Sports Round-Up

Sports Report

By Lisa Currey 

Term One at Wee Waa High School has been jam packed with multiple sporting opportunities for both staff and students at school and representative levels. Mrs Wallington, Miss Taylor and Mrs Currey have been conducting Personal Development, Health and Physical Education lessons at Wee Waa Memorial Pool with students in Years 7-10 on the topic of Water Safety and Water Games. Students have been learning basic survival skills that will help keep them safe in the water and help them in rescue situations. 

Students have been lucky enough to be visited by President, Dean Clarke from the Narrabri Dolphins Water Polo Club who conducted a water polo coaching session at Tuesday afternoon sport. Students were introduced to many of the skills and strategies required for modified water polo, some of which include the eggbeater method for treading water, one arm throw and one hand catch and freestyle swim with breaststroke kick. Students have been very enthusiastic when being introduced to water polo and look forward to being able to continue play it when the pool reopens in Term Four.

Weekly school sport has seen an array of sports that cover highly active to more subdued options. Students have engaged in; touch football, water safety and games, lawn bowls, fishing and yoga. These choices have supported students in teamwork development, hand-eye coordination, flexibility, strength and conditioning, endurance, and resilience. 

A focus of the Wee Waa High School weekly sporting program has been to recognise students who have a high level of participation for the duration of sport as well as students who display sportsmanship. Every week after sport students from each sport are recognised for their contribution with a sport merit, which they can redeem, and go into the end of term draw for a piece of sporting equipment. This terms draw will take place at our final weekly assembly on Tuesday 4th April.

On Wednesday, 22nd February, Senior Constable Ben Stride from the NSW Police Force’s Crime Prevention Unit attended Wee Waa High School, along with Renee Finnigan and Catherine McIlrich, from Narrabri Centacare (New England North West) to deliver information sessions to both Stage 4 and Stage 5, regarding mental health and wellbeing, and drugs and alcohol; with a focus on vaping and the legal ramifications of underage drinking.  They also spoke with Stage 6 (both Year 11 & 12) as part of the Life Ready course outcomes, regarding safe travel and responsible behaviour for road users. 

As part of our focus on inclusive sport opportunities, six students and two staff attended the Come and Try Athletic Day on Wednesday, 8th March in Tamworth. The day provided an opportunity for our students to take part in a range of events from shot put, javelin to the 100m. Congratulations to Katelyn Apps, Isaac Green, Alexi Hannaford, Charlie Jones, Imogen Thorne and Tyler Simmonds for proudly representing our school at this event. Thank you Mr Hogden and Ms Gavan for accompanying these students. 

Wee Waa High were successful in gaining a Sporting School grant in Term One which has been used to target the increased participation of all students in Year 7-10 in the sport of touch football. Of the many organised activities to support the grant students have been involved in development sessions during Physical Education lessons, being visited by Touch NSW’s Game Development Officer and forming an U16 Wee Waa High School team to play in the inaugural Narrabri Touch Association’s Yowie Cup on Saturday 18th March.

On Friday 17th March, Mr Deacon Cameron NSW Touch Game Development Officer completed four sessions with all students from years 7 to 10 and then led five students (Matilda Currey, Megan Crutcher, Emily Hartnett, Jackson Humphries, Jye Smith) and three staff members (Ms Bray, Mrs Currey, Mrs Wallington) through training to gain their Level 1 Touch Football Referee accreditation. 

Congratulations to the eleven students who made it through to the U16’s Final of the Yowie Cup undefeated. Unfortunately, they were defeated in the final however, displayed teamwork, sportsmanship and fairplay which didn’t go unnoticed by Narrabri Touch Association and the many spectators watching. They were fabulous representatives of our school. Congratulations on your achievement: Kyne Allen, Brock Allen, Hayden Currey, Matilda Currey, Ruby Currey, Lee Easterbrook, Georgia Horne, Lexie Horne, Taylor Horne, Rakaia Skinner and James Williams. 

On the representative sporting front, early in the term Georgia Horne, Taylor Horne, Lexie Horne and Ruby Currey attended the U15 North West Touch Trials in Inverell. With Georgia and Taylor impressing the selectors with their skills and knowledge of the game. Matilda Currey attended the Open Girls Touch Trials in Inverell recently and was named as a shadow reserve. 

Charlie Jenkins and Matilda Currey attended the rugby trials in Inverell recently with many players attending from across the North West area. Matilda trialled for the North West Opens Rugby 7’s team and was named shadow reserve. 

On Friday 10th March, Emily Hartnett, Megan Crutcher, Matilda Currey, Bella Suckling, Samantha Marchant and Ellie Dewson trialled for a place in the Opens Namoi Zone netball team. The girls impressed selectors with their skill level, teamwork and cohesiveness. Emily, Megan and Matilda were selected to attend the North West trials on Friday 31st March in Coonabarabran. 

Nate Dewson performed brilliantly at our annual school swimming carnival and continued his success in the pool at the North West regional swimming carnival in Armidale on Tuesday 7th March. In the 13 years boys age group Nate won; 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly and came second in the 12-14 year age group Individual Medley. Nate’s triumph in the pool will see him swim at the NSWCHSSA championships in Sydney Olympic Park in early Term 2.

In the State-Wide competition (previous known as Knock-out competition) the Opens Boys Basketball team travelled to Coonabarabran High on 23rd February under the watchful eye of Mr Catt and the support of multiple parents and carers. 

The boys displayed sportsmanship and courage after a very tough first game. In their second game they kept the scores even until match fitness played a part and the game pulled away from them in the final quarter. The boys exhibited loads of potential and being a younger team have many years to continue to develop their skill and craft. The younger players have set their sight on the U15 competition that will take place early August. The team members were: Jackson Humphries, Jye Smith, O’Shea Green, Clay Hoffman, Brody Slee, John Brodigan, James Williams, Kyle Ball, Liam Crutcher and Jett Palmer.

On Monday 27th March Miss Bray took the Opens girls touch football team to Lightning Ridge to play a small round robin competition again Lightning Ridge and Narrabri. 

Huge congratulations to our Girls CHS team who played brilliantly today in the Touch Football Knockout in Lightning Ridge. Firstly they played Lightning Ridge High, scoring 5-0, then went on to play Narrabri High and were victorious in that game too with an 8-1 win.

Our newly accredited referees are now able to accompany the team and put their new skills to use on the day. 

Further cause for celebration and congratulations must go to Brittney Schwager. Brittney has just returned from Taumarunui on New Zealand’s north island where she played in the New South Wales mixed Junior (Under 16s) polocrosse team against New Zealand. The team took out the series, playing victoriously over the two-day competition.

Brittney nominated in January, learning a month later that she had been chosen by selectors. It was Brittney’s first time overseas and by all accounts, she had a

wonderful time and is keen to test and develop her skills further in future overseas competitions.

NSW Polocrosse Assoc said on their Facebook page that ‘It was great to hear reports that the kids rode well, played great, and represented our state excellently.’

https://www.facebook.com/polocrossensw  Photo credit - NSW Polocrosse Assoc