Senior School Cocurricular Program 

• From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Cross Country
• Football
• Public Speaking and Debating
• Rugby
• Senior Chess
• Squash
• Swimming 
• NSTA Tennis

From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

I would like to wish our NSTA tennis teams well for their finals which are being held this weekend. I also congratulate our SPX 3 squash team of Tom Kneeshaw and Cameron Giang, who finished their regular season undefeated, and at the top of their division! Good luck as they also play their final this Saturday.

Congratulations to all players for their commitment this season, and thank you also to all the coaches who have given their time and efforts this season.

Pre-Season training

Please note that pre-season training commences for all teams next Monday, 25 March. Please see your respective sports below for information on training days.

Mr Matt Stearn - Assistant Principal, Cocurricular 

Basketball

Last weekend saw the end of the Year 7 ISA challenge. Thanks to all of the players and parents who came to games over the past 3 weeks. A reminder that these teams are not final and more changes will be made during trials in Term 3, so make sure you keep practicing! Any clean blue singlets from Year 7 players can be handed in to Mrs Schuster in the Science Office next Monday. Please ensure you provide your name.

Information regarding winter development opportunities will be released soon so please make sure you are continuing to check emails and the newsletter.

The weekend before last our 1st V played in the highly anticipated Old Boys fixture down at Oxford Falls. Unfortunately for our current students, they were unable to match the stacked Old Boys lineup, going down 59-91. The game was played with great sportsmanship, and the overall goal of the day was met, as connections between current and ex-students were strengthened.

Mr Danny Garrett - Basketball Convenor &

Mrs Joanne Schuster - Assistant Basketball Convenor

Cricket

Final ISA Cricket Incentive Scheme (CIS) 2023/24 Results

Congratulations to the CIS inaugural winner Darcy Aylmer (1st XI Captain and ISA Representative). It is fantastic to see so many younger players featuring in the top 10. Well done everyone.

Thank-you to Mr James Maloney for managing this initiative.

Kit Returns. With the Cricket season having reached its conclusion last week, we are issuing a request for the return of all cricket kits issued for 2024. Returning these kits promptly allows us to prepare and maintain our equipment for next season and ensures all our students have the proper equipment to participate fully in our cricket program.

Could all coaches / managers please return the kits by ASAP ensuring they are clean and in good condition. Items can be returned to the College Veranda during school hours. If you face any difficulties in returning the kit by the specified date or if your kit needs repairs, please do not hesitate to contact Ryan Balboa via email (RBalboa@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au) at your earliest convenience. 

Mr David Reay - Cricket Convenor

Cross Country

Join us for fun, varied and challenging sessions.

When: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings

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 in April, the ISA Cross Country competition in Term 2 or to simply improve your general well-being. Please email Mr Scott Steinman ssteinman@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au or Ms Leanne Lee llee@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au to sign up or simply turn up in the morning.

2024 Run2Cure Fun Run

In support of Neuroblastoma Cancer Research, Pius will be participating in the Run2Cure Fun Run. We will run the 5km together and join the Team "SPX Runners", code: SCHOOL24 for 20% off registration fee. This run also provides a great opportunity for students to prepare for the ISA Cross Country Competition that will be held in May. 

If you wish to take part in other distances, you are welcome to register on your own. Boys that are 12 and under will need to be accompanied by a parent for all other runs. 

Who: Open to All

When: Sunday, 7 April, run starts at 9:30 am, meet Mr Steinman and Ms Lee at 9:00 am to allow for bib preparations and in case the run goes off schedule. 

Where: The Domain, in the centre of Sydney. Event village is the grassy area in between Hospital Road and Art Gallery Road.

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 loan a singlet. 

Cost: See link below.

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

If you are interested in this run, please have a parent register you via https://register.run2cure.org.au/join/spxrunners. 

Ms Leanne Lee - Cross Country and Athletics Convenor

Football

Preseason training for all teams commences Monday 25 March

Preseason training for all teams will commence on Monday 25 March after school and will be held each Monday and Wednesday at Oxford Falls.  These training days will continue in Terms 2 and 3.  All students will be transported to and from Oxford Falls by private buses which will depart outside OLD Church at 3:20 pm and return to the College approximately 5:30 pm. There will be one trial game against St Aloysius College on Saturday 6 April with the ISA season commencing on Saturday 4  May.

Please note that the development squad will train from Monday 25 March, but their Saturday games won’t commence till Saturday 4 May.

Football AGM – The Football Supporters club will be holding their AGM in person on Wednesday 27 March at 6:30pm in C1 at the college.

COERVER Football Camps

In preparation for the Football season, the College is offering a St Pius X student only COERVER Camps.

ST PIUS X APRIL HOLIDAY CAMPS

Monday 15 - Thursday 18 April

9:00 am - 12:00 noon each day. 

Bus transport to and from is available with details provided in link prior to registration.

Active Kids Vouchers accepted.

Age : 9 - 16

Coerver Coaching holiday camps offer a fun filled soccer experience for children aged 9-16 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 emphasized 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!

Bookings can be made using the following link: Coerver course | Coerver Coaching

Mr Simon Yue, Senior Football Convenor

Public Speaking and Debating

CSDA Public Speaking 

The CSDA Public Speaking Competition has concluded, thank you to all our wonderful Public Speakers this term. A special congratulations to Marcus Ng in Year 9 for making it through to the Grand Final which took place last week at OLMC Parramatta.

CSDA Debating Competition 

Registrations have now closed and should  have been completed via Clipboard. The CSDA Debating Competition runs through Term 2 and 3.  There will be training sessions for the 2024 Debating season on the following dates - please note that Year 7 will not have training this week as they have been on camp.

Week 8 – training Friday 22 March 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm (Year 7 will not have training this week)

Week 10 – training Friday 5 April 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Please note that Year 7 will not have training in Week 8 as they are on camp.

Debating competition dates:

For those involved in 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. 

Parents and students also need to complete the yellow registration form AND sign the CSDA ‘Code of Conduct’ form on the back of that sheet and return it to the Student Reception Office. Students should have received this form 3 weeks ago at our Friday meeting.  If they do not have the form they can collect a copy from the Student Reception Office.

Mrs Leigha Zervakos - Debating and Public Speaking Convenor

Rugby

Rugby Training – Begins THURSDAY 21 MARCH

While many have been training for quite some time, all rugby players are now called to training which commences this afternoon, Thursday, 21 March, at Oxford Falls.

Buses will depart Archer Street between 3:15 pm and 3:30 pm outside OLD 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.

Rugby Registration will continue to be OPEN. 

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

Please register through Clipboard and if you have any issues contact Mr Gates - jgates@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Holiday Rugby Clinic

The annual Easter Holiday rugby clinic will take place on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 April - April School Holiday Clinic. This is a great opportunity for students to make sure they’re well and truly prepared for the season and will help them put their best foot forward during trials. 

Coaching staff will be Trytime coaches and special guest coaches. Position specific coaching will be given as well as team play. It will be a great chance for students to work on their skills and confidence before the season. 

To register for the clinic please use the link below.

https://events.humanitix.com/st-pius-holiday-rugby-clinic

Term 1 Rugby Dates for the Diary:

• Friday 22 and Saturday 23 March - Opens Rugby Camp (Workul Koo)
• Thursday 28 March - No Training
• Saturday 6 April - SPX vs ST ALOYISIUS – AWAY- TBC
• Thursday 18 and Friday 19 April – Holiday Rugby Clinic

Mr Justin Gates - Rugby Convenor

Senior Chess

Chess training continues on Mondays in D Block from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm.

All students in Year 7 - 12 are welcome.

Term 1 – Training Monday afternoons with chess coaches

Term 2 – Training Monday afternoons and interschool competition Friday afternoons

Here are some other benefits of learning chess:

• Improves cognitive skills (including concentration, pattern recognition, decision making, algebraic and geometric thinking, problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking)
• Improves self-confidence and self-worth
• Increases attention span
• Increases memory capacity
• Offers a logical pattern and critical-thinking system
• Provides competition, fostering interest and promoting mental alertness
• Teaches good sportsmanship

Ms Janelle Dempsey & Ms Denise Ram

Squash

SPX 2 had an interesting win last Saturday as their opponents JETS 2 didn’t receive the memo to show up an hour earlier than normal and hence forfeited the game. SPX 3 has finished the regular season undefeated and at the top of their division. They will move into the final this coming Saturday. Good luck to Tom Kneeshaw and Cameron Giang!

Mr Joseph Madani - Squash Convenor

Swimming

Congratulations to the following swimmers who have made the combined ISA team: Ben Crichton, Patrick Connell, Joel Pagano, Jack Dunk, Luca McCarthy, Jayden Law, Derek Jung, Spencer Anderson, Cooper Anderson and Nicholas Gladen.

They will be racing at the CIS Swimming Championships in Term 2. 

The attached document advises which events they will be partcipating in.

NSTA Tennis

It was a busy weekend for many players, competing in their tennis matches then rushing off to Open Day to help out there. Being the last week before our finals and play offs, some students were feeling the pressure!

Thank you to our umpires last week, they did an outstanding job: Esteban Leon Curran, Ryan Chung and Aiden Chan. 

This coming weekend everyone will take part in either finals or play offs. We wish them all the best. 

Mrs Samantha Iwatani - NSTA Convenor