ST ALBAN’S COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ DAY

10 JUNE 2023

SHANE KIDWELL

It is a pleasure to welcome Mark Whitelaw, Headmaster of WHPS, and the broader WHPS community to the campus today as they celebrate their centenary. St Stithians Preparatory and Boys College are also celebrating their 70th anniversary, and it is a privilege to have Sanele Majola, Headmaster of St Stithians Preparatory, and David du Toit, Headmaster of St Stithians Boys College, join us for a festival of sport on our campus. I have no doubt that our interaction, as always, will be filled with good humour, fierce rivalry and friendship. This interaction between our schools has been a longstanding affair, and I have no doubt that today’s matches will be closely contested.

Our Founder Headmaster, Anton Murray, was a Springbok cricketer, and he would be proud of all St Alban’s has achieved over the years, but he would be particularly proud of the healthy rivalry, collegiality and camaraderie displayed here today. There is a rich legacy of competitive sportsmanship and positive interaction between our schools over a long period of time, and it is always a privilege to welcome old friends to our beautiful campus.

We are delighted that many parents have joined their sons today, and we sincerely hope that you will enjoy all that our facilities have to offer. Please take advantage of our hospitality, relax and enjoy yourselves and do not hesitate to ask our staff or boys should you have any queries or require any assistance. The Anton Murray Pavilion is there to be used at your convenience, as is the @thegreyandblue, above the astroturf, and the Tom Hamilton Wellness Centre, where you can get an early morning cup of coffee from our very own Barista, Lawrence Mthombeni, who has established Shorties Coffee on our campus.

We also welcome all Old Albanians who joined us last night at the Old Albanian Dinner and now at our winter sport Old Boys’ Day. We sincerely hope that you will enjoy the sportsmanship displayed and reminisce about the wonderful connections you made in days gone by when you were out on the field or wandering around the campus. Please join us after the 1st XI Hockey match in the newly-established Old Albanian Clubhouse (@thegreyandblue) and after the 1st XV Rugby match in the Anton Murray Pavilion for a drink and snacks – we would love to reconnect with you. Donné Roebert, our Old Albanian Liaison, will also be around, and if this is your first visit back, I would encourage you to connect with her.

Many Old Albanians, plus current and past parents, have contributed to the Diamond Jubilee MacRobert Commons project, and if you have not yet seen the changes to the front of the school, I would encourage you to do so. Should you want to contribute and purchase a flagstone for the continuation of this project, please follow the prompts on this QR code.

Our appreciation is extended to Garth Turvey, our Director of Sport, for his passion and hard work towards this event as well as his impeccable organisation, which has dealt with complex logistics as we host 62 rugby games as well as 26 hockey games on the campus today. Furthermore, the fact that our fields and gardens are in such good shape is a tribute to our Facilities Director, René Swart, and our Grounds Manager, John Nkuna, who himself played on these grounds whilst a schoolboy here, over a decade ago. Thank you for your dedication and for the beautiful facilities we are enjoying today, 60 years after our founding.

Please enjoy the highveld sunshine, enjoy the collegiality that this day is known for, enjoy the competitiveness on the field, and enjoy the relationships and friendships you build. We look forward to connecting and reconnecting with you.

Yours sincerely

Shane Kidwell
(6th Headmaster, St Alban’s College)

“Celebrating 60 years of preparing young men for life”

FORMAT OF THE DAY – STAFF, COACHES AND OLD ALBANIANS

Saturday 10 June 2023

07:05 Coffee and breakfast snacks – Anton Murray Pavilion (Rugby) or @thegreyandblue (Hockey). The @thegreyandblue building is located on the main drive (David Butcher Drive). Please extend the invitation to all your staff.

11:00 1st Team Hockey Fixture: There will be seating for staff next to the Headmaster’s VIP area below the @thegreyandblue. The stands for the boys will be the ones closest to the Basketball courts. Parents are welcome to use the stands on the opposite side of the turf.

12:30 Snacks and refreshments will be available for all staff in the Jurie Du Toit Hut. This is at the far end of the Moshate Rugby Field (Main Field).

14:00 1st XV Rugby Match: Please join the St Alban’s staff for the match. There will be seating for your staff adjacent to the Jurie Du Toit Hut. Stands for schools are allocated next to the main cricket oval, TC Mitchell. Saints are to use the ones closest to the Anton Murray Pavilion.
Old Albanians: Please follow the signage for allocated Old Boys’ seating.

15:30 Post-match drinks and lunch will be served for all staff at the Anton Murray Pavilion (downstairs).

PARKING

Please follow the signage for parking within the campus. There will also be additional parking at Varsity College.

MAP OF THE CAMPUS

CODE OF CONDUCT

PARENTS AND SUPPORTERS

GENERAL POLICY

The playing of school sports is primarily of an educational nature.

AIM OF SCHOOL SPORT

To encourage participation and engender the highest standards of sportsmanship, self-discipline and control in players.

Parents and supporters should consider themselves representative of the school when supporting fixtures involving their son’s team. Therefore, they are encouraged to support their son and various other teams.

CONDUCT AT MATCHES

Positive support will be appreciated.

Parents and supporters are requested to refrain from directing negative comments at referees, umpires, any other officials, players or opposition supporters.

No form of discrimination based on race, gender, religion or culture will be tolerated.

Parents and supporters are asked to position themselves well on the sidelines and refrain from standing or sitting behind the back or goal line.

Parents and supporters are requested not to walk up and down the lines of the field while a game is in progress.

Parents are instructed to stay out of the technical areas. (Area where players and officials are seated)

Alcohol may only be consumed on the upper tier of the Anton Murray Pavilion. The bar will open at 11am.

TEAM SELECTION

Parents are not to interfere with the coach’s team selection at any time.

CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

Parents and spectators should take up matters with the Director of Sports. Please do not approach individual officials, umpires and coaches.

We respectfully request that every family member concerned and spectators ensure that this Code of Conduct is adhered to make every sports fixture enjoyable to all.