Saheti hosts 20th annual winter festival
“One of the aims is to improve skillsets, mindsets and relationships between learners and schools.”
Braving the cold weather, schools from far and wide recently attended and competed in the annual Saheti Winter Festival.
Hosted by Saheti Primary, the soccer and netball tournament catered for U9 to U13 learners.
The brainchild of Saheti Primary School, principal Sophia Zachariou, said the first winter festival was in 2004.
She saw an opportunity to develop sports at Saheti by inviting other Gauteng schools to compete in a netball and soccer event showcasing the school and its Greek heritage.
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Some of the 16 schools that competed this year included Grace Trinity, Montrose Primary School, St Catherine’s School, Marist Brothers College, Bedfordview Primary School, Hurlyvale Primary School Reddam House, Pinnacle College Founders Hill and Dunvegan Primary School.
The head of primary school sports, Waren Metzer, said the school had adopted a different format for the tournament this year to give the learners more game time.
He said the school decided that the younger age groups of U9 to U11 would compete in friendly matches while the U12s and U13s competed in playoffs.
Metzer said by breaking up the age groups, players got more time on the field, and the event provided a friendly atmosphere for younger athletes.
“Over the years, this festival has grown from strength to strength. We invited local schools, schools from the south and the north.”
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According to Metzer, this creates regional competition among schools that would not usually compete against each other.
Metzer said doing this allows Saheti to use the festival as a platform to strengthen networks and relationships with other schools.
“One of the aims is to improve skillsets, mindsets and relationships between the learners and schools.”
He said the festival tests learners’ physical skills and their minds and strengthens relationships between schools.
Capped at 16 schools, Metzer said the format works perfectly, providing players with enough match time.
He said a highlight for him was the loyalty among schools to the festival.
The principal of Dunvegan Primary School, Richard Laidley, had only praise for the festival and its organisers.
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“It was great. The children loved the festival and had lots of fun.”
He said Saheti School and Dunvegan Primary School had enjoyed a long relationship for the past 40 years.
Laidley said Dunvegan would return for more festivals.
Similarly, the executive head and primary school principal of the Lyndhurst-based Marist Brothers College, Tony Williams, said the festival was wonderful.
”It is great for schools to be a part of, and each year, the festival has grown and improved.”
Highlighting that the schools share a similar ethos, he said learners must win with humility and lose with dignity.
The head of Saheti’s netball, Alexia Cassar, said with the new format in place, many younger learners enjoyed themselves while the older learners’ games were more competitive.
“This is the first year we adopted the 16-school forma. It has gone well, and everyone is having fun.”
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Saheti’s head of football, Grant Shaw, said the new format meant children and parents could enjoy the festival more.
“The games were staggered, allowing for more fun for the learners.”
He said about 1 600 athletes participated in the games.
Speaking beyond the festival, Shaw said the Saheti girls had just won the Discovery Cup while the boys were growing from strength to strength, improving their skills.
