Adam joined Chislehurst and Sidcup G.S. from Hurst Primary School in 1999 having passed his 11 plus exam. He was already a gifted and talented sportsman, and whether playing rugby or basketball at school, or skiing or snowboarding with the family, he had the happy knack of being able to enjoy and excel at most sports. At this time, football was his first love, and it had been suggested that a career as a professional might be possible. Fortunately for Chis & Sid, this turned out not to be the case, for despite never having played before, his ball skills, athleticism and bravery earmarked Adam as ‘one to watch’ for Mr. Horrobin’s rugby team. My first memory of Adam was when my colleague Noel Horrobin asked me to have a look at his Under 15 squad in training. Noel thought there were a number of talented individuals in the squad, and he wanted to discuss their positions and potential for the senior squad the following season. At the end of the session, probably the smallest, muddiest boy in the squad, and certainly the most dynamic, trudged through the mud towards me, hand outstretched, and said, “Thanks for coaching us Sir, I really enjoyed it”. How typical of Adam that was. Always polite, always a gentleman, even at only 14 years old, and already showing those leadership skills that would stand him in such good stead as the years passed. Mr Horrobin, as we all know, certainly knew his rugby, and within three years, we were fortunate to be coaching most of that same age group who, under Adam’s leadership, became arguably the finest side that Chis & Sid has ever produced. The following season, as an Under 16, it was suggested that Adam should change position from flanker to hooker. This was because Mr. Horrobin felt that Adam would be considered too small to play representative rugby in the back row. Adam certainly had the ability to step up to the next level, but to learn the intricacies of such a key position, in a relatively short space of time, would be an enormous challenge. Having such good flexibility however, allowed Adam to master the actual art of hooking, without too much difficulty, and we knew that his all-round play was very good, if a little under-powered at this stage. It would be his throwing into the line-out which would probably be the deciding factor. With this in mind, Adam practised and practised whenever he had a spare moment, trying to get his throwing up to scratch, and spent literally hours in the weights room trying to bulk up and get stronger. He deservedly got his reward when he was selected for the Kent U.16’s, and played so well in the County games that he found himself being quickly moved into the Divisional set-up, where he represented London and the South-East with distinction. Unfortunately the elusive England cap proved a bridge too far, as Adam’s size eventually went against him in selection. At school, Year 11 drew to a close and Adam progressed to Year 12, achieving 10 A’s, 2 B’s and a D at GCSE. He quickly became a fixture in the 1st XV and was outstanding on our pre-season tour to Limerick, but realised that academically life was getting tougher. Adam eventually completed ‘A’ levels in French, Biology and P.E. not quite perhaps achieving the results he would have wished for, but with every step, he enhanced his reputation as a leader, and as a mature, well-liked, responsible member of the school community. Field trips, especially with the French Department, were most certainly looked forward to, and the Year 12 trip to the Loire Valley, where Adam and four of his pals purchased French flat-caps to enhance the authenticity of the trip, and somehow bring them closer to the local French community, was certainly a highlight. In his last year at school, Adam, with two of his contemporaries, Alex O’Leary and Dan Thomas, also acting as Group Leaders, accompanied the annual Year 8 trip to Le Touquet, where they did their best to convert all the youngsters to rugby, with their all-action sessions on the beach, and, I’m assured by my colleagues in the French Department, that many of the Year 8 girls on that trip, fell in love for the first time, with the dashing Adam Hunt, his good looks, and his engaging personality. He was also, understandably, a favourite with staff, as my colleague, Valerie Perryman, from the French department told me: ‘Adam really enjoyed French, it was a big part of his school life. I have never taught a more delightful, well-mannered and enthusiastic pupil’. Adam was appointed School Vice-Captain in 2005. He was also a House Captain and in the course of carrying out his duties, Adam became a wonderful role model for the younger pupils at Chis & Sid. He was always cheerful, always keen to help in any way he could, always loyal and true to the ethos of the school. In August 2005, Adam Hunt was appointed School Rugby Captain with Jamie Cutler as his Vice-Captain. The previous 1st XV, under Matt Walters and James Ahlers, had had a fantastic season, the best for 16 years, winning 17 out of 20 games. They would be a hard act to follow; and they were both over 6 feet tall! I nominated Adam, Jamie, out top try-scorer, Ross Westwood, and one or two others for County trials. The boys decided, almost unanimously, not to trial. Adam said that it was their last season in school rugby, and they wanted to dedicate themselves to the school, in an effort to match the standards and achievements of the previous year. What the boys achieved is now written into the school’s history. Under Adam’s inspirational leadership, they recorded 20 wins from 21 games. Adam was voted ‘Players’ Player of the Year’, a magnificent tribute from his team, while the team themselves won the London Borough of Bexley ‘Team of the Year’ award. Nobody could have been prouder then Adam, last February, when he stepped forward to accept the award on behalf of his team, ‘my boys’, as he always called them. Due to coaching duties elsewhere I was unable to attend the ceremony, but I did manage to catch up with the team later that evening. As I sat with Adam, reminiscing, he confided in me that he believed that the successes the team had achieved would probably be the high point in his lifetime. He felt that the togetherness, the team spirit and the will to win had been so special, so unique, that it probably could not be replicated within, or away from, another sporting or rugby environment. Of course, I assured Adam that this was not the case. There would be other great triumphs and events for him to enjoy – they would be equally rewarding, but different. These achievements were so special because they’d been won with the people he’d grown up with, and there would always be a unique bond between them. In ten or twenty years time, whenever they get together and talk about school, the team and their great season, they will always remember Adam, his cheerful disposition and his fantastic contribution to their season, and their lives. Adam was an exceptional Captain and an inspirational rugby player. With his easy manner, he bridged the gap perfectly between the staff and the boys, and whether he was helping or encouraging a younger player, or cajoling one of his peers into action, he always got the best from every situation and had the complete respect of his team. Adam was a wonderfully balanced runner with the ball in his hands, with probably the quickest feet of any player I have ever coached. His ability to change direction, wrong-foot defenders and change the point of the attack was quite remarkable. His game appreciation, awareness and link play also became one of the great strengths of his game. On so many occasions, Adam would have the ball for less than a second. He would instinctively sense that the opportunity was not for him, that there was a space elsewhere, and the ball would be in and out of his hands in a flash as he linked the play, so often giving others the moment of glory. When he did have to take the ball into contact, his footwork always allowed him to hit ‘the edge’ of the contact, where his opponent was weakest. Consequently, I can’t ever recall seeing Adam lose the ball in contact, which was remarkable in itself when you consider the size and physique of many of his opponents. Defensively, he was everywhere. Making tackles, plugging gaps, always organising and encouraging. Mr. Horrobin and I likened his style of play to a cartoon character we remembered called ‘The Roadrunner’; racing around the field, covering every blade of grass, always being where he was needed, to win the ball, make the last tackle, or give the last pass. He was both the heart and the soul of his team, and it was a privilege and a great pleasure to coach and work with Adam throughout his last three years at school. He was always so modest concerning his own ability, and underneath the exterior, Adam was quite shy, but his growing confidence and maturity were there for all to see when Adam gave an excellent tribute speech in honour of Mr. Horrobin, at his Memorial Service at school, as recently as March 2007. Adam phoned me on the day before he went to Zante, to say how much he was looking forward to the trip, and that he’d be up to Sidcup Rugby Club to start training when he got back. He was a happy, cheerful and enthusiastic young man, who was looking forward to his next great adventure. That is how we should always remember him. Phil Ubee, Head of Senior Rugby, Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School