Secondary Sport News
SCEGGS Striders Reconciliation Run
On Wednesday morning, the SCEGGS Striders braved the cold and a light sprinkle of rain to take part in our annual Reconciliation Run. Students ran along the scenic foreshore of Barangaroo Reserve, taking in significant locations including Stargazer Lawn, Nawi Cove, and the Wulugul Walk.
It was a meaningful opportunity to connect with and reflect on the rich history and culture of the Gadigal Land on which they ran.
Reconciliation Round
On Saturday both IGSA and IPSHA dedicated the round as part of Reconciliation Week. Many schools and venues chose different ways to celebrate this occasion from Smoking Ceremonies with local Elders, Acknowledgment of Country and sharing information about the local land. Some venues used Indigenous designed balls and soccer players participated in the ‘Little Long Walk’ at Heffron Park. We share some photos from the round.
Cricket
Congratulations to Marnie Flett (Year 10) who was recently selected in the U16 Cricket NSW Metro State Squad. We wish her well with all her training over the offseason in preparation for the 2025/26 Cricket Season.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Congratulations to the gymnasts for their participation at the annual Club PERO In-House Meet held on 17 May at SCEGGS Darlinghurst.
Click here to find out more.
Equestrian
Well done to Isla Oxley (Year 9) who recently competed in the Sydney CDI and won the Children’s Championship.
The Team Selection Dilemma
Co-curricular Sport is an important dimension of a SCEGGS education – it offers our students the opportunity to become involved in a wide range of activities to develop their fitness, love of sport and self-esteem. We also enjoy some healthy competition too! SCEGGS is a member of IGSA, the Independent Girls’ Schools Association. Our girls also participate in a graded Inter-School competition offering a wide variety of sports. Compiling teams is also an important part of the process.
As we prepare for the upcoming Term 3 competitions, the PDHPE Department will be busy conducting trials for various team sports. Selection trials can be a lot of fun, an opportunity to make new friends and demonstrate various sport related skills. For some students it can also be a time of anxiety and disappointment. At SCEGGS we want to make the selection process as positive and transparent as possible.
For the graded IPSHA and IGSA sports SCEGGS offers weekly skill sessions each term prior to competition where individuals can work on various aspects of their game, learn some of the rules and gain specific fitness for their chosen sport. This is an excellent starting point if a student has never played the sport before and wants to gain some confidence. We also use these sessions to closely monitor players development each season.
We use independent specialist coaches to assist with all our team selections. Where time and weather constraints permit, we conduct two trials across each age group when grading players (sometimes more). Any feedback from the previous season from a coach will also be considered. If a student is unwell or carrying an injury on the day of trials, they should let the staff know before trialling.
Our policy regarding ‘A’ teams across all sports is to select our strongest teams. In the Secondary School this may mean moving younger players up into older age groups should they be of a suitable standard. We believe it adds to the enjoyment of the game if students are playing with and against other players of similar ability. Experience has shown that stronger players tend to dominate matches at the expense of less experienced players. These players will not be very involved, lose interest quickly and struggle in their own development.
If students are unsure why they have been placed in a particular team, we encourage them to come chat and seek feedback from the relevant Sport Co-ordinator in the PDHPE Department. Learning to overcome disappointment and setting challenges are lifelong lessons that can be learned in this situation. If a student has been injured and unable to trial, or feels they have not demonstrated their full potential, we will continue to closely monitor them at training and early round matches with the possibility for regrading if warranted.
Some common concerns:
Numbers matter
Sometimes the number of students participating in a particular sport may mean that numbers do not work out nicely when we divide teams evenly. Someone will inevitably miss out on a team who may have expected to be selected in a higher grade.
Team numbers are crucial when we enter teams into our various associations. Once students sign up for a particular sport, we expect them to fully commit to the season. If students withdraw prior to the competition, it places stress on fellow players and staff as teams are forced to play short or without substitutions. On the flip side when students decide to enroll late it can leave teams with too many players and not as much game time. In this situation we may not be able to accept late enrolments if teams are already full.
A player from the SCEGGS 7A netball team last year has been placed in the Junior D’s this year
When students move up age groups the cohort doubles in size from Year 7 to Juniors (Years 8 & 9). Then in seniors the cohort size triples (Years 10, 11, & 12). They are now competing against a larger group of older students.
Students all develop at a different rate. Some girls grow taller, become stronger or take up a particular sport outside of school.
Additionally, some talented students have clashes with club sport and chose not to play school sport in their first year at SCEGGS. As they move into school teams, they may displace other players. In addition, we often have new students who commence at SCEGGS who need to be placed in teams.
Playing Positions Matter
When nominating for team trials it is important to consider what position you would like to play. For example: in netball most players want to play in the centre court positions but not many players want to be a goal shooter.
The student that puts up their hand to specialize as a goalie in hockey or soccer may find themselves in a higher grade. Similarly opting to play wing rather than link at touch may improve your chance at a higher grade, especially if you have a good turn of speed.
Students who have never played the game have been placed in a higher graded team
Students may not have represented SCEGGS before, but may play in club teams outside of school. Just because you have not seen them before doesn’t mean they have not played the game. Alternatively, some talented athletes have skills that are readily transferable across several sports e.g. an elite hockey player will come with excellent positioning and game awareness that may translate well to soccer.
Physical attributes may give students an advantage in some sports. Students are encouraged to try lots of different sports to find what is the best fit for them.
Whether competing at the state or club level or simply enjoying a social activity, all girls are encouraged to give their best!
SCEGGS at Play
Do you have any sporting news or photos to share in the Green Gate?
We love seeing our students being active and want to celebrate their passion and enjoyment amongst the SCEGGS community. Please send in any action shots from the weekend and any other interesting sporting highlights to Alison Gowan.
SCEGGS Training sessions before and after school plus Saturday Sport
Any cancellations or adjustments will be made in Clipboard and families will receive a notification or email when changes are made. Please ensure you have notifications enabled.
All Clipboard notifications will now come through the SCEGGS Mobile App too, so if you have been receiving notifications from Clipboard (eg when sport is cancelled due to wet weather), you will need to download the SCEGGS Mobile App to ensure that you continue to receive these push notifications.
IGSA Fixtures, Results and Wet Weather
The IGSA website and platform for accessing wet weather, fixtures and team results can be found here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself on 9052 2721 or 0418 491 521.
Alison Gowan
Director of Sport
