Senior School Cocurricular Program 

• From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular
• Cross Country
• CSDA Debating Competition
• Football
• Rugby
• Tennis

From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

Fixture Card

We are developing a new 'whole school' Cocurricular 5-12 fixture card which will appear in both the Senior and Junior sections of Woodchatta and contain information about all fixtures for the week. 

We are mindful that Thursday is late notice in posting fixtures. This Woodchatta-based document will be a snapshot of times and venues and there may be changes to the information after it has been posted.  Please use the information in CLIPBOARD as the most accurate reflection of times and venues at any point in time. 

Please click on the link below for this week's fixtures for Years 5 - 12 cocurricular activities.

Welcome Back

Welcome back to Term 2 and the start of the winter season proper.  We have a full round of fixtures with Football and Tennis commencing their ISA Competitions, and Rugby playing a preseason round against CAS opposition. Debating also starts competition this Friday with Chess commencing next week.       

Please ensure that your sons are fully equipped for their activities and follow information relayed by convenors through CANVAS.

Holiday Activities

1st XI Football QLD Tour 

Sincere thanks go to Mr Richard Lacey, Mr Simon Yue and Ms Janelle Dempsey for facilitating the 1st XI Football Tour which travelled to Brisbane for the EREA Tournament.

Prep A's Rugby Tour to Armidale

Further thanks go to Mr James Bourke, Mr Antonio Morris, Mr Callum Montgomerie and Mrs Jill Greenwood for providing a great life experience for our Prep A rugby boys as they took part in the TAS Armidale Tournament.  Whilst results didn’t go our way the camaraderie and mateship developed will surely be a highlight of their Junior School experience.

U15 and U16 Rugby Tour to Fiji

If we are talking about life experiences, the Fiji Tour had those in spades.  Seeing some of the photos of the Social Justice work that went on around playing rugby you couldn’t help but be proud of the work we do. Special thanks go to Mr Martin Gillogly, Mr Justin Gates and Mr Jack Kovacic for their efforts in ensuring that St Pius X students can get an international taste for what sport has to offer.

Fixtures and Training

With the move to CLIPBOARD as a Cocurricular Management Platform all information for training and fixtures will appear in 'real time' on the CLIPBOARD App or through the web-based CLIPBOARD platform.  Where fixture times are unavailable, fixtures will appear as UNCONFIRMED and read a Kick Off time of 12:00 am.  Opposition and Venue information will appear alongside your sons allocated team in CLIPBOARD.

We are now at a stage in our CLIPBOARD journey where we can give students limited access to CLIPBOARD. This will be turned on next Monday 6 May.  Students will be provided with set up guidelines to allow them to log on through SSO using their College Login details.  We do this to allow your sons to take some ownership of their organisation in this area.  Students will not have any financial access to CLIPBOARD to ensure that you as parents and carers have a level of control and consent over your son’s activity choices.

They will not be able to access CLIPBOARD through the College App as this portal is for parents only.

ISA Strategic Review Survey

On Thursday 4 April  and 11 April we shared a survey with you and are already receiving valuable feedback, so thank you if you have participated already. This is just a friendly reminder, if you haven’t been able to complete the survey yet, the survey can be accessed below and will be open until Sunday 5 May.

The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and will cover themes such as your satisfaction, expectations, and sentiment toward various elements of ISA, including key demographic questions.

Your feedback is valuable to us, and we look forward to using it to guide ISA into the future.

Mr Matt Stearn - Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

Cross Country

Cross-country training continues every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at Beauchamp Oval, Chatswood from 7:15 am, and commencing Wednesday 1 May. 

Who: Open to all Junior and Senior Students.

What to wear: Comfortable running gear 

What to Bring: Water bottle and your school uniform to change into afterwards back at The College.

If you are interested in some extra training or for general fitness, feel free to join the Willoughby Park runs on Saturday mornings at 7:00 am. We have created a SPX Runners Club for you to keep track of your results. 

Join here: https://www.parkrun.com.au/groups/48861/Links to an external site. 

For more details: https://www.parkrun.com.au/willoughby/Links to an external site.

 Sydney10 Fun Run

Pius will be participating in the Sydney 10 5k Fun Run again this year. This is a great opportunity for athletes to train for our upcoming ISA Cross country competition as well as meeting any fitness goals. 

If you would like to register through the school, please have your parent contact Ms Lee at llee@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au by Friday, 10 May, with your date of birth and estimated 5k run time. Your parent will be sent an email to confirm permissions and make payment on Clipboard. If you wish to register on your own, you will need to collect your bib yourself. Use discount code: STPIUSXSYD10 for 5% off.

Where: Sydney Olympic Park

When: Sunday, 19 May. Meet Mr Steinman at 8:50 am outside the Accor Stadium.

Cost: $39.90 (inclusive of 5% student discount)

What to wear: Blue and yellow cross-country singlet, available for purchase at the uniform shop, can be used for training and ISA. Option to loan a singlet is available with limited sizes, let Ms lee know if you require to loan a singlet. 

What to bring: Sunscreen, water bottle, jacket in case it gets cold.

Students will need to organise with parents to make their own way there and back.

For more details see website: https://raceroster.com/events/2024/84671/sydney-10   

Course Map: https://raceroster.com/events/2024/84671/sydney-10/page/about-the-race 

Ms Leanne Lee - Cross Country and Athletics Convenor

CSDA Debating

The CSDA Debating Competition runs through Term 2 and 3 on the following evenings. The debating fixture is finalised as below with times to be confirmed weekly depending on our opponents. Usual practice is a 6:00 pm coin toss with an 8:30 pm finish.

If you want to be a part of St Pius X College debating, it is essential that you meet at the clock after our Sports Assembly every Friday, attend all training and the first six rounds. If your team makes it through to the Elimination round (and beyond) you also need to keep the above dates free. 

Mrs Leigha Zervakos - Debating & Public Speaking Convener

Football

Welcome back to the football season, it was a busy holidays for football, the St Pius X COERVER camp ran for four successful days with 61 students attending, the College 1st XI travelled to Brisbane to compete in the EREA National tournament and were only defeated in the semi final by eventual champions, Nudgee College, in Week 2 of the holidays the 1st XI then competed in the Sydney FC 1st XI Invitational tournament where once again they were knocked out in the Semi Finals.  It was great to hear that our College 1st XI Captain, Michael Whitehead was named as player of the tournament.

This weekend is Round 1 of the ISA season with all teams playing at away venues.  Please check Clipboard carefully for your time and location. 

THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL TRAVEL TIME TO MANY VENUES.

St Paul’s – Approx 1 hr from Chatswood

Scots All Saints – Approx 3 hrs from Chatswood

St Stanislaus' – Approx 3 hrs from Chatswood

Central Coast Grammar – Approx 1.25 hrs from Chatswood

For teams travelling to Bathurst students requiring transport will be asked to sign up for a bus on Thursday morning during Homeroom time.  The bus will depart Anderson St Chatswood at 6:45 am and return approximately 3:00 pm.  Students will need to bring their own lunch to consume at the venue. It is compulsory for students to attend all matches.

Grounds can be found at the following locations:

Good luck to all teams this weekend.

Mr Simon Yue, Senior Football Convenor

Rugby

Fiji Rugby tour 

Thank you to all the staff who were involved in creating such a great tour. A big thank you to Mr Jack Kovacic and Mr Martin Gillogly for their diligent organisation, ensuring the inaugural Fiji Tour ran smoothly and without complication, even on Fiji time! 

Well done to all the students involved for setting the standard of what a great tour looks like. Your involvement in cultural exchanges was generous and you each represented the school to such a high level. 

Tour Report 

On Tuesday morning at 4:00 am the U15 and 16 tour squad met at Sydney airport to set off to Fiji. They were farewelled by Mr Ronchetti, who wished them well. Once the squad arrived at the hotel a team meeting took place where we announced the captains of the teams and tour captain: the U15 captain Brad Newman, U16 Sean O’Donnell and tour captain Toby Moran. We also welcomed our tour mascot “Bula” the Bear who was looked after by youngest member, Riley Atkinson.

On Wednesday the U15’s kicked things off with a tight seesawing affair. At halftime, it was 5 all with Anton Boulos scoring in the corner. A comeback 15-10 win saw the U15’s starts their tour on top. The U16’s also started with a close 27-22 win. The squad exchanged gifts and enjoyed a traditional welcoming ceremony known as a Sevu Sevu where they embraced some Kava.

Thursday afternoon saw the group visit Koirinosau Primary School and Belo Village in the mountains. This was an excellent cultural experience where we were welcomed to the community through ceremony, dance and many smiling faces. 

On Friday both sides faced Andra Sangam School with the 15’s coming back from 19-0 down to lose 22-24. The 16s faced a similar sized team while coming away with a 32-0 victory. In similar fashion Sean O’Donnell provided the highlight of the game with a centre field break resulting in a great team try. We finished off with a swim at the Eco-Lodge café and pizza.

On Saturday the squad enjoyed a tourist day on the Coral Coast of Fiji. It kicked off with a jet boat ride on the Sigatoka River, where they saw the surrounding villages, landscapes, and locals. Sunday the squad was lucky enough to be invited by Jay Jay Tuisuva, who is the pastor of Namatakula Village for their Sunday church service. 

Monday was the final full day in Fiji.  The group enjoyed lunch at Sigatoka and some final shopping opportunities. We thanked our coach driver Esalia for his work throughout the trip with a SPX jersey. We also had the opportunity to stop off and see Mr Ronchetti who was enjoying his holiday with his family. The students thanked Mr Ronchetti for the opportunity to travel and experience the culture of Fiji. The squad then arrived in Nadi and spent the afternoon enjoying the hotel before flying out early Tuesday morning.    

Rugby Training continues

Attendance at rugby training is crucial this week as we prepare for matches this Saturday. Buses will depart Archer Street between 3:10 pm and 3:20 pm outside O.L.D. Church.

Buses will return to Chatswood dropping students off outside the school on Anderson Street between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm.

Training will run every Tuesday and Thursday during the Rugby Season at Oxford Falls.

CLIPBOARD APP

Thank you to the parents who have already registered and are using the app on a regular basis for updates. As Rugby fixtures are becoming confirmed, please continue to refer to Clipboard for the most accurate fixture information, including times, venues, and team announcements. 

Reminder - Please log your son as absent if he cannot train or play on Saturday through the Clipboard app for the coaches to accurately mark the roll. 

SPX Rugby Club – Gala Dinner 2024

Save the Date.  Grab your diary and lock in this date!  Saturday, 27 July at the Kirribilli Club from 6:30 pm – 11:30 pm. This is a night for the whole SPX community.

Donations Needed.  To assist with making this event and fundraising activities a success, we are seeking donations.  See the link for further information and also how you can donate.  We had an amazing response from our parents and the wider community last year so please contact the Rugby Committee with your donation.

Stay tuned for further details.  Please direct all enquiries to spxrugby@gmail.com.

Term 2 Rugby Dates for the Diary:

• Saturday 4 May – Trial No .2 – SPX/SBH vs CRANBROOK – HOME
• Saturday 11 May – Trial No. 3 – SPX vs Trinity - AWAY
• Saturday 18th May – Trial No. 4 – SPX vs Grammar- AWAY

Mr Justin Gates - Rugby Convenor

Tennis

Welcome back to Term 2 of ISA Tennis!

Important Information on Canvas:

• The ISA 2024 Canvas page has been updated with all the latest information for this season.
• Before Saturday's game, please read the "St Pius X College Tennis Handbook" on Canvas to familiarise yourself with key rules and regulations.

Student Divisions and Fixtures:

• The Student Division list for Term 2 is available on Canvas.
• This week's fixtures can also be found on Canvas and Clipboard.

Here's a quick summary for this Saturday's matches (May 4):

• Divisions 1, 3, 7, & 8: play against St Augustine's College at Wakehurst Park Tennis Centre. Arrive by 7:45 am.
• Divisions 2, 5, & 6: play against Central Coast Grammar at Talus St, St Leonards. Arrive by 8:00 am.
• Divisions 4, 9, & 10: play against Oxley College at Talus St, St Leonards. Arrive by 8:00 am.
• Development Blue & Gold: play at Oxford Fall's campus. Arrive by 9:45 am.

Important Notes:

• Wet weather updates will be communicated through the SPX App, Canvas, and Clipboard.
• Please notify me by email (before Friday 8:00 am) if your son is unable to play this weekend.

Looking forward to a great season!

Mrs Veronica Bamber - ISA Tennis Convenor