At YCIS Pudong, all students are encouraged to participate in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), and, as a result, many students take up an array of sports that they may never have tried elsewhere. From floor hockey to swimming, tennis to volleyball and even Australian Rules Football, there are plenty of ways for our youngsters to learn new skills, stay fit, and to be part of a team. One of the most popular sports at the school is also the world’s biggest: football. The Football programme at YCIS Pudong has gone from strength to strength, and the school has recently proudly announced its exclusive partnership with the world-renowned Scottish football club, Glasgow Rangers. At the recent 2018-19 Sports Awards Evening ceremony, one of Rangers’ ambassadors was in attendance to celebrate the sporting success of the YCIS Pudong student body.
YCIS Pudong Athletics Director, Mr Matt Uffindall introduced Mr Mark Hateley, who played in European Championships and World Cup competitions for the English national football team, won multiple Scottish Cup and Scottish League titles with Glasgow Rangers and played for top European clubs AC Milan and AS Monaco (where he was managed by Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger). It was fitting that such an esteemed sportsman, who has played at an elite level on the world stage, should be honouring our young athletes.
Mr Hateley spoke passionately to the students, parents, and staff in attendance about his sporting career and the work he is doing with Rangers and YCIS Pudong, offering words of encouragement to our aspiring sports stars. The Rangers Soccer Schools programme has already gotten off to a fantastic start, with Rangers’ coach, UEFA-B licensed Coach Ross, working hard with our students and building a great rapport with them as well as members of the whole school community.
The focus of the evening wasn’t limited to football, however. Mr Hateley presented students with awards for their efforts in an array of sports. Awards were given to those outstanding athletes who had competed at CISSA and SISAC competitions during the 2018-19 school year in sports including swimming, basketball, cross-country running, volleyball, floor hockey, table tennis, badminton, and athletics. The students were thrilled to be in the company of someone with such a dazzling sporting CV, and the evening gave them an even bigger push to excel in their various sporting disciplines, always aiming for the elite level. Finally, YCIS Pudong parent and basketball coach, Mr Bruce Robinson spoke to the audience and was also presented with a special jersey to thank him for his tireless work volunteering for many years at the school. This was another example of how commitment and hard work extend to all areas when it comes to sport at YCIS Pudong.