Harris Academy's School Multi Sports Tour to Gibraltar

Harris Academy Football Team at Gibraltar

Watching a school multi sports tour to Gibraltar come to life filled both teachers and students with excitement, adrenaline, and motivation to win their upcoming fixtures!
Harris Academy took football, rugby and netball teams to Gibraltar for a week packed with fixtures and fun! Gibraltar caters for most sports, making it the perfect destination for a school multi sports tour.

Here’s why…

Glorious Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a destination that’s sure to charm anyone who visits. This small territory sits at the crossroads of two continents, two seas and two other countries. It offers unforgettable wildlife experiences, from curious monkeys during your Top of the Rock excursion to pods of dolphins swimming alongside your Dolphin Adventure Cruise.

In addition to its stunning scenery and wildlife, Gibraltar boasts a unique sports culture, supporting teams in football, rugby, netball and hockey. The rugby stadium is uniquely positioned with a view of Africa and Europe, while the iconic Rock of Gibraltar provides a dramatic backdrop for both rugby and football fixtures. It’s a destination perfectly suited for all kinds of sports.

A view of the rock from the marina in Gibraltar

A view of the rock from the high street in Gibraltar

“We want the students to experience how different countries play sport. It’s beneficial for pupils as they need to experience different cultures. Sports tours is a brilliant way to get the students to adapt to life, understand sports in different countries, and to strive to want to be better at sports”

Rhydian Stokes, Harris Academy Teacher

Trip Planning & Preparation

Harris Academy planned their multi sports school trip in 11 months, creating a focus on their sports fixtures with a few excursions in the mix. Their goal was to make sure that all teams had 2 fixtures each in the tour. Sports teams included Football, Netball and Rugby. If you look at the itinerary snapshot below, you can see that in the space of 5 days, every player had the opportunity to play against a variety of local teams.

“The reason we do a multi sports tour is to get the students out, playing sports and keeping active. It’s a really good opportunity for them to visit other countries they’ve not visited before, and they get to socialise with other friends and teachers and it’s just a really great experience for them.”

Poppy Watts, Harris Academy Teacher

Day 1

Morning: Fly to Gibraltar

Afternoon: Arrive in Gibraltar

Evening: Girls Football Fixture

Day 2

Morning: Boys Rugby fixture and Boys Football fixture

Afternoon: Girls Netball fixture and free time at the beach

Evening: Free time

Day 3

Morning: Dolphin Adventure Cruise

Afternoon: Free time and Girls Netball Fixture

Evening: Girls Football Fixture

Day 4

Morning: Cable Car to the Rock of Gibraltar

Afternoon: Free time

Evening: Boys football fixture and Boys Rugby Fixture

Day 5

Morning/afternoon: Free time on the beach

Evening: Flight back to the UK

Key Highlights

Spotting Dolphins on the Dolphin Adventure Cruise was an unforgettable highlight for the students and teachers. Especially witnessing several pods swimming alongside the boat- a memory that will stick with the students.
Walking amongst monkeys on the top of the rock offered a unique experience of an up-close encounter with wild animals.
Receiving a hand stitched crest from the opponent rugby team was a touching moment of respect through the sport.
Playing against sport teams in two different countries allowed the students immerse themselves into the Spanish culture, gaining an insight into various skills while creating international friendship.

Harris Academy rugby team playing in Gibraltar

Harris Academy netball team playing in Gibraltar

Harris Academy football team playing in Gibraltar

What’s the thing you want most from the students after a sports tour?

“The thing we want most from the kid’s is to make memories and lifelong experiences. Some of the activities we have done such as the dolphin experience, the nature reserve up close to monkeys, that’s just one of the things you want to tick off your bucket list, its unbelievable for the pupils.”

Rhydian Stokes, Harris Academy Teacher

Let's hear from the students!

Harris Academy Multi Sports Tour to Gibraltar

“I’ve learnt more about the culture, and I’ve had a lot of fun experiences playing sports. We’ve done a lot of team building exercises and I’ve enjoyed talking to new people who I don’t usually speak to.”

Harris Academy Student

“You build connections with people and form new friendships making memories to last a lifetime. It’s the fun little things that you look back on.”

Harris Academy Student

“I think sports tours are important because we need to learn to be independent, for example using the free time to explore the high streets and being capable of being responsible.”

Harris Academy Student

The Ultimate Sporting Experience! Are you ready?

Dive into your favourite sport or build the ultimate team bonding experience with a multi-sports tour.

Gibraltar offers something for everyone – it’s your home away from home. If you’re looking for sport, fun, excitement and adrenaline, Gibraltar is the perfect destination for your group.

Talk to our experts and let’s get the ball rolling!

Chat to us!

Author bio

Arianna Earle

Marketing Executive

Arianna embarked on her journey at Rayburn Tours in 2022 as a Tour Coordinator arranging the logistics for concert tours across Europe and beyond. She has experience touring as a musician in an orchestra and has a deep appreciation for the life-changing moments these tours create. She is passionate about sharing these experiences with everyone, whether they’re part of a school group, sports team or music group.

In 2023, Arianna earned her master’s in marketing and digital communications, marking the beginning of her career in marketing at Rayburn Tours. Her project management skills are rooted from the operations department, while her creativity stems from a background in the arts. She firmly believes everyone should have the opportunity to travel on a tour, as it not only promotes personal growth, but also creates memories that last a lifetime.

left image children training with football on a pitch, right image girls netball training on a court, example of multi sport

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Harris Academy’s School Multi Sports Tour to Gibraltar