From the Interim Headmaster

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

I have now been at Shore as Interim Headmaster for all of two weeks!  Now that I am an expert (?!), what have I observed? 

This, above all:  the culture of Shore is strong, the School has spirit, the students are settled and going about their routine effectively.  We should not think the identity of the person sitting in the Headmaster’s Office is front and centre for them.

The boys are being very nice, and very respectful towards me.  They labour under the misapprehension that I am actually important.  There is something to be said, I think, for mystique and gravitas (as long as adults recognise this is of limited currency!).

I appreciate all the support I have received since arriving and want to acknowledge the contributions of the former Headmaster Dr Tim Petterson and the excellent foundations he built for the School’s next chapter.

It was immensely encouraging to see the spirit of the boys at the Rugby fixtures against King’s.  At no stage did they give up, despite the adverse score line in several games.  The mud experienced has perhaps not been seen in such immensity in any Australian campaign since the Battle of Passchendaele on the Western Front in 1916!  Boys being the creatures they are, at the end of some games, they dived into the mud, just to make it comprehensive.  I have no idea how parents transported them home (that is, without spreading the mud throughout their cars).

Special mention must be made of the 1st XV.  They were well ahead, but despite their best efforts, could not keep King’s out.  The score line at the end was 20-19.  They were gutted!  So near, yet so far!  I tried to console them, but they were inconsolable.  This speaks volumes for their deep care, and their wonderful school spirit.

Often in sport, as in the rest of life, we learn and grow more through the hard than the good times.  This manifests the reflections of Paul in the New Testament: “…suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).  Indeed, these lessons of perseverance, learned so powerfully on the sports field, need to be applied to the classroom too.

Dr John Collier
Interim Headmaster

Our Head of Community Engagement, Mrs Anna Burke, sat down with Dr Collier to ask him a few questions after his first week at Shore. Please watch the below video.

The Shore Weekly Record goes Digital

We are delighted to launch the new digital format of The Shore Weekly Record and hope that you find this to be an easily accessible and convenient way to keep up to date with all things Shore.   

 The objectives of The Shore Weekly Record from its inception in 1939 remain valid today – to share School news with the Senior School community, combining editorial content from both staff and students to celebrate academic, spiritual and physical achievements, and to share information about excursions and incursions as well as sports fixtures and results. This new version of The Shore Weekly Record will continue to be printed and distributed around the campus and will encompass the student publication remaining true to its core motto – By the boys, for the boys.   

 The Shore Weekly Record has an enviable history since its release over 80 years ago, making it the longest running student publication in Australia. Reflecting on the origins of the newsletter it is clear that it was a very progressive publication for its time, with its core objectives remaining relevant in our current environment. The editorial of the first edition succinctly outlines the purpose of the publication which has become ingrained in Shore culture.    

 “Firstly, we wish to give an accurate and detailed report of all the activities of the school week by week—in the classroom, on the playing field and elsewhere.  

 “Secondly, we shall let our friends know, through these columns, of the events connected with the school which are to take place in the future …  

“Thirdly, we intend this paper to be a permanent record of the school’s activities in all directions, and to be of interest and value to future generations.” 

 Throughout its storied history, The Shore Weekly Record has maintained balance as an official record of Shore activities and a voice for the boys. Whilst the publication has expanded over the years, the intent has remained consistent. We hope you enjoy this new format of the iconic Shore Weekly Record and look forward to hearing your feedback as we strive to honour Shore tradition whilst evolving to meet the current and future needs of the School community.  

Sample of the advertising contained in early editions of the SWR 10 August, 1939 (left).
First Page of First SWR Edition 1939 (right).

American Tea – Save the Date!

Please get in touch!

Mrs Rita Yates, American Tea Convenor 2022 | Ms Candace Rutka, Assistant American Tea Convenor 2022
spaamericantea@shore.nsw.edu.au

American Tea – Seeking Donations

Seeking Donations

The American Tea is Shore’s annual Spring Fair and Fundraiser and after a two year COVID break, it will return on Friday 9 September 2022! This event involves the whole School community including all students, family and friends and will be held during the school day on campus.

We are now seeking donations for a few of our traditional stalls (and a new one!) Please help if you can with the following items

• Trash and Treasure stall items – one boy’s trash is another boy’s treasure!
• Smashing China stall items – any old china would be much appreciated. Nothing fancy as it will only get broken.
• Second Hand Books – books of all genres and ages are welcome. Please make sure they are in good condition and not mouldy.
• Crazy Hats, Wigs and Sunglasses stall – the crazier the better!

*Please drop off the above items to the Shore Loading Dock on William Street Mon-Thurs between 8am – 3pm

Lucky Jars – Please support the Lucky Jar stall by collecting clean jars with labels removed of different sizes (eg jam jars, pasta sauce jars) and supplying jar fillers eg bulk packs of covered sweets such as mini chocolate bars, Fantales, Minties, mini Mentos, Life Savers, small packets of M and Ms, small toys and vouchers (eg. Westfield, Hoyts). Lollies / chocolate bars need to be wrapped and nut free please.

If you are unable to supply clean jars, please donate jar fillers (lollies, toys, vouchers).

For drop off points for filled jars and fillers (closer to the day of the American Tea) please email shoreclassof2024@gmail.com

Many thanks

Mrs Rita Yates, American Tea Convenor 2022: spaamericantea@shore.nsw.edu.au
Ms Candace Rutka, Assistant American Tea Convenor 2022: spaaamericantea@shore.nsw.edu.au

American Tea – Silent Auction

Contribute to our Auction!

Online auction will be open for bidding on Friday 2 September

At Shore, we have annually hosted an American Tea which includes a Silent Auction to raise funds supporting the education of the Shore boys and girls providing them with equipment, bursaries, and improved facilities.

The Shore Parents’ Association are now kindly requesting products or services to be donated for the Silent Auction. These may include items such as:

• Gourmet hampers
• Jewellery
• Holiday houses
• Season theatre tickets
• Sports coaching
• Professional photography sessions
• A boat ride on Sydney harbour
• Wardrobe makeovers
• Sport Driving School
• Interior design workshops
• Remedial massage or acupuncture
• Swimming lessons
• Architectural consultations

To contribute to our online auction, or if you have any suggestions, please contact Mrs Liz Currie on mobile 0412 487 404 or email americanteaauction@shore.nsw.edu.au

Volunteers Required

Educational Services

The Educational Services Department are seeking volunteers to read or write/scribe for exams throughout the year. No experience is necessary. Volunteers do not need to commit for a whole exam block. Any time you are able to give will be greatly appreciated by the boys. 

If you, or someone else you know, would like to assist, please send an email to Ms Susan Aoyama at saoyama@shore.nsw.edu.au outlining your availability. 

If you have any questions, please contact either Ms Susan Aoyama (Educational Services Assistant) or Mrs Deborah Oates (Head of Educational Services). Thank you.

Prayer Group

Recycling at Shore

We are pleased to share some fantastic feedback from our cleaning and waste management partner, Quayclean, about our recycling programmes at Shore. The latest report shows impressive recycling numbers for both our campuses. For the year ended May 2022, the School achieved a recycling rate of 73% at the North Sydney campus and 85% at the Northbridge campus. Mark Piwkowski from Quayclean said, “This is amazing – not many schools are achieving these numbers.” Both staff and students are to be congratulated for their focus and efforts in managing waste and recycling effectively.   

“This is amazing – not many schools are achieving these numbers.”

In the context of a school setting, waste encompasses a few different elements – dry waste, organic waste, green waste, paper and cardboard and mixed recycling. The recycling rate refers to what is known as the ‘diversion’ rate, meaning that 73% of all waste on the North Sydney campus was recycled. At Northbridge, the diversion rate across the year was 85%, and in the month of May a 92% diversion rate was achieved which is exceptional. Northbridge campus was able to reach outstanding figures of above 90% in six of their monthly scores. The North Sydney Campus was not far behind, with a rate above 80% in two of the monthly scores. 

Shore has engaged Quayclean to partner with us in these efforts and they have identified that habit is the biggest factor in achieving solid recycling rates. The strong desire by staff and students to care for God’s creation and protect our planet has fostered high levels of engagement that has led to effective ongoing habits which have cemented recycling as an important part of our Shore culture. 

As we aim to further increase our recycling rates, please continue to use the yellow mixed recycling bins and take care to separate your waste. In future we will look to move to communal bins and waste stations to improve waste sorting as well as utilising specialist recycling streams such as TerraCycling for hard to recycle items like coffee pods and e-waste. 

Congratulations to the entire School Community for your efforts to separate and recycle. With continued good habits we can continue to strive for a 100% diversion rate in future! 

Boarders Weekly Chapel Service

Sunday 31 July

Shore Welcomes USA Basketball Teams

Kent State Vs Inner West Bulls

Tickets on Sale Now!

Trybooking

Wyoming Cowgirls Vs Australia’s AIS

Tickets on Sale Now!

Trybooking

The Blue Street Journal

CRU Update 

Who is this man? Who gets baptised and the sky opens up and a loud voice booms, ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’? Who is this man that even a person like John the Baptist says he is unable to stoop down and untie His sandals? Well, you may have guessed Jesus. If you had, you would be correct! 

This term at CRU we will be looking at the first eight chapters of Mark’s gospel. We will be seeing what kind of person this Jesus is; what sort of things He has done and how His life has changed the outlook of many different kinds of people. Come along on a Friday lunchtime to the Christian Studies Breakout space and enjoy a sausage sandwich and listen in on Jesus’s life.  

Nick Gong 
10SL2  

Careers News

“Let your smile change the world but don’t let the world change your smile” (Snoopy) 

Welcome back to Term 3!  What an exciting time it will be as we wish Year 12 a memorable final term of school. With trials only a few weeks away, we encourage all Year 12 to work on their post-school career plans and submit applications early to relieve the workload. 

This term is action-packed with many opportunities to explore post-school options including institution Open Days. As many of these Open Days occur within the HSC Trial period, we encourage students in Years 10 and 11 to use their time now to attend as many Open Days as possible. Experiencing, engaging and having conversations adds to the toolbox of information when making decisions.   

A reminder that students can make Career appointments via the Careers Lampada page and parents are also welcome to join the conversation. 

Institution Open Days

Bond University Saturday 30 July 

QUT Sunday 31 July 

Marcus Oldham College Sunday 31 July 

Charles Sturt University Open Days 

Port Macquarie: Sunday 7 August  

Wagga Wagga: Sunday 14 August  

Albury-Wodonga: Sunday 21 August  

Bathurst: Sunday 28 August  

Orange: Sunday 4 September  

Dubbo: Sunday 11 September  

Monash University Saturday 6 August – Sunday 7 August 

University of Wollongong Saturday 6 August 

International College of Management (ICMS) Sunday 7 August 

Macquarie University Saturday 13 August 

Western Sydney University Sunday 14 August 

Griffith University Sunday 14 August 

Australian Defence Force Academy Saturday 20 August (online and in person) 

University of Queensland Sunday 21 August 

University of Melbourne Sunday 21 August 

University of Newcastle Saturday 27 August 

University of Notre Dame Saturday 27 August  

University of Sydney Saturday 27 August 

University of Technology Saturday 27 August 

JMC Academy Saturday 20 August 

Australian National University Saturday 3 September 

National Art School Saturday 3 September 

University of NSW Saturday 3 September 

Ms Vanessa Shirriff 
Head of Careers Education 

Wellbeing Matters at Shore

Year 9 Wellbeing Seminar with Brent Sanders 

Year 9 had the opportunity to hear from Mr Brent Sanders last Thursday as a part of Shore’s Wellbeing programme. Brent is a long-time friend of Shore and his presentation ‘Life Choices for Young Men’ challenges boys to make wise choices when faced with ethical decisions.

Brent’s message is an important one. He explained to Year 9, that at age 14 in NSW, the law changes for young people and they are no longer ‘children’, but are classified as ‘young people’ under law. This age distinction has many significant repercussions for young people, especially if they break the law. Brent also spoke to the boys about the new sexual consent laws in NSW; what sexual assault is under the law; and how consent works in sexual relationships. As a speaker, Brent is confronting and frank and engages the boys in these vital conversations.  

Year 11 Student Wellbeing Conference

Last term, seven Shore boys from Year 11 attended a Student Wellbeing Conference hosted by Knox Grammar School and Ravenswood School for Girls.

The boys attended two keynote presentations. They heard from Dr Kristy Goodwin who spoke about how students can take back control of technology and how they can protect their mental health. Students also heard from Matthew Cogin who spoke to students about the power of growing through setbacks, change and failure, and the importance of being intentional with their own growth and development.

Our boys enjoyed working with students from more than 20 independent schools on the day and attended student led workshops facilitated by students from Ravenswood School for Girls and Knox Grammar School that aimed to provide practical strategies to boost wellbeing in school communities. The boys brought back with them many good ideas that they hope to implement here at Shore. Watch this space!

From the Music Department

Congratulations to… 

…Justin Lee (Year 7) competed in the Sydney Eisteddfod Flute (15 & under) and received a Highly Commended Award. This is a great result, especially given that he is only 12 years of age competing against older students. 

…Chapel Choir who sang last Wednesday 20 July with the Prep Choir at Evensong. The service was beautiful, and our thanks go to the students, Mr Evan Wels, Mr Jonathan Todhunter, Mr Robert Fox, Rev Anthony Benn and the Music mentors and assistants. A special mention to Cantors Ben Cody-Osborne and Charlie Smith. 

Choir Camp 

Choir Camp is next Tuesday 2 August and Wednesday 3 August. It will be held at Shore this year. Year 12 will be attending after school on Tuesday 2 August and will attend normal classes during the day. School uniform is to be worn. Any questions, please contact Mr Evan Wels, Director of Choirs at ewels@shore.nsw.edu.au.

Year 7/8 Choir 

A new choral ensemble, the Year 7/ 8 Choir is starting this term at Shore. This ensemble is open to all boys in Years 7 and 8 and will meet weekly during lunch on Tuesdays – no musical experience or auditions are required. This group will be a perfect opportunity for students who are interested in singing all styles of music, to come together and learn to sing with their peers. The ensemble will perform at year-group assemblies and the end-of-year Twilight Concerts. 

• New choral ensemble: Years 7 and 8 Choir 
• No musical experience or auditions required 
• Weekly rehearsals: Tuesday lunch 
• Members can join Chapel Choir (meets Tuesday mornings 7:15am-8:15am), but this is not a prerequisite 

If you have any questions or would like to join, please contact Mr Evan Wels, Director of Choirs at ewels@shore.nsw.edu.au.

Ensembles 

Rehearsals began last week for all of our Music ensembles. If you would like to join an ensemble, please come up to the Music Department and we will assist you. 

Upcoming Music Term Dates

Mrs Kim Barber
Head of Music

Football Report

23 July 2022

Mr J. Sparks
MIC Football

Match Reports

1st XI vs Kings

0-5 Loss  

Unfortunately, three weeks holiday took its toll on our performance. The cancellation of the camp at Narrabeen was telling as the squad would have had the opportunity to bond and reconnect with each other and resume the understanding they had achieved before the break. 

The match was played on a very heavy pitch and we conceded a poor goal early on, only to be denied a well-deserved equaliser that stopped in a puddle on the goal line. The rest of the first half was then an arm wrestle and we went to the break 0-1 down. 

The second half started poorly again, conceding very early and never recovering. 

The massive break between games does us no favours as the players are not playing outside of the school and struggle with the lack of continuity needed to maintain consistency. 

Mr G. A. Lee
1st XI Coach 

2nd XI vs Kings

3-0 win 

Scorers (Henry Hone, Charlie Black 2) 

It was wonderful to see a somewhat sunny Saturday at Kings when Shore was invited to compete in Round 4 of the GPS competition. Unfortunately, this was not enough to dry up the wet conditions from the week prior. 

The first half started at a frantic pace, with the ball pinging from box to box, and the game being exclusively played on the near sideline. In their all-blue strip, Shore showed good intent in attack, cooking up half chances and skimming shots wide of the Kings’ goal. The midfield, along with the flanking fullbacks, looked to gain control of the game with intricate 1-2s and first time passing creating havoc for the Kings’ defence. Oscar Setchell caused mayhem with the quality of his delivery of set pieces and it was left to Henry Hone to rise like a Kraken to head home the first goal. 

At half time, the chat was positive. The boys knew they could come out stronger and the 2^nd XI played some of their best football this season. It was then left to Charlie Black to score two goals and put the game beyond the reach of Kings. A special mention to Fred King who grew in confidence throughout the match and started to dismantle the opposition’s defence with his mesmerising foot work. 

The massive positives from the game were a phenomenal work effort from the entire team and a brilliant attitude. The team talk on the field is improving and the boys are becoming a tight knit group, ready to have each other’s backs when needed. The performances are getting stronger across the park and because of this, the 2^nd XI now find themselves in a very good position going into the final three games of the GPS competition.     

Man of the Match – Fred King  

Ms K. M. Papworth and Mr M. J. Prowle
2nd XI Coaches 

AFL Report

ISC AFL Round 8

Saturday 23 July 2022 

I hope everyone enjoyed their mid-year break. Since our last edition, Shore AFL has kept very busy with Representative Football, camps and training.

In the final week of Term 2, The Combined President’s (GPS) XVIII played against The Combined CAS team. Shore had three boys selected for The President’s XVIII: Alex Wyborn, Jasper Hogarth-Scott and Lachlan Watson. The match was played on Wednesday 21 June at Blackman Park, Lane Cove. The President’s XVIII came out strong and had a 20-point lead after half time. The score line could have been more dominant if they had converted more of their kicks. In the second half, the CAS boys came back and narrowed the gap to just a few points, before The President’s boys went away with it and won the one-off match 9.11 (65) – 8.3 (51) to take out the trophy. Well done to our boys who all got plenty of minutes and never looked out of place.

We then went on a couple of weeks break although we were scheduled to host an AFL Camp for students from Years 5 – 8 at Northbridge Playing Fields F and G in the final week of the holidays. Unfortunately, with over 220mm of rain leading into the week, the fields were underwater and the event had to be cancelled. We aim to host our next camp at the end of the Summer (January 2023) holidays to welcome new students and continue to build our current AFL players. In the same week, our Senior boys had their compulsory training camp. This was held at Gore Hill Oval with two days of training from Head Coach, Chris Murphy and the third day doing Strength and Conditioning with Hamish Sheehan. It was great to see a large turnout, making sure our boys keep up their skills and fitness to best prepare themselves for the final three rounds of the season. The boys are very motivated to finish the season undefeated and on top of the ladder.

Returning back for Term 3, the boys were eager to lace the boots back up, train hard and get ready for Round 8 of the ISC AFL Competition. Unfortunately, 2022 has dealt out plenty of wet weather and the continual rain throughout the week meant that all grounds were washed out and all scheduled matches cancelled. This was disappointing, given that there are just two rounds remaining. Let’s hope the weather clears up and we can finish the season on a good note.

In this week’s edition of the Roberts-Thomson Report, the front cover belongs to Captain of Shore AFL, Alex Wyborn. Alex is donning The Combined President’s XVIII guernsey going up for a mark. You can read a more in-depth article of the match inside the report below. With just two rounds remaining, Thomas Hamilton remains the leader with the Golden Boot just one clear of Henry Marshall.

Roberts-Thomson Report: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HDGHn105ABHm41KFZZ7ND00ihw4x3cWj?usp=sharing

Or you can access the link on the Lampada AFL page.

Mr G. Tesoriero
MIC, AFL

Cross Country Report

Cranbrook/Knox Grammar Cross Country Relays, North Ryde – 18 June

On Saturday 18 June, the first of two of the most popular annual Cross Country Relays took place at North Ryde Common. Unfortunately, The Trinity Relays scheduled for last Saturday had to be cancelled due to the recent deluge. They are fabulous events, which bring a real team vibe to what is often a very individual pursuit. The Shore Cross Country fraternity was a tad decimated at the Cranbrook/Knox event – not so much by the lurgy, but rather by the ANSW Cross Country Championships at Nowra, which saw a handful of our best attend and also the Titration Club, who held a competition against their GPS rivals. I do hope they got the right reaction and a pleasing solution. Those in attendance at Cross Country were tenacious and recorded some pleasing results.

The first runners of each team in each age group started together promptly at 9am we saw speed demon of the Track, Matt Hogg, mixing it with the big boys up front from the get go. There he remained in a tight group of four and after the first lap he handed over to James Bestic, once again running up in the Opens. I alluded to the fact that James had a huge diesel engine a few weeks back and enjoyed the longer races. Well, it certainly seems like his diesel engine has a turbo as he took the race to the other schools and surged to the front. He handed the lead over the Jesse Cochrane who also ran up to bolster our effort in the Opens.

Jesse had a real crack and possibly was a little exuberant as he tried to maintain Shore’s position and paid the price in the second half. He handed over to Captain Rohan Stannage who tried valiantly to get the Shore boys onto the podium and they came agonisingly close as they finished 4^th. An awesome effort! Also in the Opens the team of Edward Ellis, Ben Dudley, Lachlan Hunt and Ronan Martin finished 18^th and Perry Williams, Blake Fite, Hamish Carson and Thomas Wait finished 28^th.

Our Intermediates were also pummelled by absences, certainly so with the MIC pinching a couple of their number for our Opens aspirations. However, Harry Dubenec, Leo Ryan, Lachlan Martin and Jimmy Nicholas had a good go at it to place 17^th. Leo was running up from the 14s to fill a gap and Jimmy’s attempts to pass those ahead of him as he closed out his team effort both require special commendation.

Our Junior team was in the mix after Fraser Pandit’s and Jonty Jagger’s swift efforts. Hamish Cleland and James Thompson both ran well too, yet the competition was a tad too hot and their team finished a very commendable 11^th.

NSW All School Cross Country Championships, Eastern Creek – 22 July

We were represented by four fine young Shore athletes at these Championships last Friday at Eastern Creek Raceway. Cam Burnett ended up on the NSW Cross Country team to go to Nationals after a fine 4^th place in 17 years race. Woo hoo! Nathan Stanmore ran well too, possibly paying the price for early exuberance in leading, as he was 11^th in the 17s race and 15^th in the combination of both 17s and 16s races. He looks to have good momentum heading into the track season. Lachy Brown didn’t have his best day out and is certainly much more capable than his 16^th in the 16s race to be 40^th in the combined event. I understand he was incapacitated with a nasty stitch. James Bestic had a real dig over the short 4km dash in the 15s race and improved his time from the CIS Champs over the same course by 20secs to be a very commendable 12^th and 16^th in the combined 15s and 14s results.

Mr M. J. Spratt
MIC, Cross Country

Top Image: The Shore Open Team – Jesse Cochrane, Rohan Stannage, Matt Hogg and James Bestic at the Cranbrook/Knox Relays, with Fraser Pandit.

Shore Golf

Saturday 23 July – 2BBB and Individual Stableford 

Golfers are definitely a hardy lot. In fact, the game was invented in Scotland so it can be played in sleet.  The Shore players spent a few hours of their time last Saturday providing evidence that the game’s tragics will put up with almost any weather just to hit a few balls.  After teeing off in fine and possibly improving conditions, heavy rain set in around the second green. The weather definitely made playing half-decent golf well-nigh impossible and life very miserable indeed for a few holes. Miserable enough for the MIC to declare an abandonment for any who cared to take up the offer. But the boys soldiered on, braving another couple of downpours later in the round. A few decided to call it a day at the Halfway House, but five of the eight starters proved their mettle and finished a full 18 holes.  Thankfully there was at least some reward for the effort, with Axel Bailey and Henry Collins earning minor prizes.   

Scores

Mr R. J. Ward 
MIC, Golf 

2022/2023 Rowing Registrations

Year 7 Students 

Registration and Measure – 8 and 9 August at lunch in RAIG Erg Room. 

Testing – 16 and 17 August 3.15pm to 4.30pm in RAIG Erg room (a small group of boys may be retested on the 18th). 

Squad named – 19 August. 

Year 8 Students

Meeting and registration on Wednesday 10 August at lunch in 8-G-7.  

Year 9 Students

Meeting and registration on Thursday 11 August at lunch in in 8-G-7.

GPS Squad (Years 10 and 11 Students) 

Meeting and registration on Friday 5 August at lunch in in 8-G-7. 

Any new student looking to join in Years 8 to 11 should come to the relevant squad meeting as well. 

Shore Boat Club

Your Questions Answered

Q. I am really keen to row but I am not a morning person. Is this a problem? 

A. No, Shore does not traditionally train in the morning on the water. Yes, there are schools that row at 5.30am but Shore is not one of those. Our Senior GPS Squad will have a regular morning row but all the boys are required to sleep at the boatshed the night before to present any unnecessary early morning travel. 

Q. If I trial for Rowing in Year 7 and don’t make it, what happens? 

A. If you are unsuccessful in the Year 7 trials then you will not be disadvantaged as we will be running all our trials and testing before the other sports. The squad will be finalised by 9.00am on Friday 19 August, before other sports have registered and run trials. 

Q. If I don’t make it in Year 7, will I be able to trial again? 

A. Yes, there has been several examples of boys that did not make the Rowing squad in Year 7 and have gone on to great rowing careers at the school. We all grow and develop at different rates, and it is for this reason that we always take new boys on in every squad each year. 

Q. Will I have to row all year round if I make the Rowing team? 

A. No, there is no organised/set training that takes place in the Winter season. We are very keen for the students to play seasonal sport. The greatest preparation that the boys can do for Rowing in the Winter time is to be a leader in their Winter sports teams, whether it be at training or on game day. This approach to seasonal sport yields better outcomes for the School, the sporting programmes and, more importantly, the boys themselves. Over the past few years, we have had many members of the Shore Boat Club play in the 1^st and 2^nd Rugby, 1^st and 2^nd Soccer and the Cross Country team. This is something that we are very proud of. 

Registration for Rowing for all squads over the next few weeks (Years 7 to 8 and 9 August, Year 8 – 10 August, Year 9 – 11 August, GPS Squad – 5 August). Please see the Rowing ‘Lampada’ page for all relevant information or email Mr Bates if you have any questions at gbates@shore.nsw.edu.au

You can also look at our Rowing Instagram page – @shorerowing. 

Mr G. M. Bates
Rowing Master

Ocean Antacids

An Interesting Short Run Solution

T. C. Brandon-Cooper

LAST TERM, I wrote at length about a lesser known impact of our use of fossil fuels: ocean acidification. Already, our oceans are 30% more acidic than they were 200 years ago and consequently, many marine organisms, especially those who rely on calcium carbonate, are struggling to survive. The impacts of ocean acidification are becoming so worrying that many scientists are predicting that some marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs, will collapse in the near future. Is there a way we can fix this problem to save species and ecosystems?

The first and most obvious is to transition to renewable energy. The cause of ocean acidification is an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Therefore, to slow down the rate of acidification, we need to slow down the amount of carbon dioxide being put into the atmosphere. Whilst this won’t return the ocean’s pH to what it was originally, it would slow down the rate of change allowing the biophysical environment to adapt to the new normal, making it an important action to take to protect our oceans.

However, some scientists have put forward another short term solution which aims to artificially protect marine ecosystems from rapid rises in pH. This short term solution is called Artificial Ocean Alkalinization or AOA and involves depositing large amounts of alkaline minerals into the ocean. This would increase the surface water’s total alkalinity, creating a buffer that would cause the oceans to resist increases in their acidity. AOA is therefore geoengineering, a project aimed at artificially interfering in the environment for positive effect.

AOA has proven to be somewhat effective on small patches of the southern Great Barrier Reef. However, the proposal for it to be used on a large scale is very risky. It would involve depositing large volumes of foreign minerals into the ocean with the deliberate purpose of altering the ocean’s chemical processes, raising many red flags…

However, there may be merit for AOA in trying to protect small patches of ecosystems which are on the brink of collapse as a result of ocean acidification, particularly coral reefs after tropical cyclones. Coral reefs find it much harder to rebuild in an acidified environment as the presence of calcium carbonate is decreased, therefore, during these times, AOA could be a solution.

There is no easy solution to ocean acidification. The only way out is to transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy. The main driver for ocean acidification is carbon dioxide emissions and, while innovations like AOA might help in the short term, the only way to properly address this problem is by reducing our emissions.

Fact of the Week

The 2021-22 SWR Committee has written 293 articles, 191,952 words, and over 580 pages for the Shore Community!