Clifton School Magazine 2016 by Clifton School

CLIFTON 2016

School Magazine

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ONE SCHOOL

One Family 1

PREPARATORY

School Staff Seated: Mrs P Saayman, Mrs W Meyer, Mr S Price,

Mr I Boniaszczuk, Mr V White, Mr R Ravenscroft, Mrs L Young, Mrs V Spark, Ms L Maphumulo Second Row: Miss S Phillpott, Miss R Joubert, Mrs C Reeders, Mrs N Walton, Mrs M Nadasen, Mrs L Achmad, Miss D Venter, Mrs T Lewis Third Row: Mrs D Colepeper, Mrs J Saayman, Mrs R Schlemmer, Mrs D Gandy, Mrs K Scott, Mrs M Perkins, Mrs T Munks, Mrs C Steyn, Miss D Bloem Fourth Row: Mrs M Muligande, Mrs D Hands, Miss S Bouwer, Miss K Muddiman, Mrs G Unger, Ms S McLean, Mrs C Day, Mrs L Klingbiel Fifth Row: Mrs D Wootton, Mrs K Ouzman, Ms C Ndlalose, Mr T Bauer, Mr C Nel, Mr C Khulu, Mr J Kemp, Mr G Bowles, Miss K Watson Back Row: Mr B Andrews, Mr J Hulley, Mr D Buckthorp, Mr M Baker

FOUNDATION

Phase 3

GRADE R Grade R

Day

Seated (floor): S Deshmukh, M Jadwat, L Jiran, D Jogessar Seated: A Chandermun, Y Ahmed, Miss K Watson, M Shannon, Mrs C Day, A van der Merwe, B Coyle-Dowling Standing: M Mkhize, A Mansingh, J Keyter, S McDowell, K Randelhoff, C Martin

Grade R

Gandy

Seated (floor): M Jadwat, J Meyer, Y Akoo Seated: S Baluni, A Verster, Miss K Watson, S Misser, Mrs D Gandy, M Bana, M Warasally Back row: K van Reenen, N Taylor, K Naidoo, B Ackhurst, S Malek, T Slack Absent: A Dawjee

Grade R

Lewis

Seated (floor): Z Carrim, S Munthree, A Mayet, M Govind Seated: H Ravenscroft, O Rey, Mrs T Lewis, M Suliman, Miss K Watson, C Friedman, L Molefe Back Row: C Gaines, A Gandy, M Fowlds, N McKay, G Mkhize, T Gandy

GRADE R

Report

2016 has been a year of new adventures.

48 little boys have started their school career at Clifton as Red Ants and the Grade R unit moved into its new building. The boys have loved the space and freedom of the new garden and the ‘big’ soccer goals have been a popular addition. Highlights of our year have been beading and baking with our Moms, spending time with Dad doing woodwork and serenading our wonderful Grandparents. The Olympics and Paralympics have been a source of great inspiration to the boys. From maths lessons on who has the most medals, how many more they won each day to creating our own Olympic track in the garden, making medals and having an awards ceremony. After watching the Paralympic swimmers one little boy said to his parents, “If that man can swim with no legs then surely I should be able to swim!!” What a wonderful time for personal reflection. The Grade R year is an important year of getting the boys ready for the 3Rs of Primary School by developing their pre-reading, pre-writing and pre-numeracy skills. All these skills are learned through play which is the real work of Grade R children. What a wonderful age to be! Mrs T Lewis, Mrs C Day, Mrs D Gandy – Grade R teachers

GRADE R

Days

GRADE

One

Seated: J Patel, Y Joosab, T Perkins, Mrs J Muller, S Narot, Mrs N Walton, T Moosa, Ms S Phillpott, R Gopal, U Ismail, J Benjamin Second Row: N Mody, Y Ahmed, M Maharaj, Y Panchpersadh, R Mansingh, A Cohen, M Asmall, A McIntyre, M Gorrie, V Mufamadi Third Row: D van der Merwe, T Govender, R Essa, C Jackson, A Fitzsimons, J Wilson, K Horwill, E Gooderson, A Osman, J Govender, K la Fleur Fourth Row: B Wilson, A Soodyall, A Penn, C Hermiston, I Friedman, K Chotoo, M Douglas, R Subramoney, O Gibbs, R Schoeman Fifth Row: A Vaid, R Moodley, S Mkhize, M Wilson, S Mkhize, J Frederic, M Malek, J Mills, S Subramoney, A Naidoo Back Row: M Vause, E Da Maia, L Casey, R Vermaak, J Edy, J Munthree Absent: A Govender, MY Mahomed, L Karodia

LAYING FIRM

Foundations

Grade 1 is the all-important year when Clifton Red Ants, through sheer hard work and determination, transform into ‘Big Boys’ at Big School! It is a crucial year in the life of a child and it seems like in no time at all our boys are mastering the skills of mathematics, reading and writing. They further cement a sound foundation with regards to home and school routines. This is also when they begin taking greater responsibility for themselves by packing their own sports kit bags and remembering to complete their consolidation homework every night. It is a fulfilling and exciting year for teachers, boys and parents! The success of the Grade 1 learning experience is multi-faceted. These include our wide range of relevant and enjoyable Readers which encourage the boys along the path of a life-long love for reading. The ‘Letters and Sounds’ accessible approach to learning sounds, blending and sentence construction as well as the challenges and successes of our Number Sense programme are a good base from which to launch the more formal teaching programme. Termly Orals have developed ‘Good Speaking’ and ‘Good Listening’ skills in our boys. The ‘Speel-Speel’ workbooks contribute to a love for Afrikaans and isiZulu with Ms Mdalose, who has been highly successful at imparting an early isiZulu vocabulary. Grade 1 fellows have shown off their creativity in art lessons and learnt wonderful things from one another in ‘Show and Tell’ Fridays. Learning has not been confined to the classroom and our Grade 1 boys have also enjoyed a wide range of outdoor activities. Reading in a sunny patch on a Wednesday morning with the Grade 7 gents has been a highlight for them as has Grade 1 sport every Tuesday afternoon and Physical Education classes on Thursdays! Breakfast with their Dads, Mother’s Day Assembly and entertaining their special grandparents at the Grade 1 Grandparents Assembly and High Tea were highly anticipated. Another highlight has been our Princes’ Dinner with our very special guest, Head boy, Jordan Strauss. Fun days have included hosting our sister school DGC Grade 1s to a fun-filled Spring Day, uShaka Kids’ World, Flag Animal Farm, Umgeni Bird Park and the wildly popular Pinetown Gym. Wonderful clubs during Founder’s Day and enjoying a cup of tea with Mum and Dad at the Clifton Art Meander have also enhanced the Grade 1 experience. Grade 1 teachers enjoy the unconditional love of their pupils and we know how lucky we are to work with this age group. We have welcomed Miss Phillpott to Clifton this year and hope that she spends many more happy years with us! From Red Ants to Big Boys…to Grade 2; the boys of Grade 1 are certainly ready! Mrs N Walton, Mrs J Muller and Ms S Phillpott – Grade 1 teachers

WHAT DOES MRS MULLER DO WHEN SHE’S NOT AT SCHOOL? After school my teacher eats lots of chocolate. J Mills I think that after school my teacher sings and dances. A Govender After school my teacher knits, watches TV and plays games. C Hermiston After school my teacher visits Mrs Young and then goes home to sleep. J Wilson I think that after school my teacher goes swimming. S Narot After school my teacher goes for coffee at Mug and Bean and she buys new shoes. A Vaid

IF MS PHILLPOTT’S BOYS COULD BE MR WHITE FOR A DAY… If I could be Mr White for one day I would help the school at assembly by saying nice things. C Jackson If I could be Mr White for one day I would give the school three breaks so they can play more. A Penn If I could be Mr White for one day I would help the school and give the school a free day with ice-creams because I like the school. M Malek If I could be Mr White for one day I would help the school by practising the war cry to make the school better. J Benjamin

WHEN MRS WALTON’S BOYS GROW UP THEY WANT TO BE…. When I grow up I want to be a space scientist because I am going to study about planets. I am going to study very hard to be it. I love space a lot. I am going to study at NASA. R Gopal When I grow up I want to be a doctor because I would like to see how the brain works and the brain is very important. I would love to be a doctor. R Moodley When I grow up I want to be a scientist because I like science. It is fun. I like explosions. They are fun to do. Explosions are dangerous because they explode. T Govender When I grow up I want to be a shop assistant because I like helping people and getting money and working hard. To do that is important. L Karodia When I grow up I want to be a rugby player because I am tough. I tackle people and Faf de Klerk inspires me and I like rugby. I practise rugby and it strengthens my lungs. I even go to a rugby club and they teach me line-outs, drop kick over the poles and they teach me to dummy them. M Douglas When I grow up I want to be a soccer player because I am good at soccer and I practise at my house. I go to a soccer club at my school. I practise headering and kicking and passing and my shooting and my saving and my defending and my running. S Mkhize When I grow up I want to be a police officer because I believe I can save the world and all of our community and our people in our world. K Chotoo

GRADE

Two

Seated: E Mbili, D Akburally, K Watson, Mrs D Colepeper, Y Ahmed, Mrs L Achmad, W Sibisi, Miss D Venter, E Bam, S Moodley, R Sarno Second Row: L Grobbelaar, S Randolph, K Clarke, J Jeeva, N Francis, J Carmody, D Moodley, A Unger, S Randolph, G Dogan Third Row: E Patinios, E Chetty, K de Jager, H Rajesh, A Valaskatzis, D Uys, A Hamid, O Nodada, P Maelo, M Seedat K Machi Fourth Row: D Jackson, R Nonge, T Louw, K Alder, H Coucom, J Naidoo, A Osman, K Gaines, A Collins, D Coleman Fifth Row: Y Badat, T Bhayroo, D dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Amico, N Andrew, D Leclezio, C Jones, T Starr, C van der Merwe, A Schnell, T Mabuya, A Reddy Back Row: J Irving, M van der Merwe, S Matteen, M Moosa, H Barkilign, T Twiss

2016 HAS BEEN A BUSY

yet fulfilling year The boys were taught how to use various structures within the English language to help them improve their sentence writing, spelling, knowledge of punctuation and parts of speech. They also experimented writing for various purposes and in different styles. Mathematics developed and consolidated concepts such as counting, calculations, patterns and problem solving. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of the Number Sense programme. Throughout the year, fun experiences on interesting outings and ‘innings’ were enjoyed by all. A few highlights were definitly Book Week, 2016 Rio Olympics, the Dog Show and a meal at the Bike and Bean. The Grade 2 boys got to be shopkeepers at their individual stalls and also hosted DGC girls for a fun day of team-building activities. … and another successful Grade 2 year is complete! Mrs L Achmad, Mrs D Colepeper and Miss D Venter – Grade 2 teachers

MY WEEKEND NEWS On Sunday I went to church and we wrote two wishes on a paper to God. We also made a paper cellphone. After that I went with my sister, my cousin and dad to cut my hair. I had a massage on the head and they put cream on my head. Then we went to Steers with 12 of my family members. We ate french fries and meat, then we played with my cousins and then I went home. P Maelo

MY SUPERHERO STORY One day I was walking in the park in the morning. I was a Superhero. I was bitten by a bat and I saved people from villains. I used my x-ray vision, super speed, invisibility and levitation. No one knows who I am… My name is Super Cam! I live underground and I have 2 homes and a secret cave. Only my worker knows who I am. I can hold my breath and jump far. I also have a code hacker, cars, guns, a whip, a jet, teleportation, a secret watch, a grappling hook and magic. C Jones

MY COMRADES EXPERIENCE I love Comrades Day! It is my favourite day of the year. I came 1st place for U8 and U9. It was so much fun. They also had fun too. All the boys did well. We did two laps for the U8. For the U9 we ran in and outside the school. My family were so proud of me. T Starr

MY WEEKEND NEWS On Friday night, I got a puppy and we named him Cody. Cody means helper. Cody and I went to my sister’s party and when we arrived, Cody was asleep! T Bhayroo The ancient games and the modern games both have running. The ancient games have chariot races but the modern games don’t. Also the modern games have swimming. In the ancient games you were only allowed to go to Athens. In the modern games you move to other cities. In the modern and ancient games both had the torch. They also have archery. A Schnell I think my mom is special because she is kind, cool and loving. She is gentle and loves me to the moon and back! She is the apple of my eye. She is generous and I love her lots. L Grobbelaar

GRADE

Three

Seated: J Dembaremba, Miss R Joubert, M Gangat, Miss D Bloem, S Dingaan, Mrs D Wootton, S Msomi, Mrs D Hands, J Kolbee Second Row: H Osman, A Selikow, R Jiran, T Veale, E Davidson, K Masilo, M Mbambo, T Clulow Third Row: S Maziya, Z Breytenbach, Z Maharaj, L Besnard, Y Ballim, P Baluni, J van Biljon, J Lawlor, W Meyer Fourth Row: L Dabula, R Osman, S Geyser, C Mbhele, R Yumba, A Soodyall, Z Mohamed, J Adams Fifth Row: F Nelson, K Duys, J Puterman, R Nathwani, A Khan, D Naidoo, K van Bart, T Saulez, S Robertson Back Row: B Steele, R Juggernath, A Allen, S Woollaston, L Asmal

FUN IN THE FINAL

Foundation Year

Our final year in the Foundation Phase was a busy one. Many a book was enjoyed in the classroom and at home. We also had the privilege of sharing our reading time on a Wednesday with the Grade 3 parents. In addition, teachers and boys alike learnt many a new thing through our recently introduced National Geographic Ladder series which covered both social and physical sciences. Birds of Prey, Bayete, Kings Park Stadium, Suela and Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park saw us flying the Clifton flag high and having fun with our friends once again. We became virtual travellers when using our atlases. We zoomed along the byways and highways of our synapses as we expanded our Number Sense. Our vocabulary blossomed and we devoted time to self-reflection. We believe in ourselves and eagerly anticipate what lies ahead. Mrs D Wootton, Ms D Bloem and Mrs D Hands â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Grade 3 teachers

WALKING IN GEOFF’S SHOES My name is Geoff. I live in a very dirty tiny house. I am 52 years old. I am married. Also, I have two children and I am paid very little. Because I am poor I did not go to school. I am a bit sick too. Today I am very excited because Habitat for Humanity is coming to help me build a house. Habitat for Humanity cooperates and collaborates to build houses for poor people who can’t afford a house. They are brilliant! Now I have a big, beautiful new house. I am so, so happy. My family and I are safe and sound. I thank Habitat for Humanity and am going to try and help them build houses for people. W Meyer

LETTER TO THE POACHER Dear Poacher I am an eight year old boy. I care for my planet and I don’t like what you are doing to it. I love animals but you are killing them. I understand that you need money for your family. It is very bad to poach. You might go to jail. Your child could be sick and you are selling ivory to get the money to buy the medicine. There are better ways to get money, like to get a job and be a builder or a lawyer. There are lots of jobs out there but poaching isn’t one. Best wishes R Juggernath

LETTER TO PLOP Dear Plop I know that you are afraid of the dark and it is not necessary. I am also a bit scared of the dark. Being scared of the dark makes you anxious and nervous. You are only scared of it because you don’t know about the dark. Dark is kind, exciting and calm. Once you know about it you will be fine. Your friend B Steele P.S. Be brave and step out of the nest to fly.

MY JOURNEY TO THE GRAND CANYON It was a trip of a life time, a hike up and down the Grand Canyon. I had been preparing for this hike for a very long time. The next day we started and there was horrible weather, however, we still never gave up. I was on horseback and rock slides had blocked our planned route. Even though our route was blocked we had a backup route. Before very long it started snowing. As time went by we finally reached the bottom. My team and I were very happy although as time went we eventually started to go back up. Meanwhile we were hiking to the top and we spotted a strange cave that we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enter. Finally, we reached the top. It took so long to hike, the only thing that was important was that my team and I had so much fun. I discovered that we needed to travel for a few more hours and our journey continued. Before we got to the next camp a horrible storm hit and we had to stop. The next day we carried on for a few more hours. We travelled for three more hours and eventually we got to the camp. We dismounted off our horses. It was so much fun. L Asmal

AN OPINION PIECE In my opinion I think recycling will help the world to become a better place. To begin with, I know it will stop pollution because rubbish will not be left around because it will be taken away to the factory. For example, the animals will not eat the rubbish and die because the plastic will be melted down into ashes. As you can see, I think it will make the world a better place if we all recycle. F Nelson

A POEM ABOUT COMRADES: THE RAPID RUNNING RACE My feet felt like frizzling fire coming out at the back of both my feet My heart felt like a hurricane hurdling on the hurtful grass The noise felt like one thousand boys cheering me on When I finished in first place, I felt faint like a ferret in a fierce forest T Clulow

FOUNDATION PHASE

Music

Foundation Phase

Bells Seated (floor): S Geyser Seated: R Jiran, A Soodyall, Ms S McLean, K Duys, J Lawlor Standing: R Yumba, R Nathwani, A Allen, T Saulez, F Nelson, Y Ballim

Foundation Phase

Marimbas

Seated (floor): A Soodyall Seated: L Besnard, W Meyer, Ms S McLean, A Selikow, S Msomi Standing: S Dingaan, K Duys, R Yumba, Z Mahomed Back row: C Mbhele, A Allen, J Puterman

Z Breytenbach Gr 3

D Coleman Gr 2

J Lawlor Gr 3

W Meyer Gr 3

R Osman Gr 3

S Malek Gr R

M Shannon Grade R

K Gaines Gr 2

R Sarno Gr 2

N Taylor Grade R

CLIFTON

Art Meander 21

FOUNDATION PHASE

Sport

CRICKET

Cricket

Under 9A

Seated (floor): Y Ballim Seated: T Clulow, L Besnard, Mr S Price (Coach), A Selikow, H Osman Standing: T Starr, A Soodyall, J van Biljon, T Saulez, J Adams, R Osman

Cricket

Under 9B

Seated (floor): J Puterman Seated: E Patinios, K Duys, Mr G Bowles (Coach), T Veale, J Lawlor Standing: L Dabula, B Steele, A Allan, S Woollaston, R Yumba, C Mbhele

Cricket

Under 9C & D

Seated: J Kolbee, S Dingaan, Mr R Baptie (Coach), K Masilo, Mr M Khulu (Coach), S Msomi, J Dembaremba Second Row: W Meyer, K Clarke, E Davidson, Z Maharaj, Z Mahomed, R Jiran, Z Breytenbach, M Gangat Third Row: S Geyser, S Maziya, A Khan, L Asmal, R Nathwani, P Baluni Back Row: K Gaines, S Robertson, D Naidoo, K van Bart, R Juggernath, F Nelson

HOCKEY

Hockey

Under 9A

Seated (floor): B Wilson Seated: T Clulow, Mr R Ravenscroft (Coach), J Dembaremba Standing: T Starr, T Saulez, J van Biljon, A Selikow

Hockey

Under 9 B

Seated: E Patinios, Mr D Buckthorp (Coach), L Besnard Standing: A Soodyall, J Adams, Y Ballim, K Duys

Hockey

Under 9 C

Seated: T Veale, R Yumba, Mr T Bauer (Coach), R Nathwani, B Steele Standing: J Puterman, S Woollaston, A Khan, R Osman

Hockey

Under 9 D

Seated (floor): J Lawlor Seated: S Maziya, Mr T Bauer (Coach), L Dabula Standing: C Mbhele, A Allen

Hockey

Under 9 E & F

Seated: J Kolbee, H Osman, Miss S Bouwer (Coach), S Geyser, Mr M Khulu (Coach), M Gangat, S Msomi Second Row: K Clarke, K Masilo, K Gaines, Z Breytenbach, P Baluni, S Dingaan Third Row: Z Maharaj, M Mbambo, E Davidson, R Jiran, Z Mahomed, W Meyer Back Row: K van Bart, R Juggernath, L Asmal, F Nelson, D Naidoo, S Robertson

RUGBY

Rugby

Under 9A

Seated: E Patinios, L Besnard, Mr M Baker (Coach), R Osman, Mr J Saayman (Coach), A Selikow, T Clulow Middle Row: K Duys, A Soodyall, R Yumba, T Starr, C Mbhele, J van Biljon Back Row: K van Bart, S Woollaston, T Saulez, L Dabula

Rugby

Under 9 B

Seated: T Clulow, E Patinios, Y Ballim, Mr M Khulu (Coach), J Lawlor, J van Biljon, J Dembaremba Middle Row: L Besnard, K Duys, J Puterman, R Osman Back Row: J Adams, B Steele, A Allen, A Soodyall

Rugby

Under 9 C

Seated: S Dingaan, K Clarke, K Masilo, Mr T Bauer (Coach), E Davidson, H Osman, S Msomi Middle Row: J Lawlor, K Gaines, L Asmal, Z Maharaj, R Jiran, T Veale Back Row: B Steele, D Naidoo

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WWW.CITYGLASS.CO.ZA 27

BOOK

Week

Book Week was a resounding success this year thanks to the dedication and exuberance shown by all of the staff members in the Senior Prep. The week commenced with an assembly where teaching staff were transformed into members of Mr Men, Little Red Riding Hood and many other wonderful characters. Classrooms were decorated and transported the boys through different genres and scenes. The boys learnt about life in the African savannah, life in the trenches, shanty towns and what it would have been like growing up in China and being blamed for something that was out of your control. The excitement and anticipation of what was to come could be felt in every room of the school. Two lucky classes got to choose the dress up outfit for Mr Ravenscroft and Mrs Young. The appearance of Tinkerbell and Wonder Woman on the Whitehead Oval proved to be a highlight for all of the boys. Every boy in the Foundation Phase and Senior Prep ensured that the Read-a thon was a success. We managed to purchase reading material and resources with the proceeds which will benefit the boys in years to come. A huge thank you must be extended to all of the parents who contributed to the Read-a-thon and reading breakfast. Emilie Buchwald once said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.â&#x20AC;? Parents, after all, are the people who play a vital role in introducing their children to reading. Mrs T Munks

INTERSEN

Phase 29

GRADE

Four

Seated: L Duma, J Peirson, D Hompes, Mrs C Reeders, D Pillay, Mrs J Saayman, M Mthethwa, Mrs T Munks, B Benjamin, D Mkuzo, M Ismail Second Row: D Moosa, J Hoarau, R Della Martina, S Moodley, M Hassim, S Abdulla, M Farquharson, J Coombes, R Parbhoo, J Maingard Third Row: Z Ahmad, A Ally, E Lyne, A Harrichunder, S Sarno, T Bailey, Y Jaiswal, D de Robillard, M Turner, Y Naidoo, I Hassim Fourth Row: G McCarthy, M Jones, A Sarno, A Diakogiannis, S Mehdi, O Ditz, J Slater, C Leslie-Smith, M Osman, S Dreyer Fifth Row: J Soprano, D Gibbs, H Traill, D Pym, J Voigt, Y Shaik, O Field, L Poona, J Hugkulstone, M Asherson, E Leftwick Back Row: M Hammond, S Ngcobo, R Strauss, J Edy Absent: M Hall-Jones

GRADE FOUR

Report

2016 has been a year of new beginnings and great change for the Grade 4 boys and they have taken it in their stride, with smiles on their faces. A new phase, new subjects and for some, a new school, were challenges the boys faced with confidence and excitement. New buildings and new routes around the school were adapted to with ease. Science and history lessons were firm favourites. The boys will never forget Mrs Scott’s lessons which came to life and she had them hanging on her every word. The teachers won’t forget the frights Mrs Scott gave them every time she opened the classroom door and shouted, ‘Hail Caesar!”. Roman Day was a success, as always, and the young Romans participated in chariot races, gladiator fights and even the braaing of bread on sticks - another busy, funfilled day which the boys will think back on fondly. Mrs Scott has long been associated with Grade 4 at Clifton. Her love for History and for the boys and her undeniable gift for teaching will be sorely missed but never forgotten in Clifton’s history. Our poetry evening entitled #RainMustFall dealt with water conservation. The boys performed a magical rain storm sound chorus thanks to Ms McLean’s musical genius. The amanzi sprites, main characters and choristers can take a bow for their admirable performances. Day outings this year included a trip to Butterflies for Africa, a history tour around Durban (thanks to Mrs Scott), as well as a harbour cruise and visit to the Botanic Gardens, which were all fantastic opportunities to see landmarks of our local history and delve deeper into our class novels, ‘The Butterfly Lion’ and ‘Kaspar, Prince of Cats’. Clubs on Wednesdays were a highlight for the boys and they participated wholeheartedly in Lifesaving, Chess, Woodwork, Outreach and Marimbas. Visiting the babies at iThembalethu was a real treat! The much anticipated two-night trip to Roselands lived up to all the boys’ expectations. It was a boys’ paradise: bunk beds, team war cries, mud, camaraderie, mac ‘n cheese, farm animals, falcons, foofie slides, obstacle courses, paddle boats and to top it off, soccer in their spare time… what an absolute blast they had! (What went unnoticed by the boys were the hidden lessons learnt on team building, perseverance and the facing and conquering of fears) This year has been one of great uncertainty in our country but the compassion, empathy and solution seeking characteristics these boys emulate fill us with hope for the future. The Grade 4 teachers wish all our boys well for Grade 5 and we look forward to following their progress for the duration of their Clifton careers and hope they will pop into our classrooms in the years to come to say ‘hello’. Mrs J Saayman, Mrs T Munks and Mrs C Reeders – Grade 4 teachers

WHAT IS A CLIFTON GENTLEMAN? A Clifton gentleman is someone who is kind, respectful and has manners. He is also someone who is humble in his achievements. A Clifton gentleman has sportsmanship. For example, he does not boast when he scores a goal. He will not do bad things, like being disrespectful to someone, or boast. He only does good things, like help people or be kind to his friends. He will not betray anyone and he will not lie. A Clifton gentleman will grow up and become a successful person. M Ismail

A WONDERFUL SURPRISE I woke up feeling happy. I ate breakfast singing along to my radio and I showered, dancing to the tunes I could remember. I got to school a bit late but in such a good mood that that did not disappoint me. Right that second, the door flung open and there it wasâ&#x20AC;ŚMy Kookaburra Verve bat! I celebrated with all my heart at home. I danced and sang so much that I could not sleep. I have never felt that feeling before. A feeling of complete and utter jubilation. M Mthethwa

LIGHTNING

WIND

Lashes out with anger

Runs across the shores

Destructive for all

Giving workers more chores

Falls out of the sky

Blows across the rain

Frowning at all

Giving workers more pain

Makes trees burn to ashes

Dances across with might

Adding more car crashes

Losing all workers sight

Comes with rain

Z Ahmed

And becomes insane

GRADE

Five

Seated: N Vally, T Martin, L Corbett, Mr B Andrews, A Belim, Mr J Kemp, T Sithole, Mrs K Scott, L Ward, R Williamson, S Selikow Second Row: K Brauns, L Goodbrand, M Langston, K Thomas, K Kearns, M Peer, J Matthis, S Naicker, E Munks, Q Meyer Third Row: J Capazorio, N Tshabalala, S Moilwa, A Mall, R Molefe, A Kharwa, J Perkins, A Mkhize, D McRobbie, K Trenor, L Lawlor Fourth Row: M Rattan, J Penn, Y Naidoo, E Aiken, Z Akburally, K Naidoo, K Naidoo, J Meyer, E Hermiston, A Law Fifth Row: G Claase, M Power-Wilson, A Cassim, J Rey, M Mervis, E Curtis, C Riley, I Khan, C Claase, J Kennedy, D Govender Sixth Row: L Duys, L Vosloo, M Geyser, T Moodley, S Moodley, B van der Merwe, I Ismail, A Legemaate, R Khan, D Neethling Back Row: M Jamal, T Denny, S Gounden, T Juggernath, Y Paruk, A Zoio, A Christie-Reardon, J Davie, B Parkinson, B McElligott Absent: N Shotland, L Ward

GRADE FIVE

What a Year!

History certainly came alive in the middle of the year when the visit to Camelot Castle brought the Middle Ages to life. Knights were in shining armour trying to save the damsel in distress, aka, Queen Katherine Scott! The Grade 5 clan then had the treat of feasting on soup and homemade bread which was fit for any king. The tour was conducted in fine style by Lady Anne as she enthralled the boys with her knowledge of the gruesome times of the Middle Ages. In the First Term we had the much anticipated Egyptian Day and the hall was transformed into a Bedouin oasis of tents and pillows, where pharaoh’s, mummies, guards and slaves got the opportunity to feast like royalty. In the Second Term, the boys came face to face with some rather scary reptiles at our annual visit to Crocodile Creek. Here, they were taught all about these prehistoric creatures and were even allowed to hold and touch a fully grown python! As part of the Life Skills programme, which Mr Andrews has developed superbly this year, the final term’s theme was ‘Team Work’. Well, what a team Grade 5 has been. The boys have been an amazing bunch to teach, to laugh at, laugh with, spray with the water gun and ridicule the football team they support! Our two night excursion to Baynesfield Lodge is always a highlight for the boys as they are taught invaluable survival skills and have the opportunity to swim, fish and zip line. A true San Bushman, Johannes, left the boys in awe of his fire-making skills and his precise aim when using a bow and arrow. Besides bunking down next to some rather large spiders, the boys bravely embraced the experience and were delighted to participate in night-time walks and terrifying slides across the dam. Amazingly enough, amidst excursions and festivals, book weeks and the exciting Life Game, we had just enough time to complete a very enjoyable syllabus. This has been an incredibly busy and happy year and we shall certainly miss these remarkable and caring young men as they tackle a new chapter in their lives and move onwards and upwards into Grade 6. Grade 5 has been blessed with amazing colleagues. The calm, refined and sporty Mr Andrews; the noisy and ever-so-organized Mr Kemp and the crazy, dynamic and unforgettable Mrs Scott! What a team! Sadly we do bid a fond farewell to Mrs Scott who will be leaving us to begin a new adventure after twelve years of extraordinary teaching at Clifton. Mrs Scott is a loyal friend and a fierce supporter of Newcastle! Her passion, kindness and love for teaching is an inspiration to all who meet her. Mrs Scott, we will miss you terribly! “Hail, Mrs Scott!” Mrs K Scott , Mr J Kemp and Mr B Andrews – Grade 5 teachers

WHAT MADE THE 90’S GREAT? The 90’s were great, there were songs of joy. And many new things, from music to toys! Music had a beat and groove, it made your feet tap and your butt move! When Mandela was eventually released, SA breathed a sigh of relief. The 90’s were the very best, with cell phones, internet and the Tamagotchi pet! The boom box supplied the beat, and cassette tapes were really neat. Dolly, the first sheep made in a lab Showed us new possibilities that aren’t so bad. OJ Simpson tried to flee, From reporters, his family and the police! President Clinton found himself in a tight spot, When he lied to his country and they believed his rot! So the 90’s were interesting and held great appeal, Im glad I was alive to appreciate it for real! K Trenor, A Legemaate, K Naidoo

MOVIES OF THE 80S They 80s were a time when movies started to grow, We saw this in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s amazing gun show! “I’ll be back!” He told us to come with him if we wanted to live! Star Wars came out, And the universe was at war! Luke and Darth Vader fought till they were sore, Yoda was wise with his famous lines, “Do or do not, there is no try!” Rocky came back and fought the good fight, “Hey Adrian!” She was still there as his light. Back to the Future, Top Gun and Jaws, All of these films got huge applause. We were said when the 80s came to an end, But smile! And say, hello! To my little friend! T Martin, C Claase, L Duys, R Khan

IF I HAD A MAGIC PEN If I had a magic pen, I would never go to school again! I would stay at home by the pool with my sunglasses breaking all the rules. I would order my pen to write stories that are funny … So that I could get paid lots of money! My friends would bring their homework to me And my pen would do it for them, for free! If I had a magic pen, I would never be normal again! I would be a king sitting on my throne With a crown made of stone! My pen would sign my parents’ cheques And if they knew, they would be poor and upset! My brother would stay at home to rest And my pen would do all his tests! If I had a magic pen, I would never have to think again! Life would be amazing And I would be singing and praising! …If only all of the above was true… A magic pen would be a major breakthrough! J Kennedy

THE 90’S! People in the 90’s were slick and smooth, They knew how to bounce like Mango Groove! Home Alone, Dances with Wolves, and the Matrix, were huge hits, So was Forest Gump, but the Terminator 2 scared me to bits! Mandela was released and everyone was elated, As the people of South Africa rejoiced and celebrated. He decided right from the very start, To tell everyone to play his part! Jonty Rhodes then became a cricket pro, When he displayed his talent for diving low. His legacy will live on forever, As we aspire to be like him together. B van der Merwe, S Selikow, M Power-Wilson

GRADE

Six

Seated: C Appanna, M Kapp, R Rhodes, Mrs K Ouzman, J Asherson, Mrs R Schlemmer, B Nel, Mr C Nel, J Freeman, M Essack, M Anderson Second Row: J Shooter, L Ropertz, T Erskine, T Mayekiso, A Bonhomme, S Peer, T Larkan, R Steele, L Jordan, A Ally Third Row: P Soonderjee, R Godbolt, E Daykin, A Singh, L Field, D Pratten, Z Moodley, Y Maharaj, L de Kock, L Desvaux de Marigny, L Mezher Fourth Row: D Fernandes, A Suliman, A Bhatta, J Jarvis, L Achmad, X Andrews, A Latoo, C Boonzaier, D Nonge, W Telfer Fifth Row: J Saayman, A Mthembu, B Pears, N Baitz, D Diagkogiannis, T Carmody, W Harvey, K Padayachee, R Basson, A Patel, V Cassim Back row: T Bailey, C Kidd, M Faya, C Masefield, Z Valjee, A Diplall, T Haynes, T Naidoo, H Bailey, R Bensch

GRADE SIX

Report

What a happy, busy and fulfilling time we have had this year in Grade 6. Firstly we had the excitement of moving all three classes into our new home, namely the Science/ Art house. What a privilege it has been for the boys and teachers to have classrooms in close proximity to each other and the joy of a beautiful garden to spill out into whilst working. We have been able to create a purely indigenous garden; a vegetable greenhouse; we have 2 worm farms; and our own Jojo recycling water tank. We have also been lucky enough to have had a stunning mural painted in our entrance area of rhinos at a water hole by a top graffiti artist, Giffy. Our house has become a school home in every sense of the word. Some other highlights are trips we have had to Botanic Gardens, the Mangrove swamps, and undoubtedly the best of all was our 3 day excursion to Sugar Bay. Here the boys absolutely enjoyed and lived each and every moment to the fullest and many came to hug us and to say, “Thank you! We made a good choice this year!” We have once again embarked on our annual exchange programme to Lambrook in the UK and six very lucky boys were accompanied by Mr Nel and had the time of their lives. We also introduced a new initiative into Grade Six this year whereby the boys were provided with a team of professionals who came in a conducted a study skills course with them in March. This will be ongoing in Grade 7 next year. Thank you to the parents for your continued and ongoing support throughout the year. We have been blessed to have had such a fantastic group of boys to have worked with this year. Thank you to my colleagues, Mrs Kristin Ouzman and Mr Craig Nel, you have been an amazing team and you have really done us proud! Mrs R Schlemmer, Mr C Nel and K Ouzman – Grade 6 teachers

AFRICAN SUNSET IN ALL ITS GLORY A fiery ball of fierce flames, Turns the wispy clouds pale pink. Brings a translucent tranquility, As it sets over the distant hazy horizon. The fiery ball, Glides gently past the cotton wool clouds. Setting the serene scene, Witnessed for many miles. The arms of flame, Reach out… In one last ditch attempt, To save… Its gracious existence. Trees watch, like long lithe limbed guards, As the Son of God, Disappears… Like a mighty mysterious phantom, Silhouetting them in the darkness of the naked night. J Asherson, L Patinios, R Montgomery

THE SPIRIT THAT HAUNTS ME It is the spirit that haunts me at night. We were in the jungle Temple when it all started. We were saying our prayers around the table one night when a black shadow crept eerily around the room. It announced that it was “The Spirit”. That Spirit that haunts us. Its name was Pitch. He said that we have to kill the Thunder King or the world would end. He vanished…When we looked at the table there was a map with a knife the shape of a light through it. On a map, there was a pathway to where the Thunder King was. The next morning it was chaos. Everyone who was at the table that night was saying goodbye to their families. We were going on a quest. As we went through the temple gates, I saw Pitch. A sudden shiver crept up my spine. We followed the jungle trail until we reached a river. The jungle whispered to me but the others only heard ssssssss. When we reached the river, we found a boat big enough for the eight of us. We got in and sailed down the Gaboon River. R Steele

THE QUEST FOR A MUSICAL NOTE Chammox was called to the king. He was asked to go on a quest to retrieve a musical note made from a Golemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stone and blessed by a musician. He was given an ice trident to defeat Marowak an evil Lord who guarded the cave where the note was kept. Chammox set off. He travelled through the mountainous region where he was closest to the purple sky. He travelled through forests where the trees gossiped above and the rocks looked like liquorice turtles. When light turned to night the moon glowed like a car on a lonely highway. Eventually, he made it to the cave where Marowak lived. Chammox stepped into the enchanted cave. Bones and skulls were scattered across the floor. The cold crept into his bones. A mystical figure stepped forward. Marowak launched sound waves that knocked Chammox back and startled the unsuspecting bats. The bats engulfed Chammox. He felt as though he was suffocating, fear devoured his stomach. In an instance, he pulled out his trident and shot an ice pike to scare away the bats. His next pike was aimed at Marowak. It caught him off guard and he stumbled back. Chammox seized the opportunity and speared Marowak in the shin. Marowak let out a blood curdling shriek and flung Chammox across the room in a gusting volt. Chammox collided against the cave wall. He lay on the ground with broken ribs, spluttering up blood. Marowak limped towards his victim and struck a final blow. Marowak smiled grimly in his victory. R Bensch

A BEAUTIFUL PLACE Following a long, entertaining plane ride, we finally arrived at our beautiful destination, Abu Dabhi. My dreams had become a reality and my longing was now no more. My mind was blown by the breath-taking scenery, my eyes could not believe what they were seeing. Me, myself and I were here to experience a manmade Arabian gem, a world renown destination called Abu Dabhi. The humid air intrigued me, making me thirst for the beautiful shores. The passing breeze soothed my burning skin. People roamed the streets, the sound of traffic filled the air. My stomach squealed in excitement as I savoured the delicious food on offer. Oh, Abu Dabhi, a magical place indeed! M Faya

LAMBROOK

School Exchange

The fourth UK Exchange took place over the period 1 October to

Over the course of their stay, the boys were involved in sport

14 October this year. A group of six Grade 6 Clifton gentlemen

and also had to adapt to the particularly long school day which

departed to Lambrook School in the United Kingdom on 30

included an hour of prep from 16h30 to 17h30 each afternoon.

September aboard an Emirates flight via Dubai and headed off

Six extremely hungry boys tucked into the cooked meals in

to England where a new adventure (and MUCH cooler weather)

the school dining hall each lunchtime and the meals catered

awaited them. Upon arrival at Lambrook, it was pouring with

to everyone’s tastes - there was even dessert after lunch each

rain. This however, did not deter our lads and while our hosts

day! Being football season at Lambrook meant that our boys

prepared a welcome “barbeque”, our boys played football in the

were fully involved in football each day after school. Our boys

rain. The boys were accommodated in the boarding house for

even got the opportunity to play for Lambrook in one of their

the first week of their stay and thereafter they were hosted by

fixtures against a rival school as Lambrook were short of players

Lambrook families.

in some teams. Surprisingly, our boys acquitted themselves

A day after our arrival the boys travelled by train into London to explore the sights and sounds of the city. It took some

matches.

getting used to travelling on the underground and the boys

Other highlights of the exchange included a Legends tour of

soon realised that they had to be pretty alert when boarding or

the Emirates Football Stadium, the homeground of Arsenal

alighting from the trains and underground. A trip to Hamleys

Football Club, a private tour of Lords Cricket Ground and a

was the highlight of their first day in London.

trip to Greenwich on a riverboat up the Thames. No exchange

The Clifton boys stood in awe as they surveyed the vast grounds of Lambrook School on the first morning of their “school experience”. They didn’t take long to get stuck in to the tasks that they were presented with in the classroom although many of these were of a much higher level than the boys are used to back home. Our boys received numerous compliments from members of the Lambrook staff for their wonderful manner and the way they conducted themselves in the classroom. These are everyday expectations at Clifton and are often taken for granted.

well and contributed towards Lambrook winning some of the

would be complete without a dose of culture and so the boys attended a performance of Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre after which they viewed London from the heights of the London Eye. All in all the exchange was once again a hugely beneficial experience for the boys who represented Clifton. They were superb ambassadors for our school, their families and South Africa. We now look forward to hosting some boys and girls from Lambrook School on exchange in April 2017. Mr C Nel – Grade 6 Exchange Coordinator

GRADE

Seven

Seated: S Naidoo, S Maharaj, B Munro, Mr J Hulley, K Benjamin, Miss K Muddiman, T Zatu, Ms M Nadasen, M Thomas, Y Essa, M Joosab Second Row: E Fletcher, B d’Avice, B Bresler, U Saloojee, J King, A Madonsela, L Young, S Ntaka, B Cameron, A Mkhize, T Funnell Third Row: A Christodoulou, R Khalid, D Dry, N Turner, M Chetty, L Kennedy, R Pillay, U Ahmed, T Maddox, C McRobbie, J Duley Fourth Row: P Deshmukh, R Ebrahim, A Thorpe, K Archary, S Perkins, J de la Porté, L Funnell, T Sithole, A Lenferna, Z Randeria Fifth Row: L Ngiba, J Spence, E Gibbs, J van der Westhuyzen, Z Padavattan, Y Nzuza, T Rey, T Holcroft, G Fivaz, L Puterman, T Kamanga Sixth Row: M Strachan, L Economou, D Mudely, T Munks, D Hall, K Pretorius, N Govender, A Wang, C Chapple, H Ambaram Back Row: R Parkinson, G Williams, A Osman, R Legemaate, M Sodalay, S Maharaj, V Ramlall, S Beekarun Absent: A Boodhun, N Phipps

NEVER

Give Up!

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill A fundamental theme that has persisted in the Class of 2016 has been, “Never Give Up” and these words of the Late Winston Churchill epitomize the spirit and culture of the Grades 7s of 2016. The Grade 7s of 2016 have done us proud! The boys have seized every opportunity that has come their way with enthusiasm and their level of commitment to Clifton has been evident in all of their endeavours. The Class of 2016 will be remembered for years to come and a few stand-out moments include overcoming our fears at Spirit of Adventure where Taddeo’s first few hours were spent in casualty having his toe stitched up! You can’t forget Mr Hulley being called up to be a part of the dolphin show at uShaka or Juliet pining for her Romeo in our Shakespeare production! The packing up of our classrooms and moving into new ones and undergoing examinations for the very first time was also a new experience for us. Our Clifton Gents have been blessed with a great education, a dynamic environment in which to grow and sport and cultural opportunities that develop tenacity and skill. We are certain that the boys will go forward and choose to be optimists who see the opportunity in the face of adversity and make the most of any situation. Be brave, be humble, be bold, take risks and believe in yourselves! Go forward into high school believing in yourself and relying on the strong foundation that has been laid for you at Clifton. We wish you well and remember to never give up! Miss K Muddiman, Ms M Nadasen and Mr J Hulley - Grade 7 teachers

DESERT The brain-washing smell of maggot-infested meat and dead carcasses sours the wastelands of the vast desert. One can hear the soft, silk-like sand slowly sizzling as the sun sets it afire. Heat waves slowly melt one’s skin making it bubble and burn. Cries echo across the wilderness and tears evaporate as they run down the face, never even making it past the jawline. The days may be long, hot and tiring but the nights are Arctic, making the hair on one’s back shoot up like razor wire, becoming as sharp as needles. The run-down facilities have cracks and holes and nightmares come true as walls screech while slowly shifting. D Hall

SCHOOL TALES OF BULLYING Fortune favours the bold – or does it? Diego Rodriguez, the school’s biggest bully, bumped into me on the way to homeroom. “Get out of my way, you piece of trash!” The hallway froze, my hands started to tremble in fear. He walked up to me and started taunting me and his friends started to throw some punches, but nobody else moved. Everyone just stared and laughed. When the bell rang, everyone scattered like ants. Things were happening so quickly. It all became a blur. I ran up the next flight of stairs towards my homeroom and quickly peeked to see which classroom was empty. I slipped into Mr Smith’s room, slammed the door shut and closed the blinds. The bruises were blue, the blood was red. The pain and embarrassment were colourless, they were just emotions. Never mind the punches, they’ll heal. Why do the words have to be so hurtful? They hurt even more than the strongest of blows. That’s when I heard the footsteps of Diego and his friends. They walked slowly up the stairs, but made a rather large racket. My heart started beating faster than a cheetah running at full speed. The fear built up. He smashed the door open. The shattered glass scattered on the ice cold concrete floor. I pulled myself together and wiped away my tears. I just couldn’t face him. I was too scared. I sprinted down the stairs, out the front door and on to the sidewalk. Why do people think I am trash? Why am I teased for the way I look? There’s nothing wrong with me, right? I’m just a boy who longs to belong. V Ramlall

MY DURBAN Waves whip wildly at the sands While skaters skim swiftly on the smooth ice. Cars screech to a stop Rude gestures and vulgar words String into a never-ending stream. The sun sprays its rays Onto the buildings As monkeys Rob children’s lunch boxes And hawkers haggle for discounts. While others gamble in casinos For relief from worries. R Khalid

THE SOLDIER The landing craft bustled and shook in the violent waves. Harsh ocean winds whipped at his face. “Just another training mission,” Steve thought. Unfortunately, it was 6 June 1944, D-Day. The pilot guided the craft through the rolling waves, ignoring the fact that the passengers were retching violently over the side and the craft was slowly filling with a mixture of vomit and sea water. Steve was too busy trying to find the beach on which the General had said they should land, to realize he was sloshing around in sick. As the landing craft slowly crawled across the waves his beach came in to sight. “There’s the beach,” Steve muttered to himself. While Steve’s gaze was locked onto the sandy beach, the Germans, watching from the bunkers, took careful aim at the mysterious metal objects revealing themselves over the horizon. Bullets sprayed the front of the landing craft. “Heads down!” someone shouted. As the landing craft beached, the front flopped down like a ramp and soldiers rushed forward. Steve followed and when he saw what he was up against he realized this wasn’t training. This was the real deal. G Williams

CLIFTON COUNCIIL AND

Class Representatives

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows

A Class Representative is selected each term, by their peers,

the way.” John C. Maxwell

in every Grade 4, 5 and 6 class. Both the Clifton Council and

The Clifton Council and Class Representatives offers our boys an opportunity to develop various leadership roles and skills. The Clifton Council is unique to Grade 7 boys and each boy in the grade is given an opportunity to become a member of the Clifton Council. Boys are given responsibilities at break time, at the tuck shop, during assemblies, in the lost property department, in the library, in the I.T. Lab and in the Sports Department. These specific duties are carried out by the boys during their term of office. Fifteen boys are re-elected by their peers and teachers by means of a vote in Term Four to form the final Clifton Council for the year.

Class representatives attend meetings which is a forum for the boys to discuss their concerns with their peers and offer suggestions on how to make Clifton a more secure and productive environment. The meetings follow a formal agenda and discussions are minuted so that feedback can be given to the boys each week. In this day and age of entrepreneurship, leadership assumes a vital role. The Clifton Council and Class Representatives Forum gives our boys the opportunity to discover the meaning of leadership in a personal capacity. Miss K Muddiman – MiC of Student Council

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CLIFTON

Clubs

Wednesday Club hour is a highlight for boys in grades 4 to 7. It gives the boys an opportunity to extend and enrich their learning experience at school. Mountain biking, Birding, Lifesaving, Beading, Cookery, Bonsai, Crazy Science, Photography, Stained Glass, Mosaics, French Knitting, Chess, Computer and Soccer are a few of the clubs which were on offer for the boys this year. Mrs W Meyer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MiC of Arts and Culture

CLIFTON

Culture 49

CULTURAL

Report

GRADE 1 GRANDPARENTS’ DAY A highlight on the Grade 1 calendar is our Grandparents Day! The arrival in the Sutcliffe Theatre of treasured grandparents reflected on the beaming faces of our young boys and they truly loved this special assembly. This year, the boys greeted their grandparents in their school uniforms and quickly got into the swing of things by remembering their poems and singing their songs with great gusto, especially ‘You Raise Me Up.’ Our Class Mums did us proud with a beautifully set out ‘High Tea’ and the merry hats and dapper bowties that our grandparents wore certainly added a sense of occasion to our morning. Back in the classrooms, the grandparents admired their grandsons’ work. Grandmothers received a pretty posy of flowers and grandfathers a colourful magnet-matchbox set. A most memorable morning was enjoyed by all! Mrs N Walton

DESIGN INDABA The Grades 1, 2 and 3 boys were once again afforded the opportunity to display their artistic prowess at the Design Indaba. The Grade 1’s produced class quilts that were quite awesome. Each of the Grade 1 boys produced a painted enamel plate of which they were justifiably proud. The Grade 2 class project focused on South African artist, Portchie. The boys also enjoyed painting a map of Africa on a cushion for their individual pieces. The Grade 3’s spent hours hammering and decorating the African String Art pieces. For their class items, they made beanbags with inspiring African designs. The Design Indaba was well supported by the parents and raised a considerable sum for the purchasing of reading material for the boys. Mrs D Wootton

SWING INTO SPRING The Grade 3’s welcomed in the month of September with a spring and a swing in their step. They were introduced to the musical classics of yesteryear and performed them beautifully, using marimbas, bells, piano and voice. We were treated to stunning performances by soloists, classes and various ensembles. Needless to say, feet were tapping, souls were soaring and the audience was entranced through every number. The boys were delighted to see their moms get up on stage too, for a little ‘Route 66’, which was followed by a performance of, ‘In The Mood’ by our multi-talented Foundation Phase Staff. Swing into Spring was certainly an unforgettable evening, filled with musical gems. Ms S McLean

GRADE 5 POETRY EVENING The Grade 5’s went ‘Back to the Future’ with an exciting and highly-charged poetry evening. Presenting their original poems, songs and dances, they enthralled the audience with their confidence and talent. Looking back, one cannot help but be amazed at how far we have come, through advances in technology, medicine and music and how we continuously improve upon the foundations of our forefathers. Reviving the bell bottoms of the 70’s, the mohawks of the 80’s, VHS, Tamagotchi’ and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” were just some of the reminders of what made the past so colourful and entertaining. The Grade 5s shared their unique outlook on life and sense of humour with everyone and we thoroughly enjoyed the show. Mr J Kemp

CLUBS Our Wednesday Clubs@Clifton took on a new format this year, whereby each grade was split into five groups. These groups rotated over a six week cycle allowing each boy to take part in five specific activities chosen for their grade. Each grade was also involved with an outreach project: Grade 4: Outreach – iThemba Lethu Baby Home, Lifesaving, Chess, Woodwork, Marimbas Grade 5: Outreach – Bartle House Retirement Home, Cookery, Eco Warriors, Zulu Culture, Drama Grade 6: Outreach – Animal Welfare, Scouts and Survival, Hip Hop Dance, Debating, Photography Grade 7: Outreach – Durban Child Welfare, Life Skills, Basketball, Computer Programming and First Aid Mrs W Meyer – MiC of Arts and Culture

R Steele Gr 6

P Deshmukh Gr 7

K Thomas Gr 5

E Daykin Gr 6

A Madonsela Gr 5

R Parkinson Gr 7

R Basson Gr 6

L De Kock Gr 6

J Freeman Gr 6

G Fivaz Gr 7

D McRobbie Gr 5

A Legemaate Gr 5

L Achmad Gr 6

C McRobbie Gr 7

B Benjamin Gr 4.

P Soonderjee Gr 6

K Kearns Gr 5

E Fletcher Gr 7

C Claase Gr 5

A Kharwa Gr 5

A Singh Gr 6.

A Wang Gr 7

B McElligott Gr 5

J Asherson Gr 6

CLIFTON

Art Meander 53

MUSIC IN THE

Prep Shcool

The Grade 6 and 7 boys were exposed to the critical analysis of a pop music song in their class music lessons where they also participated enthusiastically in choral singing, in two and three part harmonies. The aural perception of the harmonic layers of two and three part vocalising developed adequately. The screening of the Boy Choir also stimulated the interest in the SP choir. In September the SP choir toured the Midlands and performed at the Howick Preparatory School’s ‘Spring Festival’. Cordwalles, Nottingham Road Primary and Clifton Nottingham Road Primary also competed in the performance. The choir visited the Mandela capture and Piggly Wiggly where the boys browsed around. In the Fourth Term the SP choir will prepare in earnest for the Carol Service. The Clifton Grade 7 Marimba Band has worked consistently this year, starting off small and growing as the terms progressed. Their repertoire includes not only traditional African music as the “Click Song” and “Uzuko” but also more modern club songs, such as “My House” and “Freaks”. They are a close group and can perform as background entertainment welcoming visitors to school events. Shelley McLean leaves Clifton school at the end of the year to take up the position of Head of Music at Cowan House. Our best wishes accompany her. Waynne Swarts was appointed to teach piano to assist with the demand for individual lessons. Special mention has to be made of the wonderful work of all the music staff at Clifton. Thank you for nurturing the talent of every boy and for encouraging the boys to always continue to make music. Mr G du Toit – Director of Music

SENIOR PREP

Choir

Seated: J Freeman, R Steele, A Bonhomme, R Legemaate, N Turner (Vice-capt), Mr R Ravenscroft (Deputy Principal: Co-Curricular), L Economou (Capt), J Duley, J Shooter, B Bresler, T Zatu Second Row: D Hompes, J Maingard, R Moilwa, T Sithole, J Coombes, I Hassim, R Della-Martina, M Mtethwa, S Moodley, D Pillay, L Duma Third Row: K Naidoo, M Anderson, A Sarno, L Lawlor, J Penn, S Sarno, K Kearns, M Kapp, C Leslie-Smith, C Appanna, D de Robillard Fourth Row: A Law, J Meyer, E Leftwick, R Molefe, D Pym, T Mayekiso, A Cassim, M Ramotshere, K Naidoo Fifth Row: M Mervis, L Desvaux de Marigny, E Daykin, B Munro, L Vosloo, L de Kock, D Pratten, A Legemaate, H Traill, L Field, D Fernandes Sixth Row: T Denny, A Bhatta, S Ngcobo, L Achmad, J Saayman, T Juggernath, A Mthembu, V Cassim, A Christie-Reardon, C Boonzaier Back Row: K Naidoo, W Harvey, F Mayenzeke, T Haynes, Z Valjee, C Masefield, C Kidd, D Diakogiannis, J Carstens

A choir of nearly 120 boys was formed after auditions took

Clifton. The hall was packed, and the evening with Mrs McLean

place at the beginning of the year. The boys were required, after

was a feast of music.

six weeks, to make a final choice as to whether they wanted to remain in the choir or not, and eighty choristers stayed behind.

The Prep Choir also hosted the music department of Waterkloof Preparatory Skool from Pretoria in August. WHPS performed

The choir performed at the Easter Service alongside the College

during the Assembly and showcased the depth of their music

Choir. It was a privilege to have one hundred and fifty boys

department. Our boys were certainly impressed by their sound

performing on stage.

quality and control of pitch.

In mid-June, the Senior Prep, along with choirs from seven

At present, the choir is working towards the Carol Service and

other schools, participated in an evening performance entitled Worthy of Note. The concert included choirs from Maris Stella, Manor Gardens, Gordon Road Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Penzance, Virginia Prep and

we look forward to closing the year in a joyous celebration of Christ. Mr G du Toit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Director of Music

Marimba

Senior Prep Ensemble

Seated: N Turner, A Wang, A Mkhize Standing: E Fletcher, T Sithole, J Duley, T Zatu

Marimba

Grade 4 & 5

Seated: M Mthethwa, O Field, D Pillay, Ms S McLean, G Claase Standing: K Naidoo, D McRobbie, J Meyer, C Claase, E Munks

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ROMEO AND

The Clifton Prep Drama Workshop staged Romeo and Juliet this year. The play was a careful combination of Shakespeare’s script and the

Juliet

glorious children’s version penned by Lois Burdett in her Shakespeare for Kids series, and so allowed the actors and the audience a relatively easy pathway into the language, intrigue and romance of this muchloved tale. Boys from Grade 4 to Grade 7 were free to participate, with commitment being the prime criterion for inclusion. These fine young thespians gave their time and energy over countless Sundays through the first two terms of the year. The reward for their resilience came when the lights finally went up on their creation and their tale was appropriately acknowledged in the standing ovations that they received. Whether a member of either the Montague or the Capulet Chorus, a representative of the two households - both alike in dignity, or one of the star-struck lovers, the lads played their parts to the full in ensuring that this production left a lasting impression on all who worked with them and all who enjoyed their performances. The final version of the script added their interpretation of the tale and its lessons, thus allowing them to bring their humour and their understanding to the stage in ways that were unique and memorable. This was a play without lead roles and without egos; this was a team that worked in unison, both backstage and on the boards, to entertain with rigour and delight. The curtain calls were an easy testament to the boys’ successes; their learning went far deeper than that. Special mention must be made of Mr Kemp and Mr Boniaszczuk, whose wisdom, inspiration, verve, and guidance took the staging of this play to another level altogether. This director was extraordinarily blessed to work with boys and colleagues from whom he has learnt an enormous amount. It has been the privilege of a lifetime. Mr B Mitchell – Director

SCIENCE

Expo

This year the Grade 7 boys were given the theme of “Water: Our Precious Resource”, to base their projects on. They were also given the freedom to choose whether they wished to construct and build models, carry out experiments or do research-based exhibits. After many weeks of preparation during Science lessons under the supervision of Mrs Schlemmer and Mrs Ouzman, the Expo day finally arrived. The boys arrived at school bright and early to excitedly prepare their stands and exhibits for both the judges and spectators to view. What a stunning day we were in for! We were treated to Shades of Grey – Recycling Water; Lettuce Grow Plants – Hydroponics versus Aquaponics, The Humour of Humidity; Is H2O the Way to Grow; Pump it Up – a model of the Archimedes Screw; What the pH; Ice,Ice Baby – mapping the rise and fall of sea levels; Water Shocker…to name but a few. The judges were super impressed and once again the Grade 7 boys did themselves proud! Mrs R Schlemmer – Director of Science & Technology

CLIFTON

Sport 61

CLIFTON PREP

Sport Report

It has been fascinating to be part of Preparatory School boy sport and co-curricular activities and, in particular, to be involved at Clifton this past year. It is still refreshing to see boys playing sport for all the right reasons, including, first and foremost, the love for sport and participating. Whilst playing in an A team at Clifton is a dream every boy at Clifton should aspire to have, I was very happy to see our lower teams beginning to play with as much pride for their school. Participation in co-curricular activities is an integral part in the life of a Clifton boy. The social interaction, dealing with winning or losing and the commitment to a team are areas which help develop young men. I do feel as a Clifton community we have work to do, to bring together a sporting culture of belief in all our sport and a dedication to each of its codes. Thank you to all of the boys who have gone beyond the expectations of the school and who have been committed to their various activities. We have had many positive results, highlights and representation in KwaZulu-Natal teams and individual sports. Our achievements could not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our MiC, teachers and coaches who give up their time to ensure our boys improve in their sport. We are very lucky at Clifton to have such dedicated people who are all aiming to develop our sport and continue the upward progression of Cliftonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-curricular systems. We are not a perfect school but the sports department have a clear vision for Clifton to progress in all areas and, in time, become front runners for others to follow. Mr R Ravenscroft - Deputy Principal: Co-Curricular

Seated: D Moosa, M Hassim, Z Moodley (Capt), Mr J Kemp (MiC of Chess), Y Maharaj (Vice-capt), P Soonderjee, R Parbhoo Second Row: Z Ahmed, Q Meyer, K Naidoo, C Leslie-Smith, M Jones, C Appanna Third Row: W Telfer, Y Essa, R Khan, D Pym, M Rattan, E Hermiston Back Row: I Khan, A Bhatta, R Strauss, A Diplall, H Bailey, V Cassim, L Poona, R Godbolt

CHESS

Report

“Chess helps you to concentrate and improve your logic. It teaches you to play by the rules and take responsibility for your actions and how to problem solve in an uncertain environment.” – Garry Kasparov

it is often the lessons of perseverance and practice

Chess is popular at Clifton although it has not always shared the same limelight as many of the other sports. The real heroes are the players who diligently arrive each week to practice and commit themselves to the tournaments. As we are not a seasonal sport, chess has always had a diverse and interesting following. Many of its players stay for only three months as boys are encouraged to join a sport each term.

blow holes in your position. But if you place your

The real drive behind the success of chess is the up and coming Foundation Phase players, who instinctively find chess a welcomed challenge and the numbers who participate weekly has grown. Two players who should be mentioned are Yahya Ballim and Divan van der Merwe, who both have received their KwaZulu-Natal colours and have worked tirelessly in the competitive three-day tournaments held in Bloemfontein and Umlazi respectively. I look forward to watching their talent develop as they grow and improve in the game.

Captain, Zechariah Moodley, and our Vice-captain,

Chess is responsible for raising confidence and lateral thinking. Winning at chess is all about the development of your pieces. Accepting defeat is not easy for most and players who are new to chess find this a difficult concept. In the beginning

which highlights the deeper message of not giving up. If you attack before you’ve got the right pieces in the right places, a skilled opponent will quickly pieces strategically, you can build an unassailable position. These fundamental skills equip a boy with the necessary tools to succeed in life. Clifton

hosted

very

successful

individual

tournament with over 90 children competing and many of our developmental players took full advantage of their home ground. Ably led by our Yurav Maharaj, Clifton has performed well in the majority of our tournaments. These two competent chess players have worked collaboratively to inspire and motivate the team during our arduous matches. We would not have had a successful year without the help and support of our coach, Njapha Mndeni, who tirelessly and passionately instructs the boys each week. The boys have improved their understanding and grasp of the game. We are extremely grateful for his help this year. I extend my deepest thanks to all the parents and players for their support and interest this year. Mr J Kemp – MiC of Chess

CRICKET

Report

When I think about what a Clifton cricketer is, a vivid image

Seeing their heroes up close is something that I know our boys

comes to my mind. It is of a boy with grass stains on his shorts,

will never forget. A special day indeed!

his face is red and beaded with sweat and he has a smile on his face. What is also plain to see is that this boy loves the game and he loves representing his school! The passion for cricket is still very much alive at Clifton and I would like to start my report by commending all of our boys for the way in which they have played their cricket this year.

Clifton has once again enjoyed strong representation in the various Durban Central Cricket teams. Ross Montgomery, Jake Carstens and Uwais Salojee were selected for the Durban Central Under 13 Cricket teams while Ross Parkinson and Ross Rhodes were selected for the Durban Central Invitational XI. At the time of writing this report, these boys had not yet played

Clifton hosted the Inter Prep Schools Festival for the first time

in their festival and as such, no information about their selec-

this year and even though the weather provided a few chal-

tion for KwaZulu Natal can be provided. We would however, like

lenges, the festival was a resounding success. I would like to ex-

to wish all of them the very best of luck! In the Under 11 age

tend my thanks to all those involved in the organisation of such

group, Ben McElligot, Joshepy Rey, Ben van der Merwe, Cam-

an important event. The time you put in to making it a success

den Riley and Siyen Gounden were selected for the Durban

was greatly appreciated by the boys and staff alike. We were

Central Under 11 teams. Clifton is extremely proud of Camden

most fortunate to have Barry Richards, a Clifton old boy, as the

Riley who was selected in the KwaZulu Natal Under 11 team. A

guest speaker at the formal dinner and I am sure the boys en-

fantastic achievement, Camden!

joyed listening to the insights of one of the game’s true greats.

Brian Lara’s first cricket bat was shaped out of coconut branch.

This year’s UK Cricket Tour was a particularly significant one as

Don Bradman learnt to bat by hitting a golf ball with a wicket

it was Mr Mezher’s final outing. I know that all the boys and

and Curtley Ambrose would play basketball for the West Indies

staff who have had the pleasure of touring with him have made

in his free time away from test cricket. What did they have in

special memories both on and off the field.

common apart from raw talent? They came from humble beginnings to become some of the game’s greatest ever players.

Clifton is truly fortunate to have such a passionate cricket man

They didn’t have the technology or resources that our boys

who has dedicated so much of his time to the game. Thank you

have now and this is the message I would like to share with the

for all you have done for our boys Mr Mez!

Clifton cricketers. Go to practice and work hard. Listen to your

The cricketing highlight of the year was undoubtedly the visit from the Proteas. We were fortunate enough to have Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbot, Wayne Parnell, AB de Villers and assistant coach Adrian Birrell visit us for a question and answer session. All of the boys, and an incredibly excited MiC of Cricket, were treated to some wonderful words of wisdom about the game.

coaches who have invested so deeply in you. Make the most of the resources that your school and parents have provided you with and play the game for the right reason. Play to have fun! Play to improve and play for the sheer enjoyment. After all, that it what prep school sport is all about! Mr B Andrews – MiC of Cricket

CRICKET

First XI

Seated: R Rhodes, G Fivaz, Mr S Price (Coach), U Saloojee (Capt), Mr B Mezher (Coach), R Parkinson (Vice-capt), T Rey Back Row: S Perkins, R Montgomery, T Haynes, S Beekarun, J Carstens Absent: N Phipps

Cricket

Second XI

Seated: J Asherson, K Benjamin, Mr G Bowles (Coach), J Saayman, C Boonzaier Middle Row: M Thomas, R Basson, Z Randeria, S Ntaka Back Row: L Ngiba, L Puterman, W Harvey

Cricket

Third XI

Seated: E Fletcher, R Godbolt (Capt), Mr R Ravenscroft (Coach), L Patinios, D Fernandes Middle Row: J Asherson, J Jarvis, L Funnell, K Archary, B Bresler, C Boonzaier Back Row: C McRobbie, D Mudely, K Padayachee

Cricket

Fourth XI

Seated: J Freeman, T Kamanga, Mr C Nel (Coach), A Ally, S Selikow Middle Row: L Mezher, L Field, T Funnell, Y Maharaj Back Row: R Pillay, D Hall, E Gibbs

Cricket

Fifth XI

Seated: L Desvaux de Marigny, A Mkhize, Mr T Bauer (Coach) V Cassim, A Cassim Middle Row: A Bonhomme, A Bhatta, A Suliman, J King Back Row: T Maddox, D Diakogiannis, Z Valjee, Y Nzuza, T Denny

Cricket

Sixth XI

Seated: T Zatu, N Govender, Mr T Bauer (Coach), L Ropertz, M Joosab Middle Row: S Peer, M Rattan, T Mayekiso, B Munro Back Row: V Ramllal, D Diakogiannis

Cricket

Seventh XI

Seated: P Sonderjee, A Singh, Mr M Khulu (Coach), M Kapp, C Appanna Standing: U Ahmed, S Maharaj, M Chetty

Cricket

Under 11 A

Seated: M Langston, J Rey, Mr B Andrews (Coach), B McElligott (Capt), K Thomas Middle Row: C Riley, M Mervis, J Kennedy, M Power-Wilson Standing: B Parkinson, S Gounden, B van der Merwe

Cricket

Under 11 B

Seated: L Goodbrand, K Kearns, Mr T Bauer (Coach), J Matthis, L Corbett Middle Row: A Latoo, J Penn, K Trenor, A Kharwa Back Row: S Moodley, A Zoio, M Jamal

Cricket

Under 11 C

Seated: T Martin, K Brauns, Mr G Bowles (Coach) J Meyer, R Williamson Middle Row: J Perkins, L Lawlor, E Curtis, A Mkhize Back Row: A Mall, J Davies, L Duys

Cricket

Under 11 D

Seated: N Valley, S Moilwa, Mr G Bowles (Coach), J Capazorio, L Ward Middle Row: A Belim, G Claase, T Moodley, J Soprano Back Row: I Khan, S Juggernath, Y Paruk

Cricket

Under 10 A

Seated: B Benjamin, M Hall-Jones, Mr M Baker (Coach), Y Shaik, D Hompes Middle Row: M Mthethwa, Y Naidoo, J Hoarau, J Maingard Back Row: D Gibbs, O Ditz, J Edy, M Asherson

Cricket

Under 10 B

Seated: M Turner, H Traill, Mr M Khulu (Coach), R Della Martina, J Peirson Standing: E Lyne, Y Naidoo, R Strauss, O Field, A Diakogiannis, M Jones Absent: M Farquharson

Cricket

Under 10 C & D

Seated: J Coombes, D Pillay, M Hammond, Mr J Hulley (Coach), J Slater, D Mkuzo, L Duma Middle Row: S Ngcobo, R Parbhoo, M Hassim, S Dreyer, A Ally, M Farquharson, M Ismail, L Poona Back Row: Y Jaiswal, S Mehdi, J Voigt, A Harrichunder, I Hassim

UK CRICKET

Tour

The 2016 UK cricket tourists were understandably abuzz before

again kindly arranged an 8 - side â&#x20AC;&#x201C; festival which the boys really

their departure to England. Messrs Andrews, Mezher and

enjoy. The format is fun and promotes participation which

Ravenscroft channelled the excitement accordingly and once

keeps everyone involved. On the second day of our weekend

we had taken off heading north for Heath Row, the inflight

at Abberley Hall we played some good cricket to emerge

entertainment was already in full swing.

victorious against the hosts in testing weather conditions. Ross

In the morning we were endorsed for entry by the UK Border

Parkinson and Tom Funnell took wickets and Thomas Rey made

Agency, and boarded our coach for our first stop at Caldicott. The boys were not surprised that it was raining. During our first

provides opportunities for sleeping, karaoke, sightseeing or

match against Caldicott, Connor McRobbie produced bowling

dozing. It was still rainy and overcast and the boys dropped

figures of 4/20 while Michael Thomas scored the first half

off into a contented slumber on our way to Moulsford Prep.

century on tour. He received support at the crease from Thomas

The game was played in sunshine and fine drizzle, on a field

Rey. We lost the match but gained valuable tour experience.

that sloped down to the Thames River. We lost the game but

The boys were asleep before the sun went down that evening.

cemented friendships established over many UK cricket tours.

We awoke to torrential rain and the unlikelihood of a match the following day against Aldro. After lunch, we spent the afternoon

another useful contribution with the bat. Time on the coach

Thomas Rey, enjoying consistent form, once again made runs for the team.

playing indoor cricket and soccer while the fields were soaked

Sunshine! During our next match we beat Feltonfleet by 7

with heavy downpours. Rain had won the day! The coach took

wickets. Prior to this we had stopped to visit Mercedes Benz

us up the motorway for our visit to Abberley Hall who had once

World. Guillaume Fivaz and Zubin Randeria bowled well and

Thomas Rey and Shyur Beekarun scored runs. It was a good team performance and we celebrated together on an evening that saw Iceland beat England in the European Championships. We encountered congested, snarling traffic on the M25 en route to Kings Wimbledon who have always been so empathetic with the Clifton tourists arriving from different routes and at delayed times. After arrival we went into London and spent the day high speed rubber ducking and taking in the sights, which included a visit to the famous London Dungeons. The boys had great fun and welcomed the break from cricket. “Hurricane Charlie” blew the next day for our match against KCJS. Kings also blew us away to win the encounter by 55 runs. Michael Thomas took wickets and Luke Funnell stayed at the crease to give our score respectability. Kings won the IDM trophy for the second time in many years. The weather, as unpredictable as an adolescent’s behaviour, continued to make playing conditions challenging. Cumnor House did a magnificent job getting their field ready for our game. By now the outstanding hosting we received had necessitated a further loosening on the belt notches! Good bowling from Shyur Beekarun and Stephen Perkins reduced the hosts to 104 all out. Despite a well played half century from Ross Parkinson, we lost a nail biting contest by 5 runs. The boys were developing resilience and after Mr Ravenscroft’s “listen with your eyes” post match talk we enjoyed a sumptuous barbeque before heading home with our hosts. Our itinerary took us to Lambrook next, where we gave another decent account of ourselves against a very strong team. At the end of play we had scalped five of their wickets as they successfully chased down our small total. Guillaume Fivaz was our best performer on the day making runs and taking wickets on a very good prep schools’ wicket. Our final match against Brockhurst saw the boys playing in windy conditions on a wet field. Once again our host school had pulled out all the stops to ensure that we could enjoy a match. Dhivian Mudaly and Stephen Perkins contributed by taking wickets and Zubin Randeria scored some runs to steer us to victory. The hosting was once again outstanding. During a delicious pre match lunch we re-acquainted ourselves with our Brockhurst friends and then concluded a wonderful day’s touring with a delicious post match barbecue. In true Clifton style the touring party joined in with their hosts for a memorable evening. The cricket was finished and it was time for London: Lord’s, shopping, Wimbledon tennis and our hotel. The next morning was spent at Lord’s. An entertaining tour guide and enthusiastic boys made for a fantastic visit to the home of cricket. Mr Ravenscroft gambolled along the perimeter of the stadium like a playful calf while Mr Andrews adopted his customary “screensaver” stare in awe of this famed playing arena. Iconic in every way. In the evening we enjoyed supper before our visit to Thriller which received energetic applause from our boys. The show’s music, lighting, dancers and special effects dominate the boys’ attention completely.

Some even stood and danced and clapped as one to the

The rest of the day was spent packing, weighing luggage,

infectious beats. There were also girls, Ben and Jerry ice creams

comparing mementos and saying goodbye to Clifton families

and M and M’s to distract the boys. Exuberant tourists chanted

who were travelling on. Our commute to Heath Row was

Michael Jackson’s favourite songs on the walk back to the St

quiet and reflective. We boarded our flight which banked over

Giles Hotel. It had been a fabulous day – Lord’s and Thriller in

the “Big Smoke” before heading to South Africa. Memories,

London in the summer.

storytelling, butternut soup and finally, sleep.

Queuing in the Wimbledon tennis queue has become a tour

Thank you to the parents for making this tour possible and

tradition over the years. You even receive a queue card on how

for allowing their sons to experience this once in a lifetime

to queue and turn your waiting into a positive experience –

experience. To Mr Ravenscroft, on his maiden voyage, and

despite the four to five hour slog until entry! We hopped on

Mr Andrews, now a seasoned campaigner, thank you for

the first tube of the day to Wimbledon at 05h34 and arrived

the memories, on and off the field, that will remain forever.

at Wimbledon Common to find ourselves 5400th in the queue.

Personally, after 16 UK Cricket Tours, this was my last one.

This was good! We entered the All England Lawn and Tennis

The memories are eternal. Thank you to all concerned for the

Club before noon. It was heaving and the boys wasted no

opportunities I have been privileged to enjoy since undertaking

time in buying souvenirs, gaining access to the practice courts

my first tour in 1998.

and settling onto “Murray Mound” situated in front of the big screen. After a full day at the tennis we returned to our hotel for supper and some time in our rooms before our last day on tour. Mr Andrews looked superb in his newly acquired Wimbledon tennis cap! Shopping has become synonymous with the London leg of the tour. Once again the boys did not

Finally, as always, I would like to thank the boys for making 2016 another unforgettable tour. You represented your families, your school and your country as distinguished Clifton gents. And, always remember, what goes on tour stays on tour. Mr B Mezher

hold back, as they took advantage of discount sale prices on the high streets of London the following day.

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CROSS-COUNTRY

Team

Seated (floor): M Langston, R Williamson, E Patinios, K Duys, M Mthethwa, M Anderson Seated: B Benjamin, J Perkins, Mr T Bauer (Coach), L Puterman (Capt), Mr M Baker (Coach), Y Nzuza (Vice-capt), D Hompes Second Row: K Kearns, J Freeman, D Pym, L Duys, K Benjamin, D McRobbie Third Row: J Shooter, A Cassim, M Mervis, L Patinios, L Field, L Mezher, T Larkan Fourth Row: J Jarvis, J de la Porté, C McRobbie, V Cassim, L Achmad, S Perkins Back Row: A Zoio, C Kidd, A Wang, H Bailey, J Spence

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CROSS-COUNTRY

Report

“The ability to run leads to the ability to explore, the ability to explore leads to enlightenment!” Michael Baker This year the team of Mr Baker and Mr Bauer joined up again to create the most exciting Cross-country programme. The numbers rose each week like the sun in our very early sessions. It was our goal to share our passion for running and exploring with the boys, so that they could see there was more to running than just fitness. If you can run, you can explore! We did all of our famous runs such as the ‘Beach Run’, the ‘Girlfriend Run’, the ‘Burman Bush Run’ and the infamous ‘Vida Run’. For the first time this year we had a run on the beach front with staff and parents, so the boys could show off their speed along the beautiful Durban promenade. This year our Clifton boys regularly made the Top 10 for League runs and won races or, most importantly, improved on their positions each week. This year we were very proud of Daniel Hompes for representing Umlazi at the KwaZulu-Natal Trials and Al’lanzo Cassim for coming third overall in the Durban North Cross-country League. At the end of the year we had numerous request from parents and boys to continue early morning sessions throughout the year which shows it was a great success and was enjoyed by all. With every boy wanting to earn points for their house, this year’s Interhouse Cross-country was as exciting as ever. It was great to see every boy giving of their best for their House and to see some photo finishes after 2km of running, shows how exciting these races were.

INTERHOUSE CROSS-COUNTRY TROPHY WINNERS Under 9: Thomas Starr Under 10: Daniel Hompes Under 11: Joshua Kennedy Under 12: Al’lanzo Cassim Under 13: Yenziwa Nzuza Congratulations to Trojans, who were the champion Cross-country House in 2016! We extend a huge thank you to the parents who took time out of their busy schedules to bring the boys down to cross-country at the crack of dawn. These boys have made the sport of running a pleasure to coach and I look forward to what 2017 has to offer! Mr M Baker – MiC of Cross-country

HOCKEY

Report

The hockey season at Clifton this year seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. The season had many highs with lots of fine results across all the age groups. Once again we had one of the most amazing groups of extremely skilled coaches working with our boys at the Prep. We are the envy of many schools and are extremely fortunate. All the teams have played a high standard of hockey and again no Durban school could match the number of open teams that Clifton fielded. We have also introduced video analysis and feedback using the Sports Code System, which gave the players a new way of viewing their games and adding more to the coaching sessions. The First Hockey XI, captained by Luke Kennedy and his Vice-Captain Michael Thomas had a good season with a fine finish vs DPHS. Mr Baker worked extremely hard with the First Hockey XI and a huge thank you to him for the extra training sessions and all the effort he put into the coaching, structures and planning. We wish him the best at Glenwood and know he will have fond memories at Clifton. Both the Under 11A and Under 10A had fine seasons with some structured quality hockey being played by both teams. It was a privilege to have Mr Ravenscroft, who captained the South African national side, in our ranks this year. He added lots of energy and knowledge to not only the boys but also the coaches. Thanks must also go to Mr Foxcroft and the ground staff for the efficient setting up of teas at the astroturf. We appreciate the time and effort this takes. Once again thanks to Mrs Basson and Mrs Garcia, in the office who have spent many hours helping to organize fixtures and buses, which is not an easy task. Lastly I would like to thank the boys who played hockey this season, for their dedication and effort, no matter what side they played in, you have made Clifton proud! Mr S Price â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Director of Sport

HOCKEY

First XI

Seated: M Thomas (Vice-capt), Mr M Baker (Coach), L Kennedy (Capt), Mr S Price (Coach), K Benjamin Middle Row: R Rhodes, E Fletcher, J Carstens, R Montgomery, A Mkhize, J Freeman Back Row: B Bresler, T Haynes, R Parkinson, G Fivaz, R Basson, K Thomas

Hockey

Second XI

Seated: U Saloojee, T Rey, Mr G Bowles (Coach), N Phipps, B Cameron Middle Row: J Asherson, C Boonzaier, R Basson, D Fernandes Back Row: J Saayman, D Hall, G Fivaz, C Kidd

Hockey

Third XI

Seated: A Cassim, Z Randeria, Mr R Baptie (Coach), L Ngiba, T Larkan Middle Row: L Field, C Kidd, C McRobbie, B Munro Back Row: E Gibbs, L Puterman, S Beekarun, C Chapple, W Harvey

Hockey

Fourth XI

Seated: J Shooter, L Funnell, Mr D Buckthorp (Coach), L Field, Y Nzuza Middle Row: V Cassim, S Ntaka, K Archary, B Munro Back Row: E Gibbs, T Kamanga, L Economou, T Sithole

Hockey

Fifth XI

Seated: L Mezher, R Legemaate, Mr C Nel (Coach), A Thorpe, T Denny Middle Row: L de Marigny, R Pillay, T Funnell, A Bonhomme Back Row: J de la Porté, L Achmad, T Holcroft, D Diakogiannis, B d’Avice

Hockey

Sixth XI

Seated: S Peer, D Dry, Mr C Nel (Coach), C Masefield, Y Maharaj Middle Row: S Naidoo, A Bhatta, K Padayachee, D Nonge Back Row: T Bailey, V Ramlall, R Legemaate, D Mudely

Hockey

Seventh XI

Seated: I Joosab, R Steele, Mr J Hulley (Coach), L Jordan, S Maharaj Middle Row: T Zatu, J King, A Madonsela, A Suliman Back Row: W Telfer, M Chetty, M Sodalay, J van der Westhuyzen, D Nonge

Hockey

Eight XI

Seated: U Ahmed, Miss S Bouwer (Coach), J Duley, Mr M Khulu (Coach), A Madonsela Middle Row: M Kapp, P Deshmukh, A Lenferna, A Singh Back Row: Z Padavattan, M Strachan, A Wang, R Ebrahim

Hockey

Under 11 A

Seated: L Goodbrand, K Kearns, Mr R Ravenscroft (Coach), J Rey, T Martin Standing: J Kennedy, B Parkinson, A Latoo, B van der Merwe

Hockey

Under 11 B

Seated (floor): J Meyer Seated: L Ward, J Matthis, Mrs L Klingbiel (Coach), R Williamson, J Penn Standing: A Kharwa, B McElligott, M Mervis, L Lawlor

Hockey

Under 11 C

Seated (floor): J Perkins Seated: K Brauns, K Trenor, Mrs L Klingbiel (Coach), A Mkhize, L Corbitt Standing: E Aiken, L Duys, S Gounden, J Capazario

Hockey

Under 11 D

Seated: D McRobbie, C Claase, Mr B Andrews (Coach), G Claase, A Belim Standing: L Duys, T Juggernath, A Christie-Reardon, J Davie

Hockey

Under 11 E & F

Seated: E Munks, A Law, A Legemaate, Mrs K Ouzman (Coach), D Govender, K Naidoo, N Vally Standing: E Curtis, L Vosloo, A Christie-Reardon, I Ismail, Y Naidoo, C Claase

Hockey

Under 10 A

Seated (floor): B Benjamin Seated: D Mkuzo, Mr G Bowles (Coach), D Hompes Standing: E Lynn, M Hall-Jones, O Field, J Maingard

Hockey

Under 10 B

Seated: N Mthethwa, M Asherson, Mr G Bowles (Coach), J Hoarau, J Pierson Standing: D Gibbs, H Traill

Hockey

Under 10 C & D

Seated: M Farquharson, R Della Martina, Mr T Bauer (Coach), Y Naidoo, J Coombes Middle Row: S Dreyer, A Sarno, S Sarno, A Ally Back Row: M Hammond, J Edy, Y Shaik, J Slater

Hockey

Under 10 E & F

Seated: L Duma, D Pillay, Mr M Khulu, (Coach), R Parbhoo, M Ismail Standing: Y Jaiswal, G McCarthy, J Voigt, S Ngcobo, A Diakogiannis, A Harrichunder

RUGBY

Report

“Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe in the guy next to you?” This is what I asked the First XV every single time they ran out onto the field for their school, for themselves and for their team mates. Their reply was always an emphatic, “YES, SIR!”

with some hard fought victories and close defeats. Though the stats sheet reflects a season that would best be left in the past, I’m very excited about the future of the young players that were exposed to this level of rugby. I am also very excited about

Every team that comes through the Prep has its own personality

the influence Grant Bell has had on the quality of rugby at the

that is made up of the 15 individuals that fill the 15 positions

Preparatory School. Even more exciting is the new coaching

that make up the team. 15 completely different people in every

direction that the school will take as Mr Baker and myself move

way, shape, and form. As coaches, we strive to extract the full

on from Clifton. There seems to be no end to the talent young

potential of these boys through three foundational concepts;

Mr Baker possess as a coach, put him on the side of any sports

and actions.

field and he will make an impact. He was immensely valuable in

Mastery - each player must have the opportunity to grow and

the facilitating and growth of these young boys and I couldn’t

achieve in his position.

imagine having a better man supporting me through this 2016

Belonging - each player must have the opportunity to

season. He will be missed. The Durban Coastal Trials saw the

contribute to something bigger than himself.

selection of Tom Carmody for the Durban Coastal Under 12A

The school as a whole, enjoyed a successful season and it was

Team.

most pleasing to see the boys playing a free flowing brand of

If 2015 was about the emergence of a Clifton brand of

rugby – the climax of which was the Interhouse rugby which

rugby, then 2016 was all about putting it into practice.

saw speed, skills and decision-making on show in the 7’s

There are exciting times ahead for the sport at the school

format, a format which may become a more regular occurrence

as we continue to progress both on the field and off it, as

during the 2017 season.

Grant Bell continues to upskill players and coaches. The

In April a very young First XV squad travelled to Gauteng for the St Johns Easter Rugby Festival and this would be our first very challenging test of character. The First XV played 4 games over the duration of the tournament and this gave us an opportunity to test our depth in some departments. We lost all 4 games yet played some very attractive running rugby. This

exciting style of rugby continued into the domestic season

structures and systems off the field continue to build and so will the development of the coaches and players across the school. To the players and coaches of 2017 all I have to say is: “Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe in the guy next to you?” Mr J Hulley – MiC of Rugby

RUGBY

First XV

Seated: L Field, L Funnell, Mr J Hulley (coach), R Parkinson (Capt), Mr M Baker (Coach), L Kennedy (Vice-Capt), K Benjamin Second Row: J Saayman, X Andrews, R Montgomery, D Dry, N Baitz, A Christodoulou Third Row: T Carmody, R Bensch, T Rey, G Fivaz, Z Randeria, Y Nzuza Back Row: L Ngiba, T Haynes, D Hall, T Kamanga

Rugby

Second XV

Seated: J Freeman, K Benjamin, Mr J Hulley (Coach), L Desvaux de Marigny, L de Kock Second Row: S Ntaka, T Funnell, B Bresler, E Fletcher, R Godbolt, T Larkan Third Row: C Boonzaier, S Perkins, T Rey, N Turner Back Row: D Diakogiannis, E Gibbs, K Kidd, A Thorpe

Rugby

Third XV

Seated: S Selikow, L Puterman, Mr C Khulu (Coach), L Desvaux de Marigny, A Cassim Second Row: S Ntaka, D Fernandes, N Turner, L Patinios, A Mkhize, A Madonsela Third Row: L de Kock, V Cassim, A Thorpe, T Denny, C Boonzaier Back Row: D Diakogiannis, J Van Der Westhuizen, C Masefield, W Harvey

Rugby

Fourth XV

Seated: M Anderson, J Spence (Captain), Mr C Nel (Coach), J Shooter, A Cassim Second Row: T Erskine, L de Marigny, T Zatu, A Madonsela, B Munro, M Thomas Third Row: B Nel, R Pillay, B Pears, A Thorpe, T Sithole Back Row: J van der Westhuizen, T Holcroft, R Legemaate, B dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Avice

Rugby

Fifth XV

Seated: M Anderson, M Thomas, Mr C Nel (Coach), M Kapp, C Appanna Middle Row: T Zatu, L Ropertz, J Duley, K Archary, M Chetty, S Naidoo Back Row: A Suliman, A Wang, S Maharaj, L Achmad

Rugby

Under 11 A

Seated: J Matthis, M Langston, Mr K Sifunda (Coach), B van der Merwe, Mr R Ravenscroft (Coach), M Power-Wilson, L Corbett Middle Row: K Thomas, J Rey, J Davie, J Kennedy, M Mervis, C Riley Back Row: S Gounden, B Parkinson, A Zoio, B McElligott, A Latoo

Rugby

Under 11 B

Seated: J Perkins, K Thomas, L Goodbrand, Mr S Prota (Coach), M Mervis, L Ward, T Martin Middle Row: M Mall, K Kearns, K Trenor, A Law, L Lawlor, R Williamson Back Row: E Curtis, J Meyer, J Penn

Rugby

Under 10 A

Seated (floor): O Field Seated: J Peirson, Mr B Andrews (Coach), H Traill (Capt), Mr J Appelgryn (Coach), B Benjamin Third Row: S Dreyer, Y Jaiswal, O Ditz, N Mthethwa Back Row: M Hall-Jones, S Ngcobo, R Strauss

Rugby

Under 10 B

Seated (floor): M Farquharson Seated: D Mkuzo, E Lyne, J Maingard, D Hompes Third Row: J Slater, D Gibbs, M Asherson, Y Naidoo Back Row: M Hammond, R Strauss, J Edy

Rugby

Under 10 C & D

Seated (floor): J Coombes Seated: I Mohammed, J Hoarau, Mr D Buckthorp (Coach), R Della Martina, L Duma Third Row: M Hassim, M Jones, A Diakogiannis, M Turner Back Row: G McCarthy, E Hermiston, J Voigt

Tag Rugby

Open

Seated: M Joosab, S Peer, Mr T Bauer (Coach), M Thomas, A Ally Middle Row: S Maharaj, A Singh, D Nonge, E Daykin Back Row: A Lenferna, S Beekarun, M Sodalay, V Ramlall, E Reidwaan

SWIMMING

Report

‘Chlorine, the breakfast of champions!’ – Anonymous This quote definitely sums up our swimming team! Our swimmers are up at sunrise, ready to dive into our magnificent pool, constantly striving to better their times. Our swimming calendar enjoyed a boost as our A and B teams participated in a total of six galas during the First Term. The season started with our highly anticipated Championship Gala. After fierce competition, Guillaume Fivaz was awarded Senior Victor Ludorum and Jonathan Hoarou achieved Junior Victor Ludorum. Our squads participated in Durban Central Galas and Private Schools Galas in order to test their talents against other teams. The Clifton boys showed great sportsmanship at these galas. Our focus then shifted to preparation for the annual Durban and Districts Galas. The boys began training in the 50m pool at Kings Park in order to become accustomed to the distance. The day approached and our B Team swam their hearts out and we placed sixth in the ‘C’ league gala. Our A Team swam with determination and purpose and placed 4th in the ‘A’ league gala, just three points shy of third place! Preseason training began at the end of the Third Term and by day one of the Fourth Term our boys were eager to make a splash! The term kicked off with our annual Clifton Invitational Gala and our squads thoroughly enjoyed participating in this friendly gala. Our A Team also took part in a friendly gala hosted by DPHS at the Jubilee Pool in Gordon Road. The boys participated energetically and were kept motivated by our captain, Guillaume Fivaz, and vice-captain, Kevin Pretorius. All the boys at Clifton participated enthusiastically in the Senior Primary Interhouse Gala in the Fourth Term. Trojan showed their strength in the pool and were awarded with top honours. Our Junior Primary Interhouse Gala was a chance for our upcoming swimmers to show off their skills. Barbarians proved their dominance in the pool and were awarded the trophy. This year, we welcomed Sarah-Ann Bouwer to our coaching staff. She is a previous South African swimmer and we look forward to her expertise and assistance. A big thank you to our fantastic coaches Linda Pearce and Jarred Applegryn for their hard work and dedication to our Clifton swimming teams. Thank you to the parents for their commitment and support in getting the boys to the pool for early morning training, we appreciate your efforts! As we look ahead to 2017, with new goals set and renewed determination, we are excited to see what the future holds for swimming at Clifton! Mrs C Reeders – MiC of Swimming

SWIMMING

Team

Seated (floor): L Besnard, J van Biljon, J Adams, T Starr, A Selikow, J Puterman, T Clulow, B Steele, A Soodyall, R Osman, T Saulez Seated: R Yumba, D Hompes, J Hoarau, Miss S Bouwer (Coach), G Fivaz, Mr J Appelgryn (Coach), K Pretorius, Mrs C Reeders (MiC of Swimming), R Williamson, J Peirson, J Lawlor Second Row: A Allen, L Goodbrand, K Thomas, T Bailey, J Perkins, J Slater, S Dreyer, E Lyne, L Corbett, S Woollaston Third Row: M Power-Wilson, D Gibbs, J Shooter, M Mervis, O Field, H Traill, L de Kock, J Freeman, O Ditz Fourth Row: J Kennedy, L Patinios, J Edy, C Boonzaier, J Davies, R Godbolt, L Field, M Hall-Jones Fifth Row: S Perkins, L Kennedy, L Achmad, T Rey, X Andrew, J Saayman, J de la PortÃ©, A Christie-Reardon, R Strauss Sixth Row: N Baitz, B Parkinson, R Bensch, D Neethling, B McElligott, C Kidd, Z Randeria, A Thorpe Back Row: W Harvey, C Chapple, L Puterman, R Parkinson, T Haynes, L Economou, T Bailey, T Carmody Absent: Ms L Pearce (Coach)

TENNIS

Report

Over 96 boys in all age groups have chosen to play tennis in the 2016 season and all the boys have been exposed to excellent coaching from our very own professional coach, Ross Geldenhuys. The Clifton boys can be very grateful for all the enthusiasm he displays in all of the sessions. We thank you. Ross! James Melon, who has been a real peach, has also been a huge help with his wit, skill and enthusiasm. The boys have really had fun on the courts this year. Although many of the boys were more social players, we did manage success in the various league fixtures. Matches were played against Highbury, DPHS, Umhlali and Virginia. There were some close results and all of the games were captained by Thomas Rey. A special thanks to all of the parents who took the boys to the courts and provided refreshments. I am especially grateful to Belinda Rey for her continued support. Not only was there some league matches in the Second Term but the tennis team was also involved in a tour to St David’s Preparatory School in Johannesburg. This was enjoyed by all of the boys and although one of the flights had to conduct an emergency landing, we all managed to wipe away the sweat and tears and head on back. Sadly the time was cut short but it was certainly a memorable tour. Sam Selikow tried very hard to control the groundstrokes at high altitude and I was very proud of all the boys’ efforts. Success of the year certainly goes to Thomas Rey for being selected to represent the KZN A Team in the U13 Tennis tournament in Pietermaritzburg. Clifton are very proud of you, Tom! Towards the end of the Second Term, we had the annual Inter-house Tennis Competition for the Open and Junior age groups. There were 42 participants all giving it their best shot! There were boys in red, blue and green vests battling it out to take away the honours and after some close games the Trojans rallied home in style winning both the senior and junior competition. The Australian Open started the Professional Grand Slam Tennis year with a bang, then it was Roland Garros followed by Wimbledon. The Olympics came next and finally it was the US Open. Or was it?? No, we had the Fifth Grand slam of the year and that was the fantastic and awesome Clifton Preparatory Singles Tennis Championships for all the age groups. Tension, skill and enthusiasm filled the courts and all the matches were played in true sportsmanship. What a way to end off an eventful season. The winners and Runners Up of each age group were as follows: Under 10: Winner - D Pym; Runner-up - D Mkuzo Under 11: Winner - J Rey; Runner-up - J Kennedy Under 12: Winner - R Mongomery; Runner-up - S Selikow Michael Tack (Open Championship): Winner - T Rey; Runner-up - J Rey Let’s keep making a ‘racquet’ on the courts as we all ‘love’ the game so much! Mrs K Scott – MiC of Tennis

TENNIS

First Team

Seated: T Rey (Capt), Mr R Geldenhuys (Coach), Mrs K Scott (MiC of Tennis), Mr J Mellon (Coach), S Selikow Middle Row: J Rey, K Pretorius, R Montgomery, R Rhodes Back Row: D Hall, Z Valjee, L Puterman

SOCIAL

Tennis

Seated: J Maingard, J Hoarau, Mr R Geldenhuys (Coach), Mrs C Reeders, M Hassim, Mrs K Scott (MiC of Tennis), R Williamson, Miss K Muddiman, Mr J Melon (Coach), Y Naidoo, D Mkuzo Second Row: R Parbhoo, M Anderson, S Naicker, J Coombes, A Sarno, D de Robillard, S Moodley, K Brauns, M Langston, S Naidoo Third Row: R Della Martina, S Sarno, J Meyer, K Naidoo, A Kharwa, M Peer, J Penn, S Moilwa, S Abdulla, I Hassim, M Mthethwa, Fourth Row: Z Ahmed, T Erskine, R Steele, M Power-Wilson, C Riley, L Jordan, J Hugkulstone, J Kennedy, T Mayekiso, E Aiken, S Mehdi Fifth Row: M Mervis, D Pym, I Ismail, B van der Merwe, B Nel, D Pratten, E Daykin, L Mezher, T Moodley, L Poona, M Hall-Jones, D Mudely Sixth Row: B McElligott, J Asherson, T Denny, B Pears, A Zoio, R Basson, D Pranay, Y Paruk, J Jarvis, A Patel, U Ahmed Back Row: G Williams, D Neethling, T Bailey, H Ambaram, Z Padavattan, N Govender, T Munks, M Strachan, M Faye, K Padayachee, D Nonga

WATER POLO

Report

2016 has been a busy water polo season for all teams. In the First Term Clifton managed to field eight teams that started their skill training and fitness for the season. In the Fourth Term we have managed to secure matches for almost every team every week, which is hugely exciting both for the player and the coaches. This certainly shows that we have good depth in water polo, with some very strong individual young players coming up. In the First Term, the First XV enjoyed a very tough tour to Port Elizabeth to partake in the Grey PE Water Polo Tournament. This tournament is a good indication of the strength in water polo through the country with teams from all provinces participating. While our results may look at little disappointing, the experience gained by the whole team was fantastic. Water Polo Grey Tour Results vs Reddam

lost

0 – 10

vs Bishops

lost

2–6

vs Grey

lost

0–7

vs WPPS

lost

1–6

vs Rondebosch

lost

1–7

vs Selbourne

lost

2–8

vs Hudson Park

won

6–3

vs SACS

lost

1–6

vs Grey B

won

1–0

vs DPHS

lost

1–3

vs Wynberg

lost

1–4

Final placing vs Wynberg

lost

2-5

The annual SACS tour in the Fourth Term, proved to be another great tour for our First XV. Our team was determined to improve on our Grey Tour results. While we did not have as many wins as we would have liked to have, the improvement in results and skill level being played by our boys, was tremendous. Water Polo SACS Tour Results Vs Stirling

lost

1–4

Vs Wynberg

lost

2–3

Vs St John’s

lost

0–4

Vs Rhenish

won 5 – 1

Vs St David’s

lost

0–7

Vs Rondebosch

lost

2–3

Vs KEPS

lost

2–3

Vs Reddam

lost

0 – 10

Vs Grey

lost

1–2

Vs Selborne

lost

1–3

I am so incredibly proud of all the water polo players this season. The improvement in skill level has been enormous and this has been hugely assisted by our organised coaches this season. I am grateful to Pete Lavett, Jarred Appelgryn, Jason Saayman and Franco Conversano for all they do for Clifton water polo. The season was crowed off with Zubin Randeria and Duran Hatton-Hall being selected for the KwaZulu Natal Under13A Team – a fantastic achievement. Dr B Bowley – MiC of Water Polo

WATER POLO

First Team

Seated: L Kennedy, D Hall, Z Randeria, Dr B Bowley (Coach), L Puterman, R Parkinson Standing: X Andrews, R Montgomery, T Carmody, L Economou, T Bailey, J Saayman Absent: Mr P Lavett (Coach)

Water Polo

Open Squad

Seated: R Rhodes, M Thomas, J Appelgryn (Coach), K Pretorius, J Saayman (Coach), T Rey, K Benjamin Second Row: J Shooter, T Larkan, E Daykin, B Nel, L de Marigny, M Kapp Third Row: L Field, L Patinios, C Boonzaier, A Thorpe, S Perkins, J Asherson, D Pratten Fourth Row: R Basson, B Pears, D Diakogiannis, J Spence, J van der Westhuizen, N Baitz, J de la PortĂŠ Fifth Row: T Holcroft, W Harvey, C Kidd, M Faya, R Bensch, C Chapple, C Masefield Back Row: R Legemaate, A Wang

Water Polo

Under 11 A

Seated: R Williamson, E Munks, Mr J Saayman (Coach), L Goodbrand, L Corbett Second Row: J Capazorio, D McRobbie, J Rey, G Claase, J Perkins, K Thomas Third Row: J Kennedy, L Vosloo, A Christie-Reardon, J Davies, M Mervis Back Row: B Parkinson, A Zoio

Water Polo

Under 10 A

Seated: J Hoarau, J Slater, J Appelgryn (Coach), T Bailey, E Lyne Middle Row: B Benjamin, A Sarno, H Trail, M Hall-Jones, O Ditz, D Gibbs Back Row: O Field, R Strauss Absent: S Sarno

REPRESENTATIVES

Kwazulu-Natal

REPRESENTATIVES

Seated: D Uys (Judo), R Rhodes (Hockey), Mr R Ravenscroft (Deputy Head), J Shooter (Fishing), Y Ballim (Chess) Standing: M Thomas (Hockey), C Riley (Cricket), T Rey (Tennis), R Montgomery (Cricket, Hockey), A Mhkize (Hockey), O Ditz (Judo) Absent: J Carstens (Cricket), M Langston (Judo), Z Randeria (Water Polo), D Hall (Water Polo)

Regional

REPRESENTATIVES

Seated: U Saloojee (Cricket), K Benjamin (Hockey), T Rey (Tennis), Mr R Ravenscroft (Deputy Head), R Parkinson (Cricket), R Rhodes (Hockey, Cricket), D Hompes (Cross-Country) Middle Row: J Freeman (Hockey), J Rey (Cricket), B van der Merwe (Cricket), E Fletcher (Hockey), A Mkhize (Hockey), M Thomas (Hockey) Back Row: L Kennedy (Hockey), J Saayman (Hockey), B McElligott (Cricket), T Carmody (Rugby), J Carstens (Cricket), S Gounden (Cricket), R Montgomery (Cricket, Hockey)

Prize Winners 2016

PRIZE GIVING

Principal’s Speech

In Edward de Bono’s book The Positive Revolution he writes; It is all too easy to complain, protest, grumble, criticize and attack. South Africans in particular are good at this and 2016 has certainly tested our resolve. However 2016 has also seen positives… • Cape Town was named the ‘ Top Tourist Destination in the World’, in the 2016 Traveller’s Choice Destinations awards. • For the first time in living memory, Tiger numbers are growing. • Stellenbosch University was the first African university in the world to design and launch a microsatellite. • Child mortality is at its lowest and it keeps going down. • Some 9 million learners receive free cooked meals as part of the National School Nutrition Programme. • We figured out a new stem-cell therapy that can halt the effects of Multiple Sclerosis. • Wayde Van Niekerk was crowned the best male athlete in the world. • Volunteers in India planted 50 million trees in 24 hours. According to National Geographic, it took 800,000 volunteers to complete the job. Focusing on some positives is obviously useful and I think most of us would prefer to be positive rather than negative. But “positive thinking” is also perceived as a soft and fluffy term that is easy to dismiss and doesn’t carry the same weight as words like work ethic, persistence and rigour. Research is beginning to reveal that positive thinking is about much more than just being happy or displaying an upbeat attitude. Positive thoughts actually create real value in your life and environment and help you build skills that last much longer than a smile.

Negative emotions prevent your brain from seeing the other options and choices around you. Let us compare this to what positive emotions do to your brain. Professor Barbara Fredrickson, a researcher at the University of North Carolina published a landmark paper on the impact of positive thinking and its impact on your skills. The benefits of positive emotions don’t stop after a few minutes when good feelings subside. In fact, the biggest benefit that positive emotions provide is an enhanced ability to build skills and develop resources for use later in life. These skills last much longer than the emotions that initiated them. Researchers have also noticed a compounding effect or an “upward spiral” that occurs with positive people. They develop new skills, those skills lead to new success, initiative and creativity which results in more happiness, and the process repeats itself. There is a prep school in Morningside that is busy with the positive

Photo top left: Ben

revolution and I believe this begins with the positive revolution of the

Bresler (Cole Hodgson

soul.

Trophy for Full

This year we introduced the core values program at Clifton. It aims

Attendance Winner)

to build a moral base for our boys and create a strong set of intrinsic

Photo top right: Jack

values from which our boys can draw when they exercise their freedom

Spence (Jack Shave

of choice. Core values nurture a positive attitude. Children need to

trophy Winner).

know that we grow as human beings through loving and being loved,

Photo left: Jake Duley

through family life and friendships. Children need an understanding of

(Elijah Gcaba Good

how they function in relation to others and they will need strong social

Fellowship Trophy

skills to build strong social relationships.

Winner)

Desmond Tutu said in 1997, ‘We don’t come fully formed into the world. We learn how to think, how to walk, how to speak, how to

Vyal Ramlall (Third in Grade 7), Nicholas Phipps (Dux), Ewan Gibbs (Accessit Proxime), Mr Victor White (Preparatory School Principal)

behave, indeed how to be human from other human beings.

boys competed in 9 galas this year compared to 4 last year. We

We need other human beings in order to be human. We are

initiated and hosted an U10 Rugby Festival and introduced a

made for togetherness… to exist in a tender network of

formal pre-season structure for all sports. The invite and the

interdependence. This is how you have Ubuntu.”

subsequent journey to St David’s in Johannesburg to celebrate

At Clifton we have moved away from the more egocentric philosophy of, “I think therefore I am,” to a more Afrocentric philosophy and spirit of Ubuntu. We are who we are through

forged new ties with a like-minded school and we look forward to building on this relationship in the future. The College boys

others”. Desmond Tutu goes on to describe Ubuntu as “the

were with us on this tour which meant over 400 Clifton boys

very essence of being human”. A boy displaying Ubuntu

toured together. The National Preparatory School’s Cricket

qualities would be generous, hospitable, friendly, caring and

Festival is 21 years old and we were proud to successfully host

compassionate. It is a boy who goes the extra mile for the sake

for the first time this year.

of others. The introduction of the Ubuntu awards acknowledges

The Hamper Duo attracted 56 participants this year and the

and recognizes this spirit of humanity within our school.

competition will develop and grow as the cultural department

There is nothing more positive than a person who is affirming of

continues with the formal music curriculum introduced in

others because they are comfortable with who they are. There

the Foundation Phase this year. The amazing choir fired their

is an opportunity tonight to display the essence of Ubuntu by

first salvo by touring for the first time in 8 years and we are

acknowledging and celebrating the achievement of others.

delighted to announce that the choir will participate in the

This is the third year we have participated in the IEB International benchmarking. This has facilitated the development of longitudinal studies on our boys and allowed us to monitor and evaluate our academic strategies and curriculum. The results have also affirmed the sound teaching practices of our staff and

National Choir Competition in George next year. 2016 was also the year of a major school production, Romeo and Juliet. After much gnashing of teeth and wailing of maidens; 1 Executive Head, 2 teachers, 32 boys, 13 Sundays, produced an awesome, uplifting modern adaption of a classic work.

the wonderful positive and proactive teaching and learning

The building programme continues in the Prep school, however

that takes place at Clifton.

there has been some low hanging fruit to nourish ourselves

Furthermore in 2016 we participated with 74 other ISASA schools in the Grade 7 Shared Assessments. This will provide us with an additional opportunity for self-reflection and curriculum development.

on this year. The Grade R moved into their new home and the new Science and Art Block has provided a creative learning environment for this ever growing element of the school. The highlight this year was the move into Stubbs House. Stubbs House is the very genesis of Clifton School and although it

Our decision to embark on the Thinking Schools journey

is only my second year at Clifton, I found the move back into

continues to be of great value. We were chosen to run a

our renovated and restored Stubbs House rather emotional.

workshop by TSSA (Thinking School of Southern Africa) for

The Piazza should be completed in April next year and it is

other KZN schools looking to take the plunge into this exciting

here that I should like to thank our Grade 7 families for their

and relevant strategy.

kind donation of drinking fountains for this area. The building

Critical thinking has been flagged as an essential 21 Century

projects have led to significant logistical challenges and I would

skill and hence our drive towards becoming a Thinking School.

like to offer my heartfelt appreciation to the Clifton community

The Thinking School approach is rooted in the philosophy

for their remarkable patience in handling these difficulties with

that no deep learning can take place without thinking. It

such good grace.

fosters the introduction of higher order thinking skills across

The desire to become involved and make a contribution

the curriculum; we have shifted our focus away from content and more on the acquisition of critical thinking tools. We have to create a generation of problem solvers who can think outside the box and find creative and positive solutions for our changing world and indeed our changing country.

their 75 anniversary was a great adventure for 203 Prep boys. It

no matter how small is another of the 5 principles of de Bono’s positive revolution. Contribution is the essence of the positive revolution. Here I must acknowledge the outstanding contribution of the teachers of Clifton Prep School. The positive contribution they give willingly, every day is enormous! Their

Sport is an integral and positive part of a boy’s time at Clifton.

contribution strives to ensure that each boy becomes all that

We have not rested on our laurels this year and have continued

they can be. We are blessed at Clifton to be served by men

to offer more for the boys and grow our profile in this area. Our

and women of extraordinary ability, energy, wisdom and

Mrs Leigh Corbett and Kath Scott (Guest of Honour)

compassion. I thank you for your dedication, positivity and

cricket knowledge and his expertise in preparing a desirable

tenacity in the roles you fulfil.

pitch; you could always find Mr Mezher on a Friday afternoon

I would like to extend my gratitude to the Bursars Department,

asking him to prepare a spinner’s wicket. Hambe kahle baba!

all the auxiliary staff, the secretarial staff, particularly my PA, Gail

To all, go with our love and gratitude and fill your days with all

Pender and the extended Parents@Clifton Committee, so ably

the things that create happiness. In the spirit of Ubuntu, and

led by the tireless Jodie Martin. They must all be commended

making a positive difference, I end with a message to the boys

on the fine work that they do which often happens behind the

and in particularly our Grade 7 lads. I urge you to find the good

scenes and goes unnoticed.

in others and yourself and remember to choose to be part of

To Mr Mitchell, Mr Goedeke and my colleagues on EXCO and

the positive revolution.

ManCo, my thanks for your hard work and support to ensure Clifton remains at the forefront of relevant education.

REMEMBER…

My final words of appreciation go to Mr Simon Downes,

‘Life is about who we love and who we hurt

chairman of The Board of Governors, members of Fin Com and the Building and Grounds Committee who give so much of their time and energy in the interest of the school. It is unfortunately that on such occasions we have to say

It’s about keeping or betraying trust It’s about conquering fear, jealousy and

farewell.

ignorance

Ms Marla Nadasen our resident English and debating

It’s about what judgement we pass and why

champion moves to Johannesburg. Ms Shelley McLean alias Mary Poppins… takes up a promotion post in the Midlands, Mr James Hulley begins a new adventure in Cape Town, Mrs Donna Wootton will be sharing her extraordinary talent in Istanbul, Ms ‘General Knowledge, Tennis, History guru, proud Barbarian and

It’s about friendship and it’s about what we say and mean But most of all, it’s about using our lives to

Geordie’ – Kath Scott, will be teaching in Vietnam and Mrs Young who has led her Foundation Phase with kindness, compassion and integrity, immigrates to England. My final farewell is to a man who has given 42 years of service to Clifton school, Mr Sakhile Mbata. Mr Mbata joined Clifton in 1973 and with his

touch the hearts of other people in such a way that could have never occurred alone.’ Mr V White – Preparatory School Principal

PRIZE

Winners

GRADE SEVEN TOP ACHIEVERS 2016 David McCall Trophy for Dux - Nicholas Phipps Fernandes Trophy for Dux Proxime - Ewan Gibbs Third in Grade 7 - Vyal Ramlall

SUBJECT PRIZES Dorothy Williamson English Trophy - Nicholas Phipps Clifton Preparatory School Afrikaans Trophy - Ewan Gibbs Clifton Preparatory School isiZulu Trophy - Thapelo Zatu Dorothy Williamson History Trophy - Vyal Ramlall Clifton Preparatory School Geography Trophy - Nicholas Phipps Morrison Trophy for Mathematics - Adam Wang and Ewan Gibbs Hewat Trophy for Mathematics - Adam Wang Michael Balladon Science Trophy - Nicholas Phipps Economic Management Science Trophy - Nicholas Phipps

SPECIAL AWARDS Elijah Gcaba Good Fellowship Trophy - Jake Duley Jack Shave Trophy - Jack Spence Cole Hodgson Trophy for Full Attendance - Ben Bresler

CULTURAL AWARDS Clifton Preparatory School Art Trophy - Ethan Fletcher Mann Family Trophy for Drama - Thapelo Zatu and Duran Hall Marc Jones Music Trophy - Jake Duley Anthony Rider Memorial Trophy for Music and Drama - Jake Duley Kassier Family Trophy for Public Speaking - Taddeo Sithole and Vyal Ramlall Rose Visser Poetry Trophy - Ross Parkinson Tania Rousine Trophy for Piano - Aaryan Bhatta

SPORTING AWARDS Belgica Trophy for Chess - Zechariah Moodley Peter Dykins Athletics Trophy - Guillaume Fivaz Michael Pearson Senior Swimming Trophy - Guillaume Fivaz Rod Lamont Cricket Trophy - Uwais Saloojee Senior Cross-Country Trophy - Yenziwa Nzuza Hockey Player of the Year - Luke Kennedy Rod Lamont Rugby Trophy - Luke Kennedy Michael Tack Open Tennis Challenge Trophy - Thomas Rey Water Polo Player of the Year - Zubin Randeria Clifton Trophy for Sports All-Rounder - Guillaume Fivaz Ronald Collins Trophy for Sportsmanship - Connor McRobbie Dorothy Grindrod Trophy for Sportsman of the Year - Luke Kennedy

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The 2016 Grade 7 Dinner was celebrated

typical

Clifton

fashion at the Blue Waters Hotel. lt is an interactive and sincere occasion which provides the Preparatory School staff with an opportunity to say farewell to the Prep school gentlemen properly. This, before they take on the challenges which await them in senior school. The boys looked very dapper in their “number ones”, and they upheld the conduct and decorum expected of Cliftonians. We enjoyed a three course buffet meal interspersed with the Grade 7 Poem, general knowledge challenges and the Principal’s address to the boys. The teachers and boys enjoyed recalling their junior and senior Prep School stories with each other. Laughter and good cheer added to the atmosphere. In his address, Mr White thanked the boys for their contribution to Clifton Prep and focused on the importance of each boy having the courage to choose the “hard right over the easy wrong” in the future. Mrs Scott, our talented quiz mistress, once again kept the boys entertained with rounds of well selected questions that kept them engaged and provoked discussion at each table. Thank you to Miss Muddiman and the staff who organized the evening. Finally, we acknowledge the class of 2016 who enriched Clifton’s legacy and helped to share the school’s story. Mr B Mezher

GRADE SEVEN

Dinner 101

ADMINISTRATIVE

Staff

Seated: Mr M Foxcroft, Mrs D Pillay, Mrs K Field, Mr B Mitchell (Executive Headmaster), Mrs J Basson Middle Row: Mrs D Watson, Mrs D Manual, Mrs L Garcia, Mrs G Pender, Mrs P Mlungwana, Mrs F Mahomed Back Row: Mrs L Pillay, Mr B Mezher, Mrs T Watson, Miss R Naicker

Grounds

Staff

Seated: Mr P Dlamini, Mr S Mbata, Mr N Randelhoff (Facilities Manager), Mr B Mitchell (Executive Headmaster), Mr N Ngubo Standing: Mr L Gwala, Mr V Shezi, Mr Z Nelson, Mr M Nair, Mr W Lumley, Mr J Nxumalo Absent: B Mkhize

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TRIBUTES

Kath Scott

The call of” Hail Caesar,” rings out along the empty corridors and a palpable frisson of excitement runs through the Grade 4 boys…she’s coming -

historian

par

supreme,

imparter of all things historical and sporting from ancient Olympians to FA Cup results,

Lesley Young

legendary teacher, nurturer,

Over these past 10 years, Mrs

friend, colleague, mother …

Lesley Young has placed her

The inimitable one of a kind,

indelible mark on Clifton’s

“Kath Scott” or “Scotty” to her

Foundation Phase. She has led

friends.

with grace and compassion

Kath came to Clifton School twelve years ago and things were never the same. Her passion for her profession and every boy

and her dedication will be hard to match.

that she taught was admired by all. Kath’s empathy and ability

Known affectionately as Les,

to make everyone feel at ease is memorable and she is always

she has put out many a fire,

quick to crack a joke and make one smile. From the aromatic

listened to a multitude of

smell of coffee emanating from her classroom to the flurry of

problems and calmly found

flags, countless clocks depicting times from across the world,

solutions that have always

bookcases heaving with stories of ancient and modern history,

had the best interests of her

every boy that has crossed her path developed a love for her

staff and the boys at heart. A

subject.

councillor at heart, Les has a natural ability to listen to and

Her Book of Gratitude was a life lesson for many a teacher and boy – start every day with a thankful heart. Kath has left an indelible stamp on our school and her passion, experience and joie de vivre will be irreplaceable. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Delight and Discover as you have taught so many to do!”

help solve problems and many boys have found answers to their most pressing problems by sitting and discussing these with her. Her office has been a safe haven for pupils and staff needing both council and friendship. The Foundation Phase boys have learnt that her favourite word is ‘respect’ and that this applies to respect of self as well as of others. She has a great love for Life Skills and has left her mark on the school curriculum in many ways. The boys have felt her enthusiasm each Thursday at the FP Assemblies and have proudly received their Star of the

(Quote adapted from Mark Twain)

Week certificates from her, basking happily in her praise.

Veronica Spark

Les loves a good laugh and a big hug, and these abound around her. It has been a privilege to work with her. She will be sorely missed! Nicola Walton & Donna Wootton

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ADMINISTRATIVE

Staff

GROUNDS

Staff

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Seated: Mr M Foxcroft, Mrs D Pillay, Mrs K Field, Mr B Mitchell (Executive Headmaster), Mrs J Basson Middle row: Mrs D Watson, Mrs D Manual, Mrs L Garcia, Mrs G Pender, Mrs P Mlungwana, Mrs F Mahomed Back row: Mrs L Pillay, Mr B Mezher, Mrs T Watson, Miss R Naicker

ONE SCHOOL

One Family 107

Board of

Directors Simon Downes (Chairman) Dunstan Farrell Kevin Spencer Revel Williams Richard McElligott Roger Maingard Brian Mitchell Kate Field

Board of

Trustees

Richard McElligott (Chairman) Simon Downes Sean McCarthy Dunstan Farrell Nigel Hollis Emil Unger Kevin Spencer

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It Takes a

Village

Clifton’s unique place on the Lambert Road block is receiving yet more attention as the design and construction of the new gathering place goes ahead. Set in the heart of the school, and bordered by the Admin Block, the Prep Library and the College Heritage House, the new design will tie into and, in turn, influence the finishing touches to our new buildings. All this, while linking to the legacy of the 92 years that Clifton has occupied this site. Gone are the Prep Science lab, Grade 6 classrooms and the Grade 7 block and, in their place, are spaces of movement, air and light, where we can gather, talk, play, perform, contemplate, reflect and remember. This development follows the opening of our new Grade R classrooms and the magnificent Astro playground at the start of 2016. The youngest of our boys enjoy brand new and thoroughly modern educational facilities; they are able to express themselves in their own unique ways as they play in a specially designed area that enhances their incidental learning; they have room to grow. Other heritage buildings of our school have also taken on new functions. Stubbs House has returned to its 1920’s glory and, once again, is home to classrooms and the buzz of enquiring conversation, just as it was in the days of our founders. A visit to the Art and Science Block at the former Grade R building will underline our commitment to ensuring our young men are properly equipped to deal with the technology of the future, while Lambert House has provided a temporary home to College classrooms and offices, as we await the next phase of classroom development. We continue to purchase properties on the block and now own 116 Lambert Road and Rosetta House. Plans for these areas are still to be developed but each will provide yet more space for our boys. Off campus, the development of the magnificent cricket facilities at Riverside has extended our sporting footprint there and we can now accommodate rugby, hockey, soccer and cricket on one site. There can be no doubting that we appreciate the value that the facilities of our city bring. Clifton is building for an extraordinary future! Mr B Mitchell – Executive Headmaster

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FOUNDERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Day

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Old Boys enjoy reconnecting at the Cocktail Evening

COBWEB

Chairman’s Report Founders’ Weekend 2016 was an important occasion because it marked the 10-year reunion of the first Clifton College Matric class. The weekend began with the traditional meander through time in the form of the Founders’ weekend assembly. It was fantastic to see the founding class of 2006 in attendance, and even some of the founding teachers who, I am sure, enjoyed reminiscing with their former students of more than a decade ago. The recurring topic of conversation was definitely the immense changes that have taken place since the College first opened its doors. “The College boys are so lucky!” was a phrase echoed many times during the morning. Assembly over, attention quickly turned to the first sporting fixture of the weekend: a T20 cricket fixture between the College and the Old Boys. We were in fine form this year and, after a stunning batting and bowling performance, the Old Boys were announced the victors! That evening, the cocktail function was hosted in our new venue, the Sutcliffe Theatre. This year, the Old Boys decided to introduce the tradition of collared shirts and old schools ties to add a touch of elegance to the evening. The attendance at the function was tremendous and we were particularly pleased to welcome the Class of 2015 to their first Old Boys’ function. The founding Class of 2006 were celebrating their 10-year reunion and our first Head Boy, Fabrice Muhizi, marked the occasion by addressing the guests with a few stories of what it was like when the College first opened its doors. The remainder of the weekend saw the Old Boys victorious in the soccer, water polo and basketball in a first-time clean sweep against the College – not to mention successfully defending their title against the Clifton staff in this year’s “race” – a tradition well known to those who attend the cocktail evening! In 2017, we hope to add a number of sporting and social events to the Old Boys’ calendar and we encourage all Old Boys to attend. On behalf of the Old Boys, we would like to thank Brian Mitchell, Mike Foxcroft, Jess Basson and the legendary Barry Mezher for all their support and guidance this year. Thank you also, Michael Downes, for your dedication as Vice-chairman of COBWEB. Lastly a final thank you to all the Old Boys for their support as without you, we would not be able to exist. 2016 has flown by at a furious pace and we wish the School and Old Boys the very best for 2017. Mr B Johnston – Chairman

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OLD BOYSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; COCKTAIL

Party

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Old Boy, Justin Kermack (fourth from right) celebrates his graduation from Cleveland State University.

AN OLD BOY

writes...

Justin Kermack graduated from Clifton in 2009. He has recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cleveland State University where he completed a Graduated Environmental Chemistry degree. In a letter to Clifton, Justin expressed his gratitude for the education he received at Clifton. His words are a reminder of how privileged our boys are to be a part of the Clifton community. Below is an excerpt from Justin’s letter:

“Clifton’s education more than prepared me for university in the States and I consider my IEB foundation one of, if not my most, valued asset. When I started at university, I was a bit nervous to see where along the academic hierarchy, my educational background would place me, especially in Environmental Engineering. Within the first few weeks, I realized that my worries were unwarranted. In my chemistry class, while my peers scrambled to write down notes, I found that I was already familiar with the content, having learnt it in Grade 10. In the States, an A is equivalent to 94%, and after the first semester, I realized that this was more easily achievable than a 70% during high school! As my tertiary education progressed, this trend continued, even with dreaded classes such as organic chemistry, where I placed first in the class with a grade exceeding 100%. When I was at school, there were often complaints about the level of difficulty and high standard of Clifton compared to other schools. Years down the line, it has become overwhelmingly obvious how advantageous this accelerated foundation was in influencing all facets of my life and I am profoundly grateful for my Clifton experience. The main advantage was that Clifton encouraged critical thinking, and we were assessed on thoughtful answers rather than straight forward retention of knowledge. The personal approach in the classroom and the thought-provoking discussions all helped to grow me intellectually. This smoothed my transition to graduate school, although many of my classmates were not as fortunate. Critical thinking is a life skill that is crucial beyond the boundaries of the classroom. Young people need to be primed for more unique and creative solutions to the ever increasing challenges the future has in store for us. I firmly believe that the Clifton experience provides a solid foundation that will set anyone who walks through those welcoming gates on Lambert Road, on the fast-track to achieving success in life, in which ever way that success may be defined by the individual.” Justin Kermack – Class of 2009

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Fabrice Muhizi (first left) and friends reminisce about Matric Biology

A MESSAGE FROM OUR

First Head Boy

They say that time flies when you are having fun,

and, despite time passing, we find that core in one

but I’ve learned that that’s not true.

another again. With minimal effort, we were able

Time flies no matter what you are doing – that’s

to reconnect as if almost no time had passed at all.

just one of life’s constants. It may not feel like it

Our class of 30 pupils was small in comparison

when one is in the moment... but it is true. Those

to Matric classes at other schools but we carried

wise enough will always attempt to tip the odds

a heavy responsibility in those first five years of

in their favour: having fun whilst doing what they

the College. But, as was always the case in those

enjoy. Another of life’s constants is that although

years, we had great support from all stakeholders

time passes, memories remain and hearts never

of the school. We knew it and we appreciated it!

forget.

And we are incredibly proud to continue to asso-

This year, I had the honour of speaking at the 10-

ciate ourselves with the excellence that has been

year reunion of our Class of 2006. There’s nothing

achieved at our school – long may it continue. I

quite like a flood of memories to make you ap-

look forward to the next 10 years and hope that

preciate the value of time. It was amazing to see

we can enjoy many more evenings of reflection.

how far everyone has come and to witness the different directions our lives have taken us. We have not always been great at keeping in touch but we relish the opportunity to reconnect and hear about one another’s life journeys. Of course, I expected to see some changes amongst my peers: maturity, broadened experience, marriages, perhaps some kids, perhaps a little less hair... but what interested me the most how much we have actually remained the same. Another of life’s many constants: the essence of a person does not change. There is a core that is constant in all of us

For those who will be celebrating their 10 years in 2017: best you plan early. I think we take it literally when Clifton teaches us that the world is our oyster and, as such, we find ourselves scattered all over the world. But my message to the Old Boys is: make every effort to attend your reunions. Clifton School contributed to shaping you into the men you are and how could time be better spent, than touching base and reconnecting with your foundations. Fabrice Muhizi – Head Boy 2006

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Cultural

Daze

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This page is sponsored by Alison Munro

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CLIFTON

Orchestra

Floor: L Lawlor, J Meyer, K Duys, R Nathwani, M Fayenzeke Seated: C McCarthy, R Searle, Mr N Rousine (Conductor), J Munro (Leader), J Stevens Second row: S Mudaly, J Turner, A Parusnath, K Leslie-Smith Back row: J Munro, S Soni, B Dove, L Sandler, L Leslie-Smith

Under the guidance of Mr Rousine, 2016 was another successful and enjoyable year for the Clifton Orchestra. With a combination of some College stalwarts and some young Prep newcomers, the orchestra is a true reflection if the Clifton Family. Our dedicated weekly practices saw the orchestra gel together which enabled us to perform a wide repertoire. With pieces ranging from the Star Wars theme tune to Pachabel’s Canon, we entertained a wide variety of audiences. We had numerous performances including one at Cultural Day and another at the DGC Soirée. Performing in the orchestra is a pleasure and it provides an element of music which is totally different to a solo performance. The ability to create music together as a group is always dynamic and always rewarding. A big thank you must go to all the boys for their dedication and commitment to the orchestra, however, without the experience and passion of Maestro Rousine, we would not be able to perform at such a professional level, and so we thank him for teaching us not only music, but discipline and professionalism. J Munro – Leader

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A special assembly where the boys celebrated Mr Mazzoni’s 30 years of commitment to Clifton

A 30 YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH CLIFTON

Mike Mazzoni

On 22 September, the School paid tribute to Mr Mike Mazzoni who has been at Clifton school for 30 years. His loyalty and dedication, love for the boys and his passion for his subject have resulted in many boys taking percussion as an instrument. Not only does he teach the boys the intricate ways of rhythm and performing multiple rhythmic patterns, but he has made his pupils aware that percussion, and more specifically drums, are a musical instrument. We thank you for your undivided loyalty to the school Mr Mazzoni! Mnr G du Toit – Director of Music

HAMBA KAHLE,

Sakhile

After 43 years of dedicated service to Clifton School, Sakhile Mbhata retired at the end of 2016 to a rousing farewell at our final assembly. Fitting tributes were paid to Sakhile by Brian Mitchell, Barry Mezher and Dunstan Farrell, who addressed Sakhile in Zulu, much to the delight of his fellow ground staff. Sakhile started at Clifton in 1973 and, throughout his time at the school, he was known as the custodian of the cricket pitch on the Whitehead Oval. Clifton Old Boys and current members of the Clifton community will testify to this. Sakhile protected his pitch in the way a lioness protects her cubs. The boys quickly learnt when not to walk on the pitch and would incur Sakhile’s wrath should they delay, or impact on, his preparation of the wicket. Sakhile left Clifton to a standing ovation and joined in the school war cry on stage which was sung passionately in his honour. It was a fitting ending to his memorable innings at Clifton. Hamba kahle, Sakhile. Barry Mezher

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CLIFTON

College 121

CLIFTON

Staff

Seated: Mr P McKay (Director of Student Affairs), Mrs F King (Director of Senior Academics), Mr P Farquharson (Director of Counselling), Mr H Goedeke (Principal), Mr B Mitchell (Executive Headmaster), Mr K Bresler (Deputy Head), Mr S McCabe (Director of Culture), Mr G Bell (Director of Rugby), Mrs B Bowley (Director of Junior Academics), Mr G du Toit (Director of Music) Second row: Mrs C Schoeman, Mrs P Jordaan, Mrs T Doyle, Mr C Rein, Ms G Hendricks, Mrs V Latulipe Tunley, Mrs B Walhberg, Mrs D Moran, Mrs E Erasmus Third row: Mr G Thomas, Mr A Dunn, Mr C Ncobeni, Mr R Church, Mr J Saayman, Ms A Holloway, Mrs R Neveling, Mrs R Wilkins Fourth row: Mr T Mavuso, Mrs M Clarke, Mr K Garrett, Mr M Howieson, Mr D Sonderjee, Mrs H Bensch, Miss S Gadd, Mr M Mthembu, Mrs I Joubert Fifth row: Mr J Parry, Mr B Mtawarira, Mr M Savage, Mr D McVicar, Mr D Fletcher, Mr S Wilson Back row: Mr G Anley, Mr S Fitzmaurice, Mr J Piek, Mr A Wootton, Mr J Appelgryn

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FLYING THE CLIFTON

flag high

The announcement of the 2015 IEB Matric results was met with delight and celebration by the entire Clifton community. Once again, our Matrics did us proud with an outstanding set of results, maintaining our 100% pass rate. We are proud of each and every one of our young men but particular mention must be made of our academic stars. • Brendan Allan achieved seven Level ‘7’s’ and was placed on the IEB list of Outstanding Achievers countrywide • Cameron Maingard and David Scragg achieved seven Level ‘7’s’ • Peter Aclavio, Olatomiwa Adewusi, Sumanth Dasarath, Max Koenig, Luke Miloszewski, Alexander Petrusewicz and Scott Wilson achieved six Level ‘7’s • Temiloluwa Adewusi, Michael Brakspear, Julian Jessop, Ivan Jiran, Liam King, Oliver Koch, Mihir Soni achieved five Level ‘7’s’ The following candidates achieved results that placed them in the top 1% of the IEB candidates in individual subjects: • Brendan Allan in Accounting, English Home Language, History and Life Orientation • William Thatcher in Geography • Cameron Maingard in History and Life Orientation • Nicholas Farrell in Mathematical Literacy Well done to all our young men. Our 98.72% Bachelor Degree pass rate will open doors for you in 2016 and beyond. We are proud of you and wish you well as you embark on the next exciting chapter of your lives.

Brendan, Cameron and David all achieved seven Level ‘7’s’ with Brendan being placed on the IEB list of Outstanding Achievers countrywide.

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SPEECH NIGHT EXECUTIVE HEADMSTER’S ADDRESS

Tell it again...

It is a special moment for me, once again, to welcome Dr McCallum to Clifton. At the start of this year, Dr McCallum spent time with our staff exploring the complexities of our species’ time on this planet and the role that we as teachers can play as environmental educators and harvesters of hope. On a personal note, I must own that my life has been twice blessed by him. First, as a schoolboy, as I sat at Newlands and watched a rugby genius weave a magic that redefined the game in his time, and second, well into my adult life, after I read his book, Ecological Intelligence, and had my belief and value systems fundamentally altered by his arguments, his poetry and his example. As the gentlemen of Clifton will know, it is a tradition to present each Matric lad with his Old Boy’s tie and a book to take with him as a final memento of his time at this school. I cannot think of a more appropriate book than Ecological Intelligence for the choice this year and I recommend it to all. This year I have been privileged to attend three educational conferences: the International Boys’ School Coalition in Vancouver, the Southern African Heads of Independent Schools conference in Cape Town and the Independent Schools Marketers’ Association conference in Pretoria. Naturally, all of these had very different focuses and yet all had common themes. The conference at St George’s in Vancouver centred on issues of survival and identity. It was closed by a First Nations novelist, Richard Wagamese. He gave a moving and penetrating look at the devastation that colonization had wrought on his people. He was looking for reconciliation rather than retribution; he was seeking understanding rather than conflict. But he certainly understood the debate around conservation, land rights and cultural identity and spoke poetically of his journey of alienation from his cultural past to a point where he could re-embrace it and allow it to live alongside his western self. In his novel, Indian Horse, Richard Wagamese writes deceptively simply that, “These people here want me to tell my story. They say I can’t understand where I’m going if I don’t understand where I’ve been.” And so, in his presentation, his story was told. He spoke of an ancient belief of his Ojibway people that through their oral tradition the soul, the self-respect and the understanding of their culture are perpetuated. So it is, he says, that whenever a story is told, those who exist in the tale are brought back to life and their spirits (whether seen as literal or metaphoric) continue to influence and direct the thoughts and actions of those who hear that story. For

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him, the most important words people can utter are “Tell that story again”. And his challenge to those who teach young men is to give them the space and the skill to know and tell their own individual and collective stories again and again and so be able to converse with knowledge, insight, understanding, tolerance, and – perhaps most important of all – memory. It is easy to see how that message spoke to the historian in me. In Cape Town and in Pretoria, the presentations were equally focused on the notions of decolonization and cultural repositioning that the #feesmustfall movement has brought to the fore. There I listened to vicechancellors, heads of schools, university students and school pupils tell us of their attempts to reshape the socio-political fabric of their institutions. That story has yet to be told but we cannot ignore it. It is being created all the while in the conversations that are being held, or, tragically, not being held, as young people wrestle with issues of cultural and social identity and as political agendas from way outside of the universities crash in on the narrative. The message from the vice-chancellors was unanimous: the issues that the #Rhodesmustfall and #feesmustfall movements raise are absolutely valid and demand engagement but the failure of the student leaders to allow for the possibility of peacefully negotiated settlements demands equal consideration. If we who work in schools are to have any influence on the unfolding of this story, if we are to counter the intellectual anarchy that threatens to dominate in our universities, then we need to facilitate open, difficult and significant conversations with all in our school community and, by doing that, teach the skills of real and deep debate, real and penetrating analysis, real and intentional protest, and real and insightful consideration of the possibilities of a post-colonial or, if you will, a decolonized curriculum. Above all else, their argument shouted, allow the young people to understand and engage with one another’s stories and so create an optimistic and embracing vision for their future in this country. There are the themes: conversations and stories, recurring around the world, offering powerful messages and powerful challenges. And that was before Donald Trump was elected and Faf forgot to swallow that mint. So I wonder, what Clifton stories have we told in 2016 that deserve to be told and retold and who are the people who have played their part in these stories? And what conversations do we need to hold to allow the Clifton story to continue to be provocative, challenging, enthralling, embracing and memorable? The fact is, a unique Clifton story has been told throughout this year and every boy who has participated, no matter what his grade and no matter what the level, finds his name in the list of those who wrote it and so has earned the right to retell it. On one level, his is a triumphant tale. Whether we talk of the celebration of our cultural and sporting achievements that took place a month ago at our Awards Evening and has its culmination here

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tonight; whether we talk of those who have served the wider community with such humility and compassion; whether we tell the stories of the classroom and our continued quest for excellence there – so evident in the successes that we acknowledge at this ceremony; whether we look to the deep social bonds that our boys foster and treasure… wherever we look to tell the tale, every boy has been a part of it. Our Olympian and the lad who played in the Under 14C side; our international orator and the chap who dreads the preparation of his class oral; our Dux and he who will be delighted simply with that university entrance pass; the gregarious and the shy; the loud and the quiet; the bold and the timid – all have played their part in an extremely successful year and all hold stories of many triumphs and a few disappointments; of frequent moments of synchronicity and rare times of hardship; of abundant joy and perhaps some sadness. All can tell stories of inspiration, excitement and recollection and those who hear them will surely say those three words that will bring the spirit of 2016 alive: “Tell it again.” So I credit and thank every Clifton man who has taken advantage of the opportunity to contribute to a Clifton story that is exceptional. But there is more to this story and here I must turn to the Class of 2016, because it is this group that has started one of the most important conversations that this school will have. The discussion that came from this Matric group about leadership was as honest as it was spirited. As I was invited into the conversations, I was struck by the integrity, the confidence and the depth of so many of the arguments. This was direct, hardhitting stuff, where challenging positions led us to reconsider everything about how we should lead and follow. Boys looking directly into the eyes of the Headmaster and saying with certainty, “You have it wrong; you need to reconsider” or, conversely, “What we are doing here is right and good, but there is more to do.” This dialogue now extends to how we deal with issues of identity, culture, and curriculum. We have no idea how this conversation will end, or, indeed, if it will ever end, but we do know that we are committed to it and it was these brilliant young men who allowed us to take a fresh look at how we view ourselves. Theirs is a legacy that will unfold well into the Clifton future and that is immense. All of our young men of Clifton and their parents who have allowed them the opportunity to attend this great school have been at the fore of creating this complex tale of 2016, but there are others whose voices have been just as instrumental. Tonight is an opportunity to acknowledge those who have co-written this Clifton saga. First we look to the ghostwriters – those who are largely unseen, work tirelessly outside of classrooms, theatres, halls and sports arenas, and give so generously of time and wisdom. We thank the members of the Trust, chaired by Richard McElligott; the directors of the school with Simon Downes in the chair; the members of the Finance Committee, chaired by Roger Maingard, the Risk Committee, chaired by Kevin Searle, the Remissions Committee, chaired by Dunstan Farrell, the Facilities Committee chaired by Mark Montgomery, the Building Committee chaired by Michael Holmes, the Marketing Committee, chaired by Paulette Holmes; along with Byron Johnstone and the dynamic and innovative members of COBWEB. Those who administer our school proofread the text of our story – and so we thank Mrs Field, Mrs Pillay and all in the Finance and HR Departments, Mr Mezher, Mrs Basson and all in our Marketing Department, Mr Foxcroft and all who arrange our functions, Mr Randelhof and all who tend to our buildings and grounds; and those special people who organize the lives of Mr Goedeke and me: Mrs Garcia and Mrs Manuel, who bring order into chaos with such fortitude and grace. The story has also been written by those who manage and give direction – perhaps these might be seen as the editors? To Mr White and his team in the Prep School and to Mr Goedeke and the members of his management team, go my gratitude for keeping our account at least relatively coherent. We are immensely grateful to the parents’ committees who write the all important and informative footnotes and support our community in many different ways: Sonia Corris and the Mothers Who Pray, Jane Maasdorp and Janet Hartmann who run the Clifton Shop, Terry Lewis and the Golf Day committee, and the Parents@Clifton team of Jody Martin, Lauren Neethling, Margaret Lavers and Lesley Ferreira. Tonight, we pay special tribute to Terry Lewis, who is handing over a story that tells of increased parent involvement in the school and unceasing care for the boys and teachers who work here. We owe him a great deal for his quiet and humble energy. Thank you, Terry.

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What of those authors whose voices and stories are easily heard and are the most influential? The College teachers define professionalism and construct meaning in everything that we embrace here. These people inspire, create, invigorate and shift thinking in all that they do. We hear their words at the heart of the story of our school and every boy here will, in time to come, turn to a friend and tell a story of a teacher who, through inspiration and example, allowed him to make a life-changing decision. Or he may simply give an account of a time when Mr Thomas told of another world-beating momentous feat! We are all blessed that this school has so many outstanding teachers and wonderful characters working here. We are all blessed that they are a part of our individual stories. All but the musicians among the Class of 2016 have finished your Matric exams, and all will be done with school by Monday evening. You return to us tonight, perhaps somewhat hairier and with uniforms that are more ill-fitting than when you started the year, but here you are. When you lead us out of the hall as the new cohort of old boys at the end of this ceremony, when Jordi rings the Founders’ Bell for the final time, when you gather to shout out the war cry, when your time here is over, you will be the men who have crafted the story that will allow us to remember 2016 as the unforgettable year that it has been. I thank you for that and I thank a leadership team in Jordi, Guy and Dusty, who worked unceasingly to complement one another’s strengths, who were unfailing in their commitment to this school and who were absolutely supportive of their comrades. You three succeeded in leading in a way that was entirely effective and in perfect keeping with our lasting school motto, prodesse quam conspici. As you Grade 12s leave here and start to write another chapter in your story, you go into a world that is in turmoil. The only certainty that you have is that the future that you face is far too uncertain. This is daunting but it is likewise exciting, because, just as little is certain about the story you will tell and the conversations you will have, so little limits your possibilities. There is a world out there where you can make an extraordinary difference, so may you go from here and create stories that will tell of lives lived with intense love, powerful purpose, deep respect, complete integrity, abundant compassion, unlimited enthusiasm, boundless hope, and loud laughter. Do not hold back; never lack nerve; face life with passion, assurance and understanding. And, as you write these new and wonderful tales, remember the story that you take from this great school and bring the spirit of the Class of 2016 to life every time you tell it. Travel far and travel well, gents. Richard Wagamese wrote “Tell it again: the magic words” on the front page of my copy of Indian Horse. By being given the humbling opportunity to work among young and not-so-young people who are creative, committed, passionate, caring, outspoken and courageous in all that they do, I have lived a story that I treasure and I shall tell of its magic over and over again. Ladies and gentlemen, and the remarkable gentlemen of Clifton, I thank you for that. Mr Brian Mitchell

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GUEST SPEAKER MR IAN McCALLUM

We are the masons of the way we think Clifton College was privileged to have Mr Ian McCallum return to our school as Guest Speaker for our 2017 Speech Night. Mr McCallum is a highly sought after keynote speaker who is internationally recognized for his work as a conservationist and naturalist – a true visionary of the wild, and of man’s place on this earth. A former rugby Springbok and vice-captain, Ian McCallum is also a medical doctor, analytical psychologist and psychiatrist. He is a specialist wilderness guide, an author and poet as well as a director of the Wilderness Foundation. Many times, he has been described as a true Renaissance Man so who better to address the young men of Clifton. Many in the audience were struck by the fact that Mr McCallum spoke without notes. His words came directly from a soul that is firmly rooted in Africa and he used humour, humility and wisdom to make connections with the young people in the audience. Indeed, his words resonated with parents and boys alike. His message was clear: “We have to stop speaking about the Earth being in need of healing. The Earth doesn’t need healing. We do. It is our task to rediscover ourselves in Nature. It is an individual choice. We either continue to believe that someone or something else will rescue us, show us the easy way, or even take the hard path on our behalf, or we choose the opposite – we take it upon ourselves. We take the hard path, each one of us in our own way and we do it gladly. And where does that path begin? It begins exactly where we are right now, when we look up at the world as a mirror, when we discover that our sense of freedom and authenticity is linked to the well being and authenticity of others – including the animals, trees and the land. Our survival is in our own hands. We are the masons of the way we think. We can say yes and no. Take care. And be kind … we are all fighting a fierce battle.” It was a true honour to listen to Mr McCallum speak.

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HEAD BOY’S ADDRESS TO SCHOOL

Sing… ‘till your lungs give in and your voice fades It is a herculean task to describe what it means to go to Clifton, yet tonight I am tasked with sharing my understanding of this experience with my peers. This has been an experience that has shaped us as scholars and moulded us as men. We leave tonight with a clear understanding of the privilege of, not only having served as leaders to the school, but more importantly of simply having been able to attend a school like Clifton, and it is not until the end of one’s time here that I believe that one can fully reflect on, and appreciate, what that means. To provide some context: Clifton is 92 years into its story – a story that began in a humble house on Lambert Road. The goals were not easy ones. Progress happened slowly, yet the vision never faltered. There were false starts and setbacks, hesitations and do-overs, yet courage persisted and a stubborn belief formed in the hearts of those who understood what Clifton was trying to achieve. We are now 14 years into a new chapter; 14 years that began with the simple belief that the statusquo could be challenged. And so we too have an acute awareness of our school story, and an unshakeable faith in the school, just as the ones who built it had, and the ones who continue to build it, will have.

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On the subject of legacy, our Matric class has been constantly reminded that we will be remembered by how we leave; by the way we walk out the hall and by our appearance. This was an (understandable) attempt by the staff to prevent unruly behaviour in our final days of school. Whether it was at the beginning of the year, before the Matric Dance, before the Valediction ceremony or even as we prepared for Speech Night, every Matric student was informed multiple times that: “we would be remembered by the way that we leave” and, while I do not necessarily disagree with this sentiment, there is more to be said. I think that it is everything else – every aspect of what we have done before we leave – which will contribute to the way we will be remembered. I remember the first time I walked through those Clifton gates. It was on 16 of January 2012 – a day that I will always remember being one of the most intimidating days of my life owing to the fact that I came in alone. I did not know anyone and I did not have any understanding of what has come to be described as “the Clifton way”. It was difficult to catch on, at first, and it was not easy to appreciate exactly where my place was, but it was this lonely entry into the school that helped me grasp the idea of being a Clifton gentleman; that helped me to understand how lucky I was to be here. From this solemn beginning, I was exposed to many sporting, cultural and academic opportunities that I had never experienced before at my previous school. It felt as if I had the whole world at my feet and donning my uniform came to feel more like a privilege than a chore. It was the camaraderie that was experienced during compulsory matches, during Founders’ Day, on the busses to Bloemfontein or Johannesburg that helped to forge my appreciation of what it meant for me, for all of us, to go to Clifton. My understanding centred around the idea of participation. Essentially, it is what the students at Clifton offer to one another; what we do here. Being a student at this school means giving of yourself. This is what helped me to transform from a shy and slight junior to a senior who was sure of the world around him, filled with confidence and compassion. It didn’t matter which team I played for, it mattered that I was in a team. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t play a musical instrument or that I lacked the talent for singing; it mattered that I lost my voice in a war-cry and that I sang the hymns in assembly. What mattered was the content of my character. It mattered that I had the guts to take that third team tackle and had the grace to shake the hand of the guy who had knocked me down. And all of those lessons originated from Clifton. Your worth here is measured by who you are and what you give; by your compassion and conviction. It’s not just about ticking a box. It’s about setting a higher standard; leaving everything on the field; singing till your lungs give in and your voice fades. The extent of your talents is not what matters. What matters is that you extend yourself in every possible way and that you take hold of every opportunity that this school makes available to you. We are so privileged to be at this school and to have what many others don’t. If we don’t make the most of what we are offered here, we are letting that go to waste. So to go back to my earlier point: no, I don’t believe that the way that we leave is how we are remembered. It is by our involvement, what we give and what we do, by what we leave instead of how we leave. So in “honouring those who have gone before us”, the ones that wrote the story, we have not let ourselves enjoy a free ride. We have played our sports, sung our songs, written our exams and have been ambassadors for our school. It is not by the way that you leave the hall, but by what you give and how you act – that is my understanding of Clifton and this is what I want the Clifton gentlemen to take from tonight, if nothing else. So with my message being clear and my heart feeling heavy, I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who is involved in the school and who has had a significant impact on my experience here. To all the Matric parents here tonight: even if you have heard this already, you have not heard it enough. On behalf of the grade, we cannot thank you enough for your support for us throughout the year and for allowing us the chance to grow through this great school. You have loved us, cherished us, encouraged us and comforted us and we are all extremely grateful for the way that we were raised. To my own parents: thank you for all of your care and understanding – even in my moments of stubbornness – and for serving as my own, and Clifton’s, best supporters. I know the sacrifices that you have made to allow me to attend a school such as Clifton and I will always owe you a huge debt of gratitude. To the Class of 2016: it has been an incredible, emotional, confusing and amusing ride, but we have pioneered through it all and have made the year our own. In a year of firsts, from an Olympian and a Craven Week

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rugby player, to the spelling out our school name on Founders’ Day, we have set a precedent that will be tough to match. We will cherish the memories that we have created and the bonds that we have formed; we will recall the laughter from Prefects’ Assemblies and the echoes of five years of compulsories and, while we may be fearful about the challenges and the changes that lie ahead, the lessons that Clifton has taught us, the values and principles that it instilled in us, will remain with us long into our future. There will also be for us false starts and setbacks, hesitations and do-overs, but for every test that we face, for every adversity that we will have to overcome, we will come through, because we come from Clifton. We are boys who understand that nothing comes easily. We know that to prove our own worth, we can’t ride on the worth of others. We know that our uniqueness makes us stand out, that our actions are as important as our ideas and that dedication will lead to our success as it has to Clifton’s. In closing, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the boys of Clifton for the last time. It has been such an honour to have been your Head Boy this year. In your final years here, you will come to appreciate our discipline and be grateful for its direction and it is increasingly important that you champion this sentiment. I ask that you to continue to do everything that you can to preserve the ethos of your school; to uphold it and to ensure that you make the most of your opportunities. There is nothing that matters more than your engagement in, and passion for, the school, so never forget that. Do not let yourselves or your peers down by failing to acknowledge what it means to have a place here and to ensure that you are involved in every manner. Participate, think and act. Continue to maintain pride in your badge and walk with humility in your heart so when this day in November finally comes for you, you will go out of those gates, as we will tonight, embodying the gentlemen that we have all strived to be. Jordan Strous

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CELEBRATING

Academic Excellence GRADE 8 1st position: Michael Bensch 2nd position: Mohammed Ballim 3rd position: Sahaan Juggernath & James Parry

GRADE 10 1st position: Sgwili Nzama 2nd position: Liam Sandler 3rd position: Ashir Parusnath

GRADE 9 1st position: Mohammed Khan 2nd position: Tejas Rajput 3rd position: Claudio Lehman

GRADE 11 1st position: Joshua Walton 2nd position: Ethan Kraus 3rd position: Rahul Mistri

MATRIC SUBJECT PRIZES ARE AWARDED TO MATRIC BOYS WHO HAVE ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST RESULT IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING MATRIC SUBJECTS: Accounting: Muhammed Vally

Afrikaans: David Beare

Business Studies: Ethan Chetty

Dramatic Art: Guy Edmondson

Engineering, Graphics & Design: Jethro Leroux

English: Guy Edmondson

Geography: David Beare

History: James Munro

Information Technology: Jethro Leroux

isiZulu: Nkosi Zulu

Life Sciences: Muhammed Vally

Life Orientation: Jordan Strous

Mathematics: Uzayr Jadwat

Mathematical Literacy: Bradley Dengler

Music: Ryan Slotow

Physical Science: Uzayr Jadwat

Visual Art: Yahyaa Mohamed

Trophy Awards The McCarthy/Downes Trophy for the Winning House: The Trophy for the All-Round Senior Sportsman of the Year: The Rowe Trophy for Senior Sportsman of the Year: Junior Sportsman of the Year: The Foundersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Trophy for Sportsmanship:

Matthew Meyer Alexander Kerr Zakariya Paruk

The Mitchell Family Trophy for Cultural Excellence:

Guy Edmondson

The Head Boy Trophy for Service to the Community:

Oliver Brouckaert

The Sally Dreyer Trophy for Enthusiasm and Participation: The Haffajee/Kadwa Family Trophy for Initiative and Resourcefulness: The George Thiel Trophy for Leadership: The Michael Downes Trophy for Leadership: The Fabrice Muhizi Trophy for Gratitude: The Leighton Fellowship Trophy: The Alistair Clarke Trophy: Trophy for Third Position in Grade 12: Proxime Accessit Trophy: Dux Trophy:

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Sutcliffe Massimo Conversano

James Munro Caleb Simpson Jordan Strous Dustin Torr & Guy Edmondson Luke Appelgryn Maxwell du Plooy Guy Edmondson Jordan Strous Muhammad Vally Uzayr Jadwat

David Beare: winner of the Geography and Afrikaans subject prizes.

James Munro (recipient of the Sally Dreyer Trophy and History subject prize) and Jethro Leroux (Information Technology and EGD subject prizes).

Uzayr Jadwat is congratulated by Mr Mitchell for being named Dux of 2016.

A true Clifton Gentleman: Zakariya Paruk is awarded the Foundersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Trophy for Sportsmanship.

Massimo Conversano: a deserving All-round Senior Sportsman of the Year.

Proud mum with son, Oliver Brouckaert, who was recognized for Service to the Community.

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MAKING

Memories

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GLOBAL

Footprints The five weeks that I spent in Argentina were truly unforgettable and I have to say that I felt at home as soon as I arrived. St George’s College is a co-ed, comedium day and boarding school situated in Buenos Aires. During my exchange, I was a weekly boarder and experienced a number of different host families during the weekends. St George’s has a similar ethos to Clifton in the sense that anyone, from any grade, can be friends. I felt a great sense of family in the boarding house and was always busy! Whether we were playing football on the fields after school or watching the Olympics before prep, there was always something to do with my peers and there was a very tangible feeling of brotherhood. This enabled me to make friendships that I will cherish for a long time. The school day is much longer than what I am used to: the St George boys finish school at 16h30 every day, and that took some adapting! Unfortunately, my arrival coincided with their last rugby fixture of the season, but I did manage to play in the interhouse rugby sevens. It was mere coincidence, I think, that my house ended up winning! Athletics season follows rugby season so I did get the opportunity to kick-start my career in javelin, discuss and hurdles. It was, however, a very short, very mediocre career! Every year the whole school, from the Prep to the High School, run the steeplechase – which is similar to the Clifton Challenge but much shorter. The race went all around the school campus and final year students get dressed up and walk together whilst singing songs and war cries.

Jack with a fellow exchange student from Scotland.

MY ARGENTINEAN EXCHANGE

Experience

Everyone could speak English very well and most of my lessons were taught in English. However, it really surprised me that, outside of the school, Argentinean people speak absolutely no English. This made even the simplest task of ordering food very difficult. But I slowly learnt some key Spanish words which made things considerably easier for me. The aspect I will miss most about my trip is the people. It was difficult to say goodbye to all of my new friends, but I am sure that I will see them again. I would like to thank Mr McCabe for setting up this incredible opportunity for me; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience which I highly recommend to anyone should they be fortunate enough to have a similar opportunity. Jack Koch - Grade 10

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During the mid-year holidays, 19 boys, two teachers and two parents set off to a part of the world with which very few of us are familiar: Asia – the continent renowned for its unusual food, entrenched traditions and ancient history. It was on our final flight to Beijing, when we flew over the cold cluster of peaks, called the Himalayas, that we were given our first taste of the sheer beauty of the country we would be visiting. After a much needed sleep, we were ready for our first excursion which was a guided tour of the Temple of Heaven. Here, we were introduced to ancient Chinese architecture which would be a recurring

CHINA

Cultural Tour

motif throughout the trip. We were continually struck by the incongruity of monks taking selfies on their iPhones, against the backdrop of such imposing and majestic architecture! Even before we arrived in China, I was already anticipating my visit to the Great Wall and the day did not disappoint. We drove through a valley en route to the start of our hike and had our first glimpse of the wall stretching across the ridge tops – we were left in no doubt as to why this wall is prefaced with the adjective ‘Great’!. For many of us, the Terracotta Army was another highlight: thousands of clay warriors, which have been excavated by archeologists, are on display in a 14260m² room. We felt incredibly privileged to have been given the opportunity to view such an awe-inspiring display of history and culture. There were too many beautiful scenes and moments to express in one article. What I would like to convey is what an amazing country China is, with its staggering beauty, rich history and valued traditions. If you are ever as lucky as I was to get the opportunity to go to China, grab it with both hands and don’t let go. Daniel Scragg - Grade 11

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HEADING

Down Under

Matthew Lewis grows attached to the Australian wildlife.

I was extremely fortunate to be selected to go for a month-long exchange to Australia. I went to a school called Moreton Bay Boys’ College in Brisbane and, on my arrival, was surprised to learn that my host family also had ‘Lewis’ as a surname. I took this to be a good omen and was more than ready to embrace the ‘Australian experience’! During my stay, I came to realise that, despite the many differences that separate Australians and South Africans, there are also many similarities between us. I felt very much at home in the sunny, humid weather, and was pleased to find that Australian teens participate in exactly the same sports as we do. The only difference is that they tend to join clubs, rather than having school sport. I also found myself eating quite a lot of Thai and curry food which took a little bit of getting used to. Australia has the unfortunate distinction of being the ‘skin cancer capital of the world’ and this meant that I had to wear a Panama hat to school which was a bit of a novelty for me. One thing I did enjoy was the slightly later start to the school day! A definite highlight of my exchange was getting the opportunity to play club hockey as well as joining the Queensland Hockey Team. I also visited some interesting places such as Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where I had a close-up kangaroo experience! My outing to Byron Bay was particularly memorable as this is a hippie community on the beach where the sand actually squeaks as you walk on it. I experienced so many new things and I thoroughly enjoyed my Australian exchange. I would like to thank Clifton for giving me this opportunity and, more particularly, extend my gratitude to Mr McCabe for organizing and coordinating my experience. Matthew Lewis - Grade 10

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THE ASIA-PACIFIC

Young Leaders’ Summit During the July holidays, Clifton provided two Grade 10 pupils with the opportunity of a lifetime. Sam Whitton and Ross Ward were selected to take part in the tenth annual Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit (APYLS), hosted by the Hwa Chong Institute, in Singapore. The South African delegation arrived in Singapore where we were met by the facilitators and transported to the host school. Our first day started with an early breakfast. Prior to departure, Sam and I had been warned of the weird and wonderful foods that we may encounter in Singapore so we were ready for anything! Nevertheless, we were pleasantly surprised to hear that the chefs had been told to follow a western cuisine. Within the first few hours of arriving, I knew that the summit was going to an amazing experience that would exceed all expectations! The days that followed were an organised rush of tours, dialogues, exhibitions and teambuilding activities. Highlights included a trip to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we participated in educational discussions and a tour. We also visited “Mediacorp”, the official broadcasting corporation of Singapore. Here, we were privileged enough to be a part of mock radio and talk show broadcast and we were taught how to operate state-of-the art TV cameras. Our summit presentation topic was about finding the balance between economic growth and human rights. The presentation was well received and the topic was discussed in great detail during dialogue sessions. Our final day was an amazing way to end the summit as the main event of the day was the visit to the President of Singapore’s Home. I had the privilege of being selected to meet the President and even enjoyed a short discussion with him. It was a humbling experience that I will never forget. Sam and I were exposed to so many new ideas, world views and different cultures. We formed close friendships with people from across the globe…an invaluable network! The summit opened my eyes to understanding the importance of thinking beyond one’s own country. I now understand the impact of economic decisions from a global perspective and that no one country can truly operate in isolation. As future leaders, we all have a responsibility to seek out domestic growth in ways that support our neighbours and, most importantly, protect all human rights. Ross Ward and Sam Whitton - Grade 10

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Destination

USA

It was with great excitement that the Clifton delegation to the USA boarded their plane; destination: Sterling, Virginia. What lay ahead of us was ten days of meeting people from all over the world, learning about different cultures and having the experience of a lifetime. Making new friends would just be an added bonus! Upon arrival, we were met by our hosts who would be essential to making our American experience a good one. Fortunately, these were lovely families who helped us to settle easily and they went out of their way to ensure we did not get homesick. They enjoyed treating us to a traditional American breakfast of doughnuts and Chick-Fill-A and supported us as we adapted to American school life. We were privileged to be given the opportunity to visit iconic landmarks, such as the White House and the Capitol Buildings and we even got to see a major league baseball game which was a wonderfully fun cultural experience! But it wasn’t all fun and games and it wasn’t long before the serious side of the exchange started. The summit saw 20 delegations from 17 different countries discussing world problems. The 2016 motto was “Communicating globally; acting locally”. This motto made an impact on every single one of us. We heard so many different people from so many different countries talk about their problems and this made us more appreciative of what we have at home in South Africa. One of the summit highlights was listening to former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. She was an excellent speaker who inspired the young audience. It didn’t take long before real friendships had been established amongst the delegates and it was hard to say goodbye when the time came to leave. We would like to thank Clifton, and Mr Howieson, for giving us the opportunity to represent South Africa and our school. Our American exchange was truly an experience that will stay with us forever. Simon Holmes, Damien Stichelbout, Ashir Parusnath and Adrian Gourley - Grade 10

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GRADE

Eight Seated: Mr B Mtawarira, J Taylor, Mr A Wootton, Mrs C Schoeman, Mr D Sonderjee, K Monson, Mrs R Wilkins (Head of Grade), M Matturo, Mrs B Bowley (Director of Junior Academics), N Moodley, Mr F Farquharson, P Grindrod, Mrs D Moran Second row: M Govender, T Mudaly, N Jeewa, S Klue, B Silver, J Mileham, N Ncgobo, U Chetty, S Dasarath, M Shangase, A Christodoulou, A Lukhozi Third row: L Wang, Y Dadabhoy, V Vite, B Larsson, M Bensch, S Cliff, J Bessick, M Dabideen, O Chetty, M Williamson, M Adams, D Thom, Z Kiratu Fourth row: M Mall, B Kraus, M Peer, A Balchund, V Naidoo, O Kidd, B Saayman, K Moodley, N Rotham, O Shabane, J Munford, M Akoob Fifth row: R Godbolt, C Steadman, D Bushnell, M Claase, M Lipawsky, N Singh, J Sang, O Kgomo, N Govender, R Eddles, S Taylor, W Pearse, N Narotam Sixth row: L Leslie-Smith, G Edward, M Solwa, S Rajcoomar, R Hartmann, B Pearson, M Gourley, T Dell, G Sjouerman, C Geills, D Cele, J Niemand, M Strous, T Ridgway Seventh row: L Ncobeni, T Moodley, G Jeffers, M Ballim, Z Baitz, J Parry, S Juggernath, B Bertasso, M Douglas, R Singh, M Ten-Bokkel Huinink, J Mahanga, A Traicos Back row: J Platford, J Matthews, S Naicker, M Doyle, L Lorenco, L Geddie, S Meyer, D Ganpath, N Ditz, M Gevers, C Tillard, A Voigt

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JUST THE

Beginning

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GRADE EIGHT SIGNING-IN

Ceremony

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GRADE EIGHT

Days

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GRADE

Nine

Seated: M Randeree, Miss S Gadd, N Naidoo, Mr J Piek, A Sparks, Mr G Thomas, Mr M Savage (Head of Grade), Mr S Fitzmaurice, Mrs H Bensch, Mr S Wilson, J Feuilherade, Miss L Temmingh, D Garreau Second row: A Pottow, E Buchanan, A Robertson, K Steen, M Corris-Nordengen, J Borrageiro, A Khan, S Paton, E Lundy, T Rajput, D Williamson, J Wood, E Goodrich, S Nkosi Third row: S Mudaly, A Inggs, N Moodley, C Tully, C Lehman, O Majola, D Farquharson, U Motala, D Barbieri, L Ashton, R Owens, T Govender, M Nagy Fourth row: A Ismail, S Mkhize, M Aziz Cassim Hajee, G Binedell, G Kirby, J Munro, W Huggins, S Marshall, J Edwards, K Muller, T Koch, A Omarjee, Y Khan, Y Jazbhay Fifth row: D Scheepers, J Whiley, R Roberts, L Tostee, M Khan, J Holmes, J Hean, S Soni, B Rich, M Jiran, B Dove, A Mlangeni, L Bega, Sixth row: C Cryer, S Maharaj, N Suliman, M Ally, O Hoare, L Geyser, S Moodley, A Jamun, L Pereira, A Singh, M Bosch, R Laggar Seventh row: T Shangase, D Elgar, J Nieuwenhuys, L Hansen, A Psannis, M Bennett, J Coetzer, L Gerber Back row: A Cottingham, Z Motala, A Narsai, A Kerr, J Bartholomew, L Walton, D Lavers, D Smith, C van Greunen, R Waller Absent: M Kalil

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CITY

Walk

VENDORS AND THEIR VENUES BY DANIEL BARBIERI Walking through Durban is scary at first Misconceptions taint the mind Walls decay, life’s hard, eyes dead Grass grows through the cracks.

“Open your eyes!” our Grade 9s were told by Doung Jahangeer, a professional tour guide who takes people on walking tours

People quip “Durban city is the City of the Dead”

of Durban. Dressed in black with arms covered in tattoos, this

I believed it before the walk

eclectic character initially shocked our usually talkative teens

Looking closer, people are just trying to get through life and be

but, within minutes, they had warmed to his humour and

successful.

wisdom as he unfolded, before their very eyes, a Durban few of

We met a boy named Bradley.

them had seen before. Our walking tour showed us the polarities

What a life he has led.

of our city: from the clinical luxury of Musgrave Centre to the

Seven stints in jail.

truly African heartbeat of Warwick Triangle. The boys walked for

Walls decay, Life’s hard, eyes dancing

two hours, exploring and uncovering corners of Durban they

The sun shines through the cracks.

never knew existed. Back in the classroom, the walk was used to inspire the boys to write reflective poetry. Below, is Daniel

Standing on a rooftop

Barbieri’s poem which won the Junior Poetry Prize for 2017:

Bradley’s Walk revealed. Doung, our guide painted a magnificent canvas Words, the building blocks No more gap Same place New vision He says: when human control falls, nature proceeds. Walls decay, Life’s hard, eyes dancing The sun shines through the cracks. Organized city unbeknown to you or me Vendors super smart Everything mapped out. Nothing escapes the eye A city interconnected. Dead, hell no! It’s the pit of misperception Walls decay, Life’s beautiful, eyes dancing The sun shines through the cracks.

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LEARNING OUTSIDE

the classroom

150

151

GRADE NINE

Days

152

153

GRADE

Ten Seated: Mr C Ngcobeni, Mrs P Jordaan, Mrs T Doyle, T Howard, Mr M Howieson (Head of Grade), P Latulipe Tunley, Mrs R Neveling, Z Gwaxu, Ms A Holloway, Mr D Fletcher, Mr C Rein Second row: S Naidoo, N Christodoulou, E Mbambisa, S Stirling, M Ahmed, M Lavers, C Henry, R Goosen, M Forno, V Govender, S Schneiderman J Potgieter Third row: T Mulla, A Seedat, S Gokool, M McIntyre, E Cameron, L Niekerk, C Poovan, D Bradfield, E Sayed, A Parusnath, J Turner, Fourth row: C Reed, A Osman, M Arbee, A Pattundeen, T Baboolal, J McGregor, K Whiteboy, C Tostee, K Leslie-Smith, S Quinn, N Jadwat, B Cleaver Fifth row: D Miles, C Miles, L Sandler, J Lewis, C Veitch, D Freitag, R Ward, M Noorbhai, M Gavran, M Hollinshead, J Bailey Sixth row: K Padayachee, M Lewis, T Hill, J Correia, T du Plooy, W Dowsett, M Montgomery, M Goedeke, N Reddy, M Nel, A Rose, L van der Vyver, Seventh row: S Holmes, J Koch, S Gonneau, H Gopalan, J Law, J Brown, J Paul, C Ferriera, T Hammond, M Haribhai, C Michau Eighth row: S Whitton, E Hochstadter, S Nzama, B du Plessis, C Harding, I Modola, L Zama, S Ally, D Stichelbout Back Row: D Zoio, J Munz, C Coetzee, G Selles, J Groves, C Simpson, A Gourley, A McKillop

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GRADE TEN HISTORY EXCURSION

Ohlange High and The Luthuli Museum The April morning dawned bright and hot as the Grade 10 History boys gathered on the bus and set off on our outing to two famous South African Heritage sites. We headed into Inanda to John Dube’s Ohlange Institute – the first school for higher learning for African people in South Africa that still functions as a high school today. We were given a tour of the site as well as Dube’s original home. We also viewed the hall where Nelson Mandela cast his first vote in the first democratic elections in 1994, where a beautiful statue of Mandela now commemorates this momentous event. We then travelled to the Luthuli Museum in Groutville, a heritage site that is Chief Albert Luthuli’s original home. The museum stands as a national monument, dedicated to the life and legacy of South Africa’s first Nobel Peace Laureate. We took the time to walk through the rooms of Luthuli’s home, getting a sense of his selflessness and humble lifestyle. We listened to the audio recording of Luthuli’s original acceptance speech made in 1961 in Oslo when he received the Nobel Peace award and visited the bench in his garden where he and Robert Kennedy sat in 1966. This excursion gave us greater understanding of our political past and the importance of knowing about South Africa’s history. It also reminded us of why it is important to be proud of the legacy of others who dedicated their lives to achieving a better South Africa for us all. Mrs B Wahlberg – Head of History

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THE COBHAM

Experience

156

157

GRADE TEN

Days

158

159

GRADE

Eleven Seated: R Searle, Mrs E Erasmus, Y Amod, Mrs N Samuel, L Campbell, Mr R Church, L Mercouris, Mr K Garrett, N Singh, Mrs V Latulipe Tunley, T Klue, Mrs B Wahlberg, A Deedat Second row: N Mlangeni, R Singh, C Simpson, S Madonsela, S Sithole M McGlynn, U Mahomed, M Blunden, M Buttery, D Bashford, R Rohith, B Annandale, M Lang, N Khan Third row: R Mistri, M Zulu, B de la Porte, C McCarthy, J Conyngham, S Shri Kasoon, M Manson, E Kraus, J Bradfield, J Hawkesworth, S Tattari, C Jordan, D Trench Fourth row: T Kajee, J Stevens, S Muller, Co Webber, D Harris, J Rodd, S Miloszewski, W Masojada, J Bennett, L Oglsby, C Le Roux, N Parent Fifth row: L Diplall, J Gorrie, F Surian, N Veale, W van Rooyen, B Evans, J Simmons, Y Balmakhun, T Swanepoel, J Laggar, S Ebrahim, T Perrett, T Chetty Sixth row: J Emde, H van Greunen, B Tsai, Z Diplall, R Mohammed, L Mayo, L Shave, A Taylor, C White, W Assounga, M Heath, D Scragg Seventh row: M Di Paolo, J Lavery, A Anthias, B Dunwoody, M Parfitt, S Garreau, E Backman, S Gevers, L Peter, R Deeley-Barnard, C Jordaan, C Hohls Back row: C Hartmann, Ca Webber, S Farrell, K Pather, J Walton, R Hatton-Hall, R Khan, B Bothwell, A Bergonzoli, N Donnelly, S Vosloo Absent: M Chivers

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GRADE ELEVEN

Leadership Camp 161

GRADE ELEVEN

Days

162

163

Class of

2016

RAEES ABDULLAH Good, better, best. Never let it rest ‘til your good is better and your better is best.

MUHAMMED AKOONJEE Be careful who you call friends. I’d rather have four quarters than one hundred pennies.

MATTHEW BARBIERI For what will it profit a man, to gain the whole world but forfeit his own soul?

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MOHAMED AKOOBKHAMISSA Never on time. Always on point.

DEAN ANTICEVICH Vision without execution is hallucination.

LUKE APPELGRYN OTB on D.

DYLAN BAITZ One original thought is worth 1000 meaningless quotes – too bad this is unoriginal.

DAVID BEARE Work until you no longer have to introduce yourself.

COLE BEETGE You can get anywhere if you ride on the back of an eagle.

WESLEY BENNETT This was nothing like High School Musical!

CALVIN BLACK Family isn’t who you’re born with; it’s who you would die for.

MICHAEL BOOSEY It’s not the load that breaks you; it’s the way you carry it.

OLIVER BROUCKAERT Try again; fail again; fail better.

MAHOMED CARRIM I’ve never told a lie that wasn’t true.

ETHAN CHETTY Do not go gentle into that good night; rage, rage against the dying of the light.

SIJEN CHETTY Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into engines.

SAM CHRISTIANSON People overestimate what they can do in the short term and underestimate what they can do in the long term.

ANDREA CHRISTODOULOU Life’s too short to be taken seriously.

MASSIMO CONVERSANO Nice, my boy!

JACK COOK The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why.

JOSEPH CORNELIUS The trouble isn’t that there are too many fools, but that the lightning isn’t distributed correctly.

FINN CLEAVER My teachers were always drawing donuts on my exams. I think they were hinting that I was fat.

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166

BENJAMIN DANCASTER Careful who you trust.

FARIS DAWOOD I don’t know how my story will end, but nowhere in my text will it read: “I gave up”.

PATRICK DE FLEURIOT Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart.

DAMON DE KOCK I would like to thank Google, and the man who invented copy/ paste for getting me through.

BRADLEY DENGLER Caution: fire is hot.

BRANDON DENGLER You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one.

YAHYAA DESAI Speak only if it improves upon the silence.

ALISTAIR DICKSON I must go. My gym needs me.

CHAD DORKIN What could possibly go wrong?

MAXWELL DU PLOOY What consumes your mind, controls your life.

JOSHUA DUCKWORTH Next year my quote will be better, I promise!

GUY EDMONDSON If you want to shine like the sun, you have to burn like it first.

NICHOLAS ERSKINE Pineapple does go on pizza.

GIANCARLO FRIGERIO When you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.

NICHOLAS FRIMAS Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

REECE GIBBS These are the good old days.

RIYAADH GOOLAM MAHOMED Sometimes you win; sometimes you learn.

SHAUN GOOSEN Well, at least that’s over!

REECE HAMILTON Relationships die. Mountains remain.

RYAN HARRIS I don’t want a quote. Thanks.

BRANNON HENRY Bruh…

BRADLEY HEWITT What is maig?

JARED HOLCROFT Don’t wish it was easier; wish you were better.

KRISTIAN HAUG I’m a great believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work, the more I have of it.

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168

KINGSLEY HOLGATE I wish Harambe were here to see me matriculate.

SEAN HURTER Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

UZAYR JADWAT Education is important but memes are importanter.

THOMAS JESSOP Read this if you think I’m hot.

RYAN JOHNSTON You can catch flies with honey, but you can catch more honeys being fly.

RYAN JOUBERT I’d rather make mistakes than make nothing at all.

TANEK KARMA Sometimes you have to walk away and let Karma take over.

FINN KINNEAR He who dares, wins

DEVON KIRBY Anyone got R5 for me?

RYAN KUTER A mutation in the MCR1 gene causes red hair. Therefore, I am a mutant.

KADE LARKAN Be present.

JETHRO LEROUX The biggest lie of the year was EGD deadlines.

MATTHEW LODER So I can write anything here and it will be in the yearbook?

SHAYLIN MADURAYMUTHU Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

DOUGLAS MCFERRAN Batten down the hatches, I’m coming in hot!

STUART MCINTYRE I don’t know how to put this, but I’m kind of a big deal.

MATTHEW MEYER Follow your dreams rather than the expectations of others.

ANDELWA MFEKA Enjoy every opportunity and stay true to your heart.

YAHYA MAHOMED Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is from a tree, which makes it a plant, which makes chocolate a salad.

ROBERT MENIN “Don’t put anything stupid as your quote.” – Mom

OLIVER MILNE Nice, my boy!

JANEK MASOJADAEDWARDS Shot, my boy!

JON-MARC MEYER If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.

TRAVIS MISDORP The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow.

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170

OSHAI MOODLIAR “You have had eight months to finish this PAT!

CHRISTOPHER MUNZ I hope that I survive Rage to see this.

SIMON MUNKS How hard can it be?

JAMES MUNRO Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

KELVIN MURRAY In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.

JOHN MWEPU Reality is wrong; dreams are for real.

KUMSEELAN NAIDOO Life is the worst kind of torture, but the people you spend it with make it worthwhile.

ZAID OSMAN Be so good that they can’t ignore you.

ZAKARIYA PARUK It’s life.

AARON PAUL Vote for me: Head Boy 2018.

CAYDEN PORTER Life isn’t perfect but your hair can be.

CUAN ROBERTSON www.soundcloud/ cuanrobertson

JAMES SCOTT My only fault is that I don’t realize how great I really am.

MOHAMED SEEDAT I’m going to go stand outside and, if anyone asks, I’m outstanding.

CALEB SIMPSON There are no impossible dreams, just our limited perception of what is possible.

RYAN SLOTOW When’s this due?

LAYTON STIRLING Expect the best; prepare for the worst.

JORDAN STROUS We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit.

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172

DUSTIN TORR If you’re going to do it, do it properly.

MATT UPPINK It is not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

TYRON VAN NIEKERK I may not be a doctor, but I operate.

AARON VINK Here’s to nights we’ll never remember and friends we’ll never forget.

CALVIN ZANDAMELA The distance between dreams and reality is called discipline.

JUNIOR ZULU Driven by my ambitions, desire higher positions & so I proceed to make G’s...

MUHAMMED VALLY No, I’m not from Chatsworth.

GORDON WANG

JONATHAN YARDELEAVETT With a strong heart, your aim will be true.

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MATRIC

Dance

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175

Guy Edmondson – a consummate speaker, provoking guffaws of laughter with his Valedictory Day speech.

A SOMEWHAT LESS THAN TRADITIONAL

Valediction Speech

When it comes to speeches of any nature at Clifton, there seems to be a concrete formula in delivering a successful speech. Typically speaking, you’ll open with the line “when I walked through those gates four years ago…” and then you’ll work in some anecdote about how your first day shaped your perception of Clifton forever and instantly you realised that you were going to form everlasting bonds with your peers… Sadly, I cannot start my speech in the traditional manner. Firstly, because those “gates” that are so often mentioned somehow got lost in construction and, secondly, because it wasn’t my first day that forged my understanding of what Clifton is. If we’re all being honest, it isn’t the signing of the book, or the ringing of the bell, that magically makes you a Clifton gentleman; just ask Robert Menin, who still hasn’t formally signed in. No, it’s the gradual familial bonds that we form with our peers and teachers that slowly informs us that we’ve done something special at Clifton. And I know we’ve done something special because, when I look at our grade, I see nothing but remarkable people. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. A lot of you are entirely unremarkable and I’ll probably forget about you in approximately six hours when I leave the school. But at least some of you are actually interesting otherwise I wouldn’t have a lot to say in my speech. The fact of the matter is, this grade will be remembered for a while to come, because a decent portion of us will be back in Matric in 2017. I’m not naming any names but we all know who you are. But we will also be remembered for our achievements. When I look through the crowd, I see Matthew Meyer, our first Olympian; I see Calvin Guila, our first Craven Week player and I see SA

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representatives for everything from lifesaving to fly-fishing… and I also see our very own Oliver Queen, Jon-man Yarde-Leavett. I also see people I’ve been privileged to call my friends and my peers. From my classmates in 12L, to my squad in the Matric Quad, to the water polo team, which is more commonly known as the prefect body, I’ve been truly blessed with a group of fantastic, irresponsible, messy brothers. So let’s take the time to remember all we’ve done this year. We’ve perfected the lyrics to Piano Man and Sweet Caroline; we’ve survived both Absolution and Coriolanus, although I still don’t know what either is about; we survived Leo’s accent in Blood Diamond, and we managed to get to Valediction without Reece Hamilton’s buttons breaking. We survived Open Gates at Cobham, as well as The Purge at T.O Strand. We’ve successfully terrorized people at the beachfront for two consistent years; people in our grade have mastered such skills such as the ‘TC’ which Cayden, Rob, Kelvin, Shaun and many others have used expertly. As a grade, we’ve shown passion and spirit not commonly found in other schools – from making a tunnel for the First Chess Team, to having the strongest Thirds Rugby Team Clifton has ever produced. People in our grade have shown profoundly reckless bravery in the face of danger: from Janek Edwards diving into every tackle, to Ryan Harris diving into a bag of marbles; from Andelwa demonstrating his Glenwood First Team rugby skills, to Devon Kirby managing to joll so hard despite being 46 years old. And yet again, we’ve found remarkable success in our sport, water polo, with the First Team being proclaimed the greatest in the country, due to its star line-up of Captain, Dylan Baitz, the snake, Caleb Simpson, and the greatest goalie around, Brent Bothwell. Owing to the combined drive, talent, and dedication of the Class of 2016, we’ve managed to bring Clifton to a high point and, surely, that momentum will continue for the years to come. Of course, without the bold leadership and disgraceful puns of our Head Boy, Jordi Strous, and the support and wisdom of Dusty “Mohammed Carrim” Torr, the year wouldn’t have been as successful. Together, we have stood proud through morning duty, watching the stream of G-Wagons and soccer-mom vans drop their children off; together, we tried to give our first teams as much support as possible, and we pulled off the first-ever, full spelling of Clifton in the Founders’ Day war-cry. But could we have got this far without our teachers? Who knows… probably. But it wouldn’t have been as much fun. You see, we wouldn’t be who we are today if it wasn’t for the influence and guidance of our teachers… so if any of us get arrested at Rage, it’s their fault. However, we are, at least, safe in the knowledge that, no matter how hard we joll at Rage, we won’t be able to joll harder than the Paralyser. So, in all honesty, I would like to thank the teachers for doing the impossible: guiding the grade everyone was worried about, to the end of our school careers. From the teachers we’ve had from day one, to the ones we haven’t yet known for a year, you’ve each helped to shape us for

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the future and, for that, we are more grateful than you’ll believe. But, perhaps, more gratitude should go to those who put us here in the first place. I think we’d all agree that, without the support of our parents, we wouldn’t have made it in such a prestigious school, let alone reached the end of this wild, stressful, and cathartic year. The respect and admiration we have for our parents and teachers can’t be summed up by me alone – no matter how good I am at this – because we each have our own personal relationships with the adults that made us who we are, and so I think it’s only right that we express this in our own ways, and I promise, we will. But we also need to be grateful to ourselves and of one another. In case anyone is confused, I’m talking directly to the Matrics, so Grades 8 – 11, you do not matter. To the Class of 2016: today is our day. As such, it’s my job to provide inspiration much like Robin Williams did in Dead Poets Society, which clearly worked out for him. So I’d like to quote Clifton’s most esteemed philosopher, Patrick De Fleuriot, who once famously said, “Paris isn’t a country; it’s a city like France”. Just think, if Patrick can make it, so can we. So let’s hit finals harder than the Kulture bouncer hit Doug McFerren, hope that our marks don’t fade as quickly as Kelvin Murray and, hopefully, make better choices than Reece Gibbs at Tin Roof. With the kind of talent and drive that we have, we can reach the sky, which is only slightly below Cuan’s forehead. Matrics, it’s truly been an honour. Let us never forget the memories we’ve made and the lifelong friendships we’ve fostered. Now let’s ring that bell, sign that book, jump in that pool, and start getting ready for Rage. Guy Edmondson – Grade 12

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GRADE TWELVE

Days

180

181

MATRIC

Art

Massimo Conversano

Dylan Baitz

Calvin Zandamela

Bradley Dengler

Calvin Zandamela

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Ryan Kuter

Dylan Baitz

Calvin Zandamela embodies the versatility of the Clifton gentleman: winner of the National Youth Art Festival (pictured above) and Clifton’s first ever Craven Week One of Calvin’s winning pieces entitled “When the Spirits Whisper”.

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LEADERSHIP

Prefects

Seated: Mr K Bresler (Deputy Principal), G Edmondson (Deputy Head Boy), Mr H Goedeke (Principal), Mr J Strous (Head Boy), Mr B Mitchell (Executive Headmaster), D Torr (Deputy Head Boy), Mr P McKay (Director of Student Affairs) Second row: O Moodliar, A Christodoulou, C Beetge, E Chetty, J-M Meyer, M du Plooy, G Wang, J Cook Third row: J Masojada-Edwards, R Slotow, S Munks, R Gibbs, M Conversano, Z Paruk, J Munro Back row: C Simpson, C Robertson, O Milne, L Applegryn

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THE JORDI

Factor

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR 2016 HEAD BOY: JORDAN STROUS DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS: Driven, loyal and committed. WHICH SONG WILL REMIND YOU OF YOUR MATRIC YEAR?

I would say Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond. It’s a song that, oddly, is loved by our whole grade and it makes everyone happy whenever it played! WHOM HAVE YOU REALLY RELIED UPON FOR SUPPORT THIS YEAR? I’m very thankful to have had two of my very close friends as my deputies and I was able to rely on them for support. My family has also played a huge role in helping me this year and they have supported me every step of the way. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? I have been accepted to UCT to study a Bachelor of Business Science, majoring in either Actuarial Science or Finance and Accounting. WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU LOOK FOR IN YOUR FRIENDS? Loyalty and honesty. If the people that you surround yourself with are not true to you, then I don’t believe that you can consider them your friends. CUAN SANG ABOUT BEING ‘GOLD’. CAN YOU PICK ONE PARTICULAR ‘GOLDEN’ MATRIC MEMORY? If I had to pick just one, I would probably choose Founders’ Day as my most defining memory. I say this because of what Founders’ Day represents, and what we were able to accomplish. In 2013, Deoran “Bobby” Wessels listed Founders’ Day as his best Matric moment too because, for the first time, the School was able to spell out “CLIFTON” one letter at a time, during the war cry. Fast forward three years and, for the first time, we managed to ‘write’ CLIFTON across the whole stand, as a complete word. It was my proudest moment as a Clifton student and, although it may be viewed as a relatively small achievement, our success represented our growth as a school; not just in terms of enrolment, but in our ability and potential as well. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY: Rely on your own logic and reason and stick to your principles. That is not to say that you can’t be open-minded, because that is an important aspect of leading, but you aren’t able to lead if you don’t have your own vision of what you want to accomplish, and a large part of that is made up of your beliefs and values. This is why it’s necessary to maintain your principles,

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Jordan Strous (middle) with his two deputies: Dustin Torr (Left) and Guy Edmondson (right).

especially when facing adversity. One should also always look for the most logical approach – one that can be easily implemented and will be the best option for the situation. In my opinion, logic and reason are the cornerstones of leadership. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU’VE FACED THIS YEAR? It is always difficult to have to control and instruct your peers but, fortunately, I felt well-supported by my grade, so this was only a moderate challenge! I also found that there was so much that I wanted to accomplish coming into this position, and I leave it knowing there was always more to do. Obviously, the workload increases in Matric, but it’s also important sometimes to embrace challenges like these because the way in which you handle your challenges will determine how you overcome them. YOUR RECIPE FOR COPING WITH PRESSURE? Just relax, breath, evaluate the situation, and trust yourself. There’s no use in letting pressure add to the complexity of a problem, so you must welcome the problem and believe in your abilities to resolve it. FINAL WORDS FOR THE BOYS OF CLFITON: Never forget how privileged you are to be at Clifton; ensure that you make use of your opportunities here and don’t let your place here be of no worth. Thank you for your support this year and good luck for the rest of your school career!

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Seated: B Evans, L Mercouris, J Walton (Vice-chairman), Mr R Church (MIC of Student Council), E Kraus (Chairman), R Searle (Secretary), J Bennett Middle row: B Kraus, N Christodoulou, R Goosen, J Munro, C Lehman, M Strous, A Robertson, O Chetty Back row: M Ballim, A Kerr, L Walton, A Sparks, N Ditz, J Parry, N Reddy

CLIFTON STUDENTS’

Council

This year, a group made up of 24 boys from Grades 8 to 12, made up the Clifton Council which was tasked with being the voice of the student body. We worked extremely hard throughout the year to make sure all the students were happy with their school. Essentially, we are the link between the students, the staff and the Management of Clifton. Part of our role is to discuss the students’ requests and try to convert them into reality. We met every Wednesday to discuss and, hopefully, resolve issues. The more complicated issues are raised at the formal, once-aterm meetings with Management. Topics this year ranged from broken shower heads to ontime buses! But we also initiated discussions regarding the Grade 9 subject choices and how to heighten awareness of the dangers of social media. Our Council certainly had little time to rest this year and we ended the year on a suitably high note. We joined with DGC to hold a HeForShe Day, which was based on developing gender equality. This included mixed sports such as soccer and netball, as well as discussions around art, poetry and theatre. The feedback was extremely positive and we hope we have started a tradition which will continued until we reach a more gender equal society! Emma Watson was our inspiration with her “If not you; who? If not now; when?” speech, and we tried to use our Student Council to show our commitment to the cause and, as such, we were commended by the United Nations HeForShe team. It has been a huge privilege for me to lead our team of gentlemen, all of whom contributed in their own way. There a few who need specific mentioning: to my Vice-head and Secretary, Josh Walton and Robert Searle: your full support and punctuality ensured that the Council was effective and efficient. I would also like to thank the Management for their support and, finally, to Mr Church: on behalf of the Student Council, we are extremely grateful for your guidance. You have been a great mentor! Good luck to the future Council members and remember: be the kind of leader you would like to follow. Ethan Kraus – Chairman

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THE LIBRARY CAN

‘Never be Shushed’!

The library remains a hive of activity, high energy and a peak area of schoolboy traffic – in fact, it often seems to be the epicentre of life at Clifton College. Because of this, I have the privilege of interacting with boys across a wide spectrum of grades, interests and personalities, so there is never a dull moment. 2016 has seen the acquisition of new computer desks, new bookshelves and a new air-printer which has made life easier for the boys as they are now able to print directly from their iPads. We have introduced a new library system which has enhanced reliability and it has also increased the scope of functions we are able to perform. 230 new books have been purchased thus far this year, and efforts are always made to accommodate the diversity of interests genre preferences of the boys. It is always encouraging to see that Clifton teachers and administrative staff are also avid readers. Kudos, as always, goes to the teachers in the English Department for their unfailing appreciation of the library and for encouraging their students to embrace it too. Paula Poundstone best sums up the activities in the library at Clifton College: “It’s funny that we think of libraries as quiet demure places where we are shushed by dusty, bun-balancing, bespectacled women. The truth is: libraries are raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy and community. Librarians have stood up to the Patriot Act, sat down with noisy toddlers and reached out to illiterate adults. Libraries can never be shushed.” Mrs D Moran – Librarian

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SERVICE

Interact

Front row: A Mfeka, J Strous, Mrs R Wilkins (MIC of Interact), G Edmondson (President 2015/2016), M Zulu (President 2016/2017), Mrs V Latulipe Tunley, R Mahommed, G Wang Second row: A Lukhozi, S Klue, J Mileham, V Govender, A Omarjee, S Mudaly, S Naidoo, N Ngcobo, N Jeewa Third row: E Sayed, J Mahanga, S Soni, T Baboolal, L Ncobeni, M McIntyre, O Kgomo, J Munro Fourth row: M Khan, C Lehman, R Mistri, M Gourley, T Hammond, M Ten-Bokkel Huinink, G Sjouerman, N Reddy, U Mahomed Fifth row: L Campbell, C Veitch, B du Plessis, A Cottingham, T Jessop, D Stichelbout, S Gonneau, A McKillop Back row: P Latulipe Tunley, D Zoio, A Gourley, A Kerr

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Interact

As I near the end of time as President of Interact, I realise I have learnt more than a couple of valuable lessons. The most important of these is that helping the community doesn’t have to feel like work. Weekin and week-out, different members of Interact have come together, not only to lend a helping hand to the community, but also to garner a valuable perspective on the diverse lives that surround us. Whether it’s through serving a warm meal at St Joseph’s during their weekly soup kitchens, interacting with senior citizens at TAFTA, visiting orphanages, or even handing out refreshments at cycle races, the young men in the Interact club have consistently displayed a genuine interest in making people’s lives just a little easier. We have also been involved, not just in interacting with the community, but in giving back as well. We’ve recently started making sleeping bags for the homeless, as well contributing to SPCA collections and Easter egg drives and, every year, we try to increase the number of Santa’s Shoeboxes we contribute at Christmas time. I have felt gratified to participate in these initiatives and I know that the Clifton boys will continue to work passionately to ensure that we continue to support these programmes. Congratulations to the new Interact committee which comprises some exceptionally resourceful and committed young men who will continue the legacy of Interact. Thank you to Mevrou Wilkins – a woman who has put her heart and soul into the Interact club and who leads by example. Without her guidance, we would not have had such a firm sense of purpose and direction and we are grateful for her assistance. Furthermore, I’d like to thank the committee members who served with me this year: Jordie, despite his numerous commitments, was a steady and sure colleague who willingly gave of his time to participate and support our endeavours. Gordon was a consummate Secretary and Andelwa really found his niche as the Interact PRO. 2016 was a successful year and I am confident that Interact will continue to thrive in 2017. Guy Edmondson – President

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Left to right: L Gerber, D Barbieri, Mrs R Neveling (MIC of First Aid), A Omarjee, Z Motala

SERVICE

First Aid The first aiders have, once again, had a busy and productive year assisting at most of the rugby, soccer and basketball practices and matches. The skill and dedication the boys shown throughout the year has been such an inspiration and it has been a pleasure working with the boys. Often, they are the ‘first responders’ to deal with the minor injuries and you can be sure that they gained a lot of experience in dealing with sprains, bumps and even concussions. For many of the boys, this is their introduction into the world of medicine and, even for those boys who don’t plan on entering the medical field, the life skills they gain from being first aiders, are immeasurable. Once again, Clifton held a ‘Level 1’ course and we were gratified by the boys’ interest and willingness to learn. This course gives our lads the opportunity to qualify as first aiders, and the time spent on duty is also counted as part of the boys’ community service hours. Thank you to all the boys who gave of their time to serve their peers. Mrs R Neveling – MIC of First Aid

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CLIFTON

Culture 193

Seated: R Searle, R Mistri, L Mercouris, Ms A Holloway (MIC of Toastmasters) Y Balmakhun, S Muller, M Lang Second row: C Simpson, E Kraus, M Manson, N Veale, S Tattari, S Miloszewski, S Madonsela, L Campbell Third row: S Gevers, M Chivers, M Parfitt, W Masojada, B Tsai, D Bashford Back row: R Mohammed, S Vosloo, C Hartmann, J Walton, N Donnelly, B Evans Absent: C Hohls, R Hatton-Hall, S Farrell, T Klue, J Simmons

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Toastmasters From the first session, this year’s group of fine young men set a respectful tone and a positive energy, which they maintained throughout the course held in Term Three. Despite the long hours and extra strength needed after a gruelling day of academics and sport, the Thursday night tradition stood strong. Each member who participated, benefitted from the educational and supportive leadership of Attie and Elaine Swanepoel. The confidence gained in public speaking, both prepared and impromptu, and the attentive insight required in evaluating others’ speeches, opened the boys to a completely different approach to public speaking to which they had formerly been exposed. The Graduation Banquet was a perfectly run evening, during which the young Toastmasters showcased their skills in hosting an event which not only ran perfectly to time, but also highlighted the growth of these Grade 11 speakers and their flexibility in accommodating each other without sacrificing their own preferences for certain roles and duties. Congratulations to all who participated and graduated. The insights and humour shared during training sessions will be remembered and cherished. Mikael Lang and Bradley Evans (Prepared Speech), Rakeem Mohammed and Savvas Tattari, (Evaluation) and Nicholas Veale and Mikael Lang (Unprepared Speech) competed in the Regional, semi-final round of the Schools’ completion held at Danville on 22 October 2016. Mikael Lang won the Prepared Speech and came second in the Unprepared Speech, being selected to compete in the KZN final competition held on 3 December 2016. Thanks must go to Attie and Elaine who return every year to share their expertise, and continue their long-standing relationship with the Clifton family. Ms A Holloway – MIC of Toastmasters

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Bradley Evans, Savvas Tattari, Rakeem Mohammed, Nicholas Veale and Mikael Lang at the Toastmastersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Regional Semi-Finals. (Photo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mrs C Veale)

Debating

Seated: A Traicos, C Beetge, Mr McCabe (Director of Culture), E Chetty (Capt), Miss Gadd (MIC of Debating), G Edmondson. M Bensch Second row: S Dasarath, A Robertson, O Kidd, V Govender, E Buchanan, V Vite Third row: M Khan, K Baboolal, T Kajee, M Haribhai, N Suliman, S Soni Back row: A Cottingham, E Backman, A Sparks, J Simmons

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Senior debating members offer Points of Information during their debate against St Andrew’s.

Debating has always been alive and well at Clifton and 2016 was

to the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Championships, the future of

no different. We participated in the Durban Coastal Debating

debating certainly looks bright.

League with great enthusiasm, fielding no less than five teams. Our Grade 8 Team, comprising Michael Bensch, Anthony Traicos and Shrihaan Daserath, won the Grade 8 division of the League, with Michael Bensch being awarded top speaker in his age division, and Anthony Traicos earning third position. In the Junior division, Mihir Haribhai was also placed in the top five. Clifton has had a great history of producing top debaters, nationally and internationally and with five speakers (Oliver Kidd, who replaced Michael Bensch, Andrew Sparks, Mihir Haribhai, Ethan Backman and Guy Edmondson) being invited

Two senior debaters, Guy Edmondson and Ethan Chetty, were selected for the South African team that competed at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States of America. They both achieved overall rankings that placed them in the top 20 speakers in separate categories. The DCDL is the main focus of our debating year and the new debaters entering the league were offered the opportunity to be trained by some student speakers, as well as by the senior Clifton debaters. Those who missed the initial training also had the opportunity to participate in the Growth and Development League in order to refine their skills. At our annual Derby Day matches against St Andrew’s, our First Team emerged victorious with an outstanding opening speech by Cole Beetge. Indeed, all of our teams put on an exceptionally strong showing, only losing one of their debates. Unfortunately, after that successful Derby Day, we lost both debates against St David’s Marist, Inanda when we travelled to compete against them in Johannesburg in July. The competitive nature of those debates has established a healthy relationship between the two schools which we will continue to nurture.

Michael, Shrihaan and Anthony: winners of the DCDL Grade 8 section.

Debating is a fundamental skill which helps in every facet of life. During my five years of arguing, I have realised that my success is entirely due to the dedication of my senior mentors, the staff and the opportunities at Clifton. As a debater I can argue for artificial intelligence or I can argue against doing more to fight terrorism. I am informed; I am empowered and I know I can hold my own in any academic discussion. Ethan Chetty – Captain

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Guy, Mr McCabe and Ethan brave the cold in Pennsylvania

THE WORLD INDIVIDUAL DEBATING

and Public Speaking Championships The WIDPS Championships were held in early April, at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Guy Edmondson and Ethan Chetty qualified for the South African Team and were invited to attend what would turn out to be one of the busiest and best tournaments of our lives. Over 120 participants came together from over 10 different countries, representing the best school-age public speakers the world has to offer. Guy Edmondson was placed in the top 30 speakers and Ethan Chetty was placed in the top 40. In the specific speaking categories, Guy was placed ninth for After Dinner Speaking, eleventh in Interpretive Reading and seventeenth in Debating. Ethan finished twelfth for Persuasive speaking and thirteenth for interpretive reading. Considering these are world rankings, the Clifton boys can be very proud of their achievements! I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you, on behalf of Guy and Ethan, to Mr McCabe for his mentorship which enabled us to achieve such success at WIDPSC. Ethan Chetty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Grade 12

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COLLEGE PRODUCTION

OF MICE

and Men

The Senior Production of Of Mice and Men will surely be remembered by its cast and audience for numerous reasons. The audience may remember the production for evoking mixed moments of laughter and sorrow, as well as for the sheer enjoyment seeing their mates on stage performing. The cast, on the other hand, will remember it for so much more. We will remember the long hours of rehearsal, the torturous backstage waiting, the feeling of camaraderie amongst the cast members and that ultimate feeling of ‘payoff’ when we finally performed in front of an audience. On a personal note, I will remember my last ever performance at Clifton as one of which I can be exceptionally proud. Yes, I was proud of myself but more so of my fellow lead, Reece Gibbs, who made an excellent “George”, as well as my supporting cast of Cole Beetge, Angus Taylor, Christopher Hartmann, Andrew Sparks, Olusha Majola, and Aleks Robertson. The cast certainly delivered stellar performances which would not have been possible without the marvellous direction of Mr Boni, and Mev. Jordaan. I would like to express my gratitude to all who worked on the 2016 production: everyone’s contribution was valued and was integral to making the pay the success that is was. Guy Edmondson - Grade 12

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MAKING

Music

I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours. But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places. Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality.” ~ H. A. Overstreet (1894-1985) ~

One of the aims of the music department staff is to make sure that the music students become more involved in the reading and writing of music. This involves the study of music – its origins, cultures, elements and its historical value in the history of mankind as reflected in the different periods in history. But it also means giving the boys to opportunity to become even more involved in the active performing of music. Clifton embraces many different approaches geared at refining the teaching of music. Some of these methods have had extensive outcomes in the world such as the Dalcroze method which was developed by the Swiss musician Émile Jacques-Dalcroze. This method emphasises eurhythmics wherein concepts of rhythm, structure and musical expression using movement are highlighted. The Clifton boys are exposed to this more formal method in their music lessons and in their individual lessons. The entries for the theoretical and practical exams doubled this year. The highlight was the ABRSM Music Practical Examinations which took place in September. A number of boys enrolled and they excelled in both the ABRSM and Trinity College practical examinations. Music students were encouraged to perform at assemblies during the course of the year, participate in concerts and attend various symphony performances to enhance their musical knowledge. It is my firm belief that music keeps us sane and assists us in developing as a complete person enabling us all to fulfil our individual potential in this discipline. Music at Clifton is, without a doubt, thriving and we look forward to another successful year in 2017. Mnr G du Toit – Director of Music

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MUSIC

Competition

A much anticipated element of our Cultural Daze Festival is the annual Music Competition. This year, Ryan Slotow (vocal) and Robert Searle (instrumental) won the Classical category with Eric Hochstadter (vocal) and Aamir Singh (instrumental) in second place respectively. Cuan Robertson won first place in the Contemporary Voice category followed by Cuan and the Moles (vocal group) and Simon Munks (drums) came first in the Instrumental Contemporary category, followed by Liam Sandler (guitar). The two judges, Lindy Vermeulen from St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DGC, and Philip Khortem, were very impressed by the standard of the competition. Mnr G du Toit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Director of Music

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CLIFTON

Choir

Seated: E Chetty, K Naidoo, C Beetge, R Slotow (Head of Choir), Mnr G du Toit (Director of Music), J Munro (Deputy Head Chorister), A Vink, G Wang, K Haug Second row: U Chetty, J Mileham, V Vite, J Taylor, T Rajput, R Searle, A Robertson, K Monson, L Wang, T Mudaly Third row: M Corris-Nordengen, N Moodley, T Govender, B Saayman, N Khan, V Naidoo, S Paton, S Mudaly, N Rotham Fourth row: M Claase, O Kgomo, S Rajcoomar, B Pearson, J Munro, C Lehman, R Goosen, T Koch, D Cele, K Moodley Fifth row: G Jeffers, R Rohith, A Traicos, D Farquharson, E Cameron, J Turner, S Madonsela, S Meaker, M Zulu Sixth row: J Stevens, S Juggernath, E Hochstadter, N Veale, C Ferreira, J Koch, D Freitag, P Latulipe Tunley, L Gerber, L Sandler Back row: J Platford, A Anthias, J Bartholomew, S Vosloo, A Sparks, L Geddie, S Gevers, S Holmes, A Cottingham, A Voigt

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CHOIR

Report

Following rigorous auditioning, a choir of 90 boys was formed. Headed by Ryan Slotow, the choir started preparing for the Annual Choir Festival which took place in March in the Ken MacKenzie Hall. The Chamber Choir, which toured Poland in July, rehearsed every Monday and Wednesday evening, and also prepared for the tour during scheduled ‘Choir Weekends’. The challenge was to study for the tour performances and workshops which were to be part of the tour itinerary – more of which are detailed in the tour report. This was a memorable event for everyone involved. A huge thank you to all the boys for representing Clifton School, and South Africa, on this first international choir tour. Also, a big thank you to Mr Farquharson, Mr and Mrs du Toit and Mrs Lou Tolken for accompanying the choristers to Poland. The touring group participated also in a Royal Schools of Music Choir Examination on 22 September, performing an Intermediate programme. The following music students represented the school on a provincial level this year when they were selected as members of the KZN Youth Choir: Ryan Slotow, Ryan Rohith, Erich Hochstadter, Pascal Latulipe Tunley, Liam Sandler, Nikiel Moodley, Senthil Mudaly and Sven Paton. I have been thoroughly impressed by the boys’ enthusiasm and commitment, and have enjoyed working with the College boys. I look forward to an equally successful 2017. Mnr G du Toit – Director of Music

202

CHOIR TOUR TO

Poland

The touring party departed from Durban on 27 June for the first ever Clifton School International Choir Tour to Poland. The main aim of this tour was to participate in the 39th International Music Festival Impressions, Bydgoszcz, as the guest choir. We spent the first two days in Warsaw and, on arrival, went to the beautiful Mercure Centrum Hotel where we were treated to a big buffet breakfast, before departing on a city tour of Warsaw. We visited the memorial site of the Jewish ghetto and Lezinsky Park where we saw the magnificent statue of Chopin. After a suitable acclimatization period, the choir departed for Bydgoszcz where we stayed for five days. Meneer du Toit presented a choral workshop at the Music Academy for three hours and, afterwards, we headed for the informal gathering of the participants of the Bydgoszcz Music Festival: a traditional open-air festival in which all the competing groups would teach everyone present a local dance or song from their home country. The actual competition was a musical kaleidoscope where we were exposed to music and dance from many different cultures and countries. Some of the most memorable performances were: a Serbian accordion group (who was awarded the grand prize), the folklore music groups (Ukraine, Latvia, Czech, Poland) and the string quartets. A definite highlight was the opportunity for Robbie and Ryan to attend master classes under the tutorage of top music professors who gave them advice on how to improve their performances. The final Gala Evening was a spectacular affair, held at the Opera Nova. The Clifton Choir led the mass choir event at this brilliant closing ceremony which also included a flag parade by gymnasts, symphony orchestras and ensembles, and the presentation of the prizes. We left Bydogoszcz, imbued with musical appreciation and headed for Slupsk where we were to perform at a local church. We will always remember the Cardinal who gave each of us a piece of fudge to thank us for our performance! The congregation was thrilled by the fact that a cardinal started dancing in the cathedral â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the first time in the church history! We arrived in Szczecin and met Professor Eugeniusz Kus who had organised the tour for the choir â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a gentle but strict musician. We then departed for Kamien Pomorski where

203

the choir performed in a Baroque cathedral at yet another sacred music festival. To our surprise, we received another standing ovation and, in good spirits, the choir departed for a feast in a nearby restaurant. The next day, the choir departed for Poznan. old

town,

We toured the marvelled

the

architecture and tasted some local Polish dishes before making our way to Murowana Goslina, where we would be staying overnight at a local university. This was the last performance for the group on tour and, again, the choir ended the evening with a standing ovation. The university is surrounded by a forest and the exhausted travellers fell asleep to the howling of wolves and

various

other

nocturnal

nightlife. For many of us, our next stop was a life-changing experience: Auschwitz. Throughout this daytour, the boys remained silent, out of both respect and shock when faced with such a reminder of man’s capacity for brutality to his fellow man. After leaving the famous ‘Arbeit macht frei’ gates, we visited Birkenau. By now, the group was stunned into silence as the petite guide told us about the

horrors

the

women’s

concentration camp. We ended the tour by spending the last day in Krakow where we all had free time, before heading to the airport to fly home. The memories we made will become a part of our consciousness going forward into adulthood and we are, undoubtedly, all the richer for having had these experiences. Nicholas Veale, Ryan Slotow, Kumseelan Naidoo and Robert Searle.

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SOCIETIES & INTERESTS

Film Academy Seated: C Beetge, G Edmondson, S Gevers, ‘Fletchdog’ (MIC of Film Academy), B Evans, W Masojada, J Stevens Second row: V Govender, A Omarjee, J Holmes, E Cameron, J Turner, S Paton Third row: A Robertson, M Zulu, M Nel, K Padayachee, K Leslie-Smith, E Lundy Back row: S Gonneau, C Harding, S Vosloo, C Hartmann, D Scragg, T Hammond

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The Film Academy has continued to develop over the course of this year. The lads have been involved in some interesting projects. In addition to producing a new marketing video for the school, they interviewed Ian McCallum (a Springbok rugby player who is also a renowned poet). The students have also focused on several documentary film projects, including a profile of the Family Literacy Project, as well as short films about the work being done by iCare – a local NGO. Overall, we have loaded over 250 videos onto our YouTube channel, to which over 200 people have subscribed, and our videos have had over 80 000 views. We have also extended our training to include sound and music editing, and Daniel Basckin • Sound Design & Editing: Sven Paton & Ethan Lundy – “Toilet has been a revelation in this regard – his expertise has been inTunes” valuable in opening up new avenues for the boys to explore. • Acting: Brad Evans – “Human Nature” Some of our students entered the Interpret Durban competition • Production Design: Britney Hughes (Our Lady of Fatima) – “Ogres” this year. This is a creative competition that covers photography, th video, illustration, visual art and architecture. Aleks Robert- • Screenwriting: Aleks Robertson – “The 10 Trip” son and Ethan Lundy did exceptionally well to come third in the • Editing: Ethan Lundy – “Toilet Tunes”

video category – this is quite an achievement as this competi- • Cinematography: Michael Heath – “Obrigado, Portugal!” tion is open to the public, which means that they were compet- • Directing: Sven Paton & Ethan Lundy – “Toilet Tunes” ing against industry professionals. Once again, the students were also expected to produce their own short films and these were showcased at The Ogres – our annual Clifton Film Festival. It was great to see that the standard of the films has continued to improve. The winners were:

206

• Best Narrative Short Film: Brad Evans & William Masojada – “Human Nature” • Best Documentary Short Film: Aleks Robertson – “The 10th Trip” The Fletchdog – MIC of Film Academy

FLY

Fishing

Scottish poet, Robbie Burns, penned the famous lines, “The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry” and that was certainly the case with the fly fishing club this year. Three excursions were planned for the year: a trip to participate in the annual Kokstad Fly Fishing Festival, a trip to The Bend in the Natal Midlands and my favorite, tiger fishing on the Pongola River. Unfortunately, we got off to a bad start when the Kokstad Fly Fishing Festival was cancelled by the organizers as a result of the ongoing drought and low water levels in the dams to be fished. Despite a lack of fish, we did go to the Midlands which proved to be a most enjoyable experience, characterized by good food, much laughter and a great deal of time spent untangling lines from the surrounding foliage. The third trip, tiger fishing on the Pongola River, was also cancelled but happily so: a large number of our boys were chosen to represent a variety of kwaZulu Natal teams to participate in the annual Interprovincial Fly Fishing Tournament to be held in Pilgrim’s Rest. It was just unfortunate that the Nationals fell over the same period as the trip to Pongola. In this regard, congratulations must be extended to the following pupils for being chosen to represent their province: Michael Lavers, Matthew Hollinshead (KZN B Team), Marco Forno (KZN C Team), Greg Selles (Non-travelling reserve). Whilst I know that 2017 will bring its own set of challenges, I trust that it will bring ample rain, hungry fish and more boys making provincial teams. Mr F Farquharson – MIC of Fly-fishing

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Seated: N Veale, J Bennett, D Scragg, Mrs V Latulipe Tunley (MIC of SCA), R Searle, J Stevens Middle row: M Corris-Nordengen, O Kgomo, M Zulu, J Munro, D Williamson Back row: C Lehman, M Bennett, A Kerr, J Mahanga

STUDENTS’ CHRISTIAN

Association

2016 began with an overwhelming response as we welcomed many new faces into our SCA. Over the course of the year, we have grown into a tightly-knit family. Our members have become comfortable with one another and do not hesitate to ask questions about their faith or life. We have all worked hard on our personal journeys of becoming “kingdom carriers” who represent Christ in all that we do. This has changed SCA from a formal society into a group of “Brothers in Christ”, where we can all learn from one another’s experiences and grow. Our weekly meetings have been both enjoyable and valuable. We began a new tradition of snack sharing which, I’m sure, added to the overall enjoyment of our meetings! During SCA sessions, we get together in a relaxed environment whilst the leaders (Robert Searle, Jono Bennett, Daniel Scragg, Nic Veale and Joel Stevens) or invited guests, shared their faith. The focus of this year was based on 1 John 4:19: “We love because he first loved us”. Learning from this scripture, we have been striving to serve one another in love, growing together as a family and forming strong bonds. This theme was reinforced during the first few weeks of the year. We decided to ask our members what they would like to see happening in the SCA, and “become like a family” was the overwhelming response. One of th e highlights of the year was attending a youth rally hosted by Maris Stella in the first term. We also jointly hosted several Olive Tree youth events throughout the year which comprised worship, talks as well as interesting activities. The SCA leaders would like to extend our gratitude toward all who have supported us throughout this year with guidance and encouragement. A special thanks to Andrew Fairweather from Olive Tree Church for your leadership, incredible insight and for always finding the time to help us out with your sermons; you have truly helped us all in advancing God’s kingdom. To Mrs Tunley: thank you for your leadership, guidance and love, all of which have held our group together and has ensured the development and smooth running of the Clifton SCA. Thursday second breaks have become a special time which we look forward to. We hope to continue our growth in faith and numbers in 2017 as we strive to serve Christ. Joel Stevens – Co-leader of SCA

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COLLEGE

Sport 209

CLIFTON

Challenge

210

211

A SUMMER OF

Sport

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BASKETBALL

First Team

Seated: B Henry, Mr H Goedeke (Principal), C Black (Capt), C Dorkin, Mr P Farquharson (MIC of Basketball), G Frigerio Middle row: T Shangase, W van Rooyen, S Nzama, C Jordaan, J Mwepu Back row: J Masojada-Edwards, N Erskine

213

BASKETBALL

Report

Basketball is said to be the fastest growing sport in Africa and, at Clifton, this certainly seems to be evident as basketball continues to grow in terms of popularity and the number of teams we can field. This year we fielded 10 teams in all, and had the potential to field even more. The interest is certainly there amongst the boys although we are limited at the moment in terms of available courts. The introduction of the early morning and physical education training sessions are paying off and we have seen a definite improvement in the basic skills of the boys. Added to this, the introduction of specialized positional training is also paying dividends although we will only really be able to assess the benefits of this once the season resumes. To alleviate court pressure, we introduced staggered practice times which allows each team more court time which will definitely benefit us in the long run. As always, however, the fixture list sees us play against a number of the top schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; teams in South Africa and the results tend to reflect this. When our First Team plays the DHS First Team, it is essentially the equivalent of our First Rugby XV taking on Paarl Boys! And yet the boys do it with an enthusiasm and determination which, I believe, is testimony to their strength of character. I am, however, extremely optimistic about the strength of the junior teams coming through. The Under 14A Team has excelled this year, losing only one fixture in the first term (a three-point loss to Michaelhouse in a game we should have won.) In addition, a number of players have been chosen to represent the Durban Central Team and they will take part in the second round of KwaZulu Natal trials. Congratulations to Rhys Owens, Thobani Shangase, Daniel Farquharson and Jacques Mahange, in the under 15 age group, and to Cameron Jordaan in the under 17 age group. We wish these boys well for the next round of trials. Mr P Farquharson â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MIC of Basketball

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Basketball

Second Team

Seated: D Farquharson, T Chetty, Mr T Mavuso (Coach), Y Amod, N Parent Standing: S Sithole, C Le Roux, R Mohammed, R Khan, E Backman, M Buttery, N Veale

Basketball

Third Team

Seated: M Zulu, R Mistri, Mr T Mavuso (Coach), U Mahomed, L Campbell Standing: O Brouckaert, M Barbieri, L Peter, R Mohammed, N Mlangeni, M Vally

Basketball

Under 16 A

Seated: L Zama,Â J Turner, Mr P Farquharson (MIC of Basketball), S Naidoo Standing: B du Plessis, S Nzama, Z Gxawu, D Zoio

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Basketball

Under 16 B

Seated: V Govender, T Hammond, Mr T Mavuso (Coach), C Harding, S Gonneau Middle row: T Baboolal, K Leslie-Smith, A Rose, S Gokool Back row: J Lambert, C Ferreira, H Gopalan, J Bailey, E Cameron

Basketball

Under 15 A

Seated: L Gerber, Mr F Farquharson (MIC of Basketball), R Owens, Mr M Mthembu (Coach), J Mahanga Standing: O Majola, L Bega, M Nagy Absent: S Mkhize, J Bartholomew

Basketball

Under 15B

Seated: Z Motala, S Moodley, Mr M Mthembu (Coach), M Aziz Cassim, A Khan Middle row: N Moodley, A Ismail, T Govender, S Mudaly Back row: O Kidd, N Naidoo, A Jamun, R Eddles

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Basketball

Under 14A

Seated: N Ngcobo, D Farquharson, Mr C Ncobeni (Coach), T Shangase, A Christodoulou Standing: M Dabideen, D Smith, S Meyer, D Cele, J Bessick

Basketball

Under 14B

Seated: A Lukhozi, L Ncobeni, Mr C Ncobeni (Coach), L Leslie-Smith, V Vite Standing: O Shabane, S Juggernath, M Doyle, R Singh, A Traicos

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Seated: M Hollinshead, F Kinnear (Capt), Mr J Parry (MIC of Canoeing), M Loder (Vice-capt), G Edward Middle row: J Mileham, M Claase, J Niemand, N Singh, W Pearse, M Forno Back row: G Sjouerman, M Nel, L Geddie, J Matthews, J Stevens

CANOEING

Report Races in the 2016 canoeing season were fewer than usual owing to the drought and consequent lower water levels. Another deleterious factor was that some of the dates of races were scheduled during Cliftonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter sports programme in order to accommodate the Canoe Polo World Championships in September, and this meant we were unable to compete. In the Schools Sprints, Matthew Hollinshead placed 19th and Marco Forno 24th in the Under 16 age group, whilst Matthew Loder placed 30th and Finn Kinnear 37th in the Under 18 age group. In the only river race, which was held on the Lions River, Matthew Hollinshead placed 23rd and Marco Forno 26h in the Under 16 age group, whilst Matt Loder placed 26th and Finn Kinnear 39th in the Under 18 age group. Congratulations must also go to Gregory Binedell and James Matthews, both of whom competed, with their respective parents, in the Fish River Canoe Marathon which was held in October. Well done to all the paddlers! Mr J Parry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MIC of Canoeing

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CRICKET

Report

The 2016 cricketing year has been a good one for the Clifton boys. They have participated in a number of festivals throughout the year and have performed exceptionally well in their league fixtures. Our under 14 sides have shown great depth and have been particularly strong this year. At the time of writing this report, the boys are busy preparing for their traditional Cape Town Tour where they are scheduled to play some of the best cricketing schools in the country. They have also had some very good performances this year in their league matches and there have been a host of excellent individual performances. The Under 14 B Team has not lost a fixture this year and we are very proud of the way they have conducted themselves. The Under 15A Team also had a few exceptional performances against some of the biggest schools in the country at their various festivals, one of which was, ironically, a nail-biting loss against St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the Independent Schools Festival in February. This group has no fewer than five players who have been selected to the zonal section of the KZN Trials and we wish them well for the trials. Our Under 16A Team maintained their winning formula from last year and have continued to post some very big scores against their opposition. Owing to the strength of this side, Clifton introduced a Development Tour for the first time to ensure that these players were given the right amount of stimulation to maintain the level at which they have been performing. And, finally, our First XI has, once again, been at the top of their game. They achieved a spot in the finals of the Schools T20 for the first time, beating some of the biggest names in the coastal division of this tournament. They have maintained an excellent record in the local league and have represented Clifton at the highest standard at the festivals in which they have participated. The First XI will be defending their title in Zimbabwe in the Ram Slam T20 during the Michaelmas holiday break and we wish them all the best. We have also benefitted from the outstanding facilities that the boys now have at Riverside and this has enabled our cricket to grow. These facilities, coupled with exceptional coaching staff, who are passionate about cricket at Clifton, means that we can look forward to an even more successful 2017. Mr S Fitzmaurice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MIC of Cricket

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CRICKET

First XI Seated: Mr H Goedeke (Principal), A Paul

(Vice-capt), Mr M Savage (Coach), Z Paruk (Capt), Mr B Scullard (Coach) Middle row: C Porter, M Seedat, M Montgomery, W Masojada, M Manson, R Slotow Standing: J Brown, A Vink, D de Kock, L Shave, J Lavery Absent: S Holmes

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FIRST XI CRICKET

Report

The First XI of 2016 was certainly the most talented group

down, needing 70 runs for victory, and yet our boys managed

of players that I have ever had the privilege of coaching. It

to block out for a draw.

was a group of players who, in 2015, were very young and inexperienced, who grew significantly this year owing to their determination and work ethic. Their success is also attributable to the strong leadership from Captain, Zak Paruk, and his Vice-

The end of February saw the First XI travel to St Alban’s for the annual Independent Schools Cricket Festival. The most intriguing contest is always the two-day ‘test match’ and this year we were pitted against Falcon College from Zimbabwe

captain, Aaron Paul.

– a team we had played in the final of the Ram-Slam T20

The season kicked off in January when Clifton participated

in Zimbabwe in 2015. It was a match that was very well

in the DHS 150 Year Cricket Festival. This was a brilliant way

contested and ended in a Clifton victory by 7 wickets on the

to start the year as we hosted matches on the newly-laid

final afternoon. The following day, two half centuries later, Zak

Riverside Main Oval. Apart from a narrow two wicket loss to

Paruk and Montgomery could not prevent a narrow two-wicket

Queen’s College, the First XI recorded impressive victories

loss to St Benedict’s. The final day of the festival saw us take on

over Selbourne College and Jeppe. The next match against

the only undefeated team in the country, St Stithians, in a T20.

Krugersdorp will be fondly remembered for Aaron Paul

Having to chase 151 runs, we fell agonisingly short by 3 runs.

breaking the school record with a magnificent 164 runs, and

The final match of the season saw the Clifton First XI record a

one of the School’s largest victory margins of 306 runs. In

comfortable 5 wicket victory over Jeppe.

2015, the ‘Stayers’ cricket team had recorded victories over

Term Three started with a number of warm-up matches in

Glenwood, Thomas More, Port Natal and Westville and made it

which the First XI recorded victories over Westville by 86 runs,

through to the CSA T20 semi-finals against DHS. It was a closely

DHS by 13 runs and Kearsney by 12 runs but, unfortunately,

contested affair in which some fantastic bowling from Aaron

they lost to our Old Boys by 9 runs. These matches were good

Paul and Zak Paruk saw Clifton win by 18 runs. Unfortunately,

preparation for the upcoming tour to Zimbabwe for the St

against Kearsney will not be remembered with fondness: the

John’s T20. This tour began with a warm-up match against the

boys played at Kingsmead, in front of our home crowd, and the

hosts in which Matthew Montgomery scored 100 and Clifton

occasion became too big for our batsmen; we failed to chase

eased to a 73 run victory. The tournament began with an

the 115 runs that Kearsney had set, losing by 93 runs. One thing

unfortunate loss to St George’s, but the team bounced back to

about the First XI of 2016 is that they have character and they

record victories over Prince Edward by 8 wickets, St John’s by 38

bounced back to record victories over St Andrew’s (in which

runs and Falcon College by 21 runs in the semi-final. The final

Paruk took 5 for 11), DHS and Michaelhouse. Added to this,

saw us pitted against St George’s and, despite a valiant 107 not-

was a match against St Charles in which the team was 9 wickets

out from Montgomery, Clifton eventually lost by 5 wickets with

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4 balls to spare. A disappointing end to a wonderful tour and

which saw Clifton record their first ever competitive victory

tournament but the coaching staff were extremely proud of the

over Kearseny at First Team level.

efforts each and every player.

With a fixtures against DHS, Hilton and Maritzburg College

After only a three day rest, the team found themselves playing

still to happen at the time of writing this report, it certainly

Martizburg College for the annual Michaelmas Cricket Week.

has been another action-packed cricket season and one of

This festival is the oldest and most prestigious cricket festival in the country and there is never an easy fixture. St Andrew’s (Grahamstown) were our first opponents and, after some early struggles, Clifton posted 187. St Andrew’s started well but, in the space of a devastating over from Porter (3 for 29), and then a phenomenal spell of bowling from Paruk (5-11), we saw Clifton record an 89 run victory. The next match was against a very strong Hudson Park that batted very well. Nevertheless, aided by some poor bowling, we posted 248/5. A magnificent innings of 107 from Slotow and contributions of 43 and 48* from Montgomery and Paruk, respectively, saw Clifton chase down their highest ever run chase to win by 2 wickets. The following match saw Clifton face Grey College. Grey batted first after winning the toss and were restricted to 181-8 in their 35 overs in a game which was badly interrupted by rain, although we did witness some magnificent bowling from Brown (4-40). Clifton sadly never got a turn to bat as rained ended the day’s play. The final match was against a powerful Affies team in a T20 that saw them record a comfortable 8 wicket victory. The start of Term Four saw the First XI outplayed by spirited Michaelhouse team that managed to chase 216 runs with relative ease. The next fixture was against Kearsney. Kearsney won the toss and elected to bat and Clifton bowled beautifully and dismissed the hosts for 200 runs. The chase was never in doubt with an opening partnership between Paul (41) and Masojada (46) of 98. Paruk then took the team home with a magnificent 65 not out, along with Montgomery (34 not out)

Cricket

Second XI

Seated: T Mulla, Mr J Piek (Manager), L Mercouris, J Cook, Mr D McVicar (Coach), R Singh Middle row: L Niekerk, J Yarde-Leavett, C Jordan, J Munro, D Bashford, J McGregor Back row: Co Webber, M Haribhai, R Deeley-Barnard, W Bennett, R Ward, M Gavran, S Tattari.

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which the team of 2016 can be immensely proud. Special congratulations must go to the following players for making provincial teams: Zak Paruk and Matthew Montgomery (KZN Under 19); Aaron Paul (non-traveling reserve); Joshua Brown and William Masojada (KZN Under 17). Mr M Savage – Coach

Cricket

Under 16 A

Seated: J Groves, Mr A Dunn (Coach), C Veitch, Mr C Rein (Coach), U Mahomed Middle row: M McIntyre, S Quinn, M Lewis, E Mbambisa Back row: M Haribhai, M Goedeke, R Ward, D Freitag, M Noorbhai

Cricket

Under 15 A

Seated: A Chetty, Mr D Buckthorp (Coach), J Hean, Mr S Fitzmaurice (Manager), D Elgar Middle row: A Inggs, C Tully, J Munro, G Kirby, L Ashton, J Borrageiro Back: C Cryer, A Narsai, J Feuilherade, A Sparks, C Lehman

Cricket

Under 15 B

Seated: E Buchanan, A Robertson, Mr P McKay (Coach), A Cottingham, S Nkosi Standing: T Rajput, W Huggins, M Khan, A Narsai, A Sparks, M Bosch, J Edwards, A Inggs

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Cricket

Under 14 A

Seated: M Mottura, Mr W Scott (Coach), N Jeewa, Mr S Wilson (Coach), M Strous Middle row: N Rotham, J Munford, K Moodley, M Adams Back row: S Rajcoomar, T Ridgway, D Ganpath, S Naicker, M Ballim

Cricket

Under 14 B

Seated: B Silver, Mr B Mtawarira (Coach), S Klue, Mr C Scullard (Coach), O Kgomo Middle row: N Moodley, J Taylor, M Peer, M Williamson Back row: N Govender, C Tillard, J Platford, T Moodley

Cricket

Under 14 C

Seated: N Narotam, B Pearson, Mr B Scullard (Coach), K Monson, R Godbolt Standing: T Mudaly, Z Kiratu, M Claase, D Thom, M Govender

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CLIFTON

Swimming

Seated: M Meyer, C Simpson, Mrs B Bowley (MIC of Swimming), N Frimas (Capt), T Misdorp (Capt), Mr J Appelgryn (Coach), M Conversano, B Bothwell. Second row: O Chetty, J Whiley, G Edward, R Roberts, C Simpson, C Poovan, S Rich, S Taylor, C Steadman Third row: L Pereira, T Hill, M Bennett, M di Paolo, J Bennett, C Michau, J Parry, K Tostee Fourth row: D Stichelbout, L Lourenco, L Walton, N Ditz, J Matthews, M Doyle, A Psannis, L Hansen Back row: J Bartholomew, J Walton, C Coetzee, S Garreau, W Dowsett, C White

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SWIMMING

Report

This year’s swimming season was totally disrupted by the weather and, unfortunately, two major galas – the Independent Schools’ Gala and the Top Eight Gala – were cancelled owing to lightning. This was disappointing for our team who had trained hard and prepared well. Unfortunately, we did not attend the annual Westville Gala either, so the season was certainly shortened which was a huge pity. We started the season with the School Championship Gala which was well supported. Mention must be made of the very enthusiastic Under 14 group who were all very keen. Each of their races had the full complement of 12 swimmers, with reserves eagerly waiting a swim. This is most encouraging and I hope this enthusiasm will continue. The Victor Ludoriums for the respective age groups were as follows: Under 14: James Parry; Under 15 Luke Pereira; Under 16: Cole Poovan; Under 17: Jono Bennett and our Open Victor Ludorum was Travis Misdorp. With the Top Eight Gala being cancelled, the Durban and Districts Gala became the highlight of the season. Our school preformed incredibly well, particularly in the under 14 and open age groups. We performed consistently throughout the night and earned valuable points. Second and third place came down to the final race, and we were narrowly beaten by Glenwood, achieving third place in the end, ahead of Kearsney, Northwood and DHS. Many of our swimmers also competed in the Midmar Mile and we commend all our boys on completing the challenge, but in particular: Matthew Meyer (second position, with a time of 17:03); Michael McGlynn (third position, with a time of 17:38) and Chad Michau (Thirteenth with a time of 18:26) on their outstanding places in the Open age group. As a coach, I could not have been prouder of a team: the boys showed huge heart and massive determination throughout the season. But the absolute cherry-on-the-top of the season was the inclusion of Matt Meyer into the South African Team to compete in his first Olympics, in the 1500m in Rio. What an amazing achievement to be crowned Clifton’s first Olympian! My thanks go to Jarred Appelgryn who prepared the team so well for the season and to Travis Misdorp and Nicholas Frimas for leading our team so admirably. We look forward to an exciting 2017. Mrs B Bowley – MIC of Swimming

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CLIFTON’S FIRST OLYMPIAN:

Matthew Meyer The entire Clifton community celebrated when Matthew Meyer was selected to compete in the 1500m swim at the Olympics in Brazil this year. Matthew is the first Clifton scholar to represent his country at the Olympics in an indoor swimming event and family, friends and peers held their collective breath when he swam his 30 laps – the culmination of years of training, dedication and commitment. Matthew addressed the school on his return, chronicling, in a remarkably humble manner, his experiences in Brazil. A true Clifton legend, Matthew epitomizes our motto: Prodesse Quam Conspici. Matthew is a young competitor who is determined to continue his trajectory to success and Clifton will be watching and supporting him as he continues his incredible swimming journey. Mrs B Bowley – MIC of Swimming

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WATER POLO

Report The 2016 First Team water polo season will surely go down in School history as one to remember. The year started out with a pre-season training camp that included some hard swimming, whilst getting the boys back into a water polo frame of mind. Once again, the team attended the Grey Bloem Tournament at the end of January. This tour is always beneficial in terms of getting some much needed game time early in the season. The team showed absolute determination from the start, winning all their pool games. A tough semi-final encounter against Glenwood was next but the boys were up to the challenge and came away with a well-deserved win. This set up another local derby game in the final agains DHS. The Clifton boys proved too strong for their neighbours and were crowned tournament winners. A very good start to the year! There were a few local fixture wins as we prepared for the annual Cape Town training tour. This tour has proven to be an important part of our preparation for the big KES Tournament at the end of the first term season. We started off poorly with two narrow losses. Serious reflection was needed by all members of the team. Fortunately, the boys responded well and they performed magnificently in the remainder of their games. By the end of the tour, it was clear that the team had gelled. They had received a lot of game time and could walk away with three good wins – the highlight being the match against Stellenbosch University’s Men’s Team. I can confidently say that this was the fixture in which our boys became men! The team continued with their winning streak over the next few local games, and also defeated the touring Jeppe First Team. By this stage, they were ready to take on the challenge of the KES Tournament, which has become the premier tournament in South Africa in Term One. Clifton had reached the semi-finals in 2015 and had never before made the finals of this tournament. The pool stages went according to play with three wins out of three games. The quarter-final against Grey PE saw Clifton emerge as comfortable winners. We were one step closer to achieving our goal! Local favourites, St John’s, was our semifinal opponent. A strong start from the boys put the game to bed early and we marched on to the final which turned out to be a re-match of one of the earlier pool games against St Stithians. We managed to hang on to our one-goal lead and, for the first time in Clifton water polo history, the First Team were crowned KES Tournament champions – you can imagine the celebrations amongst the boys! After a short break in Term Two, the winter training started. This preseason time in the water was vital if we were to achieve our second

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goal for 2016: to win the Clifton Tournament. A great deal of effort and time was invested by the boys during this preparation period, which paid off when the boys won the KZN First Team Winter League. After having won both the Grey Bloem and KES tournaments, one could see that the boys felt the pressure of defending the Clifton Tournament title. Yet again, the pool stages went well for Clifton with a full-house of three wins. A tough quarter-final against Hilton was next and the boys dug deep to get the win. The semi-final saw a replay of the KES Tournament semi-final against St John’s. Some clinical attacking play assured us of our place in the final against local rivals Glenwood. The final lived up to all expectations and the Clifton First Team ended up defending their title for the third, consecutive year. It is significant that this was the first time that any school had won both the KES Tournament and the Clifton Tournament in the same year. One last major event for the 2016 season lay ahead: the KZN Schools’ Top 10. After a long weekend of polo, the

Caleb Simpson took part in the Water Polo Junior

team made it through to the final and, yet again, it was

World Champs in Montenegro as part of the SA Under 18 Team.

a Clifton versus Glenwood match up. The game went down to the wire and, on the day, the rub of the green went against the Clifton gents, and Glenwood won the game by a mere one goal. This should not take away from the fact that the Clifton team made a huge effort and it was unfortunate that our boys were dealt a few injury blows during the game. Nevertheless, Clifton retained the overall title, proving that they are the best polo school in KZN once again. Sandwiched in between the last few local fixtures, was the Stayers Tour to Saints. This is always a good bench mark to see how the new team for the next season will stack up. This year’s event was definitely a tough one but it proved to be a great learning experience that will stand the new team in good stead for 2017. All in all, the 2016 water polo season yielded some momentous results. Real credit needs to go to the boys who sacrificed personal time in order to achieve the heights that have been chronicled in this report. I would also like to thank the coaching staff who were intrinsic to making this such a successful season.

JUSTIN JAMES ADVERTISING

• 2235 CLIFTON COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Mr P Martin – Director of Aquatics

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WATER POLO

First Team

Seated: L Appelgryn, O Milne, C Simpson (Vice-capt), Mr P Martin (Director of Aquatics), M Conversano (Capt), C Robertson, J Walton Standing: J Bennett, W Dowsett, S Farrell, B Bothwell, T Howard, J Koch, T Hill

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Water Polo

Second Team

Seated: B Evans, J Scott, Mr J Appelgryn (Coach), D Torr, C Munz Middle row: D Bradfield, C Reed, T du Plooy, M Di Paolo, S Muller, C Simpson Back row: J Munz, R Hatton-Hall, S Garreau, D Stichelbout

Water Polo

Third Team

Seated: M Uppink, N Reddy, Mr K Garrett (Coach), J Strous, C Tostee Middle row: E Kraus, J Hawkesworth, J Emde, J Laggar, L Stirling, K Whiteboy Back row: C Hartmann, N Donnelly, C White, C Haug

Water Polo

Fourth Team

Seated: A Bergonzoli, M Parfitt, Ca Webber, Mr M Howieson (Coach), D Harris, A Taylor Middle row: D Miles, L van der Vyver, S Miloszewski, C Miles, L Sandler, B Annandale Back row: B Cleaver, E Hochstadter, I Modola, A McKillop

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Water Polo

Under 16 A

Seated: K Whiteboy, D Bradfield, Mr M Howieson (Coach), C Reed, W Dowsett, T Hill Standing: D Stichelbout, T du Plooy, J Munz, T Howard, J Koch, N Reddy

Water Polo

Under 15 A

Seated: J Whiley, L Walton, Mr M Downes (Coach), M Bennett, G Binedell Standing: R Roberts, D Garreau, A Kerr, A Psannis, L Hansen, S Rich

Water Polo

Under 15 B

Seated: M Corris-Nordengen, E Lundy, Mr W Edwards (Coach), D Williamson, S Paton Middle row: K Muller, J Nieuwenhuys, L Pereira, R Laggar, S Marshall, T Koch Back row: R Waller, J Bartholomew, J Feuilherade, M Kalil

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Water Polo

Under 14 A

Seated: S Cliff, S Taylor, Mr J Saayman (Coach), J Parry, O Chetty Middle row: J Sang, G Sjouerman, C Geils, G Edward, C Steadman, B Saayman Back row: Z Baitz, J Matthews, L Lourenco, N Ditz

Water Popo

Under 14 B

Seated: T Dell, B Kraus, Mr J Applegryn (Coach), W Pearse, M Doyle Middle row: U Chetty, M Bensch, K Gibson, R Gatonby, B Larsson, K Monson Back row: M Gourley, M Gevers, J Matthews, J Platford, C Tillard, M Ten-Bokkel Huinink, M Douglas

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WINTER

Sport

234

Seated: C McCarthy, J Stevens, M Boosey (Capt), Mrs T Doyle (MIC of Cross Country), M Loder, B du Plessis, C Simpson Second row: V Vite, M Williamson, R Godbolt, E Lundy, B Larsson, D Thom Third row: N Govender, O Kidd, B Pearson, G Edward, L Bega, M Lipawsky, M Corris-Nordengen Fourth row: G Jeffers, M Khan, A Traicos, R Gatonby Back row: L Gerber, M Doyle, S Meyer, J Holmes Absent: D Barbieri, D Scragg, S Madonsela, S Sithole

CROSS COUNTRY

Report

“Running is nothing more than a series of arguments between the part of your brain that wants to stop and the part that wants to keep going.” – Unknown This was a most successful cross country season! Each race was approached with enthusiasm and determination. Our team had the privilege of being coached by Claude Eksteen who found his love for running at an early age, and who went on the represent KZN and South Africa. On behalf of the team, I’d like to thank Claude for his invaluable coaching skills and his encouragement for each member of the team.

runners also performed well with Joel Stevens, Callum Simpson, Daniel Scragg and Ben de la Porte achieving some noteworthy times. Matthew CorrisNordengen, George Edward and Ryan Gatonby went on to represent the Umlazi Cross-country Team at the Provincial Championships which were held in Newcastle. George Edward was also our first Umlazi Team runner to complete the Under 14 boys’ race. Further congratulations must go to Joel Stevens for his award of Half Colours for Cross Country. I would also like to thank our Captain, Michael Boosey, for leadership. He has been a very dedicated, kind, caring and encouraging captain. His presence will be missed next year but we wish him well in his future endeavours. Keep running, Michael! Mrs T Doyle – Cross Country MIC

Clifton hosted the second League Race of the season which was a very successful event that took place at Virginia United Football Club, with a course through Virginia Bush. This new course was quite challenging but the runners definitely enjoyed themselves, nevertheless. Thank you to all the Clifton staff members for their assistance with the organisation, set-up and marshalling of this event. It would not have been a success without your willingness to give up your time and energy to assist. In total, the boys ran in eight events, with some outstanding performances by individuals. Special mention must be made of our promising junior runners, specifically Matthew Corris-Nordengen, Ryan Gatonby and George Edward. Our senior

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HOCKEY

Report

We most certainly sent a message to our rivals, this year: that we are the new force with which to be reckoned! There is absolutely no doubt that Clifton is climbing exponentially on the hockey map. The number of teams were fielded this year, combined with their results, bears testimony to this. The First Team experienced an incredible season of fixtures which took place over a very short period of time. The playing season totalled only four months, during which the team played 26 fixtures. This averages out to a match played every 4.4 days! The team really rose to the challenge, losing only seven of their fixtures (27%), which translates to a 73% win/draw ratio. The team statistics reflect 70 goals for, and 41 against. This is indeed a sound effort from Captain, Jack Cook, and his team of dedicated players. The impressive fixture line-up included the DHS 150th Celebration, the overseas tour to the Netherlands and Belgium, the KwaZulu-Natal Festival (Top 10), inbound and outbound tours with Free State and Gauteng schools respectively, and the local League. The success of the team is also attributed to the hard work and dedication of coaches, Daniel Sibbald (SA National striker), Gowan Jones (SA goal keeper) and the ever-present task master, Karl (Sweat the Small Stuff ) Bresler. The team had had some titanic local battles during year and were unlucky not to win ‘rematches’ against both St David’s and Westville after 0-0 draws earlier on in the season. The Polish Under 19A Team were also lucky to escape the wrath of the ‘Clifton Cavaliers’ at the JHIPT Tournament in the Netherlands. After a full time 2 – 2 draw, they were narrowly defeated 2 – 3 in a final ‘shoot out’. The spirit in which the boys have played this year was highly commendable and certainly stands out as a solid aspect of Clifton’s armour! Well done on a good season, lads! The open age group showed plenty tenacity and courage during the season. The Second Hockey Team were undefeated up until their last match against Glenwood whilst the ‘Thirsty Thirds’ had an endless supply of eager teammates on the bench. The numbers of boys playing hockey in this age group is very encouraging to say the least.

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The under 16s were fortunate to be part of a Development Squad that also toured the Netherlands and Belgium. They participated in the JHIPT Festival where they finished fifth out of eight teams. Their international line up included teams from Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. The hockey experience that these young men gained overseas was evident in the local league back home. They adopted a methodical approach and played as a solid unit. It was a pleasure to watch this style of hockey! The under 14 ‘Minnows’ also showed they have what it takes to be top dogs with some very successful results during the season. This talented group will certainly produce some exciting hockey at Clifton in the future. The Under 14A Team, coached by Mr Wilson and Mr Thomas, participated both in the Nomads Festival (PMB) and the Independant Schools’ Hockey Festival (St Alban’s) winning eight out of 10 matches. Unfortunately, the fixture against Maritzburg College did not take place due to academic commitments, but we certainly look forward to our next encounter. The Under 14C Team can also proudly boast an unbeaten season. The following boys need to be congratulated on their selection to various coastal and provincial teams: B Anticevich, B Bertasso, M Strous (KZN Combined Team); S Klue and J Munford (KZN Coastals Under 14A Team); N Rotham (KZN Coastals Under 14B) and S Rajcoomar and M Ballim (Non-travelling reserves). In the Under 16 age group: N Christodoulou, M Lewis, M Montgomery (KZN Coastals Under 16A); A Kerr, K Whiteboy (KZN Coastals Under 16B); J Wood (KZN Coastals Under 16C); E Kraus (KZN Coastals Non-travelling reserve). In the under 18 age group: J Cook (KZN Coastals Under 18A); O Moodliar, W Masojada (KZN Coastals Under 18C); A Christodoulou, T Klue (KZN Under 18 Non-travelling reserves). A stand out feature at Clifton College is the coaching staff. Their dedication and commitment to the boys, and the game, is definitely valued. It has been a pleasure to work with you during the season! Thank you to Calvin Price for the foundation you laid and a hearty welcome is extended to Keegan Pearce who has joined the coaching family. No hockey outfit is complete without the parents. Thank you to all the parents for your support throughout the season. The boys most certainly appreciate your presence at the field. Mr C Rein – MIC of Hockey

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HOCKEY

First XI

Seated: Mr G Jones (Coach), O Moodliar (Vice-capt), Mr H Goedeke (Principal), J Cook (Capt), Mr K Bresler (MIC of Hockey), J-M Meyer, Mr D Sibbald (Coach) Middle row: K Whiteboy, M Lewis, J Duckworth, L Mercouris, K Murray, N Christodoulou Back row: A Christodoulou, M Montgomery, J Munro, A Kerr, W Masojada, J Bennett Absent: T Klue

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Hockey

Second XI

Seated: D Bashford, J Munro, D Torr, Mr B Scullard (Coach), D Anticevich, M Chivers, J Bennett Middle row: C Le Roux, J Laggar, S Garreau, W van Rooyen, Y Amod Back row: Y Balmakhun, R Khan, B Evans, S Tattari

Hockey

Third XI

Seated: N Mlangeni, A Deedat, Mr B Scullard (Coach), U Mahomed, R Singh, L Campbell Standing: Y Amod, N Veal, R Mohammed, Y Balmakhun, R Mistri, S Shri Kissoon

Hockey

Under 16 A

Seated: J Wood, D Bradfield, Mr R Church (Manager), E Kraus, Mr A Dunn (Coach), C Veitch, J Borrageiro. Middle row: J Whiley, T Hill, K Whiteboy, S Quinn, J Munro, C Henry Back row: M Bennett, J Law, A Kerr, C Lehman

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Hockey

Under 16 B

Seated: R Roberts, M McIntyre, C Henry, Mrs F King (Coach), M Hollinshead, R Goosen, M Corris-Nordengen Standing: A Robertson, J McGregor, A McKillop, E Hochstadter, R Ward, D Stichelbout, C Lehman, E Buchanan

Hockey

Under 16 C

Seated: S Naidoo, D Williamson, Mr S Fitzmaurice (Coach), M Forno, S Nkosi Middle row: E Mbambisa, E Cameron, B Dove, K Leslie-Smith, C Tostee, S Mkhize Back row: J Edwards, A Cottingham, R Waller, R Laggar

Hockey

Under 14 A

Seated: S Klue, Mr S Wilson (Coach), M Strous, J Munford, Mr G Thomas (Coach), B Silver Second row: N Rotham, N Moodley, B Kraus, M Adams, P Grindrod Third row: R Gatonby, S Rajcoomar, W Pearse, J Taylor Back row: M Ballim, B Bertasso, J Platford, T Ridgway, M Gourley

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Hockey

Under 14 B

Seated: C Geils, M Gourley, Mr G Thomas (Coach), N Jeewa, M Dabideen, N Ngcobo Middle row: K Monson, D Bushnell, W Pearse, O Kgomo, J Taylor, M Adams Back row: Moodley, S Naiker, D Ganpath, J Platford, C Tillard, D Cele

Hockey

Under 14 C

Seated: M Govender, D Ganpath, Mr G Thomas (Coach), N Narotam, A Lukhozi Middle row: L Wang, R Godbolt, O Shabane, V Naidoo, M Mall, J Mileham Back row: K Moodley, R Singh, S Juggernath, M Claase, B Saayman

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HOCKEY TOUR TO

The Netherlands and Belgium It is customary to thank all the people who have been involved or contributed to a tour at the conclusion of a report. However, the tremendous effort and enthusiasm which Mr Lewis and his team – Mrs Montgomery, Mrs Chivers, Mrs Hollinshead, Mrs Paul and Mr Cook – put into the tour behind the scenes, deserves to be acknowledged first. On behalf of the staff and the young men of Clifton who were privileged to participate in this tour, thank you! Without your efforts, there would probably be no tour report to write! King Shaka International Airport: a place where many a mother has shed a silent tear for her departing son. OR Tambo International Airport: a place where many a boy has returned a silent tear for his mother! Certain boys who shall remain nameless did try hard to ‘lose’ their boarding passes in Durban. Other than that, the international flight was without incident and, before long, the sunrise over the Mediterranean was a welcome sight. The touring party was comfortably accommodated the Stayokay Den Haag for the first five nights in The Hague. A training session in cold conditions at hockey club, HDM, followed by a visit to Madurodam (minitown) helped to stretch the muscles after the twelvehour flight to Schipol International Airport. Our First Team performed extremely well at the JIHPT where they were placed second, losing to the Polish National Under 19 Team in the final. The Clifton Development Team finished a credible fifth out of eight teams in their division. The transfer to the city of Ghent included a stop at Kinderdijk. The boys witnessed some of the traditional Dutch ways of dressing and the value that the numerous windmills have on a country that is mostly below sea level. This leg of the tour focused largely merely taking in the beauty of Belgium. An extremely entertaining canal cruise and a city walk gave the boys a deserved rest from the successful rigor of the JIHPT Festival. The Hostel De Draecke provided the all necessary ‘home-from-home’ comforts and culinary

242

delights, despite the boys’ uncanny abilitiy to track down the nearest McDonalds! Rotterdam Hockey Club was a treat for all. The team attended a training session with two professional Dutch coaches who provided new insight into the game. The valuable training tips were eagerly absorbed by boys. We were graciously accommodated at the Stayokay Rotterdam in peculiar, cube-shaped houses that had been built on pylons in 1984. It certainly took some getting used to but, nevertheless, it was a unique experience. The highlight in Rotterdam was the bike tour around the city. It was very interesting to observe that although the youth of today are accomplished when it comes to iPads, cell phones and various gadgets, they find bicycle riding somewhat challenging! The hockey match against Victoria Rotterdam provided us with further opportunities to establish more friends and contacts. Their hospitality was generous despite a sound 8 – 1 drubbing from the Clifton First Team. April Fools’ Day was a busy one for all on tour. It commenced with a training session at the Hockey Club Cartouche where the boys witnessed the skills of some of the best National Dutch players. We visited the city of Leiden en route to the final matches against hockey club, De Kikkers. Both the touring teams finished on a high note that evening and the evening transfer to Stayokay Amsterdam Zeeburg concluded another very successful day. Although situated in a fairly quiet part of Amsterdam to the east of the city centre, we were surrounded by an interesting neighbourhood with colourful characters. The mode of transport to the city centre by tram made it easy for the boys to sight see. The penultimate day included an educational cruise on the canals of Amsterdam. A brisk walk through the fringe of the Red Light District most certainly got every ones attention too! We were also fortunate to watch a league hockey match at Pinoke Hockey Club. The final morning was at leisure with last minute shopping high on the agenda. After checking-in with Air France, it was on to Johannesburg via Paris. Thank you to the boys and my colleagues, Ms King, Mr Bresler and Mr Church, for a great experience on the Clifton Hockey Tour. Mr C Rein – MIC of Hockey

243

RUGBY

Report

244

“I never lose; I either win or learn.” Nelson Mandela’s powerful

the invitation from the Balgowen school as a compliment to

words will serve as a maxim for Clifton as we enter a

our rugby growth. With all players available, the A teams were

challenging new phase in the development of the School’s

all competitive and gave a good account of themselves. The

rugby programme. Clifton Rugby has come so far, in such a

First XV participated in the DHS 150th Rugby Festival and used

short space of time, and we are now recognized as a Tier One

the fixture against Voortrekker as further preparation for the

rugby school. To a certain degree, this is in part due the decline

upcoming St Stithians Festival. During the Easter break, all our

of several, long-standing traditional rugby schools which has

A teams participated in festivals across the country: the Under

happened simultaneously as Clifton has started to grow and

14A and Under 15A travelled up to Parktown; the Under 16A

improve. The gulf between the Tier One and Tier Two schools

attended the ISRF at Hilton; the Second XV travelled to Felixton,

is widening at an alarming rate and this has resulted in a clear

and the First XV returned, for a second year, to the prestigious

polarization between the top six and the bottom four schools

St Stithians Festival. From the results of the warm-up games

that have been accredited Tier One Status. Clifton can be found

against Northwood and Michaelhouse, and the tough festival

in the bottom four and the clear challenge for us is to establish

fixtures against top schools such as Helpmekaar, St Alban’s,

ourselves as competitive opposition for the other schools in the

Hilton, St Stithians and St John’s, it was clearly evident that our

bottom of Tier One and, in time, challenge for a position in the

pre-season preparation had been well below par, particularly

top six.

with regard to conditioning. We sustained several serious

The season commenced with warm-up fixtures against

injuries across all age groups, and our teams faded badly in the

Northwood but, due to polo and cricket commitments, many

second half, often after being in a winning position. Collectively,

players were not available to play. Despite this, it was a good first

we lost 16 of the 19 combined festival fixtures. Another tough

hit out against a traditional rugby school and the coaches were

challenge we face going forward, is to ensure that our 2017 pre-

able to trial players and look at possible combinations. This was

season programme is more effective in preparing our teams for

followed by another warm-up fixture against one of the Top

the rigours of festival rugby. The School has acted decisively to

Six: Michaelhouse; another first for Clifton who can consider

correct this by appointing a full-time strength and conditioning

were competitive in all their fixtures, with the exception of their match against Kearsney whom they played B on B for the first time in the School’s history. Many of the B team players developed through the season and gained promotion to the A team. The Under 14A had a successful season winning six of their ten games, including a 26 – 20 win over DHS and proved to be the most successful attacking team in the school by amassing the highest total points for the season (354) which equates to an average score of 25,3 points per game. Although 31 names appeared on the Under 15 register, there were never more than 18 boys at a practice. The result of this meant that the Under 15B team which was put together at a Friday assembly arrived at a Saturday fixture underprepared. Nevertheless, the boys who did participate must be commended for their spirit and never-say-die attitude. They did manage to win two games including a stirring 14-12 win over KZN Development Under 15A and finished the season strongly with a commendable 10-27 loss to Kearsney Under 15C. The Under 15A produced the best overall results in the school, winning 70% of their fixtures. Highlights included a trainer, and purchasing functional training equipment to be used both on the field and in the school gym which is set up at the back of the Ken Mackenzie Hall. The challenge remains

19-5 win over St Charles, and a 22-0 win over St David’s. They also proved to be the best defensive team, conceding just 74 points all season for a miserly average of 4,6 points per game.

for our coaches to motivate our teams to attend preseason

In total, 41 boys played rugby in the Under 16 age group but,

training sessions, especially during a heavily congested first

as was the case with the Under 15s, no more than 25 ever

term next year.

attended a practice at one time, resulting in the coaches

We hosted a very successful Under 15 ISRF at Riverside at the start of the second term and our Under 15A showed that tough festival games do help our teams to prepare well for their domestic season. This team excelled during the festival, winning four of their five games against top opposition – another proud achievement for Clifton rugby. The First XV travelled down to Cape Town in June to participate in the Under 18 Independent

having to call for “reinforcements” at the Friday assembly. The B team coaches did have stalwarts who attended regularly and these boys were able to develop their skills over the season. Several of these B team boys were promoted to the A team during the season and gave a good account at the next level. Some have now been rewarded for their hard work with a callup to the 2017, First XV pre-season training squad. The Under

Schools’ Rugby Festival hosted by Bishops. The team won two

16Bs recorded a memorable 17-15 victory over St Charles, and

of their three fixtures, losing to St Stithians in the final minute in

a convincing 52-7 win over the KZN Academy Under 16A team.

a wonderfully exciting spectacle of schoolboy rugby. The team

The Under 16A team overcame a disappointing performance

received many accolades for their attractive brand of attacking

at the Independent Schools’ Rugby Festival to produce a fine

rugby. Considering that this squad included four Under 16s

set of results with six wins, including a 26-12 victory over DHS

and eleven Under 17s who will be returning next year, this

and a 35-12 win over Voortrekker. The Under 16A were the

augurs well for the future. In total, the School played 27 festival

most balanced team in the school, scoring a total of 343 points

games, winning nine and drawing one. Given the quality of

on attack, and conceding 121 in defence, which equates to a

the opposition we faced at the level we are now competing,

positive points difference of 222 points: 13.1 points per game.

we have certainly not disgraced ourselves. Mandela’s prophetic

Seven players in the Under 16A team gained First XV caps –

words ring clear: “… we win or learn”.

testimony to the hard work of the coaches in developing these

35 boys practised regularly for the Under 14 age group and,

players.

as a result, we were able to field two competitive teams. The

In total, 60 boys played in the Open age group but, in reality,

Under 14Bs posted a hard-fought 10-7 victory over DHS and

less than 50% of this number ever practised regularly, and the

245

Third XV Team, which should be the only truly “social” team in the school, often had to scramble for players due to the large number of injuries suffered in this age group. Most of the Third XV ended up playing several games for the Seconds. Without proper conditioning, skills training and game preparation, playing at this level is a massive challenge for “social” players and one must commend them for their efforts. The Thirds only managed one win in their season: a hard fought 19-17 victory over George Campbell. This can be attributed to having a new team each week and playing most of their fixtures on a stagger. The high injury count in the Open age group is reflected in the fact that 11 boys from the Second XV played for the First XV at some stage in the season. The injury count can be attributed to the lack of pre-season training and the poor conditioning of our senior players. Despite the disruptions to their team, the Seconds had a decent season and recorded fine wins over Durban Academy First XV (26-25), DHS Third XV (19-15) and KZN Development First XV (19-5). The First XV used a total of 32 players this season across 17

hard fought victory over St Andrew’s at home, and George

fixtures due to the high injury count and not the vagaries of

Campbell away. What is pleasing to note is that all of our “A”

team selection by the coaching management. The majority of

teams finished with a 50% or better win percentage for the

injuries were suffered by backline players and it is interesting

seasons’ 10 domestic fixtures, and that in six of the 10 fixtures,

to note that the team which played St David’s in June,

we achieved a 50% or better overall win percentage.

contained just two of the starting seven players that played

Congratulations to the following boys who were invited to the

at the St Stithians Festival. In the key position of Fly Half, six

final KZN trials this year:

different players were used throughout the season, and I lost track of the number of backline combinations. Suffice to say that it was unlikely that the backline remained the same for more than two consecutive fixtures. It is extremely difficult to build any kind of consistency of performance with this number of changes. Clifton can be immensely proud to have had their First XV invited to the prestigious St Stithians Festival where our players rubbed shoulders with some of the top schools in the country and, for the juniors in particular, this was an awesome experience. The team struggled against St Alban’s on day one but bounced back on day two against Graeme College to play some sparkling rugby, unfortunately conceding a late try after leading the entire game. The day three fixture saw a revenge match against the host school. With 10 minutes remaining, Saints held a slender lead 22-21 but then injuries to key players, coupled with poor conditioning, saw us concede three soft tries in the final minutes. The festival exposed the lack of depth on our bench. The First Team returned, a stronger, more cohesive unit and posted impressive back-to-back victories over St Charles and Port Natal. Pinetown were no match for us and the team won comfortably 71-3. We also clinched a

246

Massimo Conversano, Rudin Hatton-Hall, Calvin Zandamela (Under 18); Josh Brown, Michael Goedeke (Under 16). Also to Calvin Zandemela: the first Clifton boy to be selected for the Sharks Under 18 Craven Week Team. LOOKING FORWARD TO 2017 OUR GOALS ARE: • To consistently field 10 teams: four open, and two each in the under 14 to under 16 age groups: • To ensure that the Second XV is a competitive team • To ensure that all B teams (including the Thirds) train regularly and that players attend practices • To ensure that our A teams are adequately prepared to compete at their respective Easter festivals by correcting the weaknesses identified in 2016 • To deliver an effective pre-season skills and conditioning programme to prepare our players correctly • To develop an expansive brand of rugby that is introduced in the Prep, developed from under 14 to under 16 and refined in the under 18 age group. We look forward to a promising year of rugby with the Clifton boys in 2017. Mr G Bell – Director of Rugby

A PROUD RUGBY

Culture

• We have two coaches per team which means that each player receives closer attention and players are not overlooked. • There are quality coaches across all age groups with an effective blend of experience and youth. • The close-knit coaching staff has been unified through facing the adversity and challenges of the past 10 years in their efforts to grow Clifton rugby to where it is now. • In the short space of 10 years, Clifton is now competing regularly against Tier One schools, both inter- and extraprovincially. • Clifton has received invitations to top rugby festivals: a clear recognition of the strides made by our school in the past decade. • The College has a quality internal feeder system: Clifton Prep has a well-established rugby programme and boys who have attended the Prep have gone on to become Springboks. • Players who have come through the Prep, have spent 10 years playing together. This engenders wonderful team chemistry similar to the bonding effect that private boarding schools produce. • Sport scholarships are offered to retain, or attract, rugby players at Grade 8 level. • Clifton can boast about our excellent practice facilities and training equipment at Riverside Sports Club which is fast becoming a worldclass sports facility. Mr G Bell – Director of Rugby

247

RUGBY

First XV

Seated: Mr G Bell (Director of Rugby), Mr M Downes (Coach), C Zandamela, Mr R Saayman (Coach), Mr H Goedeke (Principal), M Conversano (Capt), C Munz (Vice-capt), Mr J Piek (MIC of Rugby), Mr M Howieson (Manager) Second row: M Goedeke, C Jordan, M du Plooy, S Muller, N Erskine, M Manson, K Larkan, J Paul Third row: C Reed, T du Plooy, J Brown, D de Kock, A Taylor, Ca Webber, D Harris, J Lavery, M Uppink Fourth row: T Swanepoel, R Slotow, J Masojada-Edwards, C Hartmann, C Porter, R DeeleyBarnard, N Donnelly, Co Webber Fourth row: L Appelgryn, N Herbst, G Selles, R Hatton-Hall, F Cleaver, B Bothwell Absent: R Harris

248

RUGBY FIRST XV

Report

“A bad day of rugby is still better than a good day of school” – C Bass This tongue-in-cheek quote captures the essence of schoolboy rugby and, as the First XV Head Coach, I always need to remind

and poor execution on attack blunted our numerous scoring opportunities in a disappointing performance by the team. Our healthy rivalry with St Charles continues to grow and is one of the highlights of our rugby calendar.

myself that it is memories and not results that the First XV will talk

A healthy first-half lead at home against Port Natal led to a

about when they are middle-aged men reminiscing about the

complacent second-half and a narrow 26-24 victory against

‘good old days’. Memories are forged through the commitment

the ‘White Knights’. DHS, on Van Heerden’s, showed quality

and dedication shown by the players and the coaching staff,

on attack and blew us off the park in the first-half. To the

the outstanding individual and team performances against

team’s credit, they gained parity in the possession stakes and

traditional and new rivals, and the camaraderie and fellowship

dominated territory in the second-half and only outstanding

amongst teammates and opposition players. The 2016 rugby

defence from ‘School’ stopped us from converting numerous

season certainly had all those ingredients, and more.

attack opportunities in the ‘red’ zone into points. The final score

Our season kicked off with a narrow 5-10 loss to Voortrekker at

was 40-10 to the hosts.

the DHS 150th Celebration Day. The game was played in extreme

After regaining team confidence by expertly executing our

heat and our lack of preparation was evident in a disjointed,

attacking plays in a comprehensive win at home against

albeit spirited, performance. For the second successive year,

Pinetown, we faced the highly rated St Andrew’s (Bloem) team

we attended the St Stithians Rugby Festival. Playing in this

at Riverside. Despite the low scoring, this match was high in

prestigious schoolboy rugby festival is a highlight for any player who has run out on Baytopp Field and played in front of those Easter crowds. A strong St Alban’s forward pack, with their driving maul, exposed us defensively and they won comfortably: 35-0. The game against Greame College showed a much improved team performance and an end-to-end try on the hooter gave our Eastern Cape opposition a narrow 10-8 victory. Once again, we faced the hosts, St Stithians, on the Monday and the match was a see-saw affair for 45 minutes.

spectator value as both teams threw everything into attack in their efforts to win the match. My ‘Heyneke Meyer-like’ antics were on full display as we won a nailbiter 13-12. Without making excuses, the massive injury toll within the First XV squad had a telling effect on our performances in the last month of our domestic season. Voortrekker bullied us under lights at Woodburn and St David’s, high tempo, coast-to-coast attack formation, proved too much for our depleted team on

We started to show better cohesion between our forwards and

the Highveld with us going down 31-12. The win away from

backs which resulted in some outstanding tries being scored.

home, at George Campbell, showed the strong character of this

Unfortunately, whilst we were leading 21-20, we lost both our

team as we rallied back, with some superb individualistic tries,

centres (Conversano and Edwards) and this led to mistakes in

after being comprehensively outplayed in the first half. The

decision-making in defence and allowed the hosts to run in

28-19 victory also unveiled some highly talented youngsters

some excellent tries to ultimately defeat us 46-21. Levels of

and the future of Clifton rugby certainly looks bright. Despite

physicality in contact and the ability to make decisions quickly,

being outclassed by a quality Kearsney outfit, the team showed

both in attack and in exiting from our own half, were lessons

immense courage and dog-fight, refusing to lie down and

learnt from the Saint’s Festival.

tackling till the final minute of the game.

I mentioned earlier that memories, and not results, are the

An invitation to the ISRF, hosted by Bishops, provided the team

most important aspect of a Frist Team but when we faced

with the opportunity of playing on the historic Piley Rees field

our traditional rivals, St Charles, at Riverside, the First XV and

at this iconic school which is steeped in rugby tradition and

coaching staff were desperate for our first win of the 2016

culture. What a highlight it was for the team and coaching

season. The result was everything! Our forward pack controlled

staff! After an inspirational speech from the 1995 World Cup

possession throughout this entertaining match and, with good

captain and Bishops’ parent, Francios Pienaar, the team played

use of territory and a watertight defence, we ran out deserving

excellent ball-in-hand rugby showing a great player skill set

15-10 winners. The return fixture later in the season saw St

and, importantly, an understanding of the attack formation the

Charles reverse the result with a 28-16 victory. Lack of patience

coaches are introducing into Clifton rugby under the guidance

249

of our Director of Rugby, Grant Bell. Memories were definitely

unwavering support throughout the season. These two leaders

forged in the comprehensive victories against Reddam Uplands

were an inspiration to their teammates and coaches. This was

and a narrow 13-10 loss to St Stithians. A special moment was

truly one of my most enjoyable rugby seasons as the Clifton

the Grade 12 fathers handing their sons their First XV jerseys

First XV coach. Finally, a massive thank you to Mike Downes,

before their last game for Clifton.

Jono Piek, Mike Howieson and Kerryn Hulley for their work ethic,

Calvin Zandamelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selection to the KZN Under 18 Craven Week Team was a landmark moment and recognition of a personal journey for this young man, his coaches and Clifton rugby. This is just the beginning of his rugby journey as he joins other old boys, Dylan Nel and Andrew Evans, in their quest for careers as

show in every one of the boys with whom they work. With Grant Bell, directing the development of Rugby@Clifton, and Oliver Cash heading up our conditioning programme, exciting times certainly lie ahead.

professional rugby players. Go for it, Zandas!

Roll on 2017; roll on more fantastic memories!

A big thank you to all the wonderful parents and supporters of

Mr R Saayman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Head Coach

the First XV Team. Thanks also to my captain, Massi Conversano and Vice-captain, Chris Munz, for their excellent leadership and

Rugby

Second XV

Seated: R Menin, W Bennett, G Edmondson, Mr J Appelgryn (Coach), J Scott, E Chetty, K Larkan Middle row: C Jordan, Co Webber, J Lavery, T Swanepoel, M Manson, M Zulu Back row: M Parfitt, G Frigerio, R Mohammed, A Dickson

Rugby

Third XV

Seated: G Frigerio, E Chetty, R Menin, Mr J Parry (Coach), J Strous, G Edmondson, A Dickson Second row: G Wang, K Murray, R Johnston, S Tattari, S Chetty, O Moodliar Third row: L Mercouris, D Anticevich, M Akoob, Z Baitz, B Evans, W Masojada Back row: B Hewitt, R Mohammed, W Bennett, A Vink

250

innovative coaching ideas and, above all, personal interest they

Rugby

Under 16 A

Seated: M Gavran, M Goedeke, Mr K Garrett (Coach), J Koch, Mr B Mtawarira (Coach), W Dowsett, J Lewis Middle row: L Niekerk, N Reddy, J Brown, J Paul, T du Plooy, C Reed Back row: C Harding, N Herbst, S Selles, J Groves, C Simpson, J Munz

Rugby

Under 16 B

Seated: E Hochstadter, L van der Vyver, D Bradfield, S Gonneau, Mr T Mavuso (Coach), M Hollinshead Middle row: R Goosen, T Mulla, N Reddy, B Cleaver, M Lavers, Y Jazbhay Back row: S Ally, A McKillop, A Gourley, J Munz C Ferreira, J McGregor

Rugby

Under 15 A

Seated: C Tully, S Marshall, S Rich, Mr D McVicar (Coach), D Elgar, K Muller, L Ashton Middle row: S Paton, G Kirby, J Nieuwenhuys, C Lehman, G Binedell, T Koch Back row: M Kalil, J Bartholomew, L Walton, A Psannis, L Pereira

251

Rugby

Under 15 B

Seated: J Wood, S Paton, L Pereira, Mr C Scullard (Coach), M Kalil, J Borrageiro, A Robertson Middle row: A Mlangeni, K Muller, R Laggar, C Cryer, J Mahanga, D Scheepers Back row: L Gerber, R Waller, A Sparks, Z Motala

Rugby

Under 14 A

Seated: O Majola, N Ditz, T Shangase, Mr J Saayman (Coach), L Lorenco, B Bertasso, M Mottura Second row: M Shangase, N Jeewa, M Peer, O Chetty, S Cliff, A Christodoulou Third row: J Bessick, J Sang, L Ncobeni, G Sjouerman, C Steadman, M Strous Back row: J Parry, Z Baitz, D Smith, T Dell

Rugby

Under 14 B

Seated: M Peer, K Monson, Mr J Appelgryn (Coach), M Bensch, W Pearse Second row: M Shangase, U Chetty, M Adams, B Saayman, J Munford, N Jeewa Third row: S Taylor, K Gibson, Z Baitz, M Douglas, L Ncobeni Back row: M Doyle, D Ganpath, J Matthews, M Gevers

252

RUGBY 7’s

Report

Clifton ran both a Senior (under 18) and Junior (under 15) Rugby 7’s squad during the 7’s season which is held during the third term. Rugby 7’s popularity as a school sport is steadily growing and it will not be long before this sport is played at all age group levels throughout the College. At a professional level, there is clearly a specialisation between the 15-man and 7-man format but, at schoolboy level, all players are encouraged to play. The focus is on skills development: specifically handling, evasion and defence, and all the players involved in 7’s, return to the 15-man game better equipped to play the fast-paced, open style of rugby that Clifton is known for. The Junior Squad was a mixture of boys from both the Under 14 and 15 age groups. This squad participated in three tournaments: Clifton, Hilton and Maritzburg College, and they acquitted themselves extremely well. The boys enjoyed competing against all the top schools in the province, and learnt some valuable rugby lessons in the process. 2017 will see the number of tournaments offered at the under 15 age group double as the popularity continues to grow. The Senior Squad comprised boys in the Under 16, 17 and 18 age groups. This squad participated in a record number of six tournaments: Crawford La Lucia, Clifton, Martizburg College, Glenwood, the Sharks and DHS. To play in six tournaments over eight weeks is an incredibly tough task and there was natural attrition as a result. In total, 21 boys represented the 7’s First Team. This is promising because it means that most of these boys will be returning to play again next year, and they will bring with them their skill and experience. The blooding of junior players is a significant investment in the development of our rugby, particularly if it is done in a controlled manner that introduces players to the demands of senior rugby without breaking their confidence. The Senior 7’s Team achieved a bronze medal at the Crawford La Lucia Tournament and followed this up a week later by achieving a historic silver medal at the Clifton Tournament – a notable first for Clifton rugby. The team also made the cup section in both the Glenwood and Sharks Tournaments and this was without the seniors players who were busy with Matric trials. Stef Muller was twice named in the “Team of the Tournament” but was, unfortunately, ruled out of the KZN selections due to concussion. Michael Goedeke made it through to the final round of the KZN trials and, at sixteen, shows great promise of making selection in 2017. Mr G Bell – Director of Rugby

253

RUGBY 7’S

Senior Team

Seated: M du Plooy, Mr G Bell (Director of Rugby), C Zandamela, Mr R Saayman (Coach), C Porter (Capt), Mr M Downes (Coach), R Hatton-Hall Middle row: M Goedeke, T du Plooy, J Paul, R Deeley-Barnard, D Harris, S Muller Back row: J Masojada-Edwards, N Donnelly, B Bothwell, M Conversano, C Hartmann, J Brown

Rugby

7’s Junior Team

Seated: S Marshal, S Rich, Mr D McVicar (Coach), A Psannis, J Nieuwenhuys Standing: J Bessick, L Ashton, M Kalil, D Elgar, L Pereira

254

TOUCH RUGBY

Report

Clifton entered an Under 18 Team into the Durban Schools’ Touch Rugby League in Term One. The days are played on the Growthpoint King’s Park outer fields on a Friday afternoon. This was a first for Clifton and the team comprised boys in the Under 16A and First XV Rugby pre-season squads. The purpose of entering a team was to use this league as an opportunity to develop the players’ evasive and handling skills, and also for the players to gain a better understanding of one another’s abilities so that they could carry this through into their respective rugby teams and develop team cohesion. As a new team, they were entered into the Second Division and encountered little difficulty in winning all of their League games. They qualified for the final which they won in convincing style to claim the trophy as League winners. In Term Four, Clifton will enter two teams into the league: a Senior (Under 18) Team and a Junior (Under 15) Team. Mr G Bell – Director of Rugby

255

SOCCER

Report

The season’s preparations roared into life with the First Team

Lucia’s Third Soccer Team. The under 14 teams were the most

taking part in the DHS Anniversary Soccer Festival. The level

outstanding on the day as they showcased their bravery and

of competition at the tournament was of a good standard and

oomph.

we played against some of the best schools in the country. Our biggest undoing at the festival was our failure to create enough goal scoring chances. Our new-look defence was also tried and tested against some interesting attacking waves from the opposition. Our most stern test was against Parktown Boys’ High who demolished all their opponents at the festival. After a series of defeats during the first few days of the festival, we finally recorded a well-deserved 2-0 victory over a highly rated Dale College.

appearance at the prestigious St David’s Challenge Cup. Our boys were honoured to be invited to rub shoulders with the country’s elite soccer playing schools. Both our teams recorded heavy losses to St David’s College and Grey College. The First Team also recorded uncharacteristic losses to St John’s College and St Benedict’s College. The Under 15As came out second best in their tough tussles against Michaelhouse and The Glen. The final day yielded slightly better prospects as the First Team

All our A team squads took part in pre-season festivals around

beat St Peter’s (4-0) and the Under 15As beat Sunderland (5-3)

the city and our Under 14A squad dominated proceedings

on penalties.

at their festival. Their fresh and breath-taking performances signall the dawn of a new and exciting era of soccer at Clifton! We were mesmerized by their go-forward approach and their huge appetite for scoring goals.

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The First Team and the Under 15A Team then made a debut

In our next in-season fixture, we continued our domination against Thomas More. Our First Soccer Team squandered clear goal scoring chances to draw the game 0-0. Our biggest win on the day came from our buoyant Under 14As who had been

We kick-started our season with matches against Crawford

enjoying a good run since their pre-season exploits. Our B

North Coast and Crawford La Lucia. Most of our teams recorded

teams and the Seconds then represented the school with real

impressive wins on the day with the Fourth Soccer Team

brilliance as they faced Ashton’s A teams and First Soccer Team

recording the biggest win: a 6-0 drubbing of Crawford La

respectively.

The First Team’s participation in the Top 32 Knock-out

Boy, Jordan Strous, for taking time off his busy study schedule

Tournament was short-lived as we lost to little known Wiggins

and injecting life into an ‘exotic’ Third Team. The under 14 age

High School. We then played perennial rivals, Michaelhouse,

group once again proved their mettle on the day with a good

who always tend to intimidate us with their “rugby-infused

set of results: Under 14As drew 1-1, Under 14Bs won 2-0, Under

soccer style”. The most respectable scores on the day were

14Cs narrowly lost 2-3 and Under 14Ds drew 3-3.

our two draws: the Under 14A’s hard-fought 2-2 draw and the

The final set of fixtures was against George Campbell whom we

Under 14D’s entertaining 1-1 draw.

had not faced in more than five years. The games were evenly

Our junior teams then came up against DHS in some tightly

matched with the following noteworthy results on the day:

contested matches. We matched DHS pound for pound and

Under 14As drew 0-0, Under 14Bs won 1-0, Under 15As won

were unlucky to record narrow losses on the day. Special

2-0, Under 15Bs drew 0-0 and the Under 16As drew 0-0.

mention goes to our Under 14Cs who were the only team to

Congratulations must go to the following boys for their

win on the day and our Under 14Ds who managed to salvage

selection into Durban Central Teams: M Strous, M Mottura,

a draw.

B Pearson, B Silver, D Ganpath (Under 14); C Lehman, A Kerr

We played Kearsney on a very wet but fun-filled day. The

(Under 15); S Stirling, Y Amod, C Le Roux (Under 16); S Tattari

atrocious weather did not dampen the spirits of our boys as

(Under 19). Also, particular congratulations to Matt Strous,

they took to the battlefield. The senior boys played at Riverside

Brent Pearson and Slade Stirling for being selected to represent

where conditions were less hostile. Our First and Second

KZN on their Gauteng tour, as well as to Deor Cele for his late

Teams recorded narrow losses due to lapses in concentration.

call-up to the KZN Under 14 side.

Our Under 14As lived up to expectation and made us proud

The curtain game down on our soccer season with the real

once again by recording the only victory on the day. What

highlight: the Founders’ soccer fixture. Judging from the ‘creme

was most exciting about their victory was how they managed

de la creme’ in last year’s First Soccer Team, we expected nothing

to string together a barrage of complete passes under such

short than a class encounter. The match lived up to its billing

hostile weather conditions. Our Under 15Ds recovered from

and it turned out to be an even contest which saw the Old Boys

their narrow loss to DHS and recorded an impressive 3-3 draw

reigning supreme over their younger nemeses. It was, once

against Kearsney’s Under 15Ds.

again, the end of another compressed but epic season. Many

We went into our encounter against Maritzburg College with depleted sides as a number of our boys came back from their respective excursions battered and bruised. Thanks to our Head

hard lessons were learnt, notes were taken and reflections were made. We look forward to another monumental season in 2017. Mr B Mtawarira – MIC of Soccer

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SOCCER

First XI

Seated: S Stirling, Mr D McVicar (Coach), W Bennett (Capt), D de Kock (Vice-capt), L Mercouris, Mr C Ncobeni (Coach), Y Amod Middle row: S Tattari, A Pattundeen, Co Webber, K Holgate, C Black, S Sithole Back row: M Lewis, J Masojada-Edwards, Ca Webber, A Kerr, R Abdullah, N Zulu

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Soccer

Second XI

Seated: R. Singh, A Taylor, Mr M Kgomo (Coach), N Erskine, J Bennett, S Miloszewski Middle row: D Bashford, C Le Roux, T Chetty, E Kraus, Y Amod Back row: M Parfitt, R Khan, S Gevers, B Evans

Soccer

Third XI

Seated: D Torr, J Duckworth, Mr M Mthembu (Coach), C Munz, A Taylor, J Strous Standing: J Scott, M Chivers, B Hewitt, F Cleaver, J Walton, R Mohammed, T van Niekerk

Soccer

Fourth XI

Seated: D Baitz, E Chetty, Mr M Mthembu (Coach), G Edmondson, S Garreau Middle row: N Mlangeni, C Jordaan, S Madonsela, R Mistri, U Mahomed, L Campbell Back row: R Laggar, N Veale, R Mohammed, J Stevens

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Soccer

Under 16 A

Seated: Â B Cleaver; L van der Vyver, R Goosen, Mr M Ncube (Coach), M Hollinshead, D Bradfield Middle row: N Christodoulou, M McIntyre, J McGregor, N Reddy, S Quinn, C Henry Back row: J Lewis, D Stichelbout, S Whitton, M Noorbhai

Soccer

Under 16 B

Seated: S Naidoo, L van der Vyver, E Hochstadter, Mr T Mavuso (Coach), D Bradfield Middle row: T Mulla, A Seedat, N Reddy, K Whiteboy, C Tostee, S Schneiderman Back row: A McKillop, H Gopalan, S Ally

Soccer

Under 16 C

Seated: E Cameron, M Forno, Mr A Mnyandu (Coach), A Gourley, T Baboolal Standing: J Bailey, S Gonneau, C Harding, B du Plessis, C Ferreira, T Hammond

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Soccer

Under 15 A

Seated: J Wood, C Lehman, Mr B Mavuso (Coach), A Narsai, J Munro, J Borrageiro Middle row: A Khan, M CorrisNordengen, D Scheepers, A Mlangeni, D Williamson Back row: A Jamun, J Mahanga, J Bartholomew, M Aziz Cassim Hajee

Soccer

Under 15 B

Seated: E Buchanan, A Robertson, Mr M Mthembu (Coach), J Munro, A Inggs, M Corris-Nordengen Middle row: Y Jazbhay, N Naidoo, M Khan, T Govender Back row: K Muller, N Suliman, R Laggar, S Moodley

Soccer

Under 15 C

Seated: R Owens, A Ismail, A Cottingham, Mr M Mthembu (Coach), O Hoare, S Mkhize, T Rajput Middle row: E Lundy, J Holmes, L Bega, D Barbieri, S Paton, S Mudaly Back row: L Gerber, Z Motala, S Soni

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Soccer

Under 14 A

Seated: N Jeewa, M Mottura, Mr B Dlamini (Coach), B Saayman, M Strous, B Silver Middle row: M Shangase, J Bessick, D Cele, M Lipawsky, M Williamson, A Christodoulou Back row: T Dell, S Naicker, D Ganpath, M Gevers, B Bertasso, B Pearson

Soccer

Under 14 B

Seated: N Ngcobo, O Kgomo, Mr B Dlamini (Coach), S Naicker, J Platford, N Moodley Middle row: N Jeewa, Z Kiratu, M Peer, M Lipawsky, B Silver, S Dasarath Back row: N Govender, D Ganpath, T Moodley, D Cele

Soccer

Under 14 C

Seated: M Adams, B Anticevich, Mr M Mavuso (Coach), M Ballim, S Klue Middle row: M Dabideen, B Kraus, J Taylor, W Pearse, J Munford, K Monson Back row: L Ncobeni, M Doyle, C Tillard, K Gibson

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Soccer

Under 14 D

Seated: M Bensch, U Chetty, Mr M Mavuso (Coach), B Kraus, A Lukhozi Middle row: V Naidoo, M Mall, N Narotam, O Shabane, R Godbolt, B Larsson Back row: M Claase, S Juggernath, M Ten-Bokkel Huinink, C Tillard, R Singh, S Rajcooma

Soccer

Under 14 E

Seated: M Govender, R Singh, Mr M Mavuso (Coach), M Ten-Bokkel Huinink, T Moodley Middle row: U Yusuf Ismail, P Grindrod, N Narotam, V Vite, Y Dadabhoy, J Mileham Back row: O Kidd, G Jeffers, M Douglas, M Claase, R Eddles

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ALL-SEASON

Sport

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Seated: G Wang, R Slotow, Y Balmakhun (Capt), S Hurter, T Kajee Standing: V Vite, S Soni, L Leslie-Smith, C Ferreira, L Wang

CHESS

Report “Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.” – Magnus Carlsen Magnus Carlsen is the current world champion and his advice that, in order to excel, one must enjoy what they are doing, is noteworthy. Our Clifton gentlemen showed great enthusiasm throughout season and achieved some outstanding results against Westville, New Forest, St Henry’s, George Campbell, St Andrew’s and St David. Even though our First Team lost five Matrics last year, their hard work and determination showed at the D&D finals, resulting in them finishing in a well-deserved third place. This was an improvement on their 2015 fourth place and, as such, was truly the highlight of the season Clifton always strives to produce high-quality chess players. Three boys: Yashkar Balmakhun, Tariq Kajee (Under 18) and Lance Leslie-Smith (Under 14,) were chosen to represent KZN at their respective age groups in the South African Junior Chess Championships. Special mention must be made of Yashkar Balmakhun who achieved his South African colours. He represented South Africa at the Commonwealth Chess Championships, held in Sri Lanka, and at the African Youth Chess Championships held in Port Elizabeth. In chess, sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. The boys have learnt a great deal this season and will look to improve on their performances moving forward. Yashkar Balmakhun – Captain

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GOLF

Report

This year, we entered two teams into the League: our First Team

In August, the Junior Team drove down to Port Elizabeth

into the ‘A’ League and our Second Team into the ‘B’ League. The

to play Humewood Links and St Francis Links in the annual

First Term League produced some tense moments and many

Grey High Links Festival. The boys, some of whom had never

matches went down to the last hole. Luck was not always on

played tournament golf before, acquitted themselves well on

our side even though we were up in most matches until the last

the two difficult courses. The team experienced some of the

hole. The Westville match, in particular, comes to mind in this

best weather we have ever seen at the tournament but, sadly,

regard. Nevertheless, our First Team showed solid improvement

their inexperience showed and they were not able to take full

throughout the year and our Seconds showed tenacity and

advantage of this in their play. The team came seventh out of

spirit in all their battles.

the 10 schools and the experience these junior boys gained

It was particularly in the third term that our First Team started to show significant improvement and, by the end of the League season, we were able to boast finishing second, just behind the Westville team. Our Seconds also had a much stronger second half of the season and were able to finish fourth, and were able to avoid the relegation battle just below them. I am confident that, considering we will only be losing one Matric player, Andreas Christodoulou, at the end of this year, we will have the potential to beat Westville next year!

we held our Annual School Golf Championships and, with 38 golfers testing their abilities in the Beachwood layout, a great day was had by all – some days were just longer than others! Matthew Montgomery was a worthy Strokeplay winner with a gross of 74, with Ethan Kraus second on 78. Paul Grindrod won the best NETT division with a NETT score of 70. The top players qualified for the Matchplay section of the championships and Matthew Montgomery was a worthy winner beating Ethan Kraus in the Final.

Our top golfers attended three tournaments across the country,

Luke Mayo was once again selected for the KZN Men’s Team

this year, and had various levels of success. At the Dainfern

and the KZN Schools Golf Team but, due to an operation, was

Tournament, Luke Mayo and Ethan Kraus had a mixed bag of

unable to represent either team at the respective interprovincial

fortunes although they gained valuable experience for next

tournaments. He has now made a full recovery and we look

year. Andrew Inggs and Matthew Montgomery played some

forward to a full golfing year from Luke next year. Ethan Kraus

consistent golf but, unfortunately, the Dainfern greens, once

was selected for the KZN Coastal Team and was unfortunate

again, were the Clifton team’s downfall.

not to make the KZN Schools’ Team.

We also attended the Affies Team Championships and, although

A wonderful year of golf is behind us and I certainly look

we were missing some of our boys who were on hockey tour,

forward to the coming years when our young talent will start

the team played some great golf on four of Pretoria’s best golf courses, finishing a creditable ninth place out of the 12 quality teams there.

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will stand them in good stead for years to come. In October,

to mature. Let’s have a crack at winning the league next year, boys! Mr G Thomas – MIC of Golf

GOLF

First team

Seated: Co Webber, L Mayo (Vice-capt), Mr G Thomas (MIC of Golf), E Kraus (Capt), M Montgomery Standing: A Parusnath, A Inggs, J Lavery, W Dowsett, C Cryer, N Christodoulou

Golf

Second Team

Seated: A Parusnath, Mr D Soonderjee, J Lavery, T Van Niekerk, Mr G Thomas (MIC of Golf), N Christodoulou Standing: N Moodley, J McGregor, A Cottingham, A Sparks, D Bushnell, P Grindrod

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CLIFTON

Golf Day

We took advantage of the legendary Durban winter weather to host our annual Golf Day at Royal Durban in June. This day always draws huge support from our parents and 2016 was no different. This is a valued event on our calendar as, not only is it a day of camaraderie and fun for friends and parents of Clifton, but we also use the money raised to fund numerous school projects. Clifton would like to thank Royal Durban for allowing us the use of their golf course, and also extend a special thank you to everyone who donated prizes and sponsored holes. The Parents@Clifton do an amazing amount of work in preparation for Golf Day and we thank them for their efforts in helping to make the day a success. For a number of years, we have been sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth and we appreciate their continued support as well. Mr M Foxcroft

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Seated: B Dancaster, Mr K Bresler (MIC of Surfing), S Christianson (Capt), L Stirling Standing: A Pottow, L Pereira, J Emde, K Steen

SURFING

Report Surfing at Clifton continues to grow at a rapid rate with more and more students participating every year. There are a number of school competitions that take place throughout the year – all of which form part of the KwaZulu-Natal Schools’ Surfing League (KZNSSL). Clifton did exceptionally well this year, placing second overall in an extremely close final. It is worth mentioning that we were only narrowly pushed out of first position by Northwood in the last few minutes, which is testament to the ability of our surfers! The boys have all worked really hard throughout the year and have invested hours of practice time. They can be proud of their achievements and the manner in which they have represented the school. Sam Christianson – Captain

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Seated: U Chetty, Mr W Edwards (Coach), E Mbambisa, Mrs E Erasmus (MIC of Squash), T Chetty, Mr R Moola (Coach), M Haribhai Standing: N Suliman, D Baitz, C Dorkin, C White, T Misdorp, M Noorbhai Absent: R Joubert (Capt)

SQUASH

Report Squash at Clifton has seen a huge improvement in terms of both the participation and the quality of play this year. There was outstanding commitment from all the players – especially when younger boys were called upon to stand in for Matric students who were writing exams. All players showed dedication to the sport and were eager to climb the competitive ladder. We were pleased to field four teams who took part in the Interschools’ League each Monday. The players fought vigorously in every match and were a force with which to be reckoned on most occasions. Special mention must go to Troy Perrett, Thaiyn Chetty and Emihle Mbambisa who were our top three performers throughout the season. All three boys showed consistent effort and sportsmanship. Furthermore, a huge thank you to Mrs Erasmus for her hard work and enthusiasm, as well as to Mr Moola for his coaching of the boys. The season was characterized by growth and maturity for all our squash players and I look forward to seeing Clifton’s teams continue to grow in numbers and competitiveness, all the while maintaining that Clifton spirit that is so particular to them. Ryan Joubert – Captain

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TENNIS

Report

“The will to win, is not as important, as the will to prepare to win’

In the Paarl Roos and St Stithians tournaments, Clifton was

– Roger Federer

seen as the underdog as we were matched against some of

2016 was a year that presented many challenges for the First Team, but the boys were eager and willing to be tested. One of our particular challenges was the relative youth and inexperience of the team compared to many of the schools against whom we were pitted. We were honoured to be invited to five festivals this year: the Kearsney Festival; the Paul Roos Tournament in Stellenbosch; the St Stithians Easter Tournament in Johannesburg; the St David’s Derby Festival and the Hilton/St Anne’s Tournament. The latter tournament is unique and, without a doubt, it is the boys’ favourite because they only play doubles and mixed doubles. This year, we teamed up with a new school, Springfield Convent, from Cape Town. The boys and girls got on well and developed a good relationship both on, and off, the court.

the best players in the country. Some good results came from our Number One, and Captain, Ahmed Deedat, who definitely had a tough task ahead of him. Unfortunately, we came in at the tail-end of those tournaments but we made up for it at the Kearsney Festival, defeating Stellenbosch High School in the play-offs, to finish seventh overall. Clifton also fielded a second and a third side which competed throughout the year, beating DHS, Pinetown and only just going down to Westville in a nail-biting tie-break to decide the overall score. Congratulations must go to Ahmed Deedat for making the KZN Under 19A side, as well as to Richard Hartmann for making the KZN Under 15B side. We also bid farewell to our only Matric who is one of the stalwarts of Clifton tennis: Simon Munks.

I was proud to receive positive feedback from the teacher in

Coach Ross Geldenhuys and I are looking forward to the

charge of Springfield, who complimented our boys on their

continued growth and development of our younger players

manners. True Clifton style! In terms of the actual tennis played:

who are coming through the ranks. These young men have real

we were successful in both the doubles and mixed doubles

potential and we are confident that, as they mature, they will

versus St Alban’s Girls and Boys but, sadly, had disappointing performances in the rest of the matches. We finished fifth overall in doubles, and sixth overall in mixed.

contribute to Clifton regaining its position as one of the top tennis schools in the country. Mr J Mellin – MIC of Tennis

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TENNIS

First Team

Seated: Mr J Mellin (Manager), A Deedat (Capt), Mr R Geldenhuys (Coach) Standing: R Searle, L Oglesby, J Coetzer, B Dove

Tennis

Second Team

Seated: Mr J Mellin (Manager), J Laggar, S Munks, Mr R Geldenhuys (Coach) Standing: Z Kiratu, B Dove, H Gopalan, M Forno, S Schneideman

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102 Lambert Road Morningside Durban â&#x20AC;¢ 4001 Tel: +27 31 312 2147 Prep Fax: +27 31 312 7057 www.cliftonschool.co.za