Co-curricular - Junior Sport

Since the announcement of the change to having a Director of Middle School in 2024, I have received many questions on whether co-curricular activities and sport will run the same way in the Junior School or if will there be changes. Put simply, co-curricular activities and sport will still run in the same way as in previous years. Year 5 and Year 6 will remain in the IPSHA competitions, while Years 7 and 8 will be involved in the ISA competition. Effectively, there will be no change in the structure of co-curricular activities and sport next year. This will also be true for the House Carnivals for Swimming, Cross -country, and Athletics. 

It is often said that sport is the great leveler. No matter what your background, experience, or price range, once you step onto the field, court, diamond, or pitch, it all comes down to one or two moments that ultimately decide the result. Mostly, these moments are created by the teams via healthy, controlled competition. The side that makes the least mistakes often coming out on top. Occasionally, even though the teams involved are doing everything they can to play hard and fair, the officiating gets in the way. A poor decision or lack of understanding of the game, even the absence of decision-making can quickly take a great, exciting game down to a disjointed mess. Taking away the opportunity for the teams to control the outcome of the game.

I have been impressed by the boys in the Junior School Basketball lasts weekend. When faced with a situation that saw both teams not having the opportunity to control their games due to officiating that wasn’t to the correct standard of play, they were able to keep their standards high. While games were rough and hard fought, the boys form SPC kept their focus on playing the game and not the man. This shows great integrity, sportsmanship, and fair play. Well done to those teams involved and all our Basketball teams on a great weekend, both play wise and on the scoreboard.

Last week our Year 5 and 6 Theatre Sports Team competed at St Andrew’s Cathedral School against five other schools. The boys tied for fifth place against some strong competition. They competed in three rounds of games and their selections included ‘Mime, Change Game and Pop-Up Story Book.’ Their third game saw them receive a 5/5 for entertainment with Knox Garnett skilfully narrating a completely improvised rhyming story about a boy fighting a fire. His incredible pop-up story book characters included Alessio Dessanti, Lucian Saade, Charles Clift and Owen Giles. The boys were commended by the judges for their witty one liners and will advance to the semi-finals on Monday 6 November. I know you will join me in wishing them all the best for the semi-final competition.

Wednesday 25 October, Xavier Khoury from Year 6 will compete in the PSSA Athletics Carnival, representing NSWCIS. Xavier will be running the 100m at this event. We wish him all the best for the carnival.

It is great to see that even this far into the year, the boys in the Junior School are still striving for excellence and representing the College with aplomb. 

John Locke

Junior School Coordinator of Co-Curricular