Sport, School and Skills For Life
World Cup fever has hit Australia, as thousands of us have been drawn in by the might of the Matildas.
For me, as a manager of an under 17 girls’ soccer team, this has been an incredible tournament to watch, for so many reasons. The diversity of women’s soccer is quite unparalleled. The colour, the brilliance, women of all shapes, sizes, colour, faith, nations of differing wealth and beautiful examples of sportsmanship. The tournament has it all. I have been involved in sport since a very young age and I have drawn on so many facets of those sports throughout my life.
For many of our students, sport is similarly important. Sport can teach us so many life skills. Teamwork, discipline, respect for the uniform, respect for the coach and our team-mates, commitment and how to win or lose gracefully. One of the best parts of my working week is listening to the students recount stories of the weekend’s sporting events on a Monday morning. They speak with such pride. Over many years I have witnessed students take the lessons of sport and transfer them into their school and working life. We want our students to be good team players, disciplined in their studies, respectful for our college and towards each other, and committed to achieving in whichever path they choose to take.
Of course, not all students play sport, but most of our students are involved in activities outside of the classroom that help them become well-rounded young people. Drama, dance, Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) club, art, and music are just some of these activities that students can take many life skills from. I hope they continue to enjoy these activities as they grow into young adults. Of course, I also hope the ‘Tilllies’ go all the way and win The World Cup.
The Importance Of Connection and Team Work
Just as teammates need strong connection with each other to build a winning culture, connection between teachers and parents is vital as students navigate their Senior years of schooling.
It is a team effort to support our students through 12+ years of schooling. With that in mind, I would like to invite all families from Years 9 to 12 to a morning tea in our Senior School on Monday 4 September. Senior School staff will be available to meet and we would encourage you to join myself, Miss Nicole Ranson (Year 9/10 coordinator), Mrs Simone Bonser (Year 11/12 coordinator) and our College Captains on a tour through the building during Lesson 1, as all students will be in their home groups at this time. We would love for you to see what school life looks like for your student. You can register via Schoolbox, or using the events tab in the Parent Portal. I look forward to greeting many of you.
A Big Final-Quarter Effort
It is hard to believe that we are already at Week 4 of Term 3; it certainly feels as though time has flown this year. For our Seniors that means many things. Subject selections are important as they begin to consider pathways and life after school. Many of our Year 12s have already applied for university courses via SATAC. Our Year 10s are preparing for work experience. Our scholarships programs are also open for 2024. You can visit our new website for further details. It is an exciting time indeed.
As always, communication is critical, so if you have any questions or concerns about any of these processes or events, please reach out and contact us. I would also encourage you to follow the College’s Facebook page and Instagram account, as we have so many interesting and colourful snapshots of life in our beautiful college. This past week alone features our Sustainable Futures Day, organised entirely by our students, the MASA Quiz Night and our Flinders University Open Day visit.
I wish all of our Senior Students and their families well in the weeks ahead, and hope you are keeping warm on these particularly chilly mornings!
