This week I had the privilege of accompanying a group of twenty Brampton students to Wembley Stadium to watch and cheer on England’s Lionesses as they defeated arch-rivals Spain 1-0 in a re-run of 2023’s World Cup Final. I love the Lionesses and have been lucky enough to see them play many times including the day they lifted the European Championship against Germany in 2021 to break the English football trophy drought that had stretched back to 1966. This group of women has truly inspired a generation of football fans and has without question led to a rise in the take-up of football, sport and healthy lifestyles among all but especially young girls in England. When I walk my son through the park to his sports team practice on Sunday mornings, we walk past pitch after pitch of girls and young women playing football at all different ages – something unseen previously in this country even until very recently.
Ahead of the match on Wednesday, I’d watched an interview with one of England’s goalkeepers, Mary Earps, who herself has done so much to inspire a generation. She said something that stuck with me and that I mentioned to our second year A level students at their assembly this week. When asked about the tough competition for places in her position with England (in fact she didn’t play on Wednesday night!) she said that she didn’t compare herself to others but that her only comparison is with the version of herself that she was yesterday. Simply, her aim is always to be better today than she was the day before. I thought this was good advice for the students to take into their final set of mock exams. Get a little bit better every day and try to be better than you were a day ago.
This week we also appointed our Student Ambassador team who themselves voted for two of their peers to be our Lead Ambassadors. I was exceptionally proud of this group and it made me realise again what a privilege it is to work with such an exceptional group of young people as we have at Brampton. Their passion for the college and for wanting to give their best for their peers and friends was humbling to see. It also reminded me that you don’t have to be a Lioness to be inspirational. I’m inspired every day by our students; I know that so many Brampton alumni have gone on to do inspiring things and I am sure that this group, will be no different. My sincere congratulations to all of our Ambassadors and to Elena and Cassandra for being elected as our Lead Ambassadors.
So I guess my message this month to all our students is for you to channel your inner Lioness! Inspire yourself, inspire each other and know that you are an inspiration to me and to those who work with you. Keep striving to be better today than you were yesterday and with hard work and commitment your goals and ambitions are there for you to achieve.
John Wilson, Principal
