Senior School Cocurricular Program 

• From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular 
• Fixtures 3 February
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Cross Country
• Senior Football
• NSTA Tennis
• Squash

From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

Welcome back to a new year of sport and the resumption of the summer season across the ISA, NSTA, MWJCA and NSW Pennants competitions.  

Over the holiday break our 1st XI cricketers toured Queensland, playing in the Australian Schools Cricket Challenge, details of which can be found below.  We thank Mr Reay, Mr Rodgers, Mr Maloney and Mr Willoughby for their care of the team.  We also thank Mr Ronchetti for his support.

Also during the break, a significant amount of training has been put in by our 1st V basketballers under the supervision of coach, Mr Danny Garrett, along with our 1st XV Rugby who made excellent use of the Sarto Gym facilities, along with some pre-season field sessions run by Mr Mike Cross, 1st XV coach.

Our footballers will be excited to learn that PILA has installed a new set of boxed net football goal posts on Walsh Oval in preparation for the 2024 season and we recognise the work of Mr Willoughby, Mr Noort and Mx Calder at our Oxford Falls campus.

Clipboard

My thanks to all of you who have been so diligent in setting up your Clipboard accounts and subsequent registration for those cocurricular activities that commence in Term 1 along with the winter sport activities in Terms 2 and 3.

For those of you still struggling to access your Clipboard account, I attach for your information the three documents which were sent out on 15 January by Mrs Ann Brady. 

Thanks must go to Mrs Jennifer Walsh who has worked tirelessly in setting up Clipboard for the college and subsequently has supervised the rollout of the platform.

Please be aware that all registrations for all cocurricular activities are now being handled through Clipboard and that registrations are due to close on Friday 9 February.  This is a change of practice, in particular, for our Performing Arts Ensembles.

Details regarding registration will appear in various sections of the Cocurricular page of Woodchatta over the coming weeks.

Upcoming Events

Saturday 27 January:  MWJCA Cricket recommenced 

Saturday 3 February: ISA summer season recommences 

Wednesday 14 February:  Junior School Swimming Carnival

Thursday 15 February:  Senior School Swimming Carnival

Saturday 17 February:  NSTA Tennis season recommences

Saturday 24 February: Christian Brothers Swimming Carnival

At this stage, we are waiting confirmation for the start of the NSW Pennants Squash season.

In closing, I look forward to seeing all of you at some point throughout the year.

Mr Matt Stearn - Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

Fixtures 3 February

Basketball

ISA and Blue/Gold League games recommence this Saturday. Please carefully check your game times and locations and be sure to arrive early.

There are a few coaching changes for this year, so please be accommodating of this.

Training will officially begin again for all teams next Monday. There will be no buses going to Oxford Falls this week.

FOR YOUR PLANNING - All B teams will be travelling to Bathurst next Saturday (10/2) for their games against St Stanislaus. There WILL be a bus travelling there and back… times to be confirmed… please look out for CANVAS announcements about this.

Canteen at Oxford Falls

The canteen is NOW CASHLESS.

Please VOLUNTEER for CANTEEN duty - this week teams at home are A's, D's, E's, F's, 1sts, 4ths, Gold & Blue.

• Please arrive on time for your shift, or a few minutes early if you can - the people waiting to end their shift will greatly appreciate it!
• Please sign up here: (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ijw8qqsuz6-brjIXq3NiHMDxB5O62e6XWdWjEIcH62w/edit?usp=sharing)

Note: U13 = Yr 8; U14 = Yr 9; U15= Yr 10; U17 = Yr 11, Opens = Yr 12

Mr Danny Garrett - Basketball Convenor &

Mrs Joanne Schuster - Assistant Basketball Convenor

Cricket

Training

Monday – ISA (1st and 2nd XI) Squad.Tuesday – U13 (Senior School) and U14.

Wednesday – ISA (1st and 2nd XI) Squad. Thursday – Junior School during sport. U15 and U17.

Bus departs OLD Church at 3:20 pm and returns to Anderson Street at approximately 5:30 pm. Players are to be attired in correct sport/cricket uniform. Training is compulsory and part of a cocurricular commitment. 

All training is facilitated by Cricket Appeal.            

SPX 1st XI Queensland Tour – Australian Schools Cricket Challenge 2024

The College 1st XI took part in the 2024 Australian Schools Cricket Challenge hosted by Nudgee College for 46 teams. Being in the top division provided a challenge to the team who are commended for their efforts on and off the field during the week.

The first match against Brisbane Boys College saw the 1st XI team chasing 185 after Lucas Gleeson captured 5 for 31 in an excellent spell. Ollie Freeman supported Lucas Gleeson with three stumpings. Rohan Chang (24) and Ollie Freeman (28) put on a half century stand, but the team fell 60 runs short in the chase.

A much-improved performance the following day at Padua College resulted in a 61-run win. The 1st XI batted 50 overs to end with 6 for 175 as Luke Austin scored an undefeated run a ball 50, Darcy Aylmer batted aggressively for 49 and Rohan Chang again batted well for 33. Darcy Aylmer led the way with the ball with 4 for 16 from his 10 overs in a strong all-round effort in the field to dismiss the opposition for 114.

After an enjoyable rest day at the beach, shops and BBL match, rain caused a late start to the match against St Patrick’s Shorncliffe. The overs were reduced to 27 each and on a slow outfield, 1st XI struggled to 77 with Luke Mooney the best with 19. A fighting display made the chase very difficult for the home team, but they reached the target in the second last over 5 wickets down as Andrew May and Lucas Gleeson took two wickets apiece. In a 35 over match on the final day against St Dominic’s Penrith, the bowling was shared around and so were the wickets as 8 for 137 was the final total set. After 12 overs, Tom Roche (23 not out) was leading the batting but with the total 2 for 52, showers stopped play and a chance of victory.

Congratulations to Lucas Gleeson who was selected in the Team of the Tournament in recognition of his fine performances with the ball in every match.

Thanks must go to Nudgee College for the organisation put into a successful tournament. The touring party brought credit to themselves by their good humour, cooperation, and wholehearted efforts.   

SPX 1st XI trial match v St Joseph’s College 2nd XI

On the last Saturday of the holidays, the College 1st XI was hosted by St Joseph’s College for a trial match before the restart of the ISA competition. 1st XI batted first and ended with 217 thanks to Darcy Aylmer (45), Luke Austin (31) and a 80 run partnership by Luke Mooney (47) and Rohan Chang (36). Spinners Lucas Gleeson (3-32) and Darcy Aylmer (2-31) were the best of the bowlers who restricted St Joseph’s to 153 all-out in a pleasing team effort.

Mr David Reay - Cricket Convenor

Cross Country

Cross Country training begins Week 3. Join us for fun, varied and challenging sessions.

When: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings

Where: Beauchamp Park, Chatswood 

Time: 7:15 am – 8:15 am 

Who: All Senior and Junior School students welcome

Meet at the Beauchamp Oval Grandstand in comfortable running gear and with a water bottle. Bring your school uniform to change into afterwards back at The College.  All students are encouraged to join training, whether it is to prepare for the IPSHA Cross Country Competition in April, the ISA Cross Country competition in Term 2 or to simply improve your general well-being. Please email Mr Scott Steinman ssteinman@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au or Ms Leanne Lee llee@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au to sign up or simply turn up in the morning.

Ms Leanne Lee - Cross Country and Athletics Convenor

Senior Football

Year 7 - 12 Football Registration 2024

Football (soccer) grading trials for all Year 7 to 12 students will be held on Sunday 11 February 2024 at Oxford Falls Campus. Students must attend grading day at their allocated time (see below).  If you have any issues with this please contact Mr Simon Yue, Senior Football Convenor syue@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. 

The 2024 SPX Football Program includes the Winter ISA Football competition and the SPX Internal Football Colour competition. All students wishing to play SPX Football for the 2024 season will be graded in a SPX football team. 

There are limited ISA teams, typically 2 or 3 per age group.  All students who do not make an ISA side are able to partake in our internal competition run by COERVER Football.

There is an expectation that students who participate in Football at SPX attend trainings on both Monday and Wednesday afternoons, as well as a Saturday game.

All students wishing to participate in the 2024 Football season, must be electronically registered via Clipboard link by Friday 9 February 2024. The Clipboard registration assists the grading process run by the COERVER professional football coaches. The following link can will direct you to Clipboard: https://portal.clipboard.app/stpiusx. 

Any issues with accessing clipboard can be directed to Mrs Jen Walsh jwalsh@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. 

Please note that payment for the season will be made upon registration.

Grading times for Sunday 11 February 2024 at Oxford Falls Campus, Dreadnought Road, Oxford Falls: 

Year | Registration Desk Check in Time | Grading Time Oxford Falls Sporting Grounds:

U13 (Y7) Arrival: 7:45 am, on field 8:00 am - 9:15 am 

U14 (Y8) Arrival: 9:15 am, on field 9:30 am - 10:45 am 

U15 (Y9) Arrival: 10:45 am, on field 11:00 am - 12:15 pm 

U16 (Y10) Arrival: 12:15 pm, on field 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm 

Opens (Y11 + Y12) Arrival: 1:45 pm, on field 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm 

(Students must be collected promptly by 3:00 pm)

What to Wear and Bring to be able to play football at the SPX grading day: it is compulsory to wear sports clothes, football shin pads and football boots. Please also bring a water bottle. Any wet weather notifications are notified on the SPX College App. Please download the SPX College App and you can check any wet weather notifications by tapping on the sports icon. 

We are looking forward seeing everyone at SPX Football Grading Day 2024.

Mr Simon Yue - Senior Football Convenor

NSTA Tennis

Welcome back to tennis for 2024! Hopefully you have all been practising over the holidays and are eager to get back out on the courts after watching the Australian Open! 

Please note that the start date for NSTA has now moved to Saturday, 17 February. The draw will be out in that same week and if we are lucky it could be the end of the week before. 

Thank you to Mrs Keighery for coordinating tennis in my absence in Term 4 and I look forward to seeing you all again on 17 February. 

Mrs Samantha Iwatani - NSTA Tennis Convenor