A QUESTION OF SPORT

Les bemoans the lack of sporting opportunites for today's young people.

In a recent edition of the Village Pump the Editor made reference to the excellent articles that have been supplied to the Pump by Gooderstone Cricket Club and he wondered if other local Clubs would like to contribute. I am sure the Editor would still continue to welcome contributions from any Club wherever they are located but I think he had specifically in mind Clubs from with-in the circulation area of the Pump and to me that presents a problem.

If we were to consider for example Wereham Football Club, Stoke Ferry Cricket Club, Boughton Tennis Club, West Dereham Bowls Club, Wretton Hockey Club and finally Whittington Badminton Club, all of these so-called Clubs have one thing in common; they don't exist. It is only when you make that observation that you realise what a dearth of sport there is within this area much to the detriment of our young and not so young.

The question arises, what can we do about it? Can it be said that people, especially the young are not as sport orientated as they were in my day? And if they are not why is this? The answer I believe lies within our schools and while it may well be essential that as many students as possible leave school with a bag full of O and A levels I just wonder how many of them leave having been "indoctrinated" in to sport? I fear not many. How many teachers do you know who participate in any form of sport? I can't think of any, I'm talking about outside school hours.

I remember a teacher, could have been two of them, at Methwold High School who was responsible for forming a soccer team, named appropriately, "Old Methwoldians" this team played for many years in one of our local leagues. I also recall at Methwold Primary School a teacher who regularly played in the village soccer and cricket teams, but all of this was years ago. Today our village hasn't got either soccer or a cricket team. The point I'm making is that those teachers used to set an example by performing and in doing so inspired their pupils to do likewise.

Looking back at my time at Methwold Primary School I have to say I can't look back with any fond memories of not just the school but also of any of the teachers. I would have thought after all this time, now some 60 years ago, that a somewhat nostalgic air would be clouding my judgement, but not so. I couldn't wait to leave and put those days, and the teachers, behind me.

On reflection this isn't good enough. I ought to be crying in to my cornflakes, yearning for those days of yesteryear and I probably would be if the curriculum had then included Inspiration. But then that's a subject which is something you can't get from with-in, it has to come from another, and those who have this ability to inspire are I would suggest few and far between.

Les Lawrence