Wednesday, 25th February, 2026
Welcome from the Director of Sport
As we return from what I hope was a restful half-term break, many of us will have enjoyed the feast of sport on our screens. From a host of international fixtures to the unforgettable spectacle of the Winter Olympics, it has been a fortnight of drama, fierce competition, jubilant celebration and, inevitably, heartbreak.
The Olympic ethos built around excellence, respect, courage, teamwork and trust resonates strongly within our own school sport programme and ethos. While our pitches and courts may be smaller than the Olympic arenas, the principles remain almost identical. Excellence, for us, is about striving to improve and giving one’s best effort, a ‘personal best’, whatever that is at that time. Respect is shown to teammates, opponents, officials and the game itself. Teamwork is forged in shared endeavour, muddy kit bags and long minibus journeys. Medals are amazing, but character lasts rather longer.
During the Games, much was made of Norway’s remarkable success. Despite a relatively small population, Norway consistently outperforms many larger nations in winter sport. Commentators frequently referenced their distinctive approach to youth development. A widely discussed piece in The Guardian highlighted Norway’s child-centred philosophy, one that delays early specialisation, avoids national rankings for young athletes and prioritises enjoyment and participation over premature performance pressure (Kelner, 2018). The Norwegian model is underpinned by the concept of idrettsglede; literally, “joy of sport”. They are evidently progressive and have shown that sustainable excellence is built on broad foundations: inclusion, balance and long-term development.
There is much in that philosophy that aligns with our own future aims in Seaford Sport at Prep School age. We want our children to compete wholeheartedly, but also to retain a lifelong love of movement, teamwork and healthy challenge. If they happen to win along the way, all the better, but the joy of participation must always come first in these formative years.
And so, to the term ahead and what a start we have. The first week back is brimming with fixtures and training across the College, with sport taking place on nearly every day. In the independent school calendar, March is affectionately (and accurately) nicknamed “Mad March”. It is a month of residential tournaments, back-to-back days out of school, packed midweek fixtures and additional weekend opportunities, such as this Sunday’s cross-country event for those keen to add a little extra mileage to their legs.
It is busy. It is full throttle. At times it requires military-level diary coordination and a healthy amount of laundry detergent. But it is also tremendous fun.
Our students are ready to go. The staff are organised (clipboards at the ready), and the buses are fuelled. Most importantly, the children are eager to represent their school, to test themselves and to enjoy being part of a team.
As ever, we are deeply grateful for your support. School sport simply does not function without parental encouragement, touchline positivity and the practical heroics of timely drop-offs and collections. Thank you in advance for all you will do over the coming weeks.
So, let’s lace up the boots, locate the gumshield and brace yourselves for Mad March. It promises to be gloriously busy. Get ready!
Mr Christian Head Director of Sport
Competitive Fixtures & Recreational Sport
Midweek Home Match Refreshments
Parents’ refreshments – before and during matches
Midweek Sports – Cricket Pavilion and Hockey Pavilion
Saturday Sports – Cricket Pavilion and Hockey Pavilion
Post-match hot teas and refreshments – Cricket Pavilion and Hockey Pavilion
Medical Provision
This week, we will be supported by the Seaford College Physio Team, Sport Staff and our Medical Centre.
Additional Medical Support
To continue to ensure that we are providing proactive, gold-standard care to our students, the school is in partnership with Return2Play, the UK’s leading sports medicine partners for schools. Feedback from other schools and parents utilising their expertise is strong, while our own experience has been overwhelmingly positive thus far.
If you have any queries regarding your account, then please get in touch with Return2Play directly via hello@return2play.org.uk and they will be happy to help. The helpdesk runs 7 days a week.
Wet Weather and Cancellations
As a team, we will always do everything within our control to ensure fixtures and recreational activities go ahead as scheduled. Any changes to the schedule will be communicated via the respective sports coaches and clarion call.
Dogs on the School Site
We are a dog-friendly site; however, can I remind all parents that dogs should always be on a lead while onsite, and should not be on the field of play. If challenged by a member of staff, please be polite, respect the campus rules and remember that the safety of our students is paramount.
Parents and Supporters – Code of Conduct
For our core values (RESPECT, TEAMWORK, COURAGE, TRUST) to be upheld and our sports programme to be truly successful, it takes the cooperation of all involved – players, coaches, officials, staff, spectators and parents. The College and the staff have spent some time and effort reinforcing these sporting values within Seaford, and we believe it is essential that we include parents and friends of the College in this process.
One of the key questions we ask all supporters to consider is: ‘How does our touchline behaviour shape character and enhance the enjoyment for all the players during the game?’
Please let the coaches coach so that you can enjoy the parental match day experience. As a team and a college, we value performance and desired learning behaviours over the scoreboard – win, lose or draw, it is about the experience and the students making memories with their friends. Thank you for your support with this! Successful College sport is built upon strong partnerships between the students, parents and the College.
We look forward to seeing you all on the sidelines, both home and away, and thank you for your continued support of the Seaford Sport programme.
Blue Blood – Seaford Sport kit provider
Opro – Seaford Sport mouthguard provider
10% off code: Seaford10
Seaford Sport – SOCS
Live updates for all fixtures are available on our designated SOCS page.
