Although yet to procure a major trophy at a school sporting event, Stafford International School does not find its confidence or enthusiasm diminished. This is because it is not an institution that values the accumulation of accolades but rather one which heaps great significance on inculcating proper sporting values in its athletes.

However the school has seen great strides recently in Athletics where they have been able to challenge athletes from Lyceum International and Gateway International in the past few Inter International School Athletics Championship (ISAC) meets.

At last year's championships they secured two gold medals through Onesh Labrooy, who comfortably powered past his competitors in both the 400 and 800 meters in the Under 19 segment. They also earned a bronze from Danika Fonseka who participated in the Javelin Throw.

The school's Sports Coordinator, Patrecia Clements, reveals that this has sparked a renewed and steady increase in most students' interest in the sport and this has materialized itself in a noticeable rise in participation.

"Before the number of students you could draw for practice was about 20 , this year more children are attending and the number has gone up to about 40," Mrs. Clements explains. Stafford has also enjoyed commendable success in several cricket tournaments and regularly proves tough opposition against many other teams on the international school circuit. At this year's Inter-International Schools under 19 cricket tournament they made it all the way to the quarterfinals, a marked improvement from their performances in previous years.

Among the key players who have contributed toward this improvement are Budhil de Silva and Adrian Abeygunawardena, who were awarded the best bowler and best batsman trophies respectively at Stafford's annual big match against Asian International School. Coincidentally Budhil is also the school's strongest swimmer, winning the 50 meter freestyle at this year's Inter-International Schools swimming meet.

The school has also excelled at Tennis during the past year, boldly going up against several leading clubs and schools in the All Island Championships and coming in third. Stafford wishes to see similar results in another racquet sport, Badminton, and in order to accomplish this Mrs. Clements explains that plans are afoot to construct a new badminton court in the premises.

"Right now for most of the sports except basketball the students have to go to outside facilities so having another court of our own would be very useful," Mrs Clements adds. In contrast to the other highly competitive sports the school offers to its students, Stafford also has Water Ballet, which is still quite a physically demanding extracurricular activity. In this respect the school is very unique, being that it is the only international school to introduce water ballet into their curriculum, a point not lost on past national swimmer Julian Boling, who complimented the school on this endeavour while speaking at their swimming meet.

Their sport's head concludes that this fearlessness and ambition has also been a hallmark of their sporting performances, remarking, "At Stafford what we tell our athletes before they go out to compete is to do their personal best. That way they can walk away at the end of it being extremely pleased and knowing that they have given it their all."