Athletics Report
The Athletics Club was discontinued for the 1963-64 season as there had been little support in previous years. However, training nights were set aside for the more enthusiastic athletes of the school: Wednesday evening for circuit training and Friday night for training at the field.
We had many individual successes in local championships. However, we had not the necessary core of average athletes to gain the overall victory.
In the Oldham Secondary School Championships among the individual successes were the following: J. Fletcher won the senior javelin with a record throw; B. Cocker won the senior 440 yards.
In the inter-grammar school sports we again trailed behind the other two schools although the margin of points had diminished to some extent. However, there were some creditable performances. E. J. Shaw was second in the shot, G. Earl was second in the 880 and mile race, and I. Thewlis was second in the 220 yards. A. Dray was first in the pole vault, a new event in the sports.
On the girls' side Susan Jones was second in the javelin and Daphne Mitchelmore was second in the high jump.
Four boys represented Oldham in the County Championships at the new athletics track at Kirby. A. Dray represented in the senior boys' pole vault, E. J. Shaw in the senior boys' shot, B. Cocker and N. Eveniss were in the intermediate boys' 440 yards and javelin respectively.
On the whole we have had a fairly successful year individually. However, to improve our performance as a school we need more enthusiastic and harder working athletes who must realise that there is no substitute for training.
A. DRAY.
Swimming
In this year's inter-schools swimming gala held at the Central Baths, the school was well represented in every event and managed to win the Girls' Brown Shield. The boys over 15 years had the highest points aggregate in a new event for which there is no trophy.
An interesting innovation this year was an inter-house water polo league, from which two teams provided the finale to the inter-house swimming gala.
A team of boys from the school took part in a Manchester & District swimming event for under 18's at Hyde Baths, but their only gain was experience. During the last year, the following pupils have represented the town in various events: Christine Gowder, Jennifer Crowder, Christine Hopkinson, lan Chidgey, Keith Brown.