I was recently talking with my friend Eric Smith about the sports teams at West Mon and neither of us could remember how the sports teams were chosen. When we attended the school in the forties there were only two first sports teams, rugby and cricket. In most schools they organise trials for anyone who wishes to be considered for any of the teams but this did not seem to be the case at West Mon. From 1942 to 1947 I never once heard about any trial matches being organised.
I wonder therefore how these teams “emerged”. Regarding the cricket team, I do remember that, in the cricket team at least, there were a large number of boys who took Latin. Could there have been any connection between this and the fact that the master in charge of the cricket team was a Latin teacher?
I suppose this “arrangement” might have altered over time. Can any ex-Westmonians who visit this blog remember a more logical way of selecting the sports teams? If so please leave a comment.
When I transferred to Howard Gardens High School in Cardiff I was asked whether I played cricket. When I told them I did they put my name down for a trial and as a result I was chosen to play for the first XI.
Reminiscences of Old Pontypool 
July 24, 2014 at 9:42 pm |
They,as far as I remember,always had a second string team…the Colts in both cricket and rugby. Natural progression?
July 25, 2014 at 7:36 am |
I didnt play cricket for West Mon, so dont know how the teams were selected but by my time in the late 50s & 60s, trials were held for the various rugby teams at the start of the season. You were also able to go along to the training sessions, so if you missed out on the trials, there was always a chance to get into the team/s if you managed to shine in the training.
July 27, 2014 at 1:32 pm |
I was a member of the 1st XV when g.garnet (LOB) ran the rugby He ran two teams for trial games every Tuesday and Thursday AS a boarder from 5th form upwards we had to turn up I enjoyed the 1st xv for 3 years when I was injured Terry Vaux took my place when I was injured For cricket Frank Whitty ran a trial match at the beginning of every summer term I did not get into the cricket first team.
September 21, 2015 at 6:07 am |
I was there from 1953 to 1960 and Max Horton, the ex-Pontypool outside half, was PE teacher and ran the Rugby program. We had classroom studies on Sat morning but Tues and Thurs afternoons were for non academic programs and there were informal Rugby trials scheduled and everyone was expected to show up with Rugby kit. Although I was never fast enough to make a team, the school ran at least two teams with fixtures against other schools. Rugby was a big deal and numerous Pontypool, Newport & Welsh players emerged from the West Mon program with Terry Cobner probably the best known.