Summer Sports Diocesean Trials

Students in Year 4 and Year 5 have been asked if they wish to trial in the following sports for Diocesean Representation (Touch, Tennis, Basketball, Cricket and Softball). Students who showed interest have received application forms. Those students (if more than 5) must then attend trials at school (early term 4, weeks 2 and 3, these dates will be announced at morning assembly and displayed on the notice board). Our school must adhere to the criteria set down by the Bathurst Diocesean which states "Only send students that are at Representative Standard and have outstanding skills and abilities in the sport. This is not a Gala Day or a fun day it is a Representative Trial."

We are also limited to the amount of students we can send.

Once selected at school, parents will receive notification on Compass and then must register students on the CSNSW website. Those student then travel to Dubbo to trial with all other students in our Diocese (Basketball/Tennis 12th Nov, Touch 18th Nov, Cricket/Softball 19th Nov). Polding trials then take place in 2027.

Diocesean Athletics

Last Friday we had 21 students travel to Dubbo to the all weather track for the Diocesean Athletics Carnival. We would like to congratulate all our athletes for their achievements on the day.

Oscar Nunn, Riley Ford, Poppy Davidson, Jessica Ware, Polly Bailey and Dorothy Johnson all qualified for the Polding carnival in Newcastle in Week 8. We wish them well.

A special mention must go to Mrs Livingstone as she not only attended the day but actually organised and ran the carnival on behalf of Catherine McAuley.

PSSA Girls Touch Football

This week we have Layla Gardiner competing in the PSSA touch Championships at Coffs Harbour. We wish her all the very best in this endeavour.

State All-Catholic 10 a side Rugby - Chris Gangemi

Congratulations on our Rugby 10's team on being Runner Up in the State 10's final at Joey's at Hunters Hill. A wonderful achievement. A special mention must go to the parents, Mr Hudson for coaching them and Mr Bishenden who supported the boys on the day.

Below is a short history of the Chris Gangemi Shield:

Over the last 14 years Catherine McAuley has competed in the Chris Gangemi Shield. This competition is something that many schools in the Bathurst Diocese put as a priority. Please see a short history of the Chris Gangemi Shield and why McAuley and other schools around our Diocese in particular value this competition so highly. You will see it isn't actually to do with rugby but something much more......

The Chris Gangemi Cup is named in honour of Chris Gangemi, whose passion and commitment to rugby were evident throughout his life. Chris coached the Polding Rugby Team from 2003 to 2006 and made a lasting contribution to the rugby community.

Following his passing, the NSWCPS Rugby 10s Knockout was renamed the Chris Gangemi Cup in recognition of his love for the game and the legacy he left behind.

Chris's wife, Anne has shared a few words below in remembrance of Chris.

Chris began his teaching career in 1993 in the remote West Coast of Tasmania in a mining town called Rosebery. He spent 4 years there and played rugby for his beloved West Coast Rugby Club, as well as coaching and running clinics for the local kids.

After leaving Tassie, Chris and I travelled and worked overseas for three years. While based in London, Chris played two seasons for the Greenwich Rugby Club. After returning to Australia at the end of 1999 and moving to Carcoar Dam, Chris started playing for Cowra. He spent two seasons there which he loved.

We moved to Bathurst at the beginning of 2001 and Chris started working at St. Joseph’s School in Oberon. As well as becoming very involved in playing for the Oberon Rugby Union Club, Chris loved coaching and involving himself in Winter Sports Trials selections. When the Oberon Rugby Union folded, Chris played for Bathurst Bulldogs but continued with his coaching. In 2005, Chris coached the NSWPSSA Polding team who went on to be state runners-up. He was incredibly proud of this team! In 2006 he started teaching at the Assumption School, Bathurst. This was the same year Chris became unwell and was unable to coach.

It is almost 20 years since Chris’ passing, and it is amazing to see that the Chris Gangemi Cup has continued. It is a lovely reminder of the incredible man we loved. Ruby and Jack, Chris’ children (now 23 and 20) and I are so proud of the legacy he left behind – a legacy built on passion, dedication and sportsmanship. Seeing this competition continue in his honour means the world to us, and we’re grateful that his spirit still lives on in every game played. Chris would be thrilled to see the schools from the Central West participate strongly in this competition.

Chris’s Wife, Anne

Wellbeing At McAuley