From Rugby to Soccer and back to Rugby at Heath
The 19th century photographs of the school and Old Boys teams are of rugby teams but with the turn of the century the school teams are soccer teams.
During World War I inter-school sports appears to have been suspended and only resumed in 1919 when both Heath and Crossley & Porter fielded soccer teams. Over the next eight years Heath played soccer against Almondbury, B.D.A., Belle Vue, Carlton Street, Elland, Halifax Secondary School, Halifax Technical College, Heath Old Boys, Hebden Bridge, Hipperholme GS, Huddersfield College, Keighley Technical School, Mirfield College, Old Almondburians, Rastrick, Rishworth GS, Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden and Wheelwright GS.
However, Crossley & Porter swapped to rugby in 1920 followed by Keighley Technical School and Thornton GS in 1922, Halifax Technical College in 1923 and Hipperholme GS in 1924.
In 1927 Crossley and Porter lend Heath a film about playing rugby and in 1928 Heath and Rishworth GS swap codes. Mr Kemp [1927–1931] and Mr Woodward [1926–1931] are the masters who manage the swap.
Among the new schools with whom Heath GS now begin to play rugby are Bingley GS, Bradford GS, Leeds Central High School (the only one which Crossley & Porter had not played against) and Wakefield GS.
In their first year they play Bingley GS , Bradford GS, Crossley & Porter, Heath Old Boys, Hipperholme GS, Keighley Technical School, Rishworth GS and Wakefield GS. Their record for this first year is: Played 10, Won 2, Lost 8, For 51 Against 341.