Today’s Aloysians, Future Sportsmen of India! St Aloysius Hr Pr School Sports Day Kicks Off
Mangaluru: For sports fans, sports are the epitome of hard work and dedication. To get to the pinnacle of their sport, even the most naturally gifted athletes have to give it their all. The only way to prove that you’re a good sport is to lose. In sports, it is not all about winning, but your participation. It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters. Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement. The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning. If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win. Do you know what the favorite part of the sport is? The opportunity to participate. Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts. And for that matter, St Aloysius Higher Primary School- Mangaluru to develop the interest and also to make children participate in Sports events, organized the “Annual Sports Day ” at the School Sports Ground.
The Management, staff, teachers and parents gathered with great ardour and enthusiasm to witness the Annual Sports Event held on 25 November 2107. After the assembly of the athletes, a General salute was rendered to the dignitaries of the day. After a colorful March Past, comprising of the Red House Team, Blue House Team, Green House team, Yellow House Team, along with the Scouts, the flag hoisting was done by the chief guest, Dr Vivian Almeida- a leading Orthopaedic at Fr Muller Hospital -Mangaluru, who was joined by Fr (Dr) Leo D’souza Sj-Former Rector/Principal of St Aloysius College; Fr Eric Mathias SJ-Correspondent of the School, Headmistress Philomena Lewis, and Loy Noronha- Vice President- PTA Association.
The event began with a prayer invoking God’s blessings rendered by the students of the school, followed by welcome address by the Headmistress. The sports torch was carried by athlete Amithesh Sequeira and sports event oath was taken by him on behalf of all the other athletes. The students pledged the Oath led by the group leaders of the four groups,- and then the Sports Day was inaugurated by releasing the balloons in the air.
In his inaugural address, the chief guest articulated that one needs to aim high in order to achieve much. “All of us possess at least one talent within us which is to be endured. Small changes in habits can lead to lasting, permanent change, so think “tiny steps” when incorporating exercise into your life. Our education system must recognize the importance of engaging children in sports. Since children spend most of their day in schools, a pro-active approach towards promoting sports in schools can kindle their interest and inspire them to go further. I really appreciate the eminence and splendour of this sports event, and the commitment and dedication shown by the management and teachers in promoting the interest of sports among these growing up kids. Today’s sports kids and future sportsmen/women of the country”.
“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there. The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination. Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence. The principle is competing against yourself. It’s about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before. Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. Win If You Can, Lose If You Must, But NEVER QUIT! Apart from sports, you need to excel in academics also. Make academics go along with sports and other co-curricular activities. This institution gives them ample opportunity to come up with co-curricular activities, sports and also academics- so avail all the opportunities the school has to offer- and make your institution proud. I feel proud to be an Alumni of this prestigious institution. Best of luck,” added dr Vivian.
In his short and sweet speech, Fr Leo D’souza encouraged the students to make sports as one of their hobbies along with their academics and wished them all luck. He also urged the parents to inculcate the interests of co-curricular activities and sports among their children. Prizes were distributed to the winners who won in many sports events conducted prior to the Sports Day. There was a spectacular display of dance by the students of 7th standard, followed by the vote of thanks by Grace Menezes- a senior teacher at the school. The inaugural ceremony was compered by Leo D’souza- Asst. Headmaster of the school.
The sports events were handled by Physical Education Teachers-Arun Baptist and Harish K. The valedictory function was held in the evening, with Santhosh Kamath – an entrepreneur as chief guest, along with other dignitaries namely the Headmistress, Fr Eric Mathias and Loy Noronha. Prizes were distributed to the various winners, followed by colorful dance display by the students.