding.

At the end, the Chief Guest is requested to share his views and experiences with the students, teachers, staff of the School. The day closes with his speech and a lot of exchange of best wishes among the students. The Best House Trophy and the All-rounder Trophy is the most talked about. The event ends on a note of thrill and excitement with the singing of the National Anthem. But it seems it flies by too swiftly. We all feel sad as the excitement comes to an end and we would have to get back to routine studies once again. Sports Day and Inter-House Tournaments are definitely some of the much awaited events on the school calendar every year.