The Lessons of Rugby: Bridging Sports and Education
 

Mr. Tang Chun Yiu
 

Rugby used to be an indispensable part of my life. Unfortunately, I was forced to give it up due to my injuries. However, that doesn’t mean that I could not apply what I learnt in rugby to teaching. Rugby and teaching share some similarities that stretch beyond the classroom and the pitch. Both require teamwork, resilience, perseverance, and respect.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Rugby is a sport that demands a high level of teamwork. Regardless of how talented you are as an individual player, you cannot tackle 15 attackers or score tries without the support of your teammates. For example, in rugby, when you are tackled, if your teammates do not come to set up a “ruck” (a way to secure the ball possession), opponents will easily get possession of the ball. Similarly, in school, students are often required to work as a group to accomplish tasks such as group projects and discussions. Without teamwork, you may still complete the project on your own, but it would be more difficult, time-consuming, and could even result in missing deadlines.

Resilience and Perseverance

Rugby taught me how to be resilient when facing difficult situations or bouncing back from an injury. I once suffered a shoulder dislocation during a rugby match, which caused me to stop playing rugby for almost a year. At that time, I was extremely depressed, feeling that it might be the end of my rugby journey because of the severity of the injury. 

However, my coach encouraged me with the words, “Injuries don’t hold you back from playing; it’s your own mindset that determines if you continue!” He helped me realise that I should not give up easily when I face difficulties. Instead, I should learn from my mistakes, focus on recovery, and return to the pitch stronger than before. 

Same as students, when they receive results that they didn’t expect to have, for example, failing in their MS, they should learn to persevere, understanding that one failure would not defeat them and set up plans on how they can improve their results. By fostering a growth mindset, teachers can help students view challenges as opportunities for learning and self-improvement.

Values of Sportsmanship and Respect

After every match, we would cheer for our opponents, regardless of the result, and every conflict that happened during the match would come to an end after the referee blew his final whistle. It is important to treat every game seriously, but it is even more important to respect my opponents and acknowledge the effort they put in for their club. Similarly, in schools, teachers can emphasise the importance of accepting different opinions, cultures and backgrounds, allowing students to express themselves while appreciating the perspectives of others.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both rugby and teaching emphasise teamwork, resilience, perseverance and respect. These qualities are essential for success not only in school but also in daily lives. By integrating the values learned from rugby into the classroom, teachers can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that nurtures academic achievement and fosters personal growth.