Sport Choices Spring and Summer Terms 2014/2015

All students at Scotch College in Years 7 to 12 have been sent the below information via email and are encouraged to read it thoroughly. In the email there is a link for boys to select their Summer Sport choice for the upcoming Spring Term 2014 / Summer Term 2015 sporting period.

Please be aware that a change of sport choice option will be provided to students towards the end of Spring Term 2014, should boys wish to change sport for Summer Term 2015.

Sport Choices:

With increasing student numbers in 2014 and 2015 in Years 7 to 12, PSA sport numbers will increase to a point whereby Scotch College will be the largest PSA school in terms of student numbers across these year groups. Every attempt will be made to ensure boys choosing PSA sports will be provided with meaningful competition but this may not be achievable in some instances. Consequently, to cater for this increase in numbers, Scotch College will be offering the following non-PSA sport choices as options to students in Years 7 to 12.

Triathlon

This will be organised and run by Mr Lawrence Felgate. Mr Felgate has had extensive experience competing in Iron Man events and triathlons over a long period of time in many parts of the world. To attain competition, it is envisaged that boys will be entered into community based Junior State Series triathlon events throughout the PSA summer season. Cycling training will be conducted on wind-trainers with no road cycling. Running and swimming training will also be conducted on school grounds with a view to managing risk associated with training off site.

Golf

This will be organised and run by Mr Mark Gale. Mr Gale has an extensive golfing connection and playing experience at both state and national level. The aim is to arrange weekend golfing competition for the boys who choose this sport. Boys can only choose Golf if they regularly play and play off a handicap.

Touch

This will be organised and run by Mr Justin Creighton. Mr Creighton is currently the Australian under 20's and Open Mixed Touch Coach and has extensive experience playing and coaching in both New Zealand and Australia. It is envisaged that boys in this sport will compete in a weekly community Touch competition (most likely at Rosalie Park), with a view to entering teams into the state title competition in the future.

With all three sports, boys will be expected to attend two weekly training sessions and it is envisaged a weekend or weeknight competition event, to mirror the sporting commitment of boys participating in PSA sport at Scotch College.

The likelihood of these sports being run as summer sporting options is dependent on the number of boys that choose them. In the event that a large number of boys choose these sports, preference will be given to senior boys and some boys may be asked to choose another sport. In the event that there are not enough students that choose these sports students will also be asked to choose another sport.

Please note that along with Strength and Conditioning, if a boy chooses a non-PSA sporting option in the summer season they will be required to choose a PSA Sport in the Winter Season. Similarly, there will be non-PSA sport options made available during the 2015 Winter Season. These sport options are yet to be confirmed but may include some of the above as well as Surfing as an option.

Year 12 students choosing Strength and Conditioning are permitted to attend two sessions a week as opposed to three, however they can only choose Strength and Conditioning for one sporting season in their final year at Scotch College.

Strength and Conditioning is only available to current Year 11 and 12 students.

Sailing is available for students from Year 7 to Year 12. Students who choose sailing will need to be competent and not beginners. They will only train twice per week but the sessions could be scheduled from Monday to Thursday eg Monday/Thursday may be an appropriate combination. Also there may be regattas against other schools on a weekend whenever it can be organised. In the event that numbers are too great, preference will be given to senior boys and junior boys will be asked to choose another sport.

The following sport choices are available: Basketball, Cricket, Golf, Rowing, Sailing, Strength and Conditioning (Year 11 and 12 only), Swimming, Tennis, Touch, Triathlon, Volleyball and Water Polo.

Richard Foster

Head of Sport