Senior School Sport

• ISA Code of Conduct:  Message from the Sportsmaster 
• Basketball
• Cricket
• Football
• Rugby
• ISA Tennis
• NSTA Tennis

From the Sportsmaster:  ISA Code of Conduct

As we move on to ISA Winter finals can we appeal to you as parents to ensure that you do all you can to uphold the values we are trying to instill in your sons. 

Your conduct on touchlines and at venues reflects on the College as much as the behavior of the boys. 

Please help us to make our sports program a safe and welcoming environment for all involved by familiarising yourselves with the ISA Code of Conduct below.   

Mr Matt Stearn - Senior School Sportsmaster

Basketball

Senior School Basketball Trials:  Basketball trials for all age groups will be held throughout this term. Trials will be held at school from 3:30 - 5:00 pm. All students will need to be attentive to announcements made at our Friday morning sports assemblies, regarding days and times for their trials. We will have six teams in each year group. Students who are injured will need to see me so that they can be considered for a team and to trial when they are able to do so. Teams will be published as they are finalised. If in doubt please email me at school ngibson@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Trial Dates are as follows.

Year 7 Trials

Week 5: August, Tuesday 20th - A and B.     Wednesday 21st - C and D.    Thursday 22nd - D, E and F.

Year 8 Trials

Week 6: August, Wednesday 28th - A, B and C.    Thursday 29th - D, E and F.

Year 9 Trials

Week 7: September, Tuesday 3rd - A, B and C.    Thursday 5th - D, E and F.

Year 10 Trials

Week 8: September, Tuesday 10th - A, B and C.    Thursday 12th - D, E and F.

Mr Neil Gibson - Senior School Basketball Convenor

SPX CRICKET – SEASON 2019/20

Cricket is back ... get in on the action!

Registration for Season 2019/20 is OPEN 

Please see the SPX Cricket Registration Flyer below or on the College App.

• Junior / District cricket is played in the MWJCA competition from U12 to U16-18.  Round 1 is Saturday 14 September 2019.
• 1st and 2nd XI play in the ISA competition in Division 1 and 2 respectively.  Pre-season trial and ISA fixtures – see 2019-20 1st & 2nd XI ISA Cricket information document below.

THIS SUNDAY 18 AUGUST - Cricket Club Skills Day at Oxford Falls.

This is an excellent opportunity to shake off the cobwebs and channel some of the excitement from the World Cup. Our coaching partners from Cricket Appeal will conduct the skills day and run all training sessions throughout the season.  Players are requested to register prior to arrival. Session times are:

• 8.30 to 10.30am – Years 5 and 6
• 9.30am to 11.30am – Years 9, 10 and 11
• 11.00am to 1.00pm – Years 7 and 8

*** UPDATED*** Cricket Training starts NEXT week

After School Cricket Training for Term 3 Week 5:

Monday 19 August – ISA Trials (1st and 2nd XI)

Tuesday 20 August – Years 9, 10 and 11 (if not attending ISA Trials)

Thursday 22 August – Years 7 and 8

All training is at Oxford Falls and conducted by Cricket Appeal’s professional coaches.

Buses to Oxford Falls depart from in front of OLD church at 3:20 and return to Anderson Street at approx. 5:30pm.

1st and 2nd XI selection trials.  ISA selection and pre-season started on Monday afternoon. It was excellent to see the number of new and returning players. It’s not often that bowlers get to work with a NSW opening bowler (Charlie Stobo).  High tempo training continues on Monday 19 August.  The bus to Oxford Falls will leave from the front of OLD church at 3:20 and return at approximately 5:30.

Please see the documents below for more information.  These documents have also been published to the College App.

• Welcome to Cricket 2019-20
• 2019-20 1st & 2nd XI ISA Cricket
• SPX Cricket Registration Flyer

Mr David Reay - Cricket Convenor

Football

Dear Parents and Players,

It was a tough round for many teams against a strong St Patrick’s outfit.  Hopefully teams can bounce back for this weekend’s semi finals. 

Results 10 August:

Please note that in semi finals, if scores are level after full time, then 2 x 5mins of extra time are played, followed by a penalty shoot out if required. Hopefully many of our teams will make it through to the Grand Finals at Oakhill the following week.

Please note fields can be found at the following locations:

• SPC 2: Francis St, Strathfield
• Mason Park: Underwood Rd, Homebush
• Oakhill Field: Old Northern Rd, Castle Hill.

Good luck to all teams.

Save the date:  The Football Presentation evening will be on Wednesday 4 September.

Mr Simon Yue -  Senior Football Convenor

Rugby

Results 10 August: 

Rugby Presentation Evening:  The annual Rugby Presentation Evening will be held on Tuesday 27 August in the College Gymnasium starting at 7.00pm. Students are reminded that the presentation evening is a compulsory event and they must be there in full winter uniform.

Under 15s New Zealand Tour 2020:  At the annual presentation evening all players from the Under 14's age group will receive an invitation to the 2020 New Zealand Tour. The tour will take place during the second week of the April school holidays, departing Sydney on Friday 17 April and returning on Friday 24 April in time to enjoy the ANZAC Day weekend before returning to school.

The tour is open to any boy who currently plays rugby or is interested in playing rugby in the future. It is not graded and there is no selection process, just a minimum number of 20 boys for the tour to go ahead.  Students must be eligible for the Under 15s in 2020, that is they turn 15 next year. Given the numbers in the Under 14s age group, we are hopeful of taking two teams in 2020.

I ask parents to consider this fantastic opportunity for their sons, with more information available in the invitation which will be given out at the Presentation Evening on 27 August.

Wallabies vs Samoa Schools Ticket Offer:  As valued members of the Junior Rugby Community, Rugby Australia are delighted to offer the SPX Rugby Community a special ticket offer for the Wallabies vs Samoa match at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday 7 September. Purchase one Adult Ticket at a Junior price with every Junior Ticket you buy.  Starting from $29.

To take advantage of this offer you can:

a)       Call the Group booking line (over 10 tickets) - 1300 364 001 use code: GOWALLABIES

                                OR

b)      Go online (Up to 10 tickets) and book, using code: GOWALLABIES

Mr Joe Lynch - Rugby Convenor

From the Rugby Development Officer

"Talent is a gift, but character a choice."

The spirit of St Pius has never been in doubt. On Saturday we showed our true character. This was epitomised by the performance of our Opens 1sts. Despite HSC trials and cold and flu within the squad, Opens firsts won an epic encounter, 22-20, playing away at our main rivals St Pat's. 

The game ebbed and flowed but before the game you could see the resolve in the players eyes. A former top coach once told me, “if you want to win big, you’ve got to want to win with every sinew in your body.”

 Every player contributed hugely but two players stood out. Joel Price was chosen as man of the match by our opponents. No bigger accolade, and Luke Greenland whose cool, measured captaincy has stamped his authority on the squad.

Elsewhere our 16A’s produced a performance of uncontainable competitiveness. Braddock, Majorian and the electric Ollie Fitzroy in outstanding form. 

15 A’s and B’s won in fine style and this augers well for their move up to 16’s next season.

Both 14 A’s and B’s have played with great style and both players and coaches can take credit for some memorable wins.

Our 13 age group has been a pleasure to work with, and watch. 13 B’s under Mr Steinman's stewardship winning again. We have a really talented group of young players under Mr Rogers' clinical eye, they are bursting with enthusiasm.

This has been a really enjoyable coaching season and my thanks go to all coaches, players and parents.

Look forward to seeing you all at the presentation evening.

Mike Penistone - RDO

ISA Tennis

Our winter season of tennis finished with a bang!  Although the matches being played at Oxley were cancelled due to high winds, all of our teams playing Home games were victorious! Congratulations to Divisions 3, 5 and 7, and particularly to Division 1 who didn’t lose a single game in their match against Central Coast Grammar School.

This Saturday brings the Finals, being played at Barker College, starting at 8am (players need to arrive by 7:40am). This year, although our Division 1 and 2 teams were tantalisingly close, ultimately only Division 10 has made it through. Congratulations to Zachary Roman, Chris Mander, Venedict Valerio, Evan Barton and Oliver Johnston for their strong performance throughout the 2019 season. We wish you best of luck for Saturday’s match!

The end-of-season standing are:

Div 1 – 3rd

Div 2 – 3rd

Div 3 – 4th

Div 4 – 6th

Div 5 – 4th

Div 6 – 4th

Div 7 – 5th

Div 10 – 2nd

Div 12 – 4th

Ms Amanda O’Brien - ISA Tennis Convenor

NSTA Tennis

The time has come to enrol for the NSTA Term 4, 2019 – Term, 1, 2020 season. At the moment the games for Term 4 are set to start on Saturday 19 October 19 and finish Saturday 23 November.

Please note that this is a two term commitment from the boys. All students were addressed at Assembly both last Friday and this Monday and Enrolment Forms were handed out to both previous and new players. Enrolment Forms were due in Tuesday 14 August and I will now arrange Trials, if necessary and arrange teams accordingly.

Mrs Sam Iwatani - Convenor