Tokyo 2020 and Us
At the start of the month, we enjoyed watching Team GB compete at the Olympics in a range of sports. From Tom Daley’s emotional gold medal win to the post-final interviews, the delayed Tokyo 2020 was a fantastic celebration of sports. As we begin watching this year’s Paralympics, we can’t wait to celebrate our Paralympians’ successes too!
The last time Tokyo hosted the Summer Games was in 1964. For our alumni community, 1964 could mean many things. Some of our alumni will remember watching the Games as teenagers or young adults. But, for our more recent alumni, 1964 will be more significant for their parents than themselves. For St John’s College, 1964 marked the two year anniversary of it admitting women to its courses.
The White Rose Magazine from 1964 includes a report on the newly formed netball team:
“The women students were able to form a Netball Club this year as there was enough of us to make up two teams. At first we were only able to practise with a football in Archbishop Holgate’s playground. During February, however, we acquired some netball posts and a new netball, practices were then held in the Brook St. Gym.
We played two matches during the season – against Rowntrees’ Junior Teams – and although we lost both games our goal scoring was more encouraging than expected. Two more Away games had to be cancelled because of bad weather.
For next season we have a full programme arranged and will play against York Schools, Youth Clubs, and several Yorkshire Training Colleges and Universities. We will be able to play Home games also on a court which is being laid behind Brook St. Gym.”
Whilst the world watched the best athletes in the world, women at St John’s made do with inadequate sports provision. Despite the overwhelmingly positive leap St John’s had taken to admit women, it is clear that extracurricular funding for women’s sports wasn’t initially prioritised. The men’s teams certainly weren’t using the wrong balls during their team practices!
Unsurprisingly, by Tokyo 2020 attitudes have changed and our sports teams are able to access fantastic equipment and resources, no matter their gender.
An Olympic Tutor
York St John prides itself on attracting staff members with experience in their fields, wit and with a wealth of knowledge to pass on to students. In 1969, Peter Warden joined St John’s College as a Lecturer in Athletics and Outdoor Pursuits. Peter not only had experience as a PE teacher and University lecturer, he had also competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the 400m hurdles event.
Based at Heworth Croft, Peter’s PE department inspired many students to successfully teach PE, alongside their own athletic careers. This picture from Heworth Croft from 1970 probably shows quite a few of Peter’s students!
Peter later moved into coaching, and was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2021 for his services to athletics in North West England.
Whilst Peter only spent a few years teaching at York St John, we know that he had a lasting impact on those he taught, and that his stories of his time at the Olympics will have inspired the next generation of PE teachers and athletes.
Paralympic Refereeing
From the 1964 Olympics to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, we’re proud that our staff members still support athletes. This year, senior lecturer Robert Avery will be a Goalball referee at the Paralympic Games.
Originally developed in 1946 for visually impaired World War Two veterans, Goalball was part of their rehabilitation programme. But it soon developed into a competitive sport and was first featured in the Paralympics in 1980. Played in teams of three, all players wear eyeshades (blindfolds) to ensure fair play . The 18m long court has tactile markings to help players establish their position whilst they play. Like football, the aim of Goalball is to roll the ball across the opposition’s goal line whilst they defend it. As all players wear eyeshades, the ball contains internal bells that make noise at the ball moves.
In 2012, Robert gained his goalball refereeing qualification. He admits he initially completed the training so he could learn how to bend the rules with his own team. But, referees are often scarce. Robert soon began refereeing professionally, and has now refereed domestically, and in international competitions across Europe and America.
Robert is the only representative for Goalball Team GB at this Paralympics. The women’s team narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Games, but were ready in case another team dropped out. Unfortunately, although a team did drop out, a different team was selected to help promote Goalball globally. Despite this, Robert said:
“I am really proud to be heading to Tokyo to be part of the Paralympics. When I started officiating goalball matches, I couldn’t have imagined that I would be a part of one of the biggest sporting events in the world.”
Robert on refereeing in Tokyo 2020
We wish Robert the best of luck with his refereeing, and hope he enjoys the experience. For more information on his Goalball journey, you can read a piece he completed for Goalball UK. You can find out more about the sport, and how to support it on the Goalball UK website.
From York to Tokyo and back again
From Olympian tutors to senior lecturers refereeing, we’re proud of the contributions our staff have made, and continue to make, towards Olympic and Paralympic Games. Whilst we might not have any of our students or former students competing this year, we have high hopes for future Games. You can find out about our fantastic facilities and support available at our Haxby Road Sports Park on our website.
