Athletics and academics – the double threat!
When it comes to AMIT Wasserman Junior and Senior High School in Beer Sheva, which has been recognized for its academic achievements, add athletics championships to the list of accolades. During the last two years, students from the school won nine championships in different sports categories, and a least a dozen more students are recognized as outstanding athletes.
“Students who excel at sports also excel at academics,” Yossi Cohen, who heads the athletics track at AMIT Wasserman, told the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. “Athletes are required to invest a lot of effort [in their training] and withstand pressure. It’s not always easy, but we succeed.”
A special ceremony that took place recently acknowledged 21 of its athletes, many of whom brought home winning titles on the national and international level. The event, attended by Tzuriel Robbins, the school’s principal, and Beer Sheva Mayor Ruvik Danilovich, honored the athletes who were presented with trophies in recognition of their achievements.
Out of the 21 athletes who participated, nine are national champions and 12 others are runners-up in judo, wrestling, table tennis, heptathlons, and even ballroom dancing.
Among the champions honored were three brothers, 10th grader Uriel, and 7th grade twins Nuriel, and Sarel I., who are all national wrestling champs in different age and weight categories.
One may wonder, even jocularly, if they got their prowess “wrestling” as boys will be boys, with their siblings at home.
But Sarel said there was no real secret to their wrestling success.
“We eat healthy and train an hour a half every day,” Sarel said. “Our teachers trust us. They know that before competitions there’s some pressure, but they make sure we don’t give up on our studies.”
Another outstanding athlete, Ilan, who attains high grades in English, computers and physics said, “The school encourages and understands us, which is why we are successful in achieving and integrating studies and training.”
It is part of AMIT schools’ core values to support its students and help nurture their talents, whether it is in academics, the arts, or athletics. Encouraging a student to grow through his or her strengths can lead to greater self-confidence and achievement, as success breeds success.
Also notable is that AMIT Wasserman Junior and Senior High School Beer Sheva is located in the periphery, in a city that has been significantly affected by heightened tension from rockets from Gaza. Its student body draws from a significant percentage of those with Ethiopian descent as well as Russian immigrants. The AMIT schools embrace students on the periphery and give them the skills to ride life’s road in the successful center lanes.
Danilovich, the mayor of Beer Sheva, said that the school’s impressive athletic achievements are part of the city’s long-term strategy of investing in education and culture. He said the school’s champions serve as an example for those who pursue their interests while using their abilities to strive for excellence. “Their victories are a result of their efforts and those of the faculty,” he said.
Principal Robbins congratulated the student athletes and told the ceremony’s attendees, “We are used to teachers being those who impart information and model values and virtues. But this ceremony demonstrates the opposite. Today, we have come here to be inspired by you, dear students. You are teaching us about determination, dedication, and striving toward achievements and excellence.”
