Posted by Robert Dilley on November 10, 1998 at 15:55:42:
In Reply to: John and the football team posted by Jenna Darter on November 10, 1998 at 14:26:02:
By "football" John would have meant what North Americans call "soccer" -- which has eleven players. In a rugby football school, like mine (a mile upriver from Pinmill!) you would have been trying for the "fifteen".
British schools have (or had, in John's day, and mine) a school team at each level, usually by age ("Under 13 XI"; "Under 14 XI" etc). Thus everyone would get a chance of competitive sports. The school "First XI" would be open to all ages, but would naturally be composed mostly of the most senior students.
Generally speaking, the idea was to get as many as possible involved (larger schools might have Second and even Third Elevens). There was less sitting on the bench than in North American school sports.