Earlier this year, when Veer Gondal and Madhav Somaiya were respectively elected as Sports Head and President, they stepped into their positions with a vision. A cornerstone of their campaign had been the creation and launch of house leagues, a concept designed to foster school spirit and unite grades. With the backing of the student council, the duo introduced Ascend’s first ever house leagues, with the two saying that it is “only the start”. But how did the house leagues come to be, and why is it better than just a few inter-house games throughout the year?
What Made You Want to Push For House Leagues So Much During Your Campaigns?
Madhav and Veer felt like “outside of sports there was not much use for the house system, which seemed like a missed opportunity for house spirit.” During the past two inter-house tournaments, the school and houses came together like never before, because even if people didn’t like playing sports, they could still cheer on their friends and root for their house. “We wanted to bring this spirit to everyday school life,” said Veer, “and instead of something that happened a day before sports day, we wanted to build it up, and gain that momentum.” It ended up working incredibly well, transforming recesses into a cacophony of cheers and chants echoing from the stilts to the MPH, support and booing alike. Teammates huddling together, getting pep talks from captains, and strategizing plays has brought an electrifying feel to everyday school life, giving students something to look forward to through the day, and something to talk about after. Madhav went on to explain that “As president, one of the biggest parts of my campaign was house leagues, and now that it has been launched it’s expected to get bigger and better, expanding beyond just throwball, football and basketball.”
What Are The Benefits of the House Leagues?
When asking the pair about the benefits of the house leagues and why they are so integral, Madhav said–“It allowed for a platform for students to display their competitiveness in their age categories”. Veer added on by saying– “We wanted to incorporate more competition in school, and I felt that as a student I had always wanted something like this.” Not only does this allow for students to be able to embrace their skills, it can also allow for mentorship and for students to be able to experience unfamiliar things and go outside their comfort zones. Countless students have had to play sports that they are not very familiar with, just to support their houses. The two also emphasized on the fun environment it creates in school “with the bantering and competitiveness” not only exciting students, but forming stronger bonds and a deeper loyalty to their houses.
How Do You Plan To Take This Forward?
For now, Madhav and Veer have explained that football and basketball will wrap up by February, with throwball already wrapped up earlier this month “Last year there was only one competitive instance before sports day, but there needed to be something more cumulative, so there could be an opportunity to understand who’s good, who to watch out for, as well as understanding the house’s strengths and weaknesses, and how to push past that.” The duo said. The house leagues are scheduled to end before February, however next year Madhav and Veer hope to start it from the very get-go. To create a schedule before school begins, so that house leagues and that spirit can start as soon as possible. Madhav went on to say–“Even though I won’t be president next year, I will be in communication with next year’s president, and make sure that this is something that can go on all-year long.” With the upcoming music band and art competitions, the expansion of these leagues beyond sports is in the works, so others can find their places and build house spirit.
Thank you to the student council, the support of the leadership team and Madhav and Veer for creating the house leagues!
