Senior School Cocurricular Program 

• Fixtures
• Summer sport photos
• From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular
• Basketball
• Chess
• Cricket
• Cross Country
• Debating 
• Rugby
• ISA Tennis
• NSTA Tennis
• Senior Swimming
• Squash

Fixtures

Please see attached this week's fixtures.

Summer sport photos

On Monday 10 March, the College will be taking summer sport photos. The sports involved are swimming, squash (summer), NSTA tennis (summer), touch football, cross country (Junior School), softball, basketball and cricket (ISA and MWJCA). All students must wear their full summer school uniform to school and get changed before their photo. 

Uniforms required:

Squash – squash uniform

Swimming – summer school uniform

Softball – softball uniform

Cross Country (Junior) – cross country singlet, PE shorts and runners

Touch Football – touch uniform

NSTA Tennis - tennis uniform

Basketball – basketball uniform

Cricket – cricket whites and sports shoes

1st and 2nd XI Cricket – cricket cap and college blazer over their whites

Please see the schedule of photos attached.  The schedule will also be posted to the students through CANVAS.  

Ms Leisa Proc - General Coordinator

From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

This weekend we head into the finals of the ISA season, with semi-finals commencing in both cricket and basketball.  Following some incidents across venues last weekend, I remind all parents and students of the need to fully support and adhere to the ISA Code of Conduct, under which we all play, coach and spectate. 

I remind spectators that they are not to interact with officials or the opposition teams. Spectators should, rather, support in a positive manner, and I remind everyone that students are playing for fun and exercise.  We are all role models for our young men and are expected to act accordingly.

I attach the ISA code of conduct below.

Mr Matthew Stearn - Assistant Princpial, Cocurricular

Basketball

ISA Finals – 8 and 15 March 

Congratulations to all teams that have qualified for the finals commencing this week. We have a record 5 teams that have qualified directly into the grand final and 8 teams that are playing this week in the semi finals. 

Good luck to these teams who will travel to Blacktown and Oakhill for their fixtures.

At this stage all training sessions will be in the GYM next week and there may be some adjustments to times for any teams in the grand final, please refer to Clipboard for any adjustments to your teams allocated times. 

Year 7 Term 1 Basketball Grading Series 

The ISA Year 7 Challenge commences this weekend with all fixtures being held at Oxford Falls. Please take careful note of your assigned team and scheduled game time, all details are in the Clipboard calendar. Also be aware that some changes will be made to teams week by week, so you will need to recheck your assigned team. Today all players were provided with a singlet to wear for these games.  These singlets will need to be returned after the third round of play.

Grading Series Rounds:

• Saturday, March 8

• Saturday, March 15

• Saturday, March 22

• Saturday, March 29

Throughout the grading series, team placements may change as we work towards ensuring the best development experience for all players. Games will be played against St Augustine’s, Redlands, and St Paul’s Grammar, with the focus on skill development and growth, rather than just results.

Looking forward to seeing the players on court next week!

Quote of the Week

'As we enter the finals, this is the time to dig deep and trust in the process that got you here. Stay focused, play with heart, and give it everything you’ve trained for. Success isn’t just about the final score, it’s about the resilience, determination, and belief you show in the homestretch. Wear the SPX singlet with pride and finish strong!'

Fide et Labore – Faith and Hard Work!

Mr James Bourke - Basketball Convenor

Chess

Congratulations go to Aidan Seifert and William Scaiff, on their selection as co-captains of Chess for the 2025 season. We are sure that the boys will be inspirational role models for all students involved in Chess. The following is a small biography on each student:

William Scaiff

Will has been a dedicated member of the SPX Chess team since primary school, when he joined the College in Year 6.

Over the years, he has earned both Blue and Silver awards for Chess, reflecting his commitment to the game. 

His favourite checkmate, Scholar’s Mate, is a quick and tactical way to secure victory in just a few moves—perfect for catching an unprepared opponent off guard!

Will enjoys sharing his experience with teammates and is dedicated to ensuring the entire team has a rewarding and enjoyable chess season this year.

Aidan Seifert

Aidan has been a dedicated member of SPX Chess since Year 5, demonstrating both skill and commitment to the game. Over the years, he has earned both Blue and Silver awards for Chess and has proudly represented the college as board number one in many competition rounds. He has also competed in Chess tournaments across Sydney. Aidan’s strategic mindset is evident in his love for the Sicilian Defence—an opening known for its dynamic and aggressive play.

Ms Denise Ramsey and Ms Janelle Dempsey - Chess Convenors

Cricket

1st and 2nd XI march into ISA semi-finals!

Saturday 1 March 2025 

ISA Division 1 Round 10

St Augustine’s College 10/154 (Alex Burke 2-24, Flynn Mansbridge 2-37, Zachary Rapa 1-13, Luke Austin 1-16, Charlie Chippendale 1-24) defeated by 1st XI 8/156 (Toby Moran 29, Luke Austin 22, Rohan Chang 21, Lachlan Jurcevic 16*).

The 1st XI returned to the winner’s circle with a hard fought two wicket victory in the final round of the competition. Bowling first, Flynn Mansbridge began with a wicket in the first over when he clean bowled the opposition opener. Brody Mendel opened at the other end with a ten over spell of tight left arm orthodox spin during which he dismissed the St Augustine’s captain. Charlie Chippendale, Luke Austin and Alex Burke all bowled well, while Ollie Freeman completed a brilliant leg side stumping off Zachary Rapa’s medium pacers. A target of 155 was set on a very good pitch and a quick outfield. Luke Austin and Toby Moran began with intent in a 48-run opening partnership. A series of starts from the middle order batsmen kept the game in the balance as wickets were lost attempting to gain a bonus point. When reaching the target was focussed on by our two Year 12 players, Flynn Mansbridge and Lachlan Jurcevic, the job was completed in a tense finish in the 41st over when Lachlan hit a powerful six over mid-wicket.

ISA Division 2 Round 10         

2nd XI 6/214 (Alessio Spillane 46, Archie Wragge 46, Kamran Nadeem 41) defeated Central Coast Grammar School 10/185 (Oliver Pavely 5-32, Jack English 4-18, Alessio Spillane 1-7).

ISA Semi-finals – Saturday 8 March 2025 

1st XI v St Patrick’s College @ Breen Oval, St Patrick’s College Strathfield (10:00 am start)

2nd XI v St Patrick’s College @ Hudson Park, Strathfield (10:00 am start)

Mr David Reay - ISA Cricket Convenor

MWJCA Match Reports

A reminder to all parents that the MWJCA competition concludes on 15 March.  Any teams in the top 4 of their respective age group will then progress to a finals round on 22 March.

Mr Ryan Balboa - MWJCA Cricket Convenor

Cross Country

Cross Country training continues every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Join us for fun, varied and challenging sessions. 

Where: Beauchamp Park, Chatswood 

Time: 7:15 am – 8:15 am 

Who: All Senior and Junior School students welcome

Meet at the Beauchamp Oval Grandstand in comfortable running gear and with a water bottle. Bring your school uniform to change into afterwards back at The College.  All students are encouraged to join training, whether it is to prepare for the IPSHA Cross Country Competition, the ISA Cross Country competition in Term 2 or to simply improve your general well-being. 

Simply turn up to join.

All communication regarding cross country will take place via Clipboard.  Parents and students should ensure they have notifications turned on for Clipboard and their device.

Cross Country Captain 

Congratulations to Hamish Tooher on his appointment as Cross Country Captain 2025 which was announced last Friday during our College Sports Assembly. Hamish has been running with us since Year 7. He continues to dedicate his time to our morning training sessions and motivating others to run. We are proud to have Hamish lead our team this year.

2025 Run2Cure and Sydney10 Fun Run

St Pius X will take part in both the Run2Cure and Sydney10 5km Fun Run this year. These runs provide students with an excellent fitness challenge, as well as a great opportunity to prepare for those who will participate in the ISA Cross Country Competition, which will be held in late May. 

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

See below for details.

Run2Cure Fun Run

This run supports Neuroblastoma cancer research. We will run the 5km Wave A together.

Who: Year 7-12

When: Sunday, 6 April, 2025. Race starts 9:30 am.

Where: The Domain, in the centre of Sydney. Event village is the grassy area in between Hospital Road and Art Gallery Road. Mr Steinman and Ms Lee will meet everyone at 9:00 am. 

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 borrow a singlet is available with limited sizes, let Ms Lee know if you require to borrow a singlet. 

Early Bird Cost: $28, price increases after 28 February. Use code: SPX10 for an extra 10% off the registration fee. See website for more information: 

https://www.run2cure.org.au/event/domain25/event-info#pricing

If you are interested in this run, please register directly through the website, select "SPX Runners 2025", when prompted to join a team, and select our school when prompted to participate in a school challenge. Select “pick up” for bib collection and I will have them collected prior to the event. Please let Ms Lee know once you have completed registration at llee@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. 

Sydney10 Fun Run

Who: Year 7-12

When: Sunday 18 May, 2025. Race starts 9:20 am.

Where: The Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park. Mr Steinman and Ms Lee will meet everyone at 9:00 am.

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 borrow a singlet is available with limited sizes, let Ms Lee know if you require to borrow a singlet. 

Super Early Bird Cost: $25, price increases after 3 March.

https://raceroster.com/events/2025/99499/2025-sydney-10#pricing  

If you are interested in this run, please register via this link

https://raceroster.com/registration/c54e32d0-6ede-4bae-b59b-49f19ff27a90/entry?team=776013, 

Join Code: SPX1. Ms Lee will collect the bibs on Saturday, a day prior to the event. Please let Ms Lee know once you have completed registration at llee@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. 

Ms Leanne Lee – Cross Country and Athletics Convenor 

Debating

Registration for debating has now closed. A registration form (including the Code of Conduct for CSDA debating) has been handed out. 

If your son has not received a copy, please collect one from the front office.

Training begins on Wednesday 12 March, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm and registration forms must be returned by this time.

Ms Lesley Gissane - Debating and Public Speaking Convenor

Football

SAVE THE DATE: SPX FOOTBALL CLUB

ST PIUS X APRIL HOLIDAY CAMPS

Mon 14 - Thurs 17 April

9:00 am - 12:00 pm each day.

2, 3 and 4 day options

New 5v5 Tournament running each day!

The Perfect Pre Season Preparation! 

Age : Year 5 to Year 10

A bus is available for the first 60 players to register leaving the Chatswood Campus at 8:30 am each day and returning at 12:40 pm

Coerver Coaching holiday camps offer a fun-filled soccer experience for children aged 4-16 years. Each day will include Coerver® SKILLS competitions and challenges, Ball Mastery, Coaching sessions focusing on developing effective use of skill, small sided Coerver® Games, and mini Coerver Cup Tournament to keep players active.

TECHNIQUE 

The cornerstone of our curriculum is technical development. We utilize the Coerver® Method of ball mastery and graduated pressure to build technical competence and play carefully selected games to build functional success. 

PLAYER CONFIDENCE 

We foster creativity by providing the players technical building blocks & encouraging creative actions in developmentally appropriate games. Our games are designed to be fun, challenging and to reward success and risk-taking. 

TEAMWORK 

Small group tactics and principles of play are taught in attack and defence by utilizing the structure of the many small sided games, which have made the Coerver® Curriculum so unique and recognised as the world’s leading technical football program. SPORTSMANSHIP 

We value winning, but not more than character and effort. We encourage paying respect to players, parents, coaches and referees. Sportsmanship is emphasised to develop the whole person and not just the player.

With 2, 3 and 4 day options available, this is the perfect pre and early season preparation for St Pius X students looking towards a successful season. It is also a huge amount of footballing fun!

For more information and to register please click here: Coerver course | Coerver Coaching

Mr Simon Yue - Football Convenor

Rugby

Rugby Registration will continue to be OPEN. 

All Year 5-12 students wishing to play rugby are required to be registered via Clipboard. This allows the school rugby administrators and coaches to best prepare for the coming season, plus allows your SPX Rugby Club to best support and communicate with you! There are no trials or grading days, all students are encouraged to get involved. 

The following link will direct you to clipboard: https://portal.clipboard.app/stpiusx. Please note that payment for the season will be made upon registration.

If you have any issues pleases contact Mr Justin Gates, Senior Rugby Convenor jgates@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Year 7 Rugby Taster Program 

The Year 7 Rugby Taster Program kicks off next Tuesday! Mr Gates will meet all enrolled students in the Blue Room after school before walking to the buses.

This is a great opportunity for students to enjoy 4 free, fun coaching sessions before the rugby season begins. We look forward to seeing you there!

Holiday Rugby Clinic

The annual Easter Holiday rugby clinic will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, 16 - 17 April.  This is a great opportunity for the students to make sure they are well and truly prepared for the season and will help them put their best foot forward for the ISA season. Coaching staff will be Trytime coaches and special guest coaches.  Position-specific coaching will be given, as well as team play.  It is a great chance for students to work on their skills and confidence before the season commences.

Please register via Clipboard - https://portal.clipboard.app/stpiusx.

WARATAHS TIX || Double Header v Force

Off the back of an amazing win from the Waratahs Men’s, and with the women looking to bounce back, the NSW Waratahs have another double-header this weekend vs The Western Force. Please see the special offer below for tickets.

The Pius offer opens up $10 General Admission for kids and $15 General Admission for Adults. To access this enter the password “PIUS” when you buy tickets through this link - https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=TAHS25

Key information:

Saturday 8 March - International Women's Day

Allianz Stadium Double Header

Round 2 of Smartech Super Rugby Women

NSW Waratahs Women v Western Force Women

5:00 pm

Round 3 of Smartech Super Rugby Pacific

NSW Waratahs v Western Force

7:30 pm

**Walk with the Waratahs from Rugby Australia building to the Stadium at approx. 6:20 pm

***The Waratahs Women will be wearing pink jerseys that will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation. Anyone in your community that will like to place a bid can do so at

https://app.galabid.com/waratahspinkjersey/items 

The auction will close midnight, 8 March.

Term 1 Rugby Dates for the Diary:

• Sunday 9 March - Old Boys Gala Day – Oxford Falls (9:30 am kick off for a game of touch)

• 11, 13, 18 and 20 March - Year 7 Rugby Taster & Opens Training at Oxford Falls

• Thursday 27 March - Rugby Training Commences at Oxford Falls for all students Year 7-12

• Friday 28  – 29 March - Opens Rugby Camp (Central Coast)

• Saturday 5 April - SPX vs ST ALOYISIUS 

• 16 and 17 April – Rugby Holiday Clinic 

Mr Justin Gates - Rugby Convenor

ISA Tennis

Thank you for your interest in playing ISA Tennis. Please make sure you read the enrolment information thoroughly before grading next week:

ISA Tennis Enrolment Information: ISA Tennis Enrolment Information.docx

Please note that players intending to play ISA Tennis will be required to have the following uniform before the commencement of the season in Term 2:

• St Pius X College Tennis Polo Shirt

• St Pius X College Navy Shorts

• Tennis Sports Cap

• School Tracksuit and rain jacket for colder weather

Students can wear either their Tennis uniform or the sports uniform to training.

Please note that students must attend the following grading days as well at the St Pius X College Tennis championships to qualify for ISA Tennis. If there are any issues with the dates provided, please email Ms Bamber.

• Grading - Tuesday 11 or Wednesday 12 March (T1, W7)

• Grading - Tuesday 18 or Wednesday 19 March (T1, W8)

• Grading - Tuesday 25 or Wednesday 26 March (T1, W9)

• Grading - Tuesday 1 or Wednesday 2 April (T1, W10)

• SPX Age Championships - Saturday, 5 April  

The grading schedule for ISA Tennis is below for next Tuesday and Wednesday. Please note that there might be changes to this list after the first and/or second grading.

Mrs Veronica Bamber - ISA Tennis Convenor

NSTA Tennis

It is great to see the lower divisions really enjoying themselves out on the courts. Although it is only Week 3, improvements in all players can be seen. Kai Stephen and Sam Lam, SPX 31, and two of our newer Junior School players, played a great doubles match, winning 6-4 to Year 8 students. Andrew He, the third member of SPX 31, then went on to win his singles 6-2. Aren Mamigonian and James Hanna, SPX 7 both played very well in their singles matches, both taking out the win against SPX 8. Xavier Korkor and Samuel Nunes, SPX 25 both Junior School players had very close singles games against Year 8 students from Reddam both losing by only one game each. Hugo Hasanoglu and Ethan Roman were also up against Reddam East in their doubles and came out with the win 6-3. 

Nick Kwan and Andrew Buskens, SPX 9 continued to show their strength and won all 3 sets with a very close doubles win, 6-5. The match of the day was SPX 7 v SPX 6 with both teams winning 12 games a piece. SPX 6, Noah Safarian and Patrick Hu just got the overall win taking out 2 sets. Ben Crichton, SPX 10 was also on a roll, taking out his singles 6-2 to Reddam East.  Lachlan Chan and Linas Magyla, SPX 5 fought a tough battle in the tie-break in their doubles match, securing the win 6-5.

NSTA TRAINING TEAMS

The cloud cover had passed, and these students had some very hot weather for their games. This did not stop them from giving their all; each student also came off the court with a smile. It was great to see them encouraging each other and supporting each team member during their games. Coby and Archer (Team 7) continued their winning streak, taking all 3 sets. Yannick in Team 6 showed his strength in the singles winning all 6 games. Team 1, has only lost one game so far and last weekend was no exception, where they secured all 3 sets.   

Allocation of points: One point will be awarded for each set won, half a point for each set unplayed or unfinished and 2 points for the winning team.

Mrs Samantha Iwatani - NSTA Covenor

Senior Swimming

Last Friday night the Senior Swimming squad competed in the Annual Christian Brothers carnival at Cranbrook Aquatic Centre. We had some outstanding swims and times achieved with Jack Dunk coming first in all his individual swims. The squad came 2nd overall just behind Waverley College. An excellent effort by all students. Thank you to the parents that came and spectated and to the Year 12 student who came to support the team and also swam where they were needed. 

Our next carnival is the ISA Carnival on 18 March at SOPAC. This is a carnival during that day therefore the College will transport the swimmers to and from the pool. More detail will be given to the students through email. U12 swimmers will be included in this carnival. More details to follow in the next Woodchatta.

Training at Fitness First Chatswood concludes Thursday 13 March and will resume in Term 4.

Ms Leisa Proc – Swimming Convenor

Squash

A reminder that winter squash is open for registration on Clipboard.

Mr Joseph Madani - Squash Convenor