Interskole 2022 | Paarl Girls' High

  A last hurrah to Interschools 2022  Let's give the last hurrah to Interschools 2022! It was a sports festival packed with action, emotion, and colour. The weather also made itself a player in the game.  The spirit of Interschools was revived this year with two (three) top-notch schools competing to trump each other on the day. Spectators got spoiled with a display of skill, strength, grit, and resilience often missing from national and international games. As school communities, we can be proud of the spirit with which we approached the event. One had the feeling that prior to 2020 the school community became blasé about the event. They forgot that they are dealing with children. The crowds were aggressive and rude to players. This year words of encouragement and appreciation were heard in abundance. Paarl Girls’ High set as a theme and values for this year's Interschools: Interschools revival: Synergy, Courage, Kindness, and Gratitude . I believe that part of the succe...

  Kom ons praat A-spanne. Eerste Spanne (Foto en Kopiereg: EJ Langner) Sport is ‘n duiwel. Die telbord weerspieël nie altyd die passie waarmee daar gespeel is nie. Dit was die geval vir die o.18 A netbal- en hokkiespanne van Hoër Meisieskool en Paarl Gimnasium. Die twee skole se A-spanne het hulle harte op die veld/baan uitgespeel en alles vir hul spanne gegee. Die uitkomste in beide wedstryde was net van so aard dat mens ‘n tree moet teruggee en jou hoed afhaal vir die wenspan en sê: “Sjoe! Dit was nou goed gespeel.” Renezia en Adri in aksie (foto: EJ LANGNER) As ons begin met die o.18A netbalwedstryd (en julle moet verskoon hierdie is kommentaar van ‘n netbal-leek). Die reën het gewyk en ‘n skouspelagtige wedstryd kon gespeel word. In die eerste kwart van die wedstryd was dit ‘n redelike heen-en-weer besigheid met HMS wat ‘n doel inskiet en dan Paarl Gimnasium, maar aan die einde van die eerste kwart het die volgehoue druk van die HMS-span die damwal bietjie laat kraak en gelei t...

  Reën: Die amperse spanner in die wiel… Sjoe! Die verligting, eind goed alles goed.  Vir die afgelope twee weke spook die bestuurspan en geleentheidskoördineerder van HMS Paarl met hierdie vraag: Wat as dit reën? Reën is altyd daardie wesenlike en onvoorspelbare bedreiging vir ‘n geleentheidskoördineerder. Natuurlik is reëlings in plek gesit vir sulke onvoorsienighede, maar in terme van die genieting van die dag en die afsluiting van die geleentheid sou sulke reëlings ‘n geweldige anti-klimaks gewees het. Ek dink al wat ‘n weerkanaal is, is deurgeklik: YR, Weather.com, Accuweather, WeatherSA en so kan jy aangaan. Vir lank het hul almal reën  vir Donderdagaand en 100% reën vir Vrydag voorspel. Daar moes besluite gemaak word, want Supersport blaas in ons nekke oor waar hul, hul uitsaaipunt moet opstel: Voor ons akkerbome of in die binnemuurse baan by La Rochelle? Dan hoe sou ondersteuners dit betyds maak van La Rochelle na die Girls’s High Astro om die hokkie te ondersteun...

  The “G” in “Gees” stands for Groentjies! By Meghan Damonse The young ones have proved to us time and time  again that Gr. 8 truly is the best. They have the best drive, best potential and best “gees”!  This week kick starts the grade 8’s Inter-schools journey and their first of many more (fingers crossed). So far they have given it their all! Whether it was painting the town jade, white and blue or supporting their friends next to the hockey field, with the most interesting posters, they never disappoint.  Watching them enjoy their first inter-schools “Big Brag” this morning and singing under the oak trees was a beautiful sight to behold. All the teams were introduced with ear-to-ear smiles on their faces showing their child-like joy and excitement for their upcoming matches against Paarl Gimnasium.  So far the B to D team hockey girls have played and were supported by their peers who cheered their hearts out on the pavilion. Our E to J team netball girls play...

  Interschools breakfast: Bonding with Parents and Old Girls By: Abigail Combrink On this Friday morning the parents of our Hockey and Netball first teams were welcomed at the ‘High School Interschools Breakfast’ with beautiful bouquets of flowers, an abundance of prices to be won and with a hearty breakfast. At this exceptional event, our first teams could formally thank their parents for the unwavering support that each girl received, not only during this week of Interchools, but during the long and early practice hours that came before. Rejoicing in memories and friendships from the past, our Old Girls returned to the school grounds of Paarl Girls’ High to show their support to our first teams. With the final moments of Interschools 2022 just a few heartbeats away, we are confident that both our first teams will keep the name of Paarl Girls’ High raised high and make their sisters in jade incredibly proud. Winston Churchill once said that success is not final and failure is not...

  About bragging big and standing together. By: Abigail Combink "It takes a moment to make a memory and a lifetime to forget it”…It takes one person to shoot a goal but a whole team to conquer a match. Today we as Girls’ Highers were truly able to cherish every moment with our remarkable Hockey and Netball players during the unforgettable 'Big Brag' event.     Alongside our sisters, we can finally celebrate the opportunity to reward our diligence with the remarkable privilege of competing against our opponents during Interschools. With the final day of Interschools slowly creeping around the corner, we must strive to fully embrace these last few moments of this annual event as the fierce unity the ‘Jade Army’ truly is.   With just two hours separating the final matches of the first teams of Interschools 2022, we are confident that both our first teams will lead Paarl Girls’ High to victory. Led by Adri Carstens, our Netball first team will compete against their ...

Interskole 2022: Herleef & Herinterpreteer… Die Interskole 2022 week vir Hoër Meisieskool nader die einde. Gister was ‘n heerlike dag wat begin het met ‘n BigBrag, voortgesit is met aksie-belaaide netbal en hokkie en geëindig het met ‘n heerlike ouer bring-en-braai. Aan die einde van hierdie besondere dag wou ek graag iets skryf oor die erfenis van interskole en HMS Paarl se deelname daaraan. Ek wou iets skryf oor hoe ons, ons ryke tradisie laat herleef het. Ek het begin navorsing doen. Ek wou meer weet oor HMS se eerste wedstryde en deelname aan interskole. Ons praat baie van die die ryke tradisie en al die herinneringe, maar oor die algemeen weet ons nie veel daaroor nie. Die resultate wat vassteek is ook net die van die HJS/ Gim wedstryde. As jy terugdink sou jy jouself kon flous dat Interskole slegs tussen HJS en Gimnasium plaasvind. Hierdie idee word versterk deur die media. Soek jy inligting op die internet ongeag jou soekwoorde, is die resultaat eenvormig dat Interskole gaan...

  C for Concentration, Courage & Commitment! Paarl, 28 July 2022 By Jacqueline Swart   The u/18C girls hockey match caused many stomachs to turn on the pavilion. Students from both schools came to support their friends with flags, posters, and cheer.  Both teams were strong and challenged each other. Paarl Gim scored the first goal, and had the ball for the most of the first half, but Paarl Girls’ High came back strong in the second half. When the score read 3-1 with only a few minutes left Girls’ High was confident that we would win, but Paarl Gim had strong players who persevered and they scored a second goal.  One minute left. 3-2. Paarl Gim gets an attacking short corner. Everyone is quiet… the audience watch quietly in anticipation… It is the dying moments of the match. Gimnasium pushed the ball out to the castle. A to and fro followed in the circle, finally Girls High managed to pass the ball out of the circle into the dead zone. Time has run out. As i...

  Don’t act like you forgot the interschools dancers! Paarl, 28 July 2022 By Jacqueline Swart Waking up every morning at six to practice, my legs being stiff, and having to exercise more than I have in the past 5 months was definitely a challenge but it was all worth it when I would hear the music start.  When we performed on Wednesday many of the dancers were nervous, not wanting to disappoint our fellow girls’ highers. Their hearts, alongside mine, were beating fast but as soon as the music started our heartbeats fell into the rhythm of the dance beats.  Despite the dance performance being a smaller event than it was at Prestige, the two experiences were tied together with the fact that it was an absolute privilege. A privilege to dance in front of our friends, family, classmates and school. A privilege to be able to run to your friends after you performed. A privilege to be the first group to ever dance at interschools. A privilege to wear the white, blue and jade colo...

 Li efde van die spel… Laerskool netbaldae: Dit is oorgroot rompies, groot tekkies, hoё ponies verfraai met linte en hare wat wapper in die wind. Dit is hoë pale en amper onbereikbare hoepels, voetjies wat nie stewig trap nie en maatjies wat droomverlore rondstaan. Dit is jaycies, chips-on-a-stick en Ma … en Pa wat kom kyk.  Laerskool sportdae is sulke belangrike dae, want dit lê die grondslag vir ‘n gesonde samelewing - ‘n samelewing waarin gemeenskappe saamkom, deelneem, ander hul oorwinnings gun en kompetisie eer. Gister se laerskool netbaldag het dit mooi reggekry. Ons leerders het heerlik meegeding op die baan en het hul ouers hoor ondersteun in die agtergrond. Die dag het alles gebied van kleintjies wat hulle eerste interskole-wen of -verloor ervaar tot graad 7’s wat hul krete soos regte haka’s voor hul wedstryd opvoer. Die harde werk wat al die spanne ingesit het, het geblyk uit die uitvoering van mooi vooraf-geoefende spelpatrone. Een van die onderwysers het selfs opge...

  To chair or not to chair, that is the question? No, no, I am not referring to chairing an event or being the chairperson of a fortune-five company. I am referring to the questions the grade 9s had to ask themselves this morning.  With their permanent grade head off on maternity leave they were assigned a new grade head, a lovely, supportive, and understanding grade head, but unfortunately for the grade 9s also organiser and logistical manager of assemblies and events at the school. One can in fact refer to her as the chair-lady of assemblies. The grade 9s might have thought that they finally escaped service duty as they arrived in grade 9, but unfortunately not… They were promptly called in and explained that they will be part of the crisis management team for Big Brag. They will be called upon to carry almost 1200 chairs to the area in front of the school and then clear the area again. Now, I know that I am the complaining type, and the mere fact that my position of seniori...

Déjà vu next to the netball court .   During the Interschools Primary school Netball day on Wednesday, 27 July, the u/11 C team gave it their all. Watching them, took me back to my own primary school games. The suspense you feel as you’re taking your place but still searching for familiar faces in the crowd to reassure you. The voices you know all too well screaming at you from across the court and the little pieces of advice they give you while the ball is on the other side of the court. In the heat of it all, the u/11C's played with all their might. Their Centre player pushed through and delivered an excellent effort for her team. She was quick and tough. Their coaches screaming on the side of the court could only mean one of two things, either they were doing something right or they were doing something wrong and in this case this team was doing something right. They never gave up! They got back up after they fell, and that showed true character.  Standing outside looking i...

  Interschools favours the underdog! Paarl, 27 July 2022 By Courtney Hendriks The u/14D hockey team could not, when they did their routine warm-up, have suspected that the gods would smile on them as they did. But… they could have suspected something special was heading their way when the GHS dancers walked on the Astro to open the days events. Boy! Did they heat up the floor being the symbol of teamwork and synchronization.  Our Grade 8s, reciprocated and made us so proud today! They showed strength and perseverance. One could feel the passion and excitement on the field this afternoon. Those who were not playing were cheering their friends on, loud and proud they sang on the pavilions without any GK to lead them or anyone asking. They did it because they wanted to, not because they had to.  The team played against Paarl Gimnasium's u/14 C team and showed that they truly don't back down from a challenge. They were told to “play together” and they sure did. Within the las...

  Massabank: Sal jy gly of sal jy bly? Ek het ‘n informant op voetsoolvlak gevra oor wat gister bo by die Astro gebeur het. Ek het niks vermoedend na my klas gestap en ‘n klas daar verwag. Ek het gehoor hoe word daar van bo gesing: "I love my school." Dit het soos iets vars van Wembley stadion geklink.  My informant het my igelig dat die woord stilletjies versprei is: “Ons kom na pouse by die Astro se pawiljoen bymekaar. Versprei die woord, maar moenie dat die onderwysers julle hoor nie.” Die onderwysers het niks vermoedend in die personeelkamer gesit en knibbel aan die oorblyfsels van een of ander funksie (dit is natuurlik al wat onderwysers doen as die leerders hulle nie sien nie). Aan die einde van pouse was daar niemand in hul klasse nie. ‘n Paar onderwysers het vies reaggeer: “Waar is die leerders nou?” Iewers in hul agterkop het ‘n vae herinnering teruggekom van iets wat nie baie in die laaste drie jaar gebeur het nie - MASSABANK!! Dr. Taylor is ingelig oor die opruiend...

  A memory is a gift that you can cherish forever by: Abigail Combrink  "The best gifts in the world are not in the material objects one can buy from the store, but in the memories we make with the people we love" The most beautiful memories are made when you weren't even planning on making memories. Simply by having this remarkable opportunity of participating in Interschools, we have so much to look forward to together: Not just the sports matches, but rather the smaller moments we often take for granted. The moments when our friends paint our faces jade, white and blue facepaint, or the moments when our teammates are huddled together for one last time before our final match or the moments that we can stand alongside our sisters whilst supporting our friends. In the future we might not remember the final scores of every match, but rather the time we spent embracing every moment during Interschools. The grade 11s of Paarl Girls’ High is a mettlesome grade whose lively an...