Co-curricular
Winter Sports Trials - Clarification of Selection Process
As many would be aware, the Senior School Winter Sports Trials are scheduled to commence this week. To assist parents/carers and students, I share the following procedures the College has in place around the selection of boys to specific teams.
Over the next few weeks, coaches will be working diligently to place boys in teams for the first round of Rugby, Football and Tennis fixtures against Trinity Grammar on Saturday 5 April which is also the Annual Black and Green Aggregate Shield whereupon all evenly graded fixtures count towards the aggregate of wins and losses.
In terms of the trial process, ordinarily:
Students have the opportunity to participate in drills and play internal trial matches on two to three occasions prior to being put into various pools based on their performances to date.
At this point, trials continue whereupon, coaches are then in a better position to see how they perform in “a like for like” trial situation. It is often the case that some players will then be moved from a higher graded pool to a lower graded pool and vice versa.
The reality is that it will often take up to five rounds or more of Saturday fixtures for coaches to be confident that they have accurately graded boys into teams. Notwithstanding that, the College encourages promotion and demotion based on attitude and performance throughout the season. Coaches are informed that they are to regularly consult with other coaches from their age group to ensure that this occurs where and when it’s required.
Parents/carers should also note that coaches are instructed not to take into account what team/s boys played in the previous year including, outside clubs. The only exception to this is for those boys who are injured at the time of trials and as such will be placed in a team one grade down from the previous year when they are fit enough to resume. The relevant coach will then make a determination as to whether or not that boy should be recommended for promotion or demotion.
In essence, selection to a team is based on what is witnessed during the course of this season thus enabling those who have worked hard on their game during the off-season and/or improved their fitness to shine.
I would ask that in the first instance if your son is unhappy with their selection that they speak to the coach or head of that particular sport themselves. Often, they will come and tell you only half a story. We then have parents ring up to query decisions based on only half the information. Part of building your son’s resilience means that he has to take ownership over having a conversation with a coach.
Training Offsite Protocol
Given the large number of Summer and Winter sports teams currently representing the College, certain teams have been allocated training sessions at nearby Hudson Park and Airey Park along with the Marie Bashir School playing field/basketball court on Albert Road. In order to ensure that they make their way to and from the grounds safely they are instructed to meet with their coaches by no later than 3:25 PM so that they are supervised along the journey.
Ordinarily, students making the return trip to school will leave their school bag at the College for the duration of the training session. I would ask you to remind them that they should take their valuables, such as wallets and phones with them or leave them in their secured lockers. Students being picked up at these grounds will need to take their school bags with them.
Parents/carers wishing to pick up their son/s from the above-mentioned playing fields may do so once they have reported to the relevant coach at 4:50 PM at which point teams will commence their return trip to the College. Please note that under no circumstances will a student be permitted to remain at the training field and wait for his parent/s. Furthermore, students are not permitted to drive to and from these venues on training days.
In some instances, parents/carers may wish for their sons to be left at the venue to then attend their outside training commitments. For that to occur, parents/carers will need to inform the relevant MIC and coach prior to the training session who will be at the venue to assume the supervisory responsibility for their son/s from 4:50 PM onwards.
The College’s duty of care ceases at either 4:50 PM when they are handed over to the parent and/or approved adult, or when the boys return to the College campus at approximately 5:00 PM.
Adrian Byrne
Acting Director of Co-curricular