Sporting Activities
In keeping with our sister school in the UK Repton School Dubai takes provision for sport seriously. We are endeavouring to develop a regional and international reputation for excellence in sport but equally are keen to ensure that a broad range of activities and opportunities are offered to each Reptonian regardless of their aptitude and ability. Regular inter house matches in a variety of sports allow each student to experience competitive sport whilst a full fixture list of inter school matches stretches the more experienced performers.
The main sports at Repton are Rugby, Football, Cricket and Swimming for boys and Netball, Football, Rounders and Swimming for girls.
All students benefit from having specialist teachers for PE lessons and at present the department consists of ten PE specialists including Carlton Palmer (ex England international) as Head of Football and Apollo Perelini (ex Samoa, St. Helens, Sale Sharks) as Head of Rugby. In year ten students have the opportunity to follow an IGCSE course in Physical Education.
Facilities for Sport.
In keeping with our big plans for sport at Repton Dubai the facilities are outstanding and bear comparison with any school in Dubai, or indeed the Middle East. At present the school boasts:
- two floodlit Tiger Turf pitches (which can be used equally well for Football, Cricket and full contact Rugby).
- Two full sized Basketball court air conditioned Sports Halls with markings for various sports as well as indoor cricket nets, bowling machine and a climbing wall.
- Indoor heated 25metre six lane competition swimming pool with anti wave lane ropes.
- Two further covered multi sports areas soon to be completed (each the size of two tennis courts) with markings for Basketball, Netball, Tennis, Volleyball and 5-a-side Football.
- Three floodlit Tennis courts.
- Dedicated Weight Training and Cardio rooms.
- These facilities will be improved still further with future development including a 50m swimming pool, grass pitches and more Tennis courts all planned for completion in the not too distant future.
The Elite Sporting Academy also operates out of Repton School.
The aims of the ESA are:
1. To identify and develop players, both locally and internationally with the potential to succeed at the highest level.
2. To develop players who can make professional sport their first career.
3. To develop players who can make a career in sport outside of the playing arena.
4. And most importantly to offer all players of all ages an opportunity to experience the best development programme possible.
The ESA journey begins at an early age when young players may be recruited from 10 years old. Young players from the ages of 10 to 16 attend their own school during the day and are then coached three to four times a week after school at ESA before taking part in a fortnightly weekend fixture.
At the end of their ESA career (18 years) they will be taken abroad for a series of trial matches at top professional clubs.
The Academy’s structure will not be too dissimilar to other successful academy models around the world but will be unique in the way that living in an expatriate dominated society is unique and will be tailored this way.
The key points are:
Identification
Identify & recruit individuals with the potential to excel in the ESA environment.
Development
Educate not only the athlete but also the person. Everything to do with high performance will be part of the Academy remit. As well as on the pitch performance other areas such as nutrition, sports psychology, rehabilitation, drug and alcohol awareness, financial matters as well as other modules will be part of the Academy.
Elite Pathway
Provide ample opportunity for Academy players to showcase their skills in front of renowned coaches and talent scouts associated with professional clubs. This would be through attending tournaments, hosting tournaments, inviting scouts to the academy etc.
Career Pathway
Show students the options they have of staying involved in their sport should they not become a professional player. This will be through various lectures by invited industry experts. These guests will come from the wider range of the sports industry to demonstrate to students the many options of a career in sport.
www.elitesportingacademy.com