Stakeholders Harp On Importance Of Sports As De Great Sommet Schools Hold Maiden Inter-House Competition

By Frank Oshanugor

Educationists and other stakeholders on Wednesday largely highlighted the great importance of sports beyond the physical exertion of the body at the maiden inter-house sports competition of De Great Sommet Schools located in Ikorodu Lagos.

Speaking during the event which took place at the Landmark College Sports Ground, Agric Ikorodu Lagos, Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Muraina Olusesi, Guest Speaker, Mrs. Rosemary Agha and Mother of the Day, Mrs. Jedidiah Olusola Ogunleye among others; described sports as more than physical exercise of the body.

According to Olusesi “today, we gather to celebrate not just athletic prowess but the cultivation of the values of teamwork, discipline, and fair play that sports embody.”

Mrs. Agha speaking on the sub-theme “Building Champions: The Role of Sports in Shaping Character and Excellence,” said “today is not just about running, jumping, marching, or winning trophies but about building champions.”

Defining who is a champion, she noted that “when you hear the word champion, you might think of someone who comes first in a race or wins a medal. But a champion is more than that. A champion is, a child who tries his/her best, a child who does not give up, a child who plays fair and a child who respects others.”

She explained further that “you do not have to be fastest runner to be a champion. You become a champion when you do the right thing, even when no one is watching.”

According to Mrs. Agha, sports teach us discipline, teamwork, build confidence and courage, winning, losing and character.

Earlier in her welcome speech, Proprietress of De Great Sommet Schools, Mrs. Gloria Onyebuchi Okafor had remarked that the inter-house sports competition was not just about sports but “it is about purposeful education.”

“At De Great Sommet Schools, we believe that true education goes beyond the classroom. While academic excellence remains our foundation, we are equally committed to nurturing strong character, confidence and self belief, discipline and responsibility, teamwork and leadership. Sports provide a powerful platform to instil these values early in life.”

With the main theme as “Unity in Strength, Excellence in Sports”
the one day event covered various field and track events such as 25, 50, 75, 100 and 200 metre races for boys and girls, Over-sized Shoe race, Relay Race (4 x 100m),

Long Jump, High Jump, Fill-in the Bottle, Picking the Balls, Skipping the Rope, Dressing to School, Novelty Races, Parents Race, Teachers’ Race, Sack Race, Egg & Spoon Race and Tug of War.

At the end of the all- impressive competition which showcased the youthful strength and resilience in the pupils, medals were presented to winners in the different categories with Cups presented to the three Houses in the Schools. There were Green, Blue and Yellow Houses.