On Monday morning, international hockey players Rob Moore and Ben Marsden hosted an inspiring assembly for Years 3A, 4Z, 5Y and 6X pupils at Beavers Holt.
Rob Moore has racked up 211 caps for England and Great Britain and made his Olympic debut at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games where he was a member of the team that finished 9th. He made his second Olympic appearance at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and will make his third Olympic appearance in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Ben Marsden has 87 caps for England and Great Britain and competed alongside Rob at the Beijing Olympic Games. Ben is now a qualified hockey coach and Director of Hockey at Wimbledon Hockey Club, which is currently sponsored by Hall School Wimbledon.
Dressed in their GB Olympic tracksuits, Rob and Ben introduced each other to the children and silenced them with an impressive list of achievements from their professional hockey careers to date. Some of our children already know Ben and Rob, having been coached by one or both of them during school hockey lessons.
Rob brought in bronze, silver and gold medals won at previous European Championships and then talked through a selection of photos of Ben and Rob taken during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The children were also treated to some exciting video footage of the England hockey team winning gold against Germany at the 2009 European Championships.
Finally, the floor was opened up for questions and the children quizzed Rob and Ben on when they first started playing hockey (about the age of 11), the speed at which Rob can hit a hockey ball (about 80mph!) and what food they ate when they were living in the Beijing Olympic Village (they have a food marquee in which caterers, brought in specifically for the event, are able to provide every type of food possible – Chinese, Indian, Mexican, British… – for the 6,000 athletes living in the village!).
The children thoroughly enjoyed the assembly and were reluctant to leave the hall while Ben, Rob and the medals were still there! We are certain that the children will take on board the athletes’ sound advice – to take every opportunity and put everything you’ve got into everything you do – both in their sporting and other fields.
Hall School Wimbledon is very grateful to Ben and Rob for their time and will be avidly supporting and following Rob on his road to London 2012: http://hsw.co.uk/news/supporting-rob-moore-on-his-road-to-2012