What started as a cool morning turned out to be a warm sunny day on 25 February –UP RAG Day. As part of the multifaceted day, there were three official sport events for the residences, day houses and societies to participate in. The first event was called “Goal Ball”. This event was a new addition to the RAG Day sports arsenal and turned out to be a fan favourite. At the event, three members per team were blindfolded on a cement floor, and the players were given a ball the size of a soccer ball that had jingling bells inside to alert players as to its location. In order to score, each team relied on their hearing ability to find the goal box and skid the rolling ball into the net. The defending team also needed to have their wits about them to try and block goals. It took some getting used to, but in no time the teams were playing as if they had done so for years. Ultimately, College and Nala secured first place with a win over Tulips.
As the goal ball games concluded, the day’s action continued with the touch rugby and football events. Many teams in unique uniforms battled it out on the fields to secure the win. During the touch rugby, there were some great behind-the-back and looping skip passes, which led to some classy tries. The football event was the highlight of the day because fans showed up in numbers to support their favourite teams. For this particular event, there was no overall winner, but plenty of players displayed their prowess on the field and scored some stunning goals. In a final
display of strength, a game of tug of war was the last event of the day. Two teams were pitted against each other to see who could pull their team to victory. The sports at the UP RAG Day were fun, and a lot of people came to support their residences and societies. However, there were technical issues, with the fixtures starting later than originally planned. You win some and you lose some, but everyone was brought together by their love of sports.
Mpho Mabelesa
