Co-curricular - Junior Sport

Junior Sport - Term 1

A warm welcome to all our new Year 5 boys and their families and welcome back to all our returning Year 6 students and families. I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and New Year period and were able to spend much of the time with loved ones.

Having watched much of the Australian Open tennis these past two weeks, I can’t help but feel enthused for the sporting year ahead. The many hurdles Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal had to overcome to reach the pinnacle of their sport, and the resilience shown by the organisers to get the championships up and running during the current pandemic, all give me the confidence that 2022 will be the year we get back to normal competition. 

Term 1 is very busy when it comes to Co-curricular activities in the Junior school. We have the first two of our three major carnivals this term. Swimming on Wednesday 9 February at Wentworthville Swimming Centre and the Cross Country Carnival on March 15, held on Breen Oval and College grounds. Parents/carers are welcome to spectate at these events but are reminded that due to COVID-19 regulations, they are not permitted to interact with students throughout the day. 

Year 5 students will participate in swimming trials on Thursday 3 February. These trials will be held in the College pool and will inform lanes and divisions for the House Carnival. All boys are expected to participate in their age 50m freestyle and breaststroke races on the day. Butterfly and backstroke are optional and depend on swimming ability. Kickboards will be available for students that are not proficient in swimming to assist them down the pool.

Due to our current building project at the College, we have a reduced capacity to host trials and fixtures this term. With this in mind, the trial schedule for the Junior School is as follows:

Boys are encouraged to bring their own gear to the trials, however the College will provide equipment for trials, such as balls, pads, mits, and helmets. The exception is tennis. All boys trialling for tennis MUST have their own racquet.

Unfortunately, not all boys will be able to make a summer team. This is due to the relative size of our competing schools and the fact that there is not enough competition to go around for the Summer Season. Boys that miss out on a team are invited to take part in the Summer Skills Program. This program will be held on Saturday mornings and is aimed at developing the boys’ sporting skills, particularly in the summer sport codes. I will inform the community further on this program in the coming weeks. 

I look forward to seeing all our boys out on the field, court and diamond this term. Showing off their skills and watching them develop as athletes and young men. Good luck to all those participating in the upcoming trials. 

John Locke

Junior School Coordinator of Co-curricular