Senior School Cocurricular Program

From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular
Football
Rugby
Golfing for St Gabe's

From the Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

Welcome back to Term 2 and the winter season of ISA sport.

The Easter break provided two action‑packed weeks of sporting activities for our students. From the rugby tour to Fiji and junior and senior football tours to Queensland, to the junior rugby tournament in Armidale, alongside Trytime rugby and Coerver football coaching days, there were plenty of opportunities to participate, develop new skills and gain valuable experience through travel. Congratulations to all students involved for their exemplary behaviour and the commitment they showed, which was reflected in the many successes achieved.

My thanks go to those staff members who gave up their holiday time to accompany these students on their respective events.

With ANZAC Day this Saturday, the winter ISA season will begin next Saturday for football and tennis, with rugby continuing their trial games. In lieu of a Saturday fixture this weekend, all our rugby A teams, along with the 1sts and 2nds will play in an ANZAC memorial round under lights against Knox on Thursday evening. We wish them well.

All students by now should have the correct uniform for their respective sports, including any protective equipment required.

I again draw your attention to the ISA Code of Conduct and the SPX Risk Warning documents, attached below. Please take the time to familiarise yourselves with these documents, and keep in mind that the code of conduct applies to players, coaches and spectators.

ISA Code of Conduct.pdf

SPX Risk Warning as at March 2026.pdf

Mr Matt Stearn - Assistant Principal, Cocurricular

Football

Welcome back to the Football Season, Congratulations to our 1st XI who made the semi finals in the EREA National Tournament in Queensland during the holidays. It was also great to see the large number of students from both the Senior and Junior School participating in the holiday camp at Oxford Falls.

Training recommences on Monday and Wednesday afternoons for all Year 7-10 teams at Oxford Falls. Opens training before school are as per Clipboard.

All fixtures will be posted in Clipboard. Please note that this will often only be the week of the fixture due to other schools notifying and confirming fixtures.

A reminder that on game days, students must play in the full Pius football uniform, if students wish to change shirts they may wear the College Polo to and from the fixture.

There are no games this weekend due to the ANZAC Day long weekend.

Congratulations to the 1sts who move on to the next round of the CIS Cup with yesterday's resounding win 6-1 over Cranbrook.

Mr Simon Yue - Senior Football Convenor

Rugby

The April school holiday was a busy and productive period for St Pius X Rugby, with players, coaches and the wider rugby community engaged in a range of experiences that highlighted both performance and participation across the programme. From international touring to skill development opportunities and strong representation at major schoolboy festivals, Pius rugby was well represented throughout the break.

Fiji Rugby Tour

A highlight of the April holidays was the Fiji Rugby Tour, which provided a group of Year 9 and 10 students with a unique opportunity to experience rugby in one of the world’s most passionate rugby nations. The tour combined the game of rugby, cultural immersion and community engagement This allowed students to develop their rugby in a challenging and inspiring environment.

Throughout the tour, players were exposed to a fast, physical and skilful style of rugby, competing against local opposition and learning first-hand the importance of flair, resilience and creativity. Off the field, students engaged with Fijian culture, schools and communities, reinforcing the values of respect, humility and gratitude. The College extends its sincere thanks to the SPX Rugby Club and SPX Old Boys for their generous support of the tour.

From Mr McGeekie:

Bula Vinaka from the Ratu (it means the chief)

During the holidays 26, Year 9 and 10 students, set off on a rugby tour to the beautiful land of Fiji and Tonga (a small detour on the way). Things took an unexpected turn when our flight encountered a cyclone. After several failed landing attempts and vomit bags topped by the tourists, we were diverted to Tonga for 24 hours which was cool but tiring. Despite this, the students showed patience, resilience and good humour.

When we finally arrived in Fiji, the group embraced every opportunity. They visited schools and villages, donated resources, and helped paint a community hall. They played rugby in rivers, connected with local communities, and quickly realised that happiness doesn’t depend on material things.

Game day in Sigatoka, translates as 'Rugby Town' was a true test. The team faced tough opponents, big tackles, and came away with a hard‑earned 39–34 win. Special mention goes out to our hard running back fence expert, Archer Langbridge.

A highlight of the tour was attending a local church service. The congregation’s singing was incredible, and while our version of Ancient Words may not have matched their harmony, the students sang with heart.

We returned home with stronger friendships, great memories, and only a few minor stomach issues.

Throughout the tour, the students represented the school with pride, respect and resilience.

Vinaka Fiji - and thank you for an unforgettable experience.

TryTime Holiday Rugby Clinic

St Pius X Rugby also played host to the TryTime Holiday Rugby Clinic, which again proved to be a popular and successful initiative during the break. The clinic catered for players from across the age groups, focusing on fundamental skill development, game understanding and enjoyment of rugby.

Under the guidance of Mr Cross and this team of coaches, students worked through sessions targeting core skills such as passing, tackling, evasion and decision-making, while also learning how these skills transfer into match situations. The clinic provided a positive and energetic environment for players to stay active over the holidays while continuing to build confidence and competence in their rugby.

The strong attendance of more than 60 students at the clinic highlighted the continued growth of rugby within the Pius community and reinforced the importance of providing development opportunities beyond the regular season. A sincere thank you to Mr Cross and all the coaches whose time and expertise made the clinic possible.

Knox Rugby Festival

St Pius X teams also took part in the Knox Rugby Festival last Saturday, one of the key fixtures in the rugby calendar for this year. The festival provided an excellent platform for teams to test themselves against quality opposition from a range of schools, offering valuable match experience ahead of the winter season.

Across the festival, Pius teams demonstrated strong commitment, effort and improvement, applying lessons from training and showcasing the depth of rugby talent across the College. The festival environment allowed players to experience the demands of multiple games in a short period, reinforcing consistency, preparation and resilience.

The Knox Rugby Festival continues to be an important development opportunity, and the performances across the age groups provided positive signs heading into the ISA Season.

Term 1 Rugby Dates for the Diary:

Thursday 23 April ANZAC Trial 2 – KNOX vs SPX – AWAY
Saturday 25 April - No games
Saturday 2 May – Trial 3 SPX vs Kings – HOME
Saturday 9 May – Trial 4 SPX vs SHORE - HOME
Saturday 16 May – ISA Round 1 – SPX vs PATS– AWAY
Saturday 23 May – ISA Round 2 – SPX vs OAK- AWAY
Saturday 30 May – ISA Round 3 – SPX vs KWS – HOME (Supporters Day)

Mr Justin Gates - Rugby Convenor

Golfing for Gabe's

St Gabriel’s School, Castle Hill warmly invites the St Pius X community to our annual Golfing for Gabe's Charity Day, to be held at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club on Friday 15 May 2026.

As a K–12 school supporting students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and additional needs, this event is our major fundraiser and has brought together businesses, community organisations and friends from all over Sydney since 1997.

The day includes 18 holes of Ambrose golf, golf cart hire, breakfast on arrival and a two-course lunch, along with raffles, auctions and prize presentations.

Pricing:

$210 - Single Player
$840 - Team of Four
$1,300 - Corporate Team Sponsorship (includes Team of 4)
$75 - Lunch only - 2-course sit-down meal

Players can register individually (and will be placed in a team) or enter as a team of four.

More information: https://stgabriels.nsw.edu.au/golfing-for-gabes