Sporting Achievements

2025 Sporting Achievements
Since its launch in July 2024, the Secondary After-School Sports Programme has gone from strength to strength. Now offering three sports, including football, volleyball, and netball, the programme engages 75 students. We asked our dedicated coaches to share some of the highlights so far and their dreams for the future.

Football

The Secondary After-School Football Programme has experienced significant growth, both in numbers and in team spirit. From modest beginnings, we now proudly have 28 students actively participating, representing a strong and growing interest in football across our secondary grades.

This year, our teams have played 9 matches, gaining valuable experience and learning from every game. While the win-loss record includes more losses and draws than victories, we see this as part of a long-term journey. Our players understand that success doesn't come overnight and their continued dedication, effort, and training show that they're committed to long-term growth.

One of the most noticeable improvements this year has been the mindset of the players. Not only has participation increased, but there’s been visible progress in team resilience, commitment, and maturity. The players are not just showing up to play, they’re showing up to grow.

Looking ahead, our goal for the coming year is to build a strong, unified team, not just in football ability, but in life. One built on character, teamwork, and integrity. We want every player to walk away with skills that go beyond the pitch.|

There are also opportunities to get involved! If you have a passion for coaching or supporting youth in sport, we would love to hear from you. Extra hands and hearts are always welcome.

As for highlights of the season, three moments stand out:

• For our U14 team, our first home match against Themis International School was unforgettable. We secured a strong win, but more importantly, the players displayed teamwork and courage.

• For our U18s, the match against Northfields stood out. Despite a 3–1 loss, the team adapted impressively to the challenge of playing on a full-sized standard pitch and showed remarkable courage and determination.

• Another memorable moment was our draw against Westcoast. Although we dominated the match, we narrowly missed winning due to a late penalty. Even in disappointment, the team showed unity and growth.

The journey continues and we look forward to what the next term brings!
Mr Avison

Volleyball

What a difference a year makes! Since last July, when our volleyball journey first served up with just 14 eager players (ages 11 to 17), we’ve truly spiked our way to growth. Back then, many were picking up a volleyball in a team setting for the very first time. We started by focusing on fundamentals, game awareness, and above all, building a team spirit rooted in trust and encouragement.

Fast forward to today, and our numbers have more than doubled: we now have 29 players, ages 11 to 18, proudly wearing the Lighthouse jerseys. Among them, seasoned "veterans" share their experience with new teammates, helping everyone set each other up for success.

Our coaching team has also grown from just me last year (with valuable help from Coach Shai for a few months) to two full-time coaches at every practice; proof that this program is no longer just an idea, but a flourishing part of our school community.

At first, it took a little time for other schools to even realise Lighthouse had a volleyball programme. In 2024, we played just three matches. But this year, we’re already on our 11th match, facing a range of teams and age groups, and we’re still only halfway through the calendar!

Last year, we didn’t win a single match. But what a turnaround: in our first major competition this year, the ICSCs, we became Region 7 (North) Champions! We also competed at the West Coast Omnisport Day, proudly bringing home both gold and bronze medals across different age brackets.

Looking back over this first full year (yes, it has been a whole year!), I’ve witnessed incredible commitment, ever-growing interest, and an inspiring team spirit. My deepest hope remains rooted in Christ, but these athletes have given me a different kind of hope: seeing young people learn to dig deep, support one another, and discover new strengths within themselves.

If I could dream big for our volleyball programme’s future, it would be for sustainable growth: better facilities on campus to practice safely, and a larger coaching team—ideally one coach for every 6–8 players—to give each athlete more personal guidance. Whether through volunteers or other Lighthouse staff, my prayer is the same: that every player grows to be the best they can be, on and off the court.

Above all, there is much to celebrate and be grateful for. I’m thankful that Lighthouse Secondary School continues to invest in sport, despite the many challenges behind the scenes. I’m deeply grateful to the parents who trust us to challenge and nurture their children, and to the wider parent community who’ve supported us with carpooling, snacks, and, most importantly, with encouragement that reminds our athletes just how important they are.

Thank you all for making this first year one to remember. Here’s to many more years of serving, setting, and spiking new goals together!

Mr Chad

Netball
It has been a joy and privilege coaching netball at Lighthouse. Since we started in 2024, we have more than doubled from a squad of 8 ladies to 18!

We have played approximately 15 matches over this time, and have seen a steady improvement in performance from the young ladies - this is the largest source of pride in my opinion. 

We managed to eventually beat Northfields this year, after many losses to them - this was certainly the highlight when it comes to our matches! Another highlight has been seeing the team spirit and camaraderie amongst the squad, from making up a cheer, to decorating outfits, to ceaselessly encouraging and motivating one another in good and bad moments. 

Their characters have been tested and they have grown as people - which is, besides the physical benefits, what team sport is all about.

A dream for the future of this squad is to have a hard court surface to play on at Lighthouse (and it is coming), we cannot wait! We would also love to see more ladies sign up and grow the squad in the third term and beyond.

I want to say a very big thank you to Ms Annelize who has been an amazing co-coach, and to all the parents who have supported and cheered for us.

Mr Francois