How Nord Anglia Rotterdam supports students who do competitive sports

Football fever: as the whole world gathers in front of a screen to watch the Qatar World Cup 2022, young talented footballers at Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam (NAISR) imagine playing on the world stage one day...

In high schools, the typical argument against high-level sport is that it interferes with studying and therefore causes mediocre or poor grades. Sports can indeed consume much of a student’s time and energy at the expense of studying.

Is your child an aspiring & highly competitive athlete? NAISR may be the school for them. Contact them now!

However, a perfect example for the opposing argument is young footballer, Gina Viehoff. A 2022 graduate from NAISR, she has been playing competitive football for ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie for the last two years. An outstanding student, Gina achieved an impressive 42 out of 45 points for her IB Diploma.

Gruelling schedule

Gina had to leave school at 12:45 every day to get to training sessions, from which she got home at 7pm. Her weekends and holidays were sacrificed for football. “This frequently left me scrambling to find a balance between my athletic commitments, academic endeavours, and personal life,” says Viehoff, as she looks back at her days as a NAISR high school student.

Supportive school

“My demanding schedule required great flexibility, not just on my part, but also from my school, NAISR. My teachers were more than understanding and supportive. Whether this was through continuous updates and communication, or simply by trusting me with my academic responsibilities, they made sure to help me in any way they could,” Gina explains.

While some may argue that students who pursue athletic goals are less likely to pursue a higher education degree, Viehoff plans to study further after a gap year. There is enough evidence to show that playing sports does not cause a decline in academic achievement, to the contrary, research suggests that playing sports positively enhances academic progress.

NAISR supports high-level sports

Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam has a number of international (student) “professional footballers” from Feyenoord Football club who need a tailored education and personalised learning to accommodate their demanding football training schedule. NAISR also supports students who are competitive ice-skaters, horse-riders and ice-hockey players.

The small class sizes and committed teachers are willing to go the extra mile to support these talented students. As a small private school located between Rotterdam and The Hague, they can take pride in their excellent academic track record of a 100 percent pass rate and their students' average IB scores are consistently above the worldwide average for the IB Diploma Student scores.

An athletic and academically strong student, Gina Viehoff achieved an outstanding goal - juggling the demands of sport and school. Her 42 / 45 points for her IB Diploma are testimony to her dedication and passion to achieve top results. She gives credit to the world-class teachers who provided the stepping-stones and support. Her skills as a centre-forward and winger on the football field will give any spectator a "kick"!

Gina’s ambitions include studying economics and marketing at university and ultimately building a successful career in this field. “Another part of my future aspirations is to continue my career as a professional footballer and see where this takes me," says Gina.

Contact NAISR

Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam accepts students from 3 to 18 years to help them achieve more than they could ever imagine. The small class sizes, caring and committed teachers can make sure every student learns in a way that’s right for them. Contact the admissions department to learn more about NAISR.