Sports News

WELCOME TO SPORT - 2026

AND… HERE WE GO!  We are looking forward to yet another fabulous and active year ahead with the many sporting opportunities we offer here at St. Finbar’s!  This week saw forty dedicated Year 3-6 students rise early to try out for a spot on our Swim team.  Congratulations to all students and a massive thank you to the families that helped get their child to and from the GESAC pool on Tuesday morning.  All trialling students gave it their best and should be very proud of their extra-efforts and commitment in trying out. Further Swim Team information can be found below.

Term 1 is always a super exciting and active one at St. Finbar’s, with the weather making it a great time of year to be outside and enjoy being active. St. Finbar’s is very welcoming and grateful of the wonderful parent-involvement with our sporting events, especially our Whole School Athletics (Term 1), Year 3-6 Cross Country event (early Term 2) and our Whole School Swimming carnival (Term 4). We also value the amazing parent support we get with our Year 5&6 Winter Sport program in Term 2, along with coaching support with HoopTime and Cricket Blast tournaments.  

Please refer to the SPORT section in our weekly newsletters for any reminders regarding sporting events and upcoming opportunities.  Our Sports Coordinator (Mrs. Tania Thompson) is also very happy to answer any questions you have in relation to sporting opportunities.  If you’d also like to learn more about the pathways for AWD (Athletes With Disabilities), please also email Tania.  tthompson@sfbrightoneast.catholic.edu.au

STRONG SWIMMING TRIALS EFFORTS

We congratulate our Year 3-6 students who braved the early rise on Tuesday this week to attend our Swimming trials at GESAC 50m pool.  It was fantastic to see so many ‘have a go’ and try their best.  A HUGE thank you goes to all the parents for supporting their child/ren to get to these trials and to get them to school at the bell.  

The Swim team is to be announced by next week and all trialling students will meet to find out their times and who makes the Swim team. Times from the trials will be posted up on the windows near the outdoor tables near the office entry door from the Mary Clare playground.

2026 SSV STATE TEAM TRIALS: PROCESS OF NOMINATION

Every year, extremely talented school students have the opportunity to trial for a place in a School Sport Victoria (SSV) Team Vic state team and participate in annual School Sport Australia (SSA) Championships. These trials are strictly for senior students currently competing at an extremely high LEVEL in their chosen sport. An example of this for AFL football would be that they have won or come Runner-Up the SMJFL (League) Best and Fairest for 12 year olds. Having come Best and Fairest at team or even club level will not be sufficient, without further accolades.

*Sports included in this current trials process: AFL football (boys), Netball (girls), Basketball (boys & girls), Cricket (boys) and Soccer (boys). Trials for boys or girls for some of these sports are held at different times of the year. There are other opportunities in other sports, such as Swimming, Cross Country, Golf, Hockey, Diving, Tennis & more : please refer here for all other registration & trial dates: Team Vic Sport and Registration Key Dates & please read the Team Vic Information Sheet on the sport page before contacting our Sports Coordinator; Tania

Trails are NOT  ‘Come ‘n’ Try’ opportunities. They are a process for selecting a Team Vic State Team to represent the state at School Sport Australia Championships.  Please note that participation in SSV team Vic state teams is self-funded, so families will be required to pay costs of administration levies, uniform, flights, accommodation and meals (approx $2,500-$3,000).  *For further information on each sport, please visit:  www.ssv.vic.edu.au/team-vic

IMPORTANT:  to NOMINATE a child, parents (not students) must first -seek approval from our St. Finbar’s Sport Coordinator (Tania Thompson), including evidence of achievement at an extremely high level. St. Finbar’s requests a letter or email written by the child’s coach outlining the student’s outstanding skill level and achievements.  We encourage only students of a Year 5 or Year 6 level to consider these trials if they fall into this elite sports category.  This must be given to the Sport Coordinator by mid February.

If approved for nomination by the school, parents will then be asked to complete the online nomination form, submit the non-refundable online payment.  Online nominations for some of the ‘popular-big’ sports (www.ssv.vic.edu.au/team-vic) close by 2nd March, 2026 (or unless stated differently online).  Late entries will not be accepted under any circumstances.

For those that like to get dates into their calendars now, we are very excited to announce the following Sports dates for Term 1 this year.  

DATES TO DIARY FOR SPORT: TERM 1

For those that like to get dates into their calendars now, we are very excited to announce the following Sports dates for Term 1 this year:  

Swim Team training (selected team): Fri. 20th & Tues. 24th Feb. @ GESAC, 7.15  - 8.15am

District Swimming Carnival (relevant students only): Wedn. 4th March @ Oakleigh Pool

Year 5&6 Cricket Blast (relevant students only): Thurs. 19th March @ Dendy lower ovals

Division Swimming Carnival (relevant students only): Tues. 24th March @ Carnegie Pool

Whole School (P-6) House Athletics Carnival: Fri. 27th  March @ Duncan McKinnon Reserve

P&F Colour Run: Thurs. 2nd April @ Dendy Park lower ovals (note change of venue this year)

Tania Thompson (Sports Coordinator)