Senior School Sport  & Extra-Curricula Activities 

• From the Senior School Sports Master
• NSTA Tennis
• Strength and Conditioning Sessions
• Cricket
• Football
• Senior Swimming Squad
• Senior Chess
• Basketball
• CSDA Debating and Public Speaking

From the Senior School Sports Master

I extend a warm welcome to you all as we begin a new school year.  I offer a particular welcome to families new to St Pius X and look forward to meeting you all through sport as the year progresses.

For those who were with us in Term 4 2021, the Summer Sport season has already recommenced for District and ISA Cricketers.  They will be joined this weekend (5 February) by our basketball teams who play a full round of final trial fixtures against St Augustine’s College.

The season proper for our ISA sports has been postponed to 12 February to allow schools who did not have sport in Term 4 2021 to get their COVID Protocols and practices in place for their communities. The College was fortunate to be able to clarify and fine tune our protocols in Term 4 and are ready to go for 2022. 

As ever, COVID-19 presents a very fluid environment for us all but we will continue to follow NSW Government and Health advice with regards to our Sports and Cocurricular programs and adapt our programs accordingly.

A copy of our COVID-19 Protocols for Sport this weekend is attached for your information.

Communication

For those new to the College and for those who need reminding, Woodchatta is the best source of information with regard to sport and sports registrations.  Links for registering your sons for each sport will appear in the relevant sports sections below.  Weekly draws and results will also appear in Woodchatta.

In addition, the College App is a “must have” for live updates throughout the week and over the weekend.

Year 7

Those boys who were registered and played for St Pius X in Year 6 for both Cricket and NSTA Tennis will continue with those sports in Term 1 2022. 

Boys new to the College will have opportunities to get involved in Squash starting 12 February and Basketball later in Term 1.  Those 2021 Year 6 boys who were involved in basketball in Term 4 should also look to get involved in the Basketball program later in Term 1.

Football grading for Winter Sport is scheduled for 13 February at Oxford Falls.  Any boy wishing to play Football for the College must attend.

In addition, Swim training will commence for boys next week, with Cross Country training starting Week 3 of Term 1.  The Senior Swimming Carnival has been rescheduled for 24 February.

The above is just an overview of what is happening.  Details will appear in each Sport Section.

Please feel free to contact me by email (mstearn@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au) if you need clarification on anything to do with Senior College Sport. 

Mr Matt Stearn - Senior School Sports Master

NSTA Tennis

Welcome back to the 2022, Term 1 season of NSTA Tennis. Please note that the competition will begin on Saturday, February 12. An introductory letter has been sent to all boys and their parents who enrolled in Term 3. If you did not receive this please let me know.

TENNIS UNIFORM

This year your son will be required to wear the new College tennis shirt that is available from the uniform shop. In addition to this he is required to wear the College sports shorts, white socks, sports shoes and a cap. The uniform shop also sells tennis caps, these are a lighter material than the College cap and are better for the heat. 

TENNIS DRAW

I am hoping that the tennis draw will be available by this time next week in preparation for the games on Saturday 12. I will keep you updated via email. When the draw is available you will be able to access it here:

 https://www.xpointsports.com/region/325/currentEvents

Mrs Samantha Iwatani - NSTA Convenor

Strength and Conditioning Sessions at the Sarto Gym

Strength and Conditioning sessions will commence Monday Week 2 in the Sarto gym. The morning session starts at 7.15 am sharp and concludes at 8.05 am (this allows students ample time to change into full school uniform). The afternoon session starts at 3.30 pm and concludes at 4.30 pm. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, until further notice, the training sessions will be provided to the year groups as below:

• Monday Year 10 - 12
• Tuesday Year 7 - 9
• Wednesday  Year 7 - 9
• Thursday Year 10 - 12
• Friday Year 10 - 12

Students are highly encouraged to attend in Week 2 where coaches will explain the exciting new program structure, specifically to go over technique and skills respective to students' assigned programs and gym safety. During Week 2 coaches will make a professional judgment and assign students their respective program to start in Week 3. A reminder students must book their training time slot through the Mind Body App which can be found on the College's Intranet page.

Please contact Ms Coombe for any further information.

Ms Laura Coombe - Strength and Conditioning Coach

Cricket

MWJCA Fixtures – Saturday 5 February 2022

U12 SPX Blue v ST Augustine’s Green @ Oxford Falls #2

U13 Gold v Harboad Scorchers @ Manly-West Park

U13 Black v Peninsula Scorchers @ Warriewood Valley Sports Ground

U14 Green v Seaforth Rebels @ Kierle Park #1

U14 Red v St Augustine’s Green @ Nolans Reserve #3

U15 Orange v Harbord Boomerangs @ Oxford Falls #2

U15 Yellow v St Augustine’s Gold @ Balgowlah 

U17 Purple v Beacon Hill Bombers @ Cromer Park

Please note: fixtures are as listed on myCricket at time of publication, Coaches/Manages are requested to check for any late amendments.

MWJCA Fixtures – Saturday 5 February 2022

2nd XI (Trial) v St Augustine’s @ Tania Park (10.00 am start)

1st XI (Trial) v St Augustine’s @ Oxford Falls #1 (10.00 am start)

1st XI Holiday Cricket

During the final week of the holidays the 1st XI played three trial matches in preparation for the coming ISA competition. A convincing performance against the Shore 2nd XI was followed by a narrow loss to Riverview’s 1st XI and a disappointing performance against St Aloysius 1st XI. 

SPX 7 for 253 (Charlie Sharp 71, Keelan Mendel 33, Joel Austin 30, Jack Blazey 28, Ben O’Reilly 23, Manas Bansal 23 not out, Oscar Mac Donald 21) defeated Shore 8 for 98.

SPX 159 (Charlie Sharp 48, Keelan Mendel 32, Manas Bansal 23) lost to Riverview 8 for 160 (Oscar MacDonald 2 for 26, Logan Nicey 2 for 42).

SPX 129 (Will Pavely 40, Harrison O’Brien 19) lost to St Aloysius 6 for 130 (Flynn Pavely 2 for 12).

Playing Shirts – ALL players are to be correctly attired in the new blue SPX Cricket shirt; available from the Uniform Shop.

Training 

Mondays (4.00 pm - 5:30 pm)      – ISA Squad (1st & 2nd XI)

Tuesday (4.00 pm - 5.00 pm)        – U13 (Senior School) and U14

Wednesday (4.00 pm - 5.30 pm) – ISA Squad (1st & 2nd XI) 

Thursday (4.00 pm - 5.00 pm) – U12 and U13 (Junior School) during Junior School PE                                                               – U15 and U17

All training is at Oxford Falls.

Players are to correctly attired in PE uniform or ISA uniform.

Bus transport departs form in front of OLD Church at 3:20 pm and returns to Anderson St.

Training conducted by Cricket Appeal professional coaches.

Match Reports

Mr David Reay - Cricket Convenor

Football

Welcome to the 2022 Football (Soccer) Season for students in Years 7-12.

Compulsory Grading day is Sunday 13 February at Oxford Falls.

For 2022, the College aims to enter teams in the ISA competition as well as run an internal house competition for any student not selected, numbers permitting. All students, including SPX First XI and Second XI football players must be electronically registered via the below Trybooking link by Thursday 10 February 2022.  The Trybooking registration assists the grading process run by the SPX professional football coaches.

Trybooking registration link:  https://www.trybooking.com/119527

Grading Times:

Please note that, the same as in 2021, any student picked in a SPX Football side MUST attend training every Monday and Wednesday as well as Saturday matches throughout the Football Season.

The formal season will run during Terms 2 and 3, however there will be preseason training and trial match late in Term 1.

Mr Simon Yue - Senior Football Convenor

Senior Swimming Squad

Training starts next Monday, 7 February, at Fitness First Chatswood from 7.15 am – 8.15 am and continues through Tuesdays and Fridays until mid-March. The 2021 Swimming Squad is expected to attend training on two or more days each week except if they train three times throughout the week for a Club. The 2021 Junior Squad, who are now in Year 7, are expected to be at these training sessions as well. It is a requirement of Fitness First that your son trains with a cap on. 

Students aspiring to join the Swimming Squad and have experience with competitive carnivals can also train. However, the squad will not be finalised until our school swimming carnival later in February. Please be aware that not all students who compete will be chosen for the squad as there are limited spots to fill. 

We have two carnivals this term. The Christian Brothers Carnival and the ISA Carnival. A full squad will be taken to the Christian Brothers Carnival and a smaller one to the ISA.

More information will be given at this Fridays Sports Assembly at our swimming meeting.

Ms Leisa Proc - Swimming Convenor

Senior Chess

Chess training will commence Monday 7 February in D1-4 “the Blue Room” at 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm. All students who are interested in playing Chess as their extracurricular activity are encouraged to attend. 

Ms Denise Ramsey and Ms Janelle Dempsey - Chess Convenors

Basketball

Season Draw: This is still being finalised so there may be further changes to fixtures, hence why I am unable to publish more at this point. Round 1 has been moved from Saturday 5 February to the end of the season. Finals have been scrapped and it will be ‘first on the table’ takes the title.

Fixtures: This week sees us take on St Augustine’s, home and away. Please arrive 20 mins prior to tip off to allow for organisation and warm-up. Also, note the COVID-19 protocols for the 3 venues as published by Mr Stearn in the Senior Sports Master section above.

NB. Age Groups remain the same as last year as Term 1 is part of the same season. Therefore for most players:      13’s = Yr 8,     14’s =Yr 9,     15’s = Yr 10,     17’s = Yr 11,     Opens = Yr 12 

Please use the link attached for team lists for this Saturday.

Uniform for games: Boys require a St Pius X Basketball singlet and basketball shorts. These are available for purchase from the uniform shop.

Training: The training timetable has now been set for the duration of this season.

For Oxford Falls sessions boys will be bussed to and from the venue. The buses should return to Chatswood around 5.30 pm.

Mr Greg Virgona - Basketball Convenor

CSDA Public Speaking

The CSDA Public Speaking Competition runs on the following Friday evenings in Term 1:

25 February                            Public Speaking Round 1

4 March                                   Public Speaking Zone Finals

11 March                                Public Speaking Finals

GREEN Public Speaking ONLY Registration forms will be available at the Student Office on Thursday 3 February. Please complete this form and return to the box marked “GREEN Public Speaking ONLY Registration forms” outside the Student Office before next Thursday, 10 February. Each school in the CSDA competition can register just two students from each year group so trials will take place in Week 3 in B10.  I will contact all who submit the GREEN Registration form.  

CSDA Debating Competition 

The CSDA Debating Competition runs through Term 2 on the following evenings. YELLOW CSDA Debating ONLY Registration forms will be available from the Student Office from Monday 14 February (Week 3).

Mrs Michele Waterson - Debating and Public Speaking Convenor