Co-Curricular

Bouncing Back and Celebrating Achievement

Resilience is a term we hear often in education, and a quality we regularly ask our students to demonstrate. Yet it is one thing to tell a young person to “be more resilient” and quite another to help him learn how. Resilience needs more than a place in our vocabulary; it needs opportunities for practice.

Like any skill, it develops through practice, guidance and support. We need to give young people manageable challenges, opportunities to step beyond their comfort zone, experience disappointment, reflect on what happened and try again. That does not mean leaving them to struggle alone. It means helping them recognise their feelings, seek feedback, work out a next step and return with the support of the adults and peers around them.

How valuable sport and theatre can be in creating these opportunities. A difficult match, a demanding rehearsal or the nerves before an audition can give a young person a chance to practise responding to discomfort and uncertainty. With thoughtful coaching and encouragement, a mistake becomes something to learn from rather than a reason to stop. Achievement is not always a straight path to success, sometimes it begins with finding the courage to go again.

Our First XI cricketers provided a wonderful example of bouncing back on the weekend. After a heavy loss to St Pius X College the week before, the boys returned with a terrific victory over a highly fancied St Augustine’s College. The win was an achievement to celebrate, but so too was their willingness to go again after disappointment. One difficult performance does not define a team. The next opportunity gives us a chance to put resilience into practice.

There is also exciting news from the stage: our Year 7/8 TheatreSports team has qualified for the Junior Grand Final! This is a tremendous achievement, and the boys should be very proud. TheatreSports asks performers to think on their feet, trust their teammates and commit to an idea without knowing exactly where it will lead. There is a valuable lesson in that willingness to have a go. The final will be held on Thursday 19 November at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Chapter House. What a wonderful achievement already and we wish them the best of luck stepping into this next level of competition.

That same willingness to step outside your comfort zone is at the heart of trying something new. You do not need to know exactly where an opportunity will take you before giving it a go. Sometimes achievement begins simply with putting your hand up, taking a chance and being prepared to learn along the way. Auditions for our 2027 production of Treasure Island are taking place this week in the Drama room (Raymer 16). Whether you are an experienced performer or taking your first step onto the stage, consider joining the adventure. Check the audition information on your year group CANVAS page or speak with Ms Duff.

There is plenty to look forward to in the pool, too, with our Junior School Swimming Carnival this Friday, 13 November, and excitement building for the Senior School Swimming Carnival on 19 November. We encourage every boy to embrace the opportunity to participate, challenge himself and support his House. Achievement can mean striving for a personal best, finding the confidence to enter an event or encouraging a mate to keep going. Let’s bring enthusiasm, generosity and plenty of House spirit to both carnivals.

Finally, thank you to our Co-Curricular Captains for the positive support they showed last week. Their example is one we want to build on, a culture in which we turn up for one another, across the field, court, pool and stage. Supporting the College means celebrating achievements beyond our own team or activity and offering encouragement when things do not go to plan. I look forward to seeing that spirit continue to grow as our boys back themselves, back each other and take pride in being part of the same College community.

Homework Club Cancelled - Swimming Carnivals 

Parents/carers, please note that there will be no Homework Club on the following dates due to the school swimming carnivals:

• Friday 13 November 
• Thursday  19 November

Photo Code to order Co-Curricular Photos

Please be advised that co-curricular photos can be viewed and ordered online at

www.theschoolphotographer.com.au. Please use the following ordering code:          

T6ZN6WCM

Lachlan Fear

Director of Co-Curricular