School Sports
Spier's had a great reputation for playing sports and it was the first school in Ayrshire to play rugby football, as R. Bruce Lockhart, the first headmaster, was a former Vice President of the Scottish Rugby Union. The first game was played at Marshalland on 30 October 1890. As stated, the school had a house system, with Cuff, Marshalland and Spier; providing competition on the school sports days held in June on the Marshalland playing fields. Tennis, cricket, hockey, net ball and golf were played and a quaint game called targette was played in the early days.
The Old Spierian Football Club, later the Old Spierian Rugby Club, came into existence in 1890. The Garnock Rugby Club came into existence in 1972 as a result of the closure of Spier's and Dalry schools. G.G.H. Johnstone, a maths teacher at Spier's, had founded the rugby club for former pupils and continued his involvement until his death in 1973, at the age of 93. Old Spierians, A.Frew, J. H. Bruce Lockhart, and David Shedden were capped for Scotland.
The 7.28 acres (29,500 m2) 'Marshland' (Sic) playing fields are mainly used for football now and facilities are provided in the form of large metal trans-shipment containers based at the car park. A wooden games pavilion existed here in the days of the school.
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Famous quotes containing the words school and/or sports:
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