Physical Education News

Division Athletics

The last Wednesday of Term 3 was the Knox Division Athletics Championships. We had 11 students qualify after finishing top 2 in their given event(s) at District, however due to unavailability and injury, 7 participants in total represented Park Ridge on the day. All students competed to the best of their ability and should be proud of their efforts to make it this far. Students who finished in the top 2 have qualified for the Eastern Metropolitan Regional finals on Thursday 22 October at Knox. Here are the fantastic results:

Layla M – 1st in 200m

Sophia S – 2nd in Hurdles and 6th in Shot Put

Hannah R – 1st in Shot Put with a new school record of 9.96m and 1st in Discus with a new school record of 22.18m

Levi J – 2nd in Hurdles

David P – 5th in Long Jump and 4th in Shot Put

Logan R – 1st in Triple Jump and a new school record of 7.65m

Will J – 1st in 100m, 200m and Shot Put

Junior Hoop Time

Tuesday, 15 September was our Junior Hoop Time day. This year, we had 14 teams participate – once again  an outstanding uptake! I was so proud of the enthusiasm, sportsmanship and school spirit showed on the day. We had some outstanding results featuring our All Star Boys finishing Runner’s Up, however the highlight of the day went to our All Star Girls team who won the grand final in over time. By this time of the day, all other teams had finished and had made their way to the main court to cheer the girls on. When the siren went for us to win, and to see the sea of Park Ridge students run onto the court and get around our girls, was one of the coolest moments of my teaching career!

I’d like to thank the parent/carer helpers who offered to coach and score for the teams. We also had 10 VCE students from Rowville Secondary College come along as coaches who all did an outstanding job. 

Lastly, another aspect of Junior Hoop Time that always makes me incredibly proud to be the PE teacher of this wonderful school, is the overwhelming number of Year 5 and 6 students who offer to give up their lunch times to coach teams. All 14 teams had 2 or 3 Year 5/6 coaches helping them out with their skills and strategies in the weeks leading up to the event. 

Well done to all students, teachers and parents/carers involved in another successful Hoop Time, and good luck to our Year 3/4 All Star Girls at Regionals on Wednesday, 11 November!

Summer Round Robin

The Rowville District Year 5 and 6 Summer Sports Round Robin was played on Thursday August 27 and finished up on Monday 14 September. Students had been training in their teams since the beginning of the term. I was impressed with how quickly our students have picked up the skills and strategies of these sports, as well as the respect and sportsmanship shown during round robin. For many of them, this was the last time they will represent Park Ridge at an interschool sports event. 

Park Ridge had a very successful carnival with multiple teams progressing through to Division. Congratulations to Boys Volleyball (Runners Up), Girls Softball (Champions), Boys Softball (Champions), Boys Tennis (Champions) and Girls Tennis (Runners Up). Our B Girls Tennis team also finished Runners Up however there is no “next round” for the B Division. Having 5 teams competing in the Knox Division Summer Sport Finals this term is the most out of any school in Knox Division in 2026 which is a credit to the cohort and the Year 5 and 6 teachers running the training sessions. As always, I’d like to thank the parent/carer helpers at each event who made the day possible.

Regional Hoop Time - Senior Future Stars

Wednesday, 14 October saw the Regional Future Stars Hoop Time competition at State Basketball Centre. Park Ridge had two teams qualify, the Park Ridge Redbacks and the Park Ridge Retrievers, after finishing 1st and 2nd at the District day last term. Both teams displayed outstanding sportsmanship and put together some really solid basketball, however it wasn’t enough to make the finals on the day. Both teams should be really proud for making it this far. 

Thank you to Liam and Nick for coaching the teams and also to Will S for assistant coaching with his broken arm, as well as Sharon, Sal and Jas for assisting with transportation.

Knox Division Summer Finals - Tennis

Last Friday was the Knox Division Tennis Championships at Eildon Park Tennis Club. Park Ridge’s boys and girls teams both qualified after finishing 1st and 2nd at the previous round. 

I am always so impressed with the sportsmanship our students show at interschool sports events, however it is always emphasized at Tennis days. On these days, students umpire their own games and need to agree on tough calls. Adults are not allowed to interfere unless called upon by students to settle a dispute. Not only do our students always rise to the occasion, it is also pleasing to see and hear them congratulate their opponents on a good shot they may pull off and shake hands at the end of the game, regardless of the result. 

It was an action-packed day on the court too. In primary school tennis, teams are made up of 8 players per match. The 8 players from each school play a singles game against the 8 players from the other school, and then they team up with a partner and play a doubles game, so in the end there are 12 minor games in the match vs the opposing school and the winning school is the team who wins the most games. Our girls won their first match and lost their next two to finish 4th overall. Our boys enjoyed a successful day, beating St Simons and Bayswater West 7-5 in both matches, to finish top of our pool. We then met Waverley Christian College in the Division final where we won 10-2 to be crowned Division Champions! Congratulations to both teams for making it this far and good luck to the boys at Regional on Friday, 13November.

Matthew Davey

Physical Education Teacher