
During these challenging and unprecedented times, while students and staff are missing the PE lessons, coaching and training on site at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, Head of Sport Rob Rawlinson and Performance Football Coach Tom Newey have been seeking out virtual opportunities to inspire QE’s sporting students.
Virtual presentations and interactive sessions on Microsoft Teams from a series of sporting stars are taking place, to offer students a direct insight into their journey to success, and the routes they have taken to get where they are today.
To date, QE’s football students have heard from Paul Warne, Rotherham United Football Club Manager, who discussed his journey to sporting success, and spoke about honesty, humility and how to recover from adversity to keep pushing forwards. He also stressed with the students how it is important a solid academic foundation is to their future. Former RFU Head Coach and current Leinster Rugby Coach Stuart Lancaster openly shared his thoughts on team culture and leadership styles that enable success and England Rugby U20s Head Coach Alan Dickens presented an interactive and informative discussion about the pathway to the England Team.
Further sessions are planned and are set to include Lee Blackett, Wasps Rugby Head Coach; England and Wasps Netball player Fran Williams; Stuart Hooper, Director of Rugby at Bath Rugby; and Joe Thompson, an ex-professional footballer who beat cancer twice and scored the winning goal in his comeback game. Joe is taking part in a chat about resilience for an assembly for QE’s Faculty students.
Feedback about the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive, with one parent commenting ‘What a fantastic job the sports department is doing with remote learning, in particular Mr Rawlinson who arranged a Teams meeting with Stuart Lancaster tonight. Both my children were invited to attend. The meeting was both informative and inspiring and I just wanted to say what an amazing opportunity for young children to be able to partake in such an experience. Credit should be given to all those who are making such an effort during these difficult times.’
Rob Rawlinson, Head of Sport at QE, said ‘These sessions have been a great insight for the students at a time when they are unable to take part in their sporting sessions in person. It also presents a good opportunity for them to ask probing questions and use this time positively to think about the future of their own sporting journeys.’