Editing Eton College (section)

==Extra–curricular activities==
=== Sports ===
[[File:Wallgame ethon 2005.jpg|thumb|right|Boys participate in the [[Eton wall game]], 2005]]

Sport is a feature of Eton; which has nearly 200 acres of playing fields and amenity land.<ref>Patrick Bond and Peter Brown, ''Rating Valuation: Principles and Practice'' (3rd edition, 2014 Routledge, London and New York), at [https://books.google.com/books?id=cD_XAwAAQBAJ&dq=land+acres+%22eton+college%22+%22playing+fields%22&pg=PA271 page 271]</ref> The names of the playing fields include Agar's Plough, Dutchman's, Upper Club, Lower Club, Sixpenny/The Field, and Mesopotamia (situated between two streams and often shortened to "Mespots").

* During the Michaelmas Half, the sport curriculum is dominated by [[soccer|football]] (called ''Association'') and [[rugby union]], with some rowing for a smaller number of boys.
* During the Lent Half it is dominated by the [[Eton Field Game|field game]], a [[code of football]], but this is unique to Eton and cannot be played against other schools. However, using strategies from the field game, the Eton football team ([[Old Etonians F.C.]]) reached the finals of the [[FA Cup]] 6 times, [[List of FA Cup finals|winning twice]] in 1879 and 1882. During this half, Collegers also play the [[Eton wall game]]; this game received national publicity when it was taken up by [[Prince Harry]]. Aided by [[AstroTurf]] facilities on Masters' field, [[field hockey]] has become a major Lent Half sport along with [[Rugby 7's]]. Elite [[Rowing (sport)|rowers]] prepare for the [[Schools' Head of the River Race]] in late March.
* During the Summer Half, sporting boys divide into ''dry bobs'', who play cricket, tennis or [[sport of athletics|athletics]], and ''wet bobs'', who row on the River Thames and the rowing lake in preparation for [[The National Schools Regatta]] and the [[Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup]] at [[Henley Royal Regatta]].

The [[Dorney Lake|rowing lake at Dorney]] was developed and is owned by the college. It was the venue for the [[Sport rowing|rowing]] and [[Canoeing at the 2012 Summer Olympics|canoeing]] events at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] and the World Junior Rowing Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dorneylake.com/ |title=Welcome to Dorney Lake |publisher=Dorneylake.com |access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref> The [[Eton v Harrow|annual cricket match]] against [[Harrow School|Harrow]] at [[Lord's Cricket Ground]] is the oldest fixture of the cricketing calendar, having been played there since 1805. A staple of the London society calendar since the 1800s,<ref name="world and its people">{{cite book |last=Dunton |first=Larkin |location=Boston, MA |title=The World and Its People |url=https://archive.org/details/worldanditspeop05duntgoog |publisher=Silver, Burdett|oclc=4352850 |year=1896 |page=[https://archive.org/details/worldanditspeop05duntgoog/page/n49 41]}}</ref> in 1914, its importance was such that over 38,000 people attended the two days' play, and in 1910 [[Fowler's match|the match]] made national headlines<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/columns/content/story/143944.html 
|title=Fowler's match, 1910
|publisher=ESPN Cricinfo
|access-date=3 September 2011
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1910S/1910/ENG_LOCAL/OTHER/ETON_HARROW_08-09JUL1910.html |title=Eton & Harrow match scorecard 1910 |publisher=Cricinfo.com |access-date=3 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080810223339/http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1910S/1910/ENG_LOCAL/OTHER/ETON_HARROW_08-09JUL1910.html |archive-date=10 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but interest has since declined considerably, and the match is now a one-day [[limited overs]] contest. In the 2024 match, Harrow were the victors.

In 1815, Eton College documented its football rules, the first football code to be written down anywhere in the world.<ref>{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of British Football|author=Cox, Richard W. |author2=Russell, Dave |author3=Vamplew, Wray|publisher=Routledge |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-7146-5249-8|page=243|location=London}}</ref> Eton Match was the annual cricket match between Eton and [[Winchester College|Winchester]] held at each school alternately. First played in 1826, it was originally just the cricket match, held over two days, with a dinner or concert or dance on one of the evenings. Eton Match, as such, ceased to exist by 2001.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Forster |first1=S. |title=The Evolution of Winchester Match |url=https://www.winchestercollege.org/stories/the-evolution-of-winchester-match |access-date=9 July 2023 |quote=Eton Match was the annual cricket match between Eton and Winchester held at each school alternately. It was originally just the cricket match, held over two days, with a dinner or concert or dance on one of the evenings...The first cricket match between Eton and Winchester was played in 1826. Matches were played over two days and hosted alternately by Winchester ...In 2001, the name changed – Eton Match became Winchester Day. Wykeham Day started in 1996 and was held in September as an open day for OWs.}}</ref>

There is a running track at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre and an annual [[steeplechase (athletics)|steeplechase]]. The running track was controversial as it was purchased with a £3m [[National Lottery (United Kingdom)|National Lottery]] grant with the school getting full daytime use of the facilities in exchange for £200k and {{Convert|4.5|acre|hectare}} of land. The bursar claimed that Windsor, Slough and Eton Athletic club was "deprived" because it did not have a world-class running track and facilities for training and the [[Sports Council]] agreed, saying the whole community would benefit. However Steve Osborn, director of the Safe Neighbourhoods Unit, described the decision as "staggering" given substantial reduction in youth services by councils across the country.<ref name=indy>{{cite news |url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/pounds-3m-lottery-cash-for-eton-sports-centre-1595502.html |title=£3m lottery cash for Eton sports centre: Top school gets exclusive deal |work=The Independent |location= London |first=Danny |last=Penman |date=10 August 1995 |access-date=2 August 2010}}</ref> The facility which became the Thames Valley Athletics Centre opened in April 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runtrackdir.com/details.asp?track=eton |title= Eton: Thames Valley Athletics Centre |access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref>

Eton's [[Rifle shooting|Shooting VIII]] competed in the [[Ashburton Shield]] for many decades against the other major [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public schools]]. In July 1935, the "Public School Rivalry" was reported thus: "[[Charterhouse School|Charterhouse]], [[Harrow School|Harrow]], [[Winchester College|Winchester]], Eton, [[Rugby College|Rugby]] and [[Clifton College|Clifton]], all previous winners, were determined to add to their laurels" in the competition. Eton reportedly drew with Charterhouse and beat Clifton in the July 1939 competition held at [[National Shooting Centre|Bisley]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Public School Rivalry |url= https://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=eton%20%20%20clifton%20ashburton&from=1933&to=1940 |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=Shields Daily Gazette |location=South Shields |date=11 July 1935 |quote= famous schools in Great Britain competed at Bisley today for the Ashburton shield — the blue ribbon of the shooting world for schoolboys. Charterhouse, Harrow, Winchester, Eton, Rugby and Clifton, all previous winners, were determined to add to their laurels...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ashburton Trophy |url= https://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=eton%20%20%20clifton%20ashburton&from=1937&to=1940 |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=14 July 1939 |quote= Half-way through the 500 yards shoot Winchester were two points up on King's, but they tailed off badly in the second half. The next best were: Tonbridge, 473; Winchester, 472; Eton and Charterhouse, 469; Glasgow Academy, 468; City of London, 467; Highgate and Leys, 463; Sherborne, 462; Edinburgh Academy, Clifton [College] and Imperial Service College, 460; Harrow, 458;}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=Lincolnshire Echo |location= Lincoln |date=13 July 1939 |title= SCHOOLBOYS AT BISLEY |quote=Public schoolboys invaded the ranges at Bisley to-day to compete for the Ashburton Day Shield.}}</ref> As with the other schools, Eton's [[cadet corps]] sent a team of eight men – the Shooting VIII – to compete annually at Bisley.<ref>{{cite news |title=News In A Nutshell – Short Summary: The English public schools rifle competition – Description: Bisley, Surrey |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/42406/ |access-date=21 August 2023 |publisher=British Pathe |date=15 July 1935}}</ref>

Among the other sports played at Eton is [[Eton Fives]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Eton Fives – Oxford University Sport |url=https://www.sport.ox.ac.uk/eton-fives |publisher=University of Oxford |access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref>

=== Olympic rowing ===
In 2006,<ref name=DorneyLake>{{cite web|url=http://www.dorneylake.co.uk/2012-dorneylake.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527180749/http://www.dorneylake.co.uk/2012-dorneylake.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2013|title=Dorney Lake – London 2012|work=Dorney Lake.co.uk|access-date=31 January 2017}}</ref> six years before the [[2012 London Summer Olympics]] and [[2012 Summer Paralympics|London 2012 Summer Paralympic Games]], Eton completed the construction of [[Dorney Lake]], a permanent, eight-lane, 2,200 metre course (about 1.4 miles) in a 400-acre park. Eton financed the construction from its own funds. Officially known throughout the Games as ''Eton Dorney'', Dorney Lake provided training facilities for Olympic and Paralympic competitors, and during the Games, hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Rowing competitions as well as the Olympic Canoe Sprint event.<ref name=DorneyLake /> It attracted over 400,000 visitors during the Games period (around 30,000 per day), and was voted the best 2012 Olympic venue by spectators.<ref name=DorneyLake /> Thirty medal events were held on Dorney Lake, during which Team GB won a total of 12 medals, making the lake one of the most successful venues for Team GB. The [[International Rowing Federation|FISA]] President, [[Denis Oswald (sports official)|Denis Oswald]], described it as "the best-ever Olympic rowing venue".<ref name=DorneyLake /> In June 2013, it hosted the [[World Rowing Cup]]. Access to the parkland around the Lake is provided to members of the public, free of charge, almost all the year round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dorneylake.co.uk/visiting.html |title=Dorney Lake – Leisure |work=Dorney Lake.co.uk |year=2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622140947/http://www.dorneylake.co.uk/visiting.html |archive-date=22 June 2013}}</ref>

=== Music ===
The current "Precentor" (Director of Music) is Tim Johnson, who took over from [[Ralph Allwood]] in September 2011. The School has eight organs and an entire building for music (performance spaces include two concert venues: the Parry Hall and the Concert Hall). The Salata Auditorium (School Hall) is the largest concert venue in the school, seating about 700 people. The [[Eton College Chapel|College Chapel]] and Lower Chapel also act as a centre of choral music.

The School has a variety of musical groups, including two chapel choirs, a symphony and chamber orchestra, jazz bands, a marching band, a pipe band, a gospel choir, a pop choir, two [[a cappella]] groups and numerous rock bands who regularly perform at open gig nights and more. Music production and technology, as well as musical theatre, have also grown in popularity in recent years. The College Chapel Choir (the main chapel choir of the School) perform three times a week in regular services in College Chapel on top of a rigorous rehearsal schedule. They often perform at other large events such as at [[St. Andrew's Day]], the "Fourth of June", [[Ascension Day]], the [[Carol service|Carol Service]], [[Remembrance Day]], and joint [[evensong|evensongs]] with other chapel choirs, such as those of [[Winchester College]] and [[St. George's Chapel]]. The Symphony Orchestra performs at the end of every term in a large School Concert, which always includes a piece featuring a large solo number performed by a boy. The Summer term School Concert also consists of the "Vale", the [[Eton Boating Song]], which is sung by the most esteemed singers in B Block as they prepare to leave the School. Both the choir (and its complementary boy-run a cappella group, the "Incognitos") and the orchestra regularly tour internationally to countries such as France, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Latvia, the USA and Hong Kong. Many instruments are taught, including obscure ones such as the [[didgeridoo]].

The School participates in many national competitions; many pupils are part of the [[National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain|National Youth Orchestra]] and [[National Youth Choir]]. The School gives scholarships and exhibitions for dedicated and talented musicians, as well as honorary exhibitions for boys who have proven their musical ability throughout their time at Eton, though these provide no financial benefit directly. Those with a scholarship or exhibition are entitled to have the [[post-nominal letters]] ''MS'' or ''ME'' depending on what form of award they have. Every year a choral scholarship is also awarded to someone who has proven exceptional choral and singing abilities, but then not in other fields of music. Recipients of this award have typically been choristers at top collegiate and cathedral choirs across the country, such as those of [[Westminster Cathedral]] and [[St. Paul's Cathedral]]. Many boys go on to continue singing in choirs as choral scholars or playing the organ as organ scholars at [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]]. Former Precentor Ralph Allwood set up and organised Eton Choral Courses, now the Rodolfus Foundation, which run at the School, as well as at Oxford and Cambridge amongst other venues, every summer.

Every two year, Eton employs a 'Composer-in-Residence', an external professional composer on a two-year contract who normally commissions new music for the main choir, as well as teaching Music GCSE and A Level to most year groups. In 2009, the School's musical protégés came to wider notice when featured in a TV documentary ''A Boy Called Alex''. The film followed an Etonian, [[Alex Stobbs]], a musician with [[cystic fibrosis]], as he worked toward conducting the difficult ''[[Magnificat (Bach)|Magnificat]]'' by [[Johann Sebastian Bach]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1177981/|title="Cutting Edge" A Boy Called Alex (TV Episode 2008)|publisher=IMDb|access-date=4 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/C/cutting_edge/alex/ |title=''Cutting Edge'' |publisher=Channel4.com |date=26 May 2009 |access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref> Other notable musical prodigies at the School include piano prodigy [[Ryan Wang]] who joined the school in September 2020, now under the guidance of Ms. Jennie-Helen Moston. The School has produced many famous musicians in its history, including [[Hubert Parry]], the writer of the hymn "[[and did those feet in ancient times|Jerusalem]]" and the coronation anthem "[[I was glad]]".

=== Drama ===
[[File:Farrer Theatre.JPG|thumb|The exterior of Eton's main theatre, the Farrer]]
Numerous plays are put on every year at Eton College; there is one main theatre, called the Farrer (seating 400) and 2 Studio theatres, called the Caccia Studio and Empty Space (seating 90 and 80 respectively). There are about 8 or 9 house productions each year, around 3 or 4 "independent" plays (plays produced, directed and funded by boys) and three school plays, one specifically for boys in the first two years, and two open to all years. The school plays have such good reputations that they are normally fully booked every night.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

In recent years, the School has put on a musical version of ''[[The Bacchae]]'' (October 2009) as well as productions of ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' (May 2010), ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' (February 2011), ''[[Joseph K]]'' (October 2011), ''[[Cyrano de Bergerac (play)|Cyrano de Bergerac]]'' (May 2012), ''[[Macbeth]]'' (October 2012), ''[[London Assurance]]'' (May 2013), ''[[Jerusalem (play)|Jerusalem]]'' (October 2013), ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' (May 2014), ''[[Antigone (Sophocles play)|Antigone]]'' (October 2015), ''[[The Government Inspector]]'' (May 2016), ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (May 2017), ''[[Beaux Stratagem]]'' (October 2021), ''[[Vernon God Little]]'' (May 2022), ''[[Equus (play)]]'' (October 2022), ''[[Ink]]'' (May 2023), ''[[After Life]]'' (May 2024) and ''[[Jack Absolute Flies Again]]'' (October 2024). On top of this, the School also holds a fringe-style School Play Festival every few years, where pupils and teachers write, direct and act in their own plays, hosted over the period of a week. The most recent one was held in October 2023, which hosted a wide variety of plays, from a comedy sketch, to a double bill of a musical and Eton's first dance performance.

Previously, the School used to cast girls in female roles from neighbouring schools, but more recently, these roles have been taken up by versatile actors at the School. Boys from the School are also responsible for the lighting, sound, stage management, costume and set design, and makeup of all the productions, under the guidance of several professional full-time theatre staff.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ft.etononline.net/home/ |title=Summer 2013 |work=The Farrer Theatre Online |publisher=Eton College |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822133115/http://ft.etononline.net/home/ |archive-date=22 August 2012}}</ref>

Every year, Eton employs a 'Director-in-Residence', an external professional director on a one-year contract who normally directs one house play and the Lower Boy play (a school play open solely to the first two-year groups), as well as teaching Drama and Theatre Studies to most year groups.

The drama department is headed by Rebecca Farley and several other teachers; [[Simon Dormandy]] was on the staff until late 2012. The School offers GCSE drama and A Level Theatre Studies.

The School has produced many famous actors as well, including [[Dominic West]], [[Tom Hiddleston]], [[Eddie Redmayne]], and [[Damian Lewis]].