One highlight of my final year at Dr. Ribeiro’s was our Senior Girls’ Team winning the annual Nairobi District Inter Schools’ Rounder Tournament ( Senior category ) Several schools in and around Nairobi would generally participate in this tournament.

Our coach was Mrs. Estelita and she did an excellent job in coaching the team. Her clear message….play fast, play hard, play as a team and most of all, play your best kept reverberating in our ears. There was definitely a determination to eliminate all opposition and become the champions….. With this objective in mind, we applied ourselves most seriously to the task of getting our bods into good physical shape, not forgetting our very committed efforts at perfecting fielding, batting and bowling techniques.

I can quite vividly remember the training sessions that took place each day after school, for a number of weeks before the tournament. I am sure all the team members will agree that since we were ‘naturally gifted’ players, we did not require coaching all year round.

Regarding our positions on the field, I recall Philla being the “ wicket keeper and I was the bowler. No matter how I bowled……slow / medium / fast / spin or something crazy that could not be clearly defined, Philla could handle ‘em all quite comfortably. That girl’s hands must have been bionic. Her ball returns to team members manning the posts or to the bowler were swift and accurate. If you wavered in your concentration, the ball was gone in a flash and right over the boundary line. If you caught the ball incorrectly….well, you suffered the consequences…..a crooked index finger on my left hand is testimony of Philla’s tremendous power & ability.

The rest of the team….Melba Almeida, Thelma Pereira, Kathleen Lobo,Vera Coutinho, Ivera Dias, Zemira Fernandes, Afra D’Melo and the two girls flanking Mrs. Estelita……. were equally efficient. They combined very well in their respective roles as fielders whether around the posts or outfield, to frustrate any attempts made by the opposing teams to score. Also, the depth of batting ability within the team enabled us to score runs quite easily.

We came up against the Aga Khan Girls High School and St Theresa Girls’ School in the semi- finals and finals. There was no big drama……just a well thought out game plan coupled with a strong desire to be champions. Both schools were decisively beaten, earning us the much coveted shield. Victory against ‘the girls in maroon’ was always a big achievement….(almost comparable to winning a battle ) as the rivalry between the two schools was extremely intense.

My comments about the photo…

Ladies, didn’t we look pretty cool in shorts as we showed off our thighs …..those divided skirts worn by the girls in “61, whilst cute & feminine were rather restricting….. I’m sure everyone will agree with me that the girls in the front row did an excellent job of the back combing of their hair. The higher the hair was piled up…the more trendy one looked (and the more admirers one attracted ??)

A bit of trivia…… the game of rounders originated in England and Sports History indicates that baseball and softball originated from rounders.