SPORT

Juniors and Year Six

This term the students have had lots of fun learning new skills and games. They have enjoyed the Athletics Clinic in the first week of term and the Friday Athletic Sessions.  The Hot Shots Tennis program was a great success, with lots of rising Tennis stars for the future.  The students enthusiastically participated in the Round Robin Tennis Tournament at lunchtime.

The overall champions were-

Lachie Walker – Year 1                                             

Callum Morley - Year 1                                             

Tommy Stein – Year 2                                               

Evie O’Connor- Year 2                                             

James Nowell – Year 2                                               

Eamonn Mee Kost- Year 2

Our Year Six sport Captains did a wonderful job, conducting this (Layla Bodnar, Lizzie Cleary, Celina Lahdo and Stella Radojcic). They should be commended on their efforts for 2016. I have appreciated their enthusiasm and thoughtfulness throughout the year.

We have many fine Cricket athletes who demonstrated their skills and talents in our Cricket unit. I will look forward to seeing their names in the future.

The Year Six class has also been working on their Game Invention Tasks where they have designed and presented games to their peers. We have very talented, creative, athletic students.

We are starting our T-Ball unit this week focusing on developing hand eye coordination and control in hitting the ball. They will also learn how to run bases, fielding, throwing, catching, rules, teamwork and co-operation.

As the year comes to an end with mixed emotions, we watch our Year Six class embark on the next stage of their journey. Many of whom I have known since Prep. We have had many laughs along the way and celebrate their great sporting achievements.

May you all enjoy a life long love of healthy physical activity.  Stay active!

Chris Kidman P.E

ST JAMES SWIMMING CARNIVAL

On Thursday 24th November, the St James community came together for our annual swimming carnival at Swim Right in Cheltenham.  It was a fabulous morning, with the senior students beginning their carnival at 9am.  The standard of the swimming in all strokes and the house spirit at this carnival was outstanding.  It was great to see every student competing with such enthusiasm for their house and cheering and encouragement shown between the students was fantastic.  We finished the senior carnival with the relay races which created a great deal of excitement and cheering.  We had so many students in Year 5 who wanted to participate in the relays that we created 2 multi house relay teams!  It was great to see students of different year levels come together for our multi age medley relay at the end.

After a very successful senior carnival, the juniors arrived for their carnival which began at 11am.  They started with their 25m races and we were all very impressed with the swimming ability of our younger students.  The Prep and Year 1 students then participated in the 12m kickboard races while the Year 2 students enjoyed the novelty events in the smaller pool.  The children then swapped and we finished with the Year 2’s competing in their kickboard races and the Prep and Year 1’s having fun with the novelty activities.

The senior students stayed for the junior carnival and it was great to hear them all encouraging the younger students.

A special mention to the Year 6 house captains, Celina L, Lizzie C, Stella R and Layla B and the other many of our other Year 6 students for assisting the junior students in the pool for their kickboard races.  Also thank you to the Year 5 students, Daniel D, Vigo V, Maddie A-D and Tommy T, for assisting with the novelty events.  It was great to see our senior students assisting the younger students.

Finally, I would like to thank the St James staff and the St James parents for assisting with the carnival.  These days would not be possible without your help.  The carnival ran so smoothly because of your assistance.  THANK YOU!

It was fabulous to see so many smiling children at the end of the races, regardless of where they came, they had fun!

A big congratulations to BYRNE (Red House) for being the winning house at the carnival this year and to MULQUIN (Green House) for winning the House Spirit Award.

TRIATHLON COMES TO

ST JAMES!

On Thursday 29th November, our Years 4 and 5 students participated in a Triathlon session during their PE classes.  We were very lucky to have James and Justine from Triathlon Victoria come and teach our students about Triathlons and to educate them on what they need to do to participate in a Triathlon.  Students were also taught the importance of swimming between the flags when at the beach and the importance of sun protection when participating in outdoor sports over the summer.

Students had fun practising the 3 legs of a triathlon (see photos);

Swim - hat and goggles on their heads, swimming along the ‘synthetic grass pool’ on a board with wheels!

Ride - helmet on their heads, riding a seated bike!

Run - a cap on their head, doing high knees, star jumps and on/off jumps on mini tramps.

The session finished with the students competing in a triathlon race where they were in teams and all had to complete the 3 legs in a relay race.  This created much excitement, competitiveness and cheering from our students.

A special thank you to James and Justine and Triathlon Victoria for running this fantastic clinic.

If your child is interested in participating in the Weet-bix Triathlon in March (your child would have brought home a flyer), please register online.

Alternatively, there are other Triathlons on around Melbourne over the summer.  If you’d like to find out more, please go to the link below.  There are children’s events in the ActiveTRI Series and the Gatorade Series.

http://www.triathlon.org.au/State_Associations/VIC/Events/Events_Calendar.htm

Annie Kay

Sport Coordinator