U11 British International Schools Qatar Games

It was another busy weekend of sport at the Aspire Dome this weekend for our U11 squad. Our mission at NAISAK is to encourage children to work hard, show respect and accept responsibility for themselves and their actions. If there is a time when this can be learned, it is through a big sports competition. Being up against large schools such as Doha College, Sherborne and Doha English Speaking School (DESS) meant we were going to find it difficult to compete. Despite this challenge, we were keen to participate and aspire for our absolute best. Liz McColgan, who won the gold medal for the 10,000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, and a silver medal over the same distance at the 1988 Olympic Games, as well as winning the 1992 World Half Marathon Championships, 1991 New York City Marathon, 1992 Tokyo Marathon and 1996 London Marathon, opened the event with a story of how she started out as a runner. She described to children how much hard working and training it took to get to where she got to in her career and how it didn’t happen overnight. She encouraged them to try their best and that when they don’t win the most important thing is to continue trying and training. A great way to start the day!

Again the children started in the pool. We had a small squad this week, but small meant we could enter some races and experience what it was like to compete in such a big competition. It also meant we scored valuable points that contributed towards our overall team score. It has been fantastic to hear that Dzihny wants to rejoin a swimming club after having had the opportunity to compete. Well done Dzihny!

Friday afternoon was Basketball for the boys and Football for the girls. Both faced more experienced teams but the more they played, the better they performed. The girls battled hard and stood their ground which resulted in a few draws in the initial games. They pulled out a fantastic win over DESS scoring 3 goals thanks to Dzihny (2) and Ameena (1) to their 1. Mena also scored against EMS but it wasn’t enough to win the game. The boys lost their first few games and after another team talk to raise their spirits, came out to beat Sherborne 3 - 1. Anas dribbled the ball from one end of the court to the other and dropped the ball in the basket which was a brilliant sight to see. The whole team, of course, were very pleased with this win. This helped them to win against EMS Doha as well.

As with last week, the team returned to Aspire on Saturday morning for Athletics. Despite limited training, our students put themselves forward and gave every event a go. They ran, they jumped and they threw. A huge round of applause for Adriana who came second in the shot put. There were 26 competitors in this competition, we are very proud!

The afternoon was Netball for girls and Football for the boys. Netball is a game our girls are still learning, however, they played really well. Similarly to football the day before, they improved with practice. Asiana was on fire in defence, which helped to keep the goals against us to a low number. With a couple of wins under their belt, they have the basics to develop into a very good team. A special mention for Dzihny and Adriana for being nominated as the umpire’s ‘player of the match’ in a couple of their games. The heat outside for the boys playing football was intense and the competition proved tough. They learned from the basketball and managed to keep their heads held high throughout. Overall we finished in 12^th place. Well done to all involved and we hope you have enjoyed the weekend as much as we did.

This was a great eye opener for our students and for the parents who came to support. A lot of hard work is now needed to prepare for the Games next year. Our new sports facilities will certainly help us in our preparations. A huge thank you to the PE Department for giving up their time again over the weekend and to Mr Tremere for being an additional member of the team for the two weekends.

There are a number of quotes around Aspire and this one is particularly relevant, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

Please click this link to see the news report that was broadcast around the world on Al Jazeera: BISQ games