Distant memories of Co-education and Games

It’s now nearly eight years since I retired and I’m sure that my memory plays tricks with me from my last few years at Hymers – let alone the events of thirty-five-plus years ago! But we’ll try and have a go at recalling them.

Word has it that there were one or two dissenting voices in the late 1980s when the topic of co-education was first raised. As well as the ‘odd’ governor and several old boys, those other ‘voices’ seemed to be mainly in the PE and Games Department. The thinking behind this from the department's view was that with the number of boys at the school being reduced, it would have an impact on the quality and standard of the boys’ major games.

How wrong we were!!

The appointment (by Bryan Bass, Headmaster 1983-90) of the newly qualified Rebecca Couch, OH Staff 1989- 94 (later to be Mrs Glover) to the department as a teacher, including Girls’ Games, proved to be a masterstroke. She followed the well-established boys’ format for lunchtime and evening practices and very soon, the small number of girls in those early years expected to be practicing most lunchtimes and evenings – on a par with the boys. The transition was seamless (I think!) and it felt as though girls had always been at the school.

Who will forget the heavy-quartered rugby shirts that became hockey apparel in the early 1990s? Poor girls!

Year after year the number of girls in the school increased and Saturday fixtures were soon in place and became the norm. Jane O’Sullivan, OH Staff 1991-98, and Angela Taylor, OH Staff 1993-99 were recruited to the department, and Rebecca and Mary Chorlton, OH Staff 1987-2006 (Senior Mistress with responsibility for girls’ welfare) were fully committed to providing a PE and games programme that ensured that girls’ games became a success at Hymers.

Within 3 – 4 years a full fixture list was in place and the senior girls’ hockey squad found themselves on an overseas tour to Canada in the school centenary year (1993). Hockey and netball were the major sports in the autumn and spring terms and initially rounders in the summer term, to be later replaced by athletics and tennis.

I’m sure that tears were shed as facilities were shared; the Memorial Hall rugby pitch, together with the Junior School football pitch by the old tennis courts were replaced by grass hockey pitches. But time has shown that the demand for new playing and changing facilities has led to a transformation of the site. Many pupils from the 70s, 80s, and even 90s who have not visited the school since leaving, would find a quite remarkable change to the old place.

The strength of the girls’ sport at Hymers College today owes a great deal to the efforts of Rebecca Glover and her team in the early 1990s. They left a solid foundation for the following Heads of Girls’ Games – Andrea Thomas, OH Staff 1994-2000, Julia Tapley OH Staff 1995-2014, OH Staff Sara Guy, OH Staff 2000-11.

I can’t believe that it is 35 years since the introduction of girls throughout the school – it seems like yesterday - and that they’ve been here forever! The atmosphere in the school changed overnight (for the better!) and the practice by members of staff, of calling pupils by their surnames (who would do that?), seemed to cease immediately.

And what of the quality of the boys’ major games (I hear you asking)? The perception that it would be affected appeared to be quite misguided. If anything – it improved! With boys working harder and achieving better results – were they trying to impress the girls?  Who knows?

Chris J. Fitzpatrick
OH Staff 1980-2016

Related Article:

• Teacher Feature: Chris Fitzpatrick (1980-2016)