Sport in Portobello School has been very popular since the School started.

The most popular sport at the present time, is rugby. It started in 1921, but when the war began the sport was dropped. It was revived in 1949 and since then has become the most popular game in the school.

Its success can be shown in the results of the C1’s in 1960 and 1961. In 1960 they played 21 games, scored 411 points and lost 80 points. In the next year they played 21 games, scored 479 points and lost 75. These results show the enthusiasm and skill in rugby at the present time.

Association football has been played since the school started. It enjoyed great success until the 1950’s, when rugby became very popular and football lost the support of the boys. This sport was dropped as a school game in 1960.

Sports that were started for boys were cricket and basketball. The former was introduced to the school early in the school’s history and since then, it has enjoyed great success. This success can be shown in the results of the senior cricket team in 1954 when they played 11 games, won 10 and lost 1. For cricket, these results are excellent, and show how good the standard is in the school,

Basketball was started in 1948 but lasted only until when the whole team left school, and the sport did not continue.

Among the girls, there have been three sports. These are Rounders, Netball, and Hockey. The first two were started in 1956 and enjoyed success for some years, but the girls gradually became less interested in these sports, and it soon was not worth continuing with them, so they were dropped.

Hockey, however, was the exact opposite. This sport started in 1921 and since this time, it has enjoyed great success, It is interesting to note that Crichton, formed in 1950, won the Hockey Championship in the same year.

On the 5th April 1933, the first Swimming Gala was held. Since then, the gala has become a very popular annual event. Swimming has produced its personalities. The most famous was James Robertson who has won many Scottish titles.

Athletics is also a sport for which a half-day in a year has been set aside. Since the forming of the Athletics Club, the success of this sport is certain to remain the same as before. It has, and always will be, very popular.

Golf and Tennis have been enjoyed by all interested since before the first school magazine in 1912. Again there have been personalities in those school sports. The most famous of these

personalities is Ronnie Shade who has become the most famous Scottish amateur golfer in a very long time. These sports are still played by some pupils but they are not as popular as they used to be.

At the present time, the major sports in the school are rugby, hockey, swimming and athletics. With table-tennis, tennis and golf also played and basketball to be started, the state of sport in Portobello School is very healthy indeed.

With credit to Ian Small.