Co-curricular

Winter Sports Trials - Clarification of Selection Process

As many would be aware, the Senior School Winter Sports Trials are scheduled to commence this week. To assist parents/carers and boys, particularly those new to the Senior School, I share the following procedures the College has in place regarding the selection of boys into specific teams. The following relevant background information should also help clarify why these processes are put in place.

The aim of the College’s Sport Program is to provide our students with an opportunity to participate in meaningful sporting activities that do much to supplement the holistic educational experience St Patrick’s College offers its young men. Involvement in the Sports Program enables our students to experience and strengthen their sense of camaraderie, competition, teamwork, good sportsmanship and school pride while also providing pathways for those seeking higher representative honours. It also enables our boys to extend their networking to include boys from other privileged schools which in time can bring numerous and obvious benefits to them once their school days have concluded.

Coaches will be working diligently to place boys in teams for the first round of Rugby, Tennis and Football fixtures against Trinity Grammar on Saturday 1 April which in itself is treated as another trial opportunity. In essence, these selections are for one week only and should not be seen as a definite placement for the entire season.

That said, I would remind all participating students that we will be competing for the Annual Black and Green Aggregate Shield whereby all evenly graded fixtures count towards the aggregate of wins and losses. Best wishes to all teams from our Rugby, Football and Tennis fraternities.

In terms of the trial process, ordinarily:

Boys have the opportunity to participate in drills and play internal trial matches on two to three occasions prior to being placed into various pools based on their performances to date.
At this point, trials continue whereby, coaches are then in a better position to see how boys perform in “a like for like” trial situation. It is often the case that some boys will then be moved from a higher graded pool to a lower graded pool and vice versa.
The reality is that it will often take up to three rounds of Saturday fixtures for coaches to be confident that they have chosen an accurately graded team. Notwithstanding that, the College encourages promotion and demotion based on attitude and performance throughout the season. Coaches are informed that they are to regularly liaise with other coaches from their age group to ensure that this occurs where and when it’s required.
Parents/carers should also note that coaches are instructed not to take into account what team/s boys played in the previous year including, outside clubs. The only exception to this is for those boys who are injured at the time of trials and as such will be placed in a team one grade down from the previous year when they are fit enough to resume. The relevant coach will then make a determination as to whether or not that boy should be recommended for promotion or demotion In essence, selection to a team is based on what is witnessed during the course of this season thus enabling those who have worked hard on their game during the off-season and/or improved their fitness to shine.

Having lived the experience for the past 25 years, I would strongly urge parents, carers and boys to be patient with the process given the time constraints that school sport encounters. Boys will be graded correctly according to the consensus of all coaches in each age group and ultimately the “the cream always floats to the top”.

I would also ask parents/carers to keep in mind that boys are placed in relevant age groups and as such we have a blending of year groups. It is not uncommon for Year 7 boys who have played in the higher grades in the Junior School to now be contesting for a position with boys in Year 8 who are still in the 13s age group. Please feel free to contact either Mr Calavassy, Mr Locke, Ms Angelopoulos or me by email or phone if you have any queries and please note that boys taking part in Tennis, Rugby or Football will soon be issued letters outlining relevant expectations.

Training off site – Protocol

Given the large number of summer and winter sports teams currently representing the College, certain teams have been allocated training sessions at nearby Hudson and Airey Parks along with the Marie Bashir School Playing Field/Basketball Court on Albert Road. In order to ensure boys make their way to and from the grounds safely, they are instructed to meet with their coaches by no later than 3:25 PM so that they are supervised along their journey.

Ordinarily boys making the return trip to school will leave their school bag at the College for the duration of the training session. I would ask you to remind boys that they should take their valuables, such as wallets and phones with them or leave them in their secured lockers. Clearly, boys being picked up at these grounds will need to take their school bags with them.

Parents/carers wishing to pick up their son/s from the above-mentioned playing fields may do so once they have reported to the relevant Coach at 4:50 PM at which point teams will commence their return trip to the College. Please note that under no circumstance will a boy be permitted to remain at the training field in order to wait for his parent/s or carer/s. Furthermore, students are not permitted to drive to and from these venues on training days.

In some instances, parents and carers may wish for their sons to be left at the venue in order to attend their outside training commitments. In order for that to occur, parents/carers will need to inform the relevant MIC and Coach prior to the training session of who will be at the venue to assume the supervisory responsibility for their son/s from 4:50 PM onwards.

The College’s duty of care ceases at either 4:50 PM when the boys are handed over to the parent and/or approved adult/carer or when the boys return to the College Campus at approximately 5:00 PM.

Steve Fochesato

Director of Co-curricular