Sport News

Lifesaving Event

After a seven-year break, Parkdale Secondary College has returned to the School Surf League Lifesaving Event at Torquay. With the event now hosted on the Surf Coast, it was fantastic to see our students back competing in this highly regarded School Surf League competition.

A team of 10 students travelled down to test themselves across a demanding program of events including flags, beach sprints, relays, swim races, wade relays, board races and the Aqua Cameron Relay. It was a full day on the sand and in the surf, and our students rose to the challenge.

Many members of the team are active competitors in local lifesaving clubs, with several having represented their clubs at state and national level. Their experience was evident in both the technical skill and composure they displayed throughout the day.

🏅 Outstanding Results

Year 8 – Eden Benton

• 1st – Swim
• 1st – Board
• 1st – Wade
• 1st – Sprint

Year 8 – Neko

• 1st – Flags
• 2nd – Sprint
• 3rd – Swim
• 3rd – Board

Year 12 Boys

• Xavier – 3rd in Flags

Aqua Cameron Relay

•  1st - Eden, Neeko and Lexi

   

These results are an exceptional achievement, particularly in our first year back at the competition.

A very big thank you to Ms Purcell and Sarah Webster for accompanying the team and supporting students throughout the day. We are also extremely grateful to Garry Macdonald for generously volunteering his time as our water safety official — a vital role that ensured our students could compete safely in challenging surf conditions.

With our return to this Lifesaving Victoria competition, we are excited about rebuilding our presence and increasing participation numbers in the years ahead. The future of Surf League at Parkdale is looking strong, and this year’s team has set a fantastic standard to build upon.

Swimming Carnival 

The 2026 Whole School Swimming Carnival was an outstanding day filled with colour, competition, laughter and incredible house spirit. With perfect conditions setting the scene, students and staff embraced the energy of the day from the very first race.

Our competitive swimmers took to the pool in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly events, along with diving competitions that showcased both skill and courage. The standard of racing was exceptional, with many tight finishes and impressive individual performances across all year levels. Students who claimed victory in their competitive events have now qualified to represent Parkdale Secondary College at the Kingston Division Competition on 18th March.

The carnival was not just about serious racing. The novelty events brought plenty of fun and laughter, with pool challenges that encouraged participation and added valuable house points. These events captured the true spirit of the day — involvement, encouragement and friendly rivalry.

A highlight, as always, was our Year 12 cohort celebrating their final swimming carnival. Their annual dress-up parade embraced the Aussie Nostalgia theme, delivering a colourful trip down memory lane. From iconic Aussie characters to classic throwbacks, their creativity and enthusiasm lifted the atmosphere even further. Their traditional “fun diving” competition followed, featuring some questionable techniques and very creative entries into the water — much to the amusement of the crowd.

The much-anticipated Staff vs Students relay did not disappoint. In a thrilling finish, the students narrowly defeated the staff, sparking loud celebrations and plenty of good-natured banter.

Congratulations to all students who participated and contributed to such a positive and energetic day. The final house results were:

• Illuka (Green) – 695 points

•  Kingston (Red) – 665 points

• Livingston (Yellow) – 640 points

• Warneet (Blue) – 460 points

•  

A huge congratulations to Illuka for taking out the 2026 Swimming Carnival trophy!

The excitement, enthusiasm and house pride on display truly reflected the strong community spirit at Parkdale Secondary College. We look forward to cheering on our division qualifiers later this month.

Kingston Division Swimming Carnival

Parkdale Secondary College enjoyed a fantastic day at the Kingston Division Swimming Carnival, with strong performances and great team spirit on display throughout.

A huge congratulations to Maddison S, who dominated the 15 Girls age group, finishing first overall after winning five of her events—an outstanding achievement. Huw R also impressed, taking out first place in the 50m breaststroke with a confident swim.

Across the day, Parkdale students were consistently competitive, recording numerous 2nd and 3rd place finishes across a variety of events. It was great to see so many students stepping up and performing at their best.

A special mention to our Year 7 students, who competed in their first division carnival. They represented the school with pride and should be very pleased with their efforts in their debut at this level.

Our relay teams were another highlight, posting some very fast times. They were unlucky not to secure a win, finishing 2nd in four of the seven relay events—an excellent team result.

Parkdale also celebrated success in the diving events, with Harry F and Lennox G both claiming victory in the 15–16 Boys category.

Overall, it was a very successful day for Parkdale, with plenty of achievements to celebrate. Well done to all students involved!

SMR Swimming Carnival

Parkdale was proudly represented at the South Metro Region (SMR) Swimming Carnival, held at the Oakleigh Recreation Centre.

Maddison S delivered an outstanding performance, claiming 1st place in both the 200m Freestyle (12–15 years) and 200m Individual Medley. She also achieved 3rd place in the 100m Backstroke and 400m Freestyle (12–20 years), showcasing her versatility across multiple events. As a result of these impressive performances, Maddison has qualified for the State Swimming Finals at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in April. We wish Maddison all the very best as she prepares for this next stage.

Huw R also represented Parkdale with determination, finishing 3rd in the 50m Breaststroke (15 years).

Congratulations to both students on their fantastic efforts at a highly competitive regional level. Parkdale is very proud of your achievements!