General news
At Haileybury, sport is a proud and mandatory part of school life, and it always will be. But we also know that every student connects with sport in their own way. With this in mind, we have identified five different student ‘personas’ that identify how a student might like to engage in the Haileybury sports program.
The first is the obvious one – The Aspiring Star . They are the ones that set their own personal goals, they sacrifice social outings for pre-season training and have genuine (and realistic) ambitions of a career playing sport at an elite level. For them, sport is a passion, a pathway and a pursuit of excellence.
Then comes The Team Player, the classic sports competitor who thrives on the camaraderie of team sport. The Magenta of the Bloods and Hearts pumps through their veins and they revel in traditional sports environments. They are reliable and committed, and the result from Saturday morning sport can really shape their weekend.
Then there is the emerging segment of The Wellness Seekers. These are lifestyle-focused, active individuals. For them, participation in the sports program is about overall wellbeing. Outside of school, they might run, swim, or hit the gym. They join a social group like Park Run in order to be both healthy and connected. Competition is not necessarily a driver for them, but they are no less passionate about the activities that they choose to participate in.
Then there is The Social Set — the casual players who love a kick in the backyard, a social game, or just being part of the action with mates. Sport is not about winning or losing, but fun, safety and friendships matter most. They quite enjoy trialling different sports, but at this point in their sporting journey, it is just about having a laugh, so modified formats that make it easy to play for the first time are extremely appealing.
Finally, we have Sideline Supporters, those students who are occasionally active or might follow a team, but currently have little interest in sport at Haileybury other than because it is mandatory. For these students, our goal is not to force a change — it is to spark a moment. A memorable experience. It might be through options that include a bat and a ball, but alternatively, it might include activities such as sports technology, statistics, officiating, or even sports media and communications. These students can bring huge value to our program, and we want them to be able to find their own way to belong in the sporting heartbeat of Haileybury.
Although these segments might sound a little like the final monologue from The Breakfast Club movie, in contrast, we are going to ‘see’ the students as they want us to see them. Wherever your child wants to be right now, or where they might decide to be throughout their Haileybury journey, we are building a program that celebrates them — and gives every student a chance to write their own sporting story. Sincerely Yours The Sports Office Club.
Matthew Dwyer
Head of Sport (One Haileybury)
