It’s an event that has become synonymous with Rockland District High School, that students and teachers walk the halls eager anticipating its arrival.
Since 1995, the high school, located at 1004 St Joseph Street in Rockland, has been holding a yearly Sports Grind, where grade 9 to 12 students participate in an all-day sporting event, while raising funds for sports teams at Rockland District High School.
“It’s become this tradition that everyone talks about and are just really excited to be part of,” said Karen Kryviak, the athletic director at Rockland District High School who has been organization the annual event at the school for the past 21 years. “Some kids have been talking about this (Sports Grind) since the first day of school. They have been looking forward to it and so have the teachers and everyone who helps organize it.”
One hundred and fifty students participated in this year’s Sports Grind and were divided into 15 teams. The event took place on Friday, Oct. 18 from 11:30 a.m. and wrapped up at 9:30 p.m., with the activities taking place on school grounds.
Participants are asked to pledge $50, and students play a variety of sports including lacrosse, ball hockey, badminton, basketball and soccer.
“They all just have a blast, and so do we (school staff),” added Kryviak, who said several alumni even return to either help volunteer and show up just to witness the fun throughput the day. “Over the years, the Grind has really become something that people associate our school with. It has become so well known and so fun for everyone involved.”
The Sports Grind not only provides students at chance to try different sports, and raise money for their schools athletics programs, but also promotes team spirit and teamwork.
“We have had teams that won the sports games, but didn’t win the Grind because they didn’t have the spirit points,” said Kryviak. “And it goes the other way, too. We have had teams that didn’t win the games, but they had the spirit. We want to make sure that everyone has fun, but also, they show good sportsmanship and include other people on their teams.”
In the past, the annual Sports Grind has helped raise funds so the school can buy new soccer nets and enhance the weight room inside the school so that sports teams have better equipment to use.
This year, the event raised roughly $7,500.
“This is the ultimate school spirit event,” she said. “It’s form grades 9 to 12, but the younger grades are looking outside their classroom windows to see what’s going on. And then they get excited and can’t wait for it to happen. »
