Shore Graduates: Where do they go and what do they do?

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Shore is a school which cares deeply and longitudinally about students.  Our interest in them continues after they graduate.  Once a Shore boy, always a Shore boy.  We particularly want to see them flourish as an impact of their time at Shore.  Part of our remit is to help parents launch them into productive and fulfilling pathways. In that respect, a Shore graduation is a passport to the future. 

Focusing specifically, for the moment, on University destinations for last year’s cohort is one aspect and indicator within this domain.  Last year, of our 217 Year 12 graduates, 227 university early entry scheme offers were received (some boys received more than one offer).  227 is a huge number.  Of these, 38% came from UTS,  29% of offers came from the ANU and 22% from Macquarie University, these three being the main players in the early entry stakes. 

While Shore boys have done very well under this mechanism, the notion of early entry offers based on Trial HSC results, Year 12 half yearly results for schools that conduct such exams, and even Year 11 results, has been controversial.  It has been an attempt by universities, in a competitive market, to gazump other universities by locking in candidates.  Many Principals have complained that, on receiving an early offer, many Year 12 students give up serious academic engagement.  We have rarely found that at Shore and certainly last year’s results did not reflect such complacency amongst our students.  Nonetheless, universities have agreed that this year no offers will be made before September. 

In the more conventional university application pathways, the in-season offers made in the early, main and late round phases from the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) through December to early February, 202 applications by our boys resulted in 197 offers.  Proportionally, these were dominated by UTS (33%), Sydney University (26%), UNSW (17%) and Macquarie University (13%), with Newcastle University a distant fifth on 5%.  The distribution of courses chosen by our graduates is particularly interesting:  38% Management and Commerce, 16% Engineering and related technologies; 12% Society and Culture, 8% Health and 7% for each of Natural and Physical Sciences and Architecture and Building, with 5% pursuing Creative Arts and 4% Information Technology.  These are very atypical destinations from those seen in all my other Headships, particularly the large number going into Management and Commerce and the smaller number pursuing Creative Arts.

The general assumption at Shore is that the preponderance of students studying Management and Commerce in recent years is a reflection of their parents’ careers and aspirations.  While there can certainly be no objection to these fields, my long term hope is that a higher proportion of our graduates may feel a calling to medicine, law and yes, even that wonderful way of making a difference in the world, teaching (only 1% of our graduates have applied for Education, i.e. roughly two boys out of 200!). 

Not all of our students wish to attend university.  Some of our boarders have long aspired to return to the land, to farms which have been in their families for generations; some have elected to study Vocational Education, such as Trades.  These are perfectly reasonable, supportable choices which may well be financially rewarding (as parents who have ever sought to engage a plumber or electrician will know!). 

In summary, we are delighted with the information to hand on the destinations of our graduates from 2022 and gratified by the signs that Shore has delivered for them a useful passport for the future.

Doing so is part of our Christian remit “…seek the peace and prosperity of the city….. ‘for I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord.  ‘Plans to prosper you…plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:7, 11)

We do realise that, in these days of flexibility, their passports may be stamped in many places, so to speak, as young people embrace different careers over time as part of their life journey. 

Staffing

We say farewell in the coming week to Ms Joelle Kinsella, who acted last year very capably as our Head of Counselling.  Ms Kinsella is making a lifestyle choice to enter private practice as a Psychologist in a role which gives her flexibility to do school drop-offs and pick-ups of her young children. We would like to think, in the fullness of time, that we may see her back at Shore and are very grateful of her fine work with students.  Our very experienced Senior Counsellor, Mrs Cay Camden, will act as Head of Counselling through 2023. 

In Memoriam

Most readers will have read, through various Shore and Old Boys’ communications, of the tragic death of Tom Livingstone, Old Boy 2021, in an accident over the last weekend.  The School is providing what support it can for Tom’s family, friends and staff who taught and coached him, and remember Tom as a very fine young man.  A Memorial Service is being conducted in the Shore Chapel on Saturday afternoon, 25 February 2023, at 2.00pm.  This information will be communicated through the usual OBU networks. 

Dr J Collier
Headmaster

Shore Foundation

This week, in our second article highlighting the role of the Shore Foundation, we take a closer look at the opportunities the Foundation provides for all students at Shore. 

A Foundation can enable opportunities for others.

This year, the Shore Foundation will support 83 boys to experience a Shore education. Of these boys, 85% are on means tested bursaries, the other 15% are Music Scholarships.  

I was fortunate to experience this generosity myself when I was a Shore student. The recession of the early 1990s almost saw me unable to attend Shore, however, I remain forever grateful to my parents and the Shore Community for helping to make my time at Shore possible.

Many of the bursaries we have are gifts from Old Boys who want to enable the same opportunities for others which they received. Many other Old Boys have made provisions in their Will to continue this work. These are incredibly generous gestures and show how the ‘torch’ is truly being passed on.

A Foundation can enable opportunities for every single student at Shore.

We all want the best for our children, and the Shore Foundation can help provide additional resources that would just not be available without putting further pressure on school fees. 

From investing funds into the further development of our teachers, to helping to fund growing areas of the School such as Careers, Counselling and Pastoral Care, to helping those boys who require extra support via Educational Services resources. More than 200 boys receive the extra educational support they may not have had 50 years ago, and the Shore Foundation is proud to have been a partner in building this area of the School.

Fundraising at Shore is community based and driven. There are many ways in which you can help – from volunteering your time and expertise, becoming a major donor, ticking the voluntary donation box on your fee statements, donating a prize in an auction, attending events, giving on Giving Day or thinking about including the School in your Will.

I am proud of those who have gone before us to help make what we have today at Shore possible. I hope to continue to shape giving at Shore to be a positive experience for all involved.

Mr D Mason-Jones
Executive Director, Shore Foundation
Master in Charge, Rugby

Shore Community Fellowship and Prayer Dinner

A special evening for members of the School community to come together to reflect and rejoice in the School’s Christian purpose and to pray for the School community.

We would love to have people from all parts of the School community – Old Boys, Staff, Parents (current and past) – everyone is welcome.

The evening will be an opportunity to share a casual meal, meet one another, hear from various members of the School community regarding the Christian ministries that are happening, and to pray for the School as well as our wider world.

Thursday 9 March 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Shore Dining Hall
A casual Dinner will be provided (Boarding meal)

Dress code: Smart Casual

RSVP – Chaplain’s PA: ChaplainsPA@shore.nsw.edu.au

Parking available in the School Car Park (Entry via Hunter Cres).
Feel free to forward this to any interested people in the Shore Community.

This Week We Thank… The Chaplaincy Team

The members of the Shore Chaplaincy team, Rev. Anthony Benn, Rev. Nick Foord, Mr. John Sheldon, and Ms. Vivien Watson perform a vital role within our School. From the provision of pastoral care to our students, staff, families, and Old Boy community to the weekly Chapel Services and much more, their hard work and support help binds our Community together in times of celebration, support, and reflection. We thank you for everything you do!

Upcoming Key Events

• Northbridge Campus Parent Cocktail Evening – Friday 17 February
• Parents of Boarders Cocktail Evening – Friday 17 February
• Year 9 Parent Seminar ‘Your Choicez’ – Tuesday 21 February
• Icebreaker – Friday 24 February (6.00pm to 9.00pm)
• Shore Parents’ Association Tennis Day – Friday 10 March
• Shore Parents’ Association Year 7 Welcome Barbecue – Saturday 11 March

Casual Baristas Needed

We seek to appoint Baristas to produce consistently high-quality coffee and provide friendly and caring customer service to students, parents, staff and visitors to the North Sydney Campus and Northbridge Campus canteens.

• Seeking Old Boys of Shore for casual Barista weekend work during school terms.
• Casual rates.
• Professional Barista training will be provided.
• A perfect work opportunity while studying.

Our Barista roles are casual, required only on Saturdays during school terms. A rotating roster will be provided for the entire term and hours will vary between summer and winter seasons.

The ability to be flexible and cover casual canteen shifts is advantageous. Working hours will be discussed during the interview process.

Please view the full job description here and pass this on to any Shore Old Boys you know who may be interested.

To apply for this opportunity, please attach a cover letter and your resume and email it to: people_culture@shore.nsw.edu.au

Shore Foundation and Shore Parents’ Association Icebreaker Event

Tickets are now available for Shore’s annual Icebreaker event, to welcome new and existing parents to Shore. Hosted by the Shore Foundation and the Shore Parents’ Association, this is a relaxed night, and a great opportunity for parents to meet new people and connect with old friends. Icebreaker welcomes all parents from the Early Learning Centre through to Year 12 to gather together and welcome in the new school year.

Booking: Purchase your tickets now www.trybooking.com/CFQVB. Bookings will close Monday 20 February.

Date: Friday 24 February
Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Location: School Oval, North Sydney campus. Please take the time to explore the Chapel Lawn and wonderful new terraces of the R A I Grant Centre.
Cost: $87.50 per person. Enjoy drinks for three hours, canapes and dinner. This year, we will have various food stations for you to enjoy, with gluten free and vegan options.

In the event of wet weather, the event will be rescheduled for Friday 3 March.

Save the Date – Shore Rugby Launch Dinner

As the Rugby season approaches, all parents of Shore Rugby players (from the Prep to the First XV) are invited to attend the Shore Rugby Season Launch Dinner for 2023.

Come and learn more about the objectives of the Rugby programme, enjoy an evening with friends, win some prizes and listen to Phil Waugh and his thoughts on Eddie Jones … but more importantly, hear from Shore’s new Head Rugby Coach, Mr Angus Sinclair, on his pathway to this role and his thoughts on the season ahead.

Booking: www.trybooking.com/CFVSN
Date: Friday 31 March
Time: 6.30pm – 10.30pm

Location: Kirribilli Club, 11 Harbourview Crescent, Milson’s Point
Cost: $150 per person. Enjoy drinks for four hours, a three-course dinner and access to games on the night. Book with friends – it is always a fun and informative night no matter what level of Rugby your son plays!
Go Shore!

Mr D Mason-Jones
MIC Rugby

Parents’ Tennis Day

A Shore Community social event for Dads, Mums and Carers

Bookings close Friday 24 February 2023

https://www.trybooking.com/CFT

Date: Friday 10 March 2023
Time: 9.30am to 12.30pm
(Please arrive at 9:00am for a 9:30pm start)

Cost: $60
Where: Shore Northbridge Pavilion and Tennis Complex
Includes: Tennis Day, hot drinks, refreshments, morning tea & a raffle ticket for the lucky door prize.

Bring: BYO Drink Bottle and Tennis Racquet (balls provided). Kindly also please bring a donation to be included in the raffle eg. Gourmet item/toiletries.

Monies raised will support the Shore Parents’ Association

Enjoy a fun morning of socialising over either a Tennis Active Clinic for all levels (including hit and giggle) or Round Robin matches if you love competition. If you have a group of up to 10 that you want to play with or compete against, just send the names through, otherwise a court will be allocated.

For more information please contact:
Trudie Hurt – t@trudie.com.au – 0417 676 725
Andy Hurt – andy@abmh.com.au – 0438 422 308

All Tennis standards welcome.

Sports Canteen Sign-Up

Be of Service and Sign-up Today

We now have both the RAI Grant Centre Canteen at North Sydney and the Northbridge Canteen at the War Memorial Playing Fields now operating which means we need parents from the sports of Basketball, Cricket, Tennis and Water Polo to please volunteer!!

Without the generous support of parents the Shore Parents’ Association (SPA) cannot operate these facilities which play a vital role in bringing our school community together whilst also providing warm hospitality to our visitors.

So grab a friend…or come alone and meet some new ones… and SIGN UP to volunteer at the canteen located at the venue your son is playing Saturday sport at!!

No experience is necessary!! We have a job for everyone!

Cricket and Tennis Saturday.

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM EATING & DRINKING WHEN VOLUNTEERING IN THE CANTEEN Please note: Children Under 15 are not permitted in the Canteen. If you have any questions, please contact the SPA Canteen Coordinator, Gaby Hunter directly at spacanteen@shore.nsw.edu.au or on 0414909545

Basketball and Water Polo Saturday

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM EATING & DRINKING WHEN VOLUNTEERING IN THE CANTEEN. Please note: Children under 15 years of age are not permitted in the canteen. Parents:  If you have any questions please contact the SPA Canteen Coordinator Gaby Hunter directly at spacanteen@shore.nsw.edu.au or on 0414909545.

Gaby Hunter
Northbridge and RAI Grant Canteen Co-ordinator

Chaplain’s Chat

Earlier this week the Kansas City Chiefs won the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl for the second time in four years. Australian interest in the game was perhaps higher than usual, with two Australian players playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Left tackle, Jordan Mailata and punter, Arryn Sippos were the third and fourth Australians to feature in an NFL decider.

After the game, the Most Valuable Player was awarded to quarterback Patrick Mahomes. There are five principal players on the offensive line whose job it is to protect the quarterback, including the left tackle. Of course, it is a team game and while the quarterback may get all the awards, they can’t do it without their offensive line. It was interesting that after the game some people were calling Patrick Mahomes the greatest NFL player to have played (even better than one Tom Brady!) No doubt the experts will continue to debate the matter.

We are quick to try and work out who is the best in any particular category. The best sportsperson, the best musician, the one with the most money, or the one with the most ‘likes.’ As we continue to look through the book of Acts in Chapel, we read that Peter in speaking to the crowd declares that Jesus is the ‘greatest.’ As Acts 2:36 says: “Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Jesus is declared as Lord and coming from God himself, this is compelling indeed.

Reverend A Benn
Chaplain

CRU Update

At Coca Cola, their mission is for everyone in the world to be able to drink Coca Cola. But this week at CRU, we saw that our mission as Christians is far more important than any other commercial mission. 

At CRU this week, we began with the game ‘Would He Rather’, Nigel edition with our guest speaker from CRU, Nigel Vaux. Next, Nigel spoke to us on Acts 2. He spoke about how on the day called Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples as they were all in one room and they ran outside and began shouting to the people. People from all over the world who were there could understand what they were saying in their own language. Some people thought they were drunk! Peter stood up, not too long after he had previously denied Jesus, and preached an amazing sermon by the Holy Spirit about how Jesus is the Messiah who conquered death. The people were astonished and asked, “What should we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptised (Acts 2:38). On that day 3,000 people believed and were baptised, that’s almost the whole Shore population!

As we reflect on this passage, we need to remember that Jesus is the King of our lives who died for our forgiveness. This story really shows the power of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to seeing more boys attending CRU next week.

Daniel Becker
9 TY4

Shore Prayer Group

Careers News

In the last issue of the Shore Weekly Record we discussed the OpenAI tool ChatGTP, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool able to generate human responses to open-text based inputs. AI still remains a buzzing topic, particularly in education at the moment, and with it comes many new career opportunities in this exciting and evolving space for those interested in AI and Robotics. But what actually is AI? Click here to watch a one minute YouTube video to learn more.

Below is a small sample of seven student’s stories across a range of areas relating to AI sourced from Careers with STEM:

1. Robotics Engineer
2. Tech Entrepreneur
3. Professor of Robotics
4. Artificial Intelligence Innovator
5. Robotics Researcher
6. Google Customer Engineer
7. NASA Robotic Mobility Engineer

It is wonderful to see so many Year 11 students booking in their one-on-one Careers Sessions. A reminder the booking sheet is available on the Year 11 2023 Teams page under the Careers Hub Lampada page.

Other year groups are able to book their one-on-one Career Session via the Careers Lampada page. With the Australian National University enrolment applications opening on 1 March, Year 12 students are encouraged to book in a time to discuss course options this month.

And finally, the wait is over! The latest Careers News has been released and can be accessed on the Careers Lampada page. It includes information on the following:

• Upcoming Events – page 2
• Autumn School of Engineering – page 2
• NYU Summer School – page 3
• AFL SportsReady | Find Out More About Traineeships – page 3
• University of Sydney | Architecture and the Built Environment – page 3
• Discover The Hotel School Sydney – page 3
• NSW Police | Recruitment Information Session – page 4
• University of Melbourne | Hansen Scholarship Information Evening – page 4
• SCCE | Exchange Webinar – page 5
• University of Sydney | Life of a Data Scientist – page 5
• University of Sydney | Learn a Language – Make it Arabic – page 5
• University of Sydney | Why Study Project Management? – page 5
• University of Sydney | Putin, History, and the Ukraine War – page 6
• Charles Sturt | Explore Days 2023 – page 6
• UN Youth | NSW State Conference 2023 – page 7
• Charles Sturt | 2023 Medicine Information Night – page 7

Ms V Shirriff
Head of Careers Education

Study Centre Sessions

Shore’s Study Centre has now started again. There are subject-specific sessions before and after school to allow the boys to seek individual help and guidance with their schoolwork. Teachers, sometimes assisted by high-achieving Old Boys, are available according to the published timetable. Study Centre operates on a drop-in basis and there is no charge involved. The boys are strongly encouraged to attend.

The ‘Focus On’ programme is part of the Study Centre. It is run by staff in the Educational Services Department who offer support to boys in all subjects in Years 7 to 10. They will assist the boys with their executive functioning skills, as well as help with homework and other schoolwork.

Please note that the Study Centre timetable changes from time to time as teachers’ Co-Curricular commitments change. It is always best to check for the most up to date version of the timetable on Lampada.

An Introduction: Mr Derek Champion

Acting Deputy Head of Pastoral Care

It is great to be back at Shore after 26 years. It is certainly a unique experience to be back in a School that was once very familiar to me. I have been made to feel very welcome, and it is terrific to once again be closely connected with the Shore Community. As someone who is passionate about teaching Pastoral Care and Character Education, I’m absolutely thrilled with the opportunity to work with the exceptional teaching and administrative staff at Shore.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked in secondary education and spent 15 years at the neighbouring St Andrew’s Cathedral School, where I was Head of Wellbeing and Character, a Housemaster, and taught Psychology in the International Baccalaureate. I have also taught in the Geography Department, teaching Business Studies and Society and Culture for the Higher School Certificate and coached many Basketball and Rugby teams. This was a truly great experience, and I was fortunate to have many opportunities to learn and grow as an educator and leader in Pastoral Care.

I’ve been fortunate to have had excellent mentors and have worked in highly effective Pastoral Care teams. My focus is on ensuring that young people feel safe and well, so they can learn and grow. Although I’m new to the Pastoral Care team at the School, I’ve already witnessed the team working hard every day to build strong relationships with all our students and to understand them as individuals. I believe it’s essential that students feel valued and respected, not just for their achievements but for who they are as people.

In this context, an area of professional focus for me is the importance of initiatives to support the development of respectful relationships and resilience in students. At Shore, we want our boys to develop excellent social and emotional skills and to know how to work well with others. Character Education plays a vital role in achieving these goals, and the existing House system is an ideal structure to facilitate this kind of learning and growth.

To conclude, it is a source of pride for me to return to Shore. I look forward to working with the Pastoral Care team to help shape confident and resilient young men who are prepared to set challenging goals and engage purposefully in all aspects of School life.

Mr D Champion
Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care at Shore

On 9 February, we had the pleasure of hosting Yasmin London from ySafe, who presented on the topic of digital wellbeing and cyber safety. The presentation covered several important topics including the potential issues with social media apps like TikTok and Snapchat and gave parents some tools and resources to help have regular conversations with the boys about their online activity. Many of these resources can be found at https://shore.onlinesafetyhub.com.au

Yasmin also emphasised the importance of setting up parental controls and monitoring student usage of devices to ensure that our boys are using technology in a safe and responsible manner. She provided valuable resources and practical tips to help parents have the more difficult conversations with our boys and help them to manage their time appropriately and safely navigate the complex online environment. There is a growing body of research that indicates there is a negative impact on  young people’s ability to focus, stemming from too much screen time and online activity. Setting healthy boundaries are key to ensuring that they can develop the cognitive resources to cope with their academic demands.

As a School Community, we believe that partnering and collaborating with external experts like Yasmin is essential to ensure that we provide our boys with the best possible information and knowledge on these topics. We are committed to continuing to work with experts in various fields to provide the support and guidance the boys need to thrive. Our next expert in this series for Term 1 will be David Kobler from Your Choicez. This will be a webinar for parents on Tuesday 21 February, and he will then present to Year 9 students on Wednesday 23 February. The topic of this webinar is respectful relationships, and it will begin to engage boys on the important topic of consent. Here is the link to join the webinar on 21 February: https://bit.ly/choicezwebinar

The topic of respectful online behaviour has become ever present in our daily lives, and it is essential that we equip our boys with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate safely and resist online distractions. Yasmin and David both challenge the boys to reconsider their habits and daily use of technology, and we continue the conversation here at the School. We encourage you to also continue the conversation at home and to utilise the resources provided to help keep the boys safe, well and engaged with their learning.

In other news, our first camp for new student starts on Monday 20 February. The Year 7 Orientation Camp is an important experience for new boys to familiarise themselves and learn more about the culture here at Shore. During the camp they will interact with different staff and student leaders, including the Chaplaincy team, Housemasters, teaching staff and Prefects. They also take part in activities that focus on fostering teamwork, good character and positive communication skills that will help them during their journey here at Shore. We are eagerly anticipating our time with the new Year 7 students and look forward to next week.

If you have any concerns or questions about your son’s progress here at Shore, please reach out to one of us on the Pastoral Care team and we will be happy to assist.   

Mr D Champion
Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care

From the Music Department

Congratulations to…

… Henry Black who has been selected for the Opera Australia children’s chorus for the 2023 production of La Boheme. This is an outstanding achievement, and we wish him all the very best for the performance.

Concert Group
On 8 February, eight boys, Ms Robertson, Ms Wentzel and I attended a Bruch Romantic violin concerto. The lead violinist was Ilya Gringolts, a world class Russian violinist who had the ability to captivate the audience with the quietest of notes.

Ilya also performed the premiere of Slanted, a piece by Australian composer, Harry Sdraulig, who arranged the piece to have large range with a wide range of expressive techniques. It was a great concert.

Thank you to the Music Department for providing this opportunity. The next Concert Group is on Monday 20 February at City Recital Hall.

Saxon Mitchell – Year 10

Camps
There are several Music Camps occurring this term: Strings Camp is on Tuesday 28 February, Band Camp is on Tuesday 7 March and Wednesday 8 March, and Choir Camp is on Tuesday 1 August and Wednesday 2 August.

Details will be emailed to parents closer to each date. For more information, please contact:
Head of Strings: awentzel@shore.nsw.edu.au;
Coordinator of Bands: pdorich@shore.nsw.edu.au;
Choir Camp: Director of Choirs: ewels@shore.nsw.edu.au

Private Music Tuition
Lessons have begun for students learning instruments at Shore. The School offers lessons on all brass instruments including euphonium, woodwind instruments (including saxophone), string instruments (including guitar), musicianship/theory and drum kit. The form can be found here: https://www.shore.nsw.edu.au/co-curricular/performing-arts/music

Upcoming Dates:

Mrs K Barber
Head of Music

Why We Sing

Over the weekend I read an article by Professor Jane Davidson of The University of Melbourne titled, 5 Ways Singing Helps Humanity. Its opening summary statement encapsulates the general theme of the article, 

“Singing is a powerful way of achieving deep personal and social meaning, as well as supporting our mental and physical wellbeing.”

The article proceeds to outline what research over the last decade indicates:

1. Singing connects us from birth.
2. Singing connects us to culture.
3. Singing has a positive wellbeing impact.
4. Singing can improve our physical health.
5. Singing unites people.

Complementing this research, is a wonderful presentation I heard at the 2019 International Boys’ School Coalition Annual Conference in Montreal. At this conference, renowned neuroscientist, Dr Sonia Lupien gave a fascinating talk on stress and its effects. She outlined the relative stress that can be brought on by things that make students go ‘NUTS’ – Novelty, Unpredictability, Threat to ego and Sense of low control. Starting a new school year can present one or all these things! To combat this, Dr Lupien advised energy mobilisation and breathing effectively as important outlets for stress.

“In short, Dr Lupien recommended singing as part of a choir, having a laugh and moving/physical activity are best for teenagers!”

Each week at Shore, students sing in Chapel, and this is an important activity that is good for our boys and staff alike, one that connects generations, unifying us and building a rich cultural thread through the tapestry that is the history of Shore. In the classroom, singing also features prominently across our Campuses and our Co-Curricular Choral programme is a wonderful opportunity open to boys.

So, why do we sing? We sing because it is good for us!

Dr L Gilmour
Deputy Head Co-Curricular

Links

• https://www.theroyal.ca/research/biography/dr-sonia-lupien
• https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/5-ways-singing-helps-humanity

2023 Musical – Save the Date!

Athletics Trials for Years 7 to 10

A reminder for all boys in Years 7 to 10 about the Athletics Trials commencing in Week 5 and Week 6 on the School Oval at North Sydney Campus on the following dates:

• Boys in Year 9 will trial on Monday 27 February during Periods 5 and 6.
• Boys in Year 7 will trial on Wednesday 1 March during Periods 5 and 6.
• Boys in Year 10 will trial on Monday 6 March during Periods 5 and 6.
• Boys in Year 8 will trial on Tuesday 7 March during Periods 5 and 6.

All boys will contest the following events:

• 60m Sprint
• Long Jump
• Shot Put
• 400m
• Push Up Test
• 800m
• Vertical Jump

Boys will need to bring their PE uniform on their particular day to complete these trials which will commence after lunch at 1.10pm and conclude by 2.50pm in the afternoon. Normal after-school sport activities will remain as per normal on these days.

The boys are to get changed at 1.00pm during lunchtime on their designated day to meet promptly on School Oval at 1.10pm. If you have further questions, please contact: abenn@shore.nsw.edu.au

Reverend A Benn
Master in Charge, Athletics

Basketball Report

The First V went into their fixture level on points with Grammar and determined to prove that they were the better side after a comfortable victory in the reverse fixture. This determination was quickly tested, however, by a horror first quarter which saw Shore lose Joslin Barnes to a worrying ankle injury and fall behind 17-2 after a lights-out shooting display from Grammar.

To our boys’ credit, they never lost faith in their approach and clawed their way back into the game to be down by just 5 points at the half, before taking the lead in the 3^rd quarter and never relinquishing it to run out 61-49 winners. The game featured an impressive scoring display from Julian Reynolds, who finished with 28 points, as well as a captain’s knock from Brandon Salis whose communication and leadership were vital when the team was toughing it out in the early stages of the game.

The Second V needed a victory against Grammar to keep their fate in their own hands, and they duly delivered. While both teams started slowly in what would be a low-scoring first half, the Shore team found their rhythm as the game moved into the latter stages and an impressive team performance resulted in a 45-32 victory. Nick Wendt shone at both ends of the court, with a number of key rebounds and some great finishing around the rim. Nick Riley led the scorers with 8 on a day when everyone chipped in to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The Seconds go into next week’s clash playing what is effectively a semi-final against Scots, with the winner well placed to go on to a premiership and the losers needing results to fall their way to stay in the race.

In the ‘never lost at Shore race’, it was a good weekend for our new Opens Coaches but a bad one for the 14s, with only Mr Joson (6ths), Mr O’Brien (9ths) and Mr Ng (10ths), maintaining their perfect records as coaches. Joining them this week following the first Under 13s fixtures are Mr Champion (13Cs) and Ms Robb (13Fs). While there’s still a long way to go before any of these coaches can equal Ms Whiteman’s record streak of nearly two years before losing her first game, the early signs are encouraging! We also still have two teams who are undefeated from the start of the 2022/23 season, but I won’t jinx them by saying who they are!

Player of the Week: Eric Qiao was immense in a close fought win for the 16Bs, leading all scorers with 11 and coming up with some key assists.

Team of the Week: The 13Fs held on through a nervy last few minutes to win their first ever game for Shore in a nailbiter, 15-13.

Mr G Davis
Master in Charge, Basketball

Round 9 First XI Match Report vs Sydney Grammar School

Saturday 11 February, War Memorial Playing Fields, A Ground, Northbridge

Shore 10/122 (Josh Constantian 40, Will Sutton 38) defeated by SGS 7/123 (Tom Fuzes 2/13, Sam Walton 2/31)

Coming off an emotional away win against King’s in Round 8, Shore was excited to be back at Northbridge and hosting Sydney Grammar School.

On a humid morning with some cloud cover Grammar won the toss and asked Shore to bat on what appeared to be a hard wicket with quite a lot of grass cover.

Openers Will Sutton and Alex Segaert began cautiously against some consistent line and length bowling and it wasn’t long until Alex Segaert was caught and bowled for a duck with the score on 4 in the second over.

Axel Bailey joined Sutton and the pair began to rebuild the innings until Bailey was out caught and bowled for 4, seeing Shore slump to 2/19 after 8 overs.

His departure brought Captain Lachlan Hunt to the middle with Shore in some trouble. Sutton and Hunt took the score to 32 before Hunt was run out at the non-striker’s end backing up too far.

Oliver Carney came and went quickly, being trapped leg before wicket reducing Shore to 4/36 after 14 overs. Soon after, Hugo Orpin and Toby Robinson were dismissed for a duck and two respectively with Shore’s innings now in complete disarray at 6/45 after 18 overs.

A counter-attacking innings from Josh Constantian (40) and support from Ben Hocking (12) saw Shore stagger to 122 all out in 45 overs.

Defending 122 at Northbridge would not be easy, but it was a possibility. Shore needed early wickets to apply pressure to the Grammar middle order and they did just that with Sam Walton striking in the first over and Tom Fuzes in the second.

In the eighth over Fuzes struck again and with Grammar 3/15, Shore was back in the contest. Unfortunately, Shore were unable to strike again until the 17th over following a 30 run partnership. With Grammar 4/44 Shore were still a chance, however another partnership which yielded 44 runs steadied the ship for the visitors.

Sam Walton was brought back into the attack and provided the key breakthrough. Despite another wicket soon after to Captain Lachlan Hunt, it was too little, too late unfortunately for Shore. A seventh wicket fell with the score on 117 and only 6 runs needed by Grammar.

The winning runs were hit in the 40th over seeing Shore lose again to Grammar in a match where they had their chances but failed to capitalise on them. The team has plenty to prove and must show greater resilience and mental toughness particularly with the bat when they host The Scots College at Northbridge in Round 10 of the Competition this Saturday.

Mr T M Wallace
First XI Coach

Round 9 Second XI Match Report vs Sydney Grammar School

Saturday 29 October, Weigall

Shore 4/117 (William Kowalski 25, Angus Molchanoff 20, Oscar Everett 27, Fraser Pandit 33) defeated Sydney Grammar School 10/116  (Jack Mott 3/28 (8.0) Chris Lovell 3/20 (6.0), Matt Melville 2/14 (6.0))

On the back of a large defeat against King’s last week, I am very proud of the Second XI after their emphatic win against Sydney Grammar. It can be hard to get yourself up mentally, but the boys were still eager to play good Cricket and finish the season strong. Losing the toss, we were asked to bowl first on a nice even deck. We knew the par score would be around 220, so we had to bowl well but most importantly field well inside the circle.

With Tom Fuzes being moved up to the First XI, due to Will Nutt’s injury, we brought Chris Lovell back into the side. Jack Mott (3/28 off 8.0) took his usual early wicket and was well supported by Chris Lovell who also took three wickets for the match to finish with 3/20 from six overs. Grammar were 4/30, but the middle order have become our nemesis this season and again this was looking to be the case after they put on a 32 run partnership.

But, thanks to the tight bowling of Matt Melville (2/14) and Toby Ogg (1/21) producing 15 straight dot balls, their number three batter was forced to play a big shot and get caught, breaking a vital partnership. Grammar fought hard to make their way past the 100 mark. Captain Bill Kwan, then brought Jack Robson on to bowl, managing to take the final wicket of the innings off his first ball, getting them all out for 116 in the 45^th over.

The batting plan was to attack and score the runs inside the 25 overs to secure the two bonus points. Angus Molchanoff (20 off 18) and William Kowalski (25 off 25) set the tone early putting on a 41 run opening stand inside 8 overs. We then got tied up by their spinners, scoring just 16 runs off the next 7 overs. We needed 60 runs off the next 10 overs to get the bonus point.

Oscar Everett (27) once again was in the scores partnering with Fraser Pandit (33) to get us within 8 runs to win with 18 balls remaining to secure the bonus points. Billy Kwan (2) came in looking to win the game quickly. He received three half trackers, failed to connect with the first two, managed to connect with the third one but found the longest boundary on the field with a Grammar boy standing there to take the catch. We now needed four runs in the 25^th over.

Thanks to Fraser and Matt Melville (2 off 1), they saw us get the win with just four balls remaining to get the bonus points. Well done to everyone, and let’s hope we can continue this momentum into next week against Scots at their Main Oval.

Mr G S Tesoriero
Second XI Coach

Cricket Reports

Third XI: The Third XI suffered another big loss after a disappointing bowling display. Grammar won the toss and chose to bat, while their batsmen were capable, they were assisted by lots of short pitched bowling that got duly dealt with.

Will Johnston maintained an excellent line and length and Elliot Perkins did well with his improving off spin. Each were rewarded with a wicket, the only ones to fall in an innings that saw another batsman chalk up a century against the Third XI.

There were a few close calls and luck didn’t always go our way, but in the end their score was a reasonably good reflection of the quality of our attack. Apart from a few overs after the second drinks break, the Shore boys fielded well, otherwise the chase would have been well over 200!

Our top order could not seem to do much against some fast bowling on a good line and length. We were quickly 4/12 and the game was as good as over. There were a few fighting partnerships late on, and Grammar put the cue in the rack to a certain extent towards the end, so we managed to eke out a mediocre score that was at least an improvement on last week.

Mr R J Ward
Third XI Coach

Fourth XI: Hot and dry conditions greeted the Fourth XI upon their return to Northbridge for the first time in 2023, in a rare 32 over a side fixture against Sydney Grammar. Winning the toss, our valiant skipper Jack McRae chose to bat first on what looked a beautiful deck.

Early wickets meant Shore was in a bit of trouble at 3/32 after 7 overs, however, the boys steadied the ship before launching an aggressive counter-attack. Sam Andrew and Sam Lewarne-Dale scored 67* and 50* respectively to get the score past 150, while a late cameo of 38 off 21 balls from Jye Peters meant Shore was able to finish with a very impressive total of 7/215 off 32 overs.

If Grammar’s fielding was anything to go by, there was no doubt they would be a young, energetic batting unit that would look to press our bowlers at all times. This was very much the case, particularly early on as the Grammar batsman looked to punish (and often did) anything over or under-pitched. Cal Forster (2/35) and Ethan Spark (1/33) had the new ball talking, and while both went for a few more runs than they would have liked, there was no doubt Grammar had to be at their very best to keep these two bean poles at bay.

Tom Santow, relinquishing new ball duties this week, was simply outstanding at both the front and back-end of Grammar’s innings. Tom finished up with 2/10 off 6 overs, figures which whilst impressive, don’t tell the full story of just how well he bowled. Indeed, Tom’s efforts with the ball ensured Grammar was always behind the game and unable to make a genuine push at the back end of the game to chase Shore’s total.

Shore’s part-timer bowlers all put their hands up to contribute, with the likes of Sam Widdis (2/7), Sam Andrew (1/14), and Jack McRae (1/1) all snaring deserved wickets. Eventually, Grammar was bowled out, still 37 runs in arrears with only 2 overs remaining. A great effort from Shore to bounce back after the previous week’s heavy loss to King’s. Onwards and upwards!

Mr N A Trumbull
Fourth XI Coach

16A: Shore batted first after winning the toss against SGS on Northbridge D. A big second wicket partnership between George Story (27) and Josh Evans (56) set up the innings with Shore completing their overs at 5/132. The 16As began strongly with the ball, leg break bowler Will Penny spun a web on his way to 3/15. Ultimately SGS proved too strong passing the target eight wickets down with four overs remaining.

Archer Nugan
16A Player

15A: Shore won the toss and elected to bat first on a hard and fast B Ground deck. Despite favourable conditions, the batting side failed to build partnerships and concluded the innings all out for 85 with Andrew Milton top scoring with 42. Shore came out guns blazing with the ball and in the field knocking over Grammar’s three runs short of the target in the last over of the game. Key performances included Nick Yates 3/11, Zac Roberts 2/8 and Stian Constable 2/4.

Miss S Horley
15A Coach

15B: The 15Bs started strongly with Harry Kowalski taking out off stump with the first delivery of the day to dismiss the opening batsman. However, Grammar then turned things around quickly, playing their shots well and scoring rapidly. Shore did well to arrest Grammar’s momentum and turn things around after drinks, taking 6 wickets for just 15 runs.

Henry Pritchard bowled well to take a five wicket haul. Two stumpings in a row had him on a hat-trick, and then another stumping two balls later made it three. He made it five with a caught and bowled and another delivery that hit middle stump. After having scored 77 runs at drinks, Grammar was all out for 90. Shore was able to reach 91 in the 28^th over of their innings, with Lachie Richards (19) being the anchor and the other batsmen all contributing.

Mr A N Mason-Jones and Banjo Cole
15B Coach and Player

15C: On Saturday 11 February, the Shore 15Cs set out to play their first home game since being formed, against Grammar on F Ground. After losing the toss, Shore was sent into the field and started off slowly, as the Grammar openers toughed out our bowling attack.

However, Ollie Bucktin’s wicket in the 17th over triggered a momentum shift, with a number of wickets falling thanks to help from Harry Edmund’s 2/8. Shore constrained Grammar to 101 and needing 102 to win, headed into bat and showed a significant improvement from last week. Shore rotated the strike with ones and twos and punished the bad balls.

Strong individual performances with the bat included Harry Edmunds’s unbeaten 39, Tom Gray’s unbeaten 25 and the newly recruited, Malachi Warner who in his first ever innings scored 18, helping Shore to chase Grammar down in the 18th over.

Angus Fisher and Angus Gill
15C Players

14A: Sydney Grammar School ventured over the bridge for their second round game against the 14As. After SGS won the toss and elected to bat, our bowling continued to impress. Thomas Hamilton and James Mathur had another exceptional partnership with the ball and took a number of wickets in the first six overs of the game. Some sharp fielding from Shore mounted on the pressure and resulted in two great run outs. After the fall of the tenth wicket, SGS ended up on a total of 78 runs.

Shore found themselves in a familiar position to previous weeks and were looking to make amends for coming so close against TKS. Unfortunately, early wickets to our top five batters saw a dire situation with Shore 5/6 off 6 overs. Thomas Hamilton and James Mathur dug deep and tried to build a partnership, however, they managed to succumb to the accurate bowling of SGS. The 14As were all out for 37 runs off 22 overs. They play Scots next week, where they will look to regain the confidence in their ability and get the momentum rolling in the right direction again.

Mr J Murphy
14A Coach

14B: Shore arrived at Weigall playing fields and were sent in to bowl after losing the toss on a good-looking wicket. Shore started off hot with both opening bowlers securing wickets in their opening spells, leaving SGS 2/11. Despite Shore’s loose bowling resulting in a large number of sundries, constant wickets prevented SGS from building any sizeable partnerships. Notable performances included Ryan Doherty who bowled a wicket maiden and Tom Penney who took three, cleaning up Grammar’s middle order and resulting in Shore needing to chase just 72 runs to win. Shore’s innings got off to a shaky start, with the two openers falling quickly, leaving Shore at 2/10, a similar position that SGS were in the innings before. However, a match winning partnership between Archie Lyle (41*) and Benj Pena (17*) ensured a comfortable victory, with Shore winning by 8 wickets at 2/76; a well-earned victory for the team.

Mr M Webster
14B Coach

14C: The 14Cs were looking to improve on last week’s loss and work on key areas that have been lacking in their game, such as a strong fielding effort and chasing hard after runs. Barker batted first and came out in a blazing effort, hitting 26 runs off the first few overs and setting up a serious run rate. Shore’s tenacious fielding put pressure on the batsmen and produced early wickets to stem the run flow. Barker finishing their innings with 125 runs. Shore began their innings slowly and faced some quality bowling from Barker. The opening batsmen were unable to find momentum and struggled against a superior attack. Early wickets forced Shore to play a defensive game as they tried to conjure up much needed runs. Will Langfield again produced a solid innings finishing with 27 not out but it was not enough to reach Barkers substantial total.

Mr C Burke
14C Coach

13A: Shore won the toss and elected to bat on a slow pitch and outfield. After an early wicket, Ollie Buckley and Fred Stewart steadied the ship, putting on a 43 run partnership. Across each side of the drinks break Shore lost four wickets for nine before Louis Corcoran and Charlie Bassingthwaighte got Shore back with a 59 run partnership to post a respectable total of 135. Accurate bowling throttled Grammar’s chase, our opposition losing their last 7 wickets for 45 trying to keep pace with an ever-increasing required run rate. Shore’s fielding was outstanding.

Mr B Morris
13A Coach

13B: Shore were up against Sydney Grammar at Weigall for our first game of the season. The team took to the field after losing the toss and the boys were buzzing. Grammar made a positive start after a few chances went down in the field, but the team remained in good spirits.

The breakthrough finally came from Billy Sorenson with a direct hit runout which turned the tide of the game. At drinks, Sydney Grammar were 2/77, but with three quick fire wickets from Angus Collins Shore were in control. Wickets began to tumble, and the home team were all out for 117 after 26 overs. Set with a tricky total, the top order turned over the strike well and set up a solid platform. The entry of Xavier Simmonds and Will Hadfield in the middle order upped the ante with boundaries coming left, right and centre. Xavier levelled the score with an almighty six before turning over a single the very next ball to win the game after 15 overs. It was a great first performance from the Year 7s and they are rearing to get back at it next week.

Mr H Guest
13B Coach

13C: Shore arrived at Northbridge hoping to get their season off to a win against a good Scots side. Shore won the toss and decided to bowl. Great bowling and fielding ensured that Scots were only able to bat for 18 overs.

Strong bowling spells from Will Tomes and Charlie McGuinness, who both picked up some valuable wickets, kept Scots to a total of just 63. Max Cawood led the batting with an impressive 21 retired not out, hitting some lovely boundaries, helping Shore comfortably reach the target with 5 wickets remaining. The winning runs were hit by the captain Tom Nutt, who did it with style, hitting the first ball he faced back over the bowler’s head for four.

Mr S Chapman
13C Coach

13D: In the first match of the season, the 13Ds faced off against Grammar after losing the coin toss. Grammar elected to bat first and Shore took to the field for the first innings. Within the first three overs, wickets began to fall and Lachlan Ward proved to be a force to be reckoned with, finishing with a staggering two for one.

Oli Wilson also impressed with two for six. Grammar was eventually bowled out for only 37 runs. After the break, the 13Ds experienced a difficult start as they lost five wickets for just five runs. However, Nick Firth and Sid Shoemark stepped up and formed a strong partnership to help the 13Ds reach the target set by Grammar, ending with a score of 5 for 38 by the end of the second innings.

Mr C Tyson
13D Coach

Top image credit: 13Ds with a comfortable win over SGS

Representative News

Will Nutt (First XI) has been selected in the Combined AAGPS squad who are due to play ISA, CAS and CNSW teams over the coming weeks. This is Will’s second year in the top selected GPS Team. Toby Robinson, Fraser Pandit, Matthew Melville and Tom Fuzes have all been selected in the Chairman’s XI 15 Years team who are due to play a limited 50 overs fixture vs 15 Years CAS XI Team on 5 March.

Player of the Week Nominations:

1. First XI – Josh Constantian 40
2. Second XI – Matt Melville 2/14 (6.0) and 2*
3. Third XI – Will Johnston, 1/20 off 6 overs
4. Fourth XI – Tom Santow 2/10 off 6
5. 16A – Josh Evans 56
6. 15A – Andrew Milton 42
7. 15B – Henry Pritchard 5/10
8. 15C – Harry Edmunds 2/8 and 39*
9. 14A – Thomas Hamilton 3/10
10. 14B – Archie Lyle 41*
11. 14C – Will Langfield 27*
12. 13A – Louis Corcoran 40*
13. 13B – Angus Collins 18* and 3/11, Xavier Simmonds 26* and 1/10 off 3
14. 13C – Will Tomes 2/15 15. 13D – Lachlan Ward 2/1
Player of the week: Henry Pritchard – Bowling figures of 5/10

Shore Senior Swimming Carnival 2023

On Tuesday 7 February, the Shore Senior Swimming Carnival took place in the R A I Grant Centre Pool. It was the largest Shore Carnival that has ever been held in the facility and was well supported by staff, parents and boys. Over 150 boys competed in the Carnival with 85 boys taking place in individual events showcasing their talent and trying to earn a hard-fought spot on the Shore GPS representative team for the 2023 AAGPS Swimming season. A great feature of the Carnival was the inclusion of a 6 x 50m All Age House Relay where boys from each House competed in Years 7 to 12 to decide the fastest House. This year, it was Burrell House who took home the win for a second year running since the House’s inclusion in the Carnival in 2021.

Top image credit: Ethan Cook

The action quickly turned to the individual swims with records tumbling across the afternoon and standout performances being achieved across all age groups. The fierce competition and the chance to race in your home pool in front of a large crowd is always a recipe for success and many boys swam personal best times. The 2023 Captain of Swimming, Zac Izzard, had an exceptional afternoon competing in seven races plus the House relays. Out of seven events, Zac won six and placed second in one, breaking four School records. This was a truly dominant performance and a great example of hard work paying off.

Approximately 45 boys have been selected to compete for Shore during the upcoming AAGPS Swimming season, and we wish the team all the best this season.

A special thanks to all staff for their help in running the Carnival and to the pool staff for ensuring it was a safe event.

Mr J Somerville
Master in Charge, Swimming

Shore Senior Swimming Carnival 2023

The following results for the Shore Senior Swimming Carnival 2023 were as follows:

Champion Boys and Runners Up

Boys 12 Years Old

1^st Billy Jones – 80 points

2^nd Thomas Bentley – 52 points

Boys 13 Years Old 

1^st Archie Lawry – 89 points

2^nd Alexander Freischmidt – 58 points

Boys 14 Years Old

1^st Will Bestic – 96 points

2^nd Jonty Jagger – 66 points

Boys 15 Years Old

1^st Ethan Ng – 72 points

2^nd James Hoskins – 70 points

Boys 16 Years Old  

1^st Ethan Cook – 103 points

2^nd James Bestic – 96 points

Boys 17 Years Old

1^st Zachary Izzard – 136 points

2^nd Charlie Ashton – 74 points

Boys 18 Years Old and Over

1^st Tom Hawkins – 85 points

2^nd Lachlan Bannerman – 69 points

New School Records

Bestic, James

• Boys 16 – 50 Freestyle Championship Finals: 25.28
• Boys 16 – 50 Butterfly Championship Finals: 28.25

Bestic, William

• Boys 14 – 50 Freestyle Championship Finals: 26.35

Black, J J

• Boys 15 – 50 Butterfly Championship Finals: 28.49

Cook, Ethan

• Boys 16 – 50 Breaststroke Championship Finals: 31.28

Izzard, Zachary

• Boys – Open 200 IM Finals: 2:18.60
• Boys – Open 200 Freestyle Championship Finals: 2:05.62
• Boys 17 – 50 Butterfly Championship Finals: 28.58
• Boys – Open 50 Freestyle Shore Invitational Champions Finals: 25.51

Lawry, Archie

• Boys 13 – 50 Freestyle Championship Finals: 28.20
• Boys 13 – 50 Breaststroke Championship Finals: 38.32

McLaren, Noah

• Boys 12-14 – 100 Freestyle Junior Championship Finals: 59.62

Pollitt, Harry

• Boys 15 – 50 Breaststroke Championship Finals: 33.85

Surf Life Saving Report

Barker College Carnival – Bungan Beach
Conditions were perfect for the return of the Barker College Carnival to the School Surf Life Saving (SLS) calendar. The boys had eagerly anticipated their chance to compete and had spent their weekly SLS training sessions honing their skills in the water and on the sand, competing for places in events amongst their peers.

The Bungan-Whale Challenge Cup (so-called because the hosts traditionally alternate between Barker at Bungan Beach and Knox at Whale Beach) was contested by four schools: Shore, Barker, Joeys and Knox. The following outstanding results were attained during the day:

Junior (Years 7 and 8)

Junior Age Champions:

• Hamish Cleland
• Henry Peters

Intermediate (Years 9 and 10)

Intermediate Age Champion:

• Lachie Warner

Seniors (Years 11 and 12)

Seniors Age Champion:

• Duncan Cowan

Overall Points Scores

A huge congratulations to the Shore SLS boys for demonstrating such tenacity and competitive spirit to retain the Bungan-Whale Challenge Cup, but more importantly, for participating with a sense of fun, camaraderie and utmost respect for all competitors from other schools.

Mr G Jones
Acting MIC SLS

Surfing Report

The surf was small and weak on Saturday morning, but at least the westerly winds made the waves clean. In training for their Tag-Team Surf Competition against Knox, the boys competed in a ten-minute heat. The goal was to catch two waves and return to the beach shore within the time.

Following this, boys were paired up into teams, with each team having 20 minutes for each surfer to catch two waves and return to the shore. In the first drill, Sam Pockley posted the highest two wave score, with Lachlan Warner, Henry Peters and Duncan Cowan not far behind.

In the Teams Heat, only two teams finished within the time frame. With the team of Oliver Roxburgh and Duncan Cowan (22.5 points) taking out the heat from John Rajaratnam and Nathan Stanmore (16.9 points).

Mr J McClelland
Master in Charge, Surfing

Swimming – GPS 1

The GPS Swimming season kicked off last Monday with the first of the GPS Open relays taking place at Des Renford Leisure Centre. Shore sent a strong team to compete in the 4 X 100m Medley relay and came home with third place.This was a great result and our strongest showing in this event in recent years. The season officially got underway on Thursday evening with the Shore boys heading out to Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre for GPS 1.

The Shore team had a strong start in the individual events with Archie Lawry, Will Bestic and Ethan Cook all winning their Championship 50m Breaststroke events whilst many of the Shore boys won their division races.

Top image credit: Zac Warden GPS 1

The Shore boys continued where they left off last season with strong performances in the relays. The 14 years relay teams won the Medley and Freestyle relays convincingly, while the 13s and 16s came first and the 15s and 17s placed second in the Freestyle relays.

It was great to welcome the new Year 7s and a number of other new boys to the Shore GPS Swimming team. It is a unique sporting experience at Shore, where boys from Years 7 to 12 come together as one to represent the School. It was a great experience for Year 7 boys in their first week at Shore. The team now look ahead to GPS 2, taking place on Thursday 16 February.

Mr J Somerville  
Master in Charge, Swimming

AAGPS Sporting Events

Every year, the major AAGPS sporting events provide an opportunity for Shore boys to come together and show support for their School and our athletes.

In 2023, the following year groups will be attending the AAGPS events:

AAGPS Swimming Carnival, Friday 17 March
All Year 11

Head of the River, Saturday 25 March
All Year 7, 9 and 10. Year 11 and 12 are welcome to attend.

AAGPS Athletics Carnival, Saturday 16 September
All Year 8

For all events, boys are expected to wear their summer uniform (no coats or boaters) with their yard hat or blue Shore sports cap.

Buses will be provided to transport the boys from Shore to the venue and back to Shore with the cost being added to the next applicable fee statement.

Communications will be sent home to parents with relevant details closer to each event.

Mr A S Mansfield
Deputy Head Operations

Shore Tennis Report

The Firsts have survived a thrilling encounter with Sydney Grammar, as well as holding on to the Fairwater Cup. The Shore boys started positively in the doubles, with Oliver Wilcox and Sam Wensley earning a comfortable win, which gave them time to support both the other pairings’ hard-fought comebacks to force super tiebreakers. Zac Little and Ari Carboni stayed cool under pressure, contributing to Shore winning a close match of 2-1 after the doubles.

In singles, Grammar pushed hard to fight back. The overall score reached 4-4 and it came down to Ari Carboni’s last match. From being down a set and a break, he refused to let his team down. On a hot windy day, he outlasted his opponent and came back to win 7-5 in the third set. The coaches were very proud of what they dubbed ‘a team victory’, which keeps the firsts undefeated in 2023.

The seconds coming off a 7-2 loss in the previous week had to turn their sights to the daunting task of an in-form Sydney Grammar side at Tennis World. The doubles started the day on a positive note to give shore a 2-1 lead going into the singles. Special mention to the gruelling 3-hour doubles win from Connor Fung and Chris Mathur 6-2, 4-6, 17-15 (super tiebreak). The 36-degree heat in the singles gave Shore an early upper hand due to a forfeit leading 3-1. However, Grammar’s singles performance proved superior, taking home 4 wins. However, two comebacks from Shore ending in a win (Matt Hogg 1-6, 6-1, 6-2) and a draw (Connor Fung 1-6, 7-5, 3-2) due to inefficient time, lead the team to an overall 4.5 – 4.5 draw. A fantastic display of persistence and sportsmanship to come home with a well-deserved draw against a very strong side.

The Under 16s had a challenging day. Harvey Duncan fought hard with a return from 3-0 to a close battle but unfortunately lost 6-8 in the tiebreaker. Alex Harvey ended with the only win after a great game 6-4. The B1 doubles with Josh Chu and Connor Austin were victorious with a fantastic final of 6-2, B1 singles also won with a strong score of 6-1. The A1 doubles also had a convincing win of 6-2, and the A1 singles had a long game ending in a close loss of 7-3 in the tiebreak. Finally, the A3 singles had a great game winning with a score of 6-1 and the A4 singles had a long match ending with a loss 6-4.

In the Under 15s, Shore performed admirably against a well-polished Grammar squad. All boys displayed high levels of sportsmanship and resilience that they should be commended for. The weekend’s matches enabled the 15s to build on their Tennis knowledge, solidifying and developing key game concepts and tactics. This Saturday was crucial for future training outcomes.

It was an exciting first fixture for the Under 13s against Grammar. Everyone performed well, holding high standards on and off the court. Special mention to Marcus Craike and Hugo Tonks in the Cs. Marcus won 6-1 and Hugo won 6-4 in their single matches. The Unders 16s look forward to building their skills during practice and will play again this coming weekend.

Shore Tennis Results
Wim/Loss in rubbers (matches)

Mr J Straney
Master in Charge, Tennis

Holtermann Columns

NBA TRADE DEADLINE

League reshifted, superstars moved, the Title up for grabs

J. Y. Gao

The NBA’s trade deadline brought along with it three juggernaut trades that have now been set to shift the entries league’s attention to a crazed scramble between the 500s in the Western conference. The unusual season has seen a number of teams, including the title-defending Warriors, fail to maximise their team’s potential due to injuries and rotations, which has resulted in 10 teams in the West lying within the .450 to .550 range – all within 5 games of each other. Hence, this article will attempt to describe the shift in power within the league with heavy attention on the West, as well as project future scenarios within the playoffs, and what each might mean for the contending teams and their current rosters. 

In the past decade, the league has grown accustomed to being centred on four to five teams to win the Title across both conferences at this time of the year; the Warriors and Rockets in the West, Miami/Cleveland depending on where Lebron is, Pacers, and Boston. As a result, the trade deadline has conventionally seen more sellers and less buyers – a top heavy league – as the Title was almost guaranteed within the top five. This year, contenders were spread far wider than usual, with the Nuggets, led by MVP candidate Jokic, at number one in the West, followed by contenders in Memphis, Dallas, and Golden State, competing against Boston at number one in the East, followed by contenders Bucks, Nets, and 76ers. The possibility of the title was closer to more CEOs and managers around the league than normal, and the desperate fight for a strong set up of a win-now team with momentum heading into the playoffs has resulted in a trade deadline that did not disappoint.

Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris traded to Dallas for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, 2027 second-round pick, 2029 first round-pick (unprotected), 2029 second-round pick. Prior to the trade, both Dorian Finney-Smith, who has played to his full potential in providing the Mavs with a reliable option by being first on the floor and on the glass, and Spencer Dinwiddie, who has played to his best ability to accompany Luka as his co-star, have been unable to fill the hole or the vacuum that resulted from the absence of Jalen Brunson. In the first half of this season, it has been clear to Mavs fans the value that Jalen Brunson had provided for the team during his time in Dallas serving as the secondary player who was able to space the floor and open opportunities for Luka. Luka’s lack of a competent co-star has been demonstrated in his frustration this season. Clearly, the situation was similarly recognised by the Mavs front office, and the blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving is projected to prove to be an invaluable one to the team. 

For Brooklyn, the Kyrie trade acquired the team a hoard of assets that will be critical in the team’s upcoming rebuild (in addition to the assets gained by the Durant trade discussed below). Although Dinwiddie is less valuable than Kyrie, he is still able to fill the role that Kyrie played within the team, and will be surrounded by a strong cast of players likely to pull the Nets through its rebuild. Ben Simmons, who lags behind as the one person left of the superteam assembled in Brooklyn only months ago, will have more space to experiment and find his rhythm, Claxton remains as a DPOY contender, a strong role player in Watanabe and a young talent in Edwards are also present. More on the future of the Brooklyn Nets in the Durant trade discussion. 

Dallas is now a serious title contender. Experienced basketball fans realise the importance of the Robin character in a team where there is a Batman. For Michael Jordan, it was Pippen, for Lebron in Miami, it was Dwayne Wade; every Championship team will have starred a number two that may have been just as valuable as the lead player. NBA history has shown that some players are better in number two spot than the number one– players whose talent is only fully realised on the floor when under an A-list superstar. We’ve seen this in Wade’s performance under Bron, Kyle Lowry with Kawhi, Paul Pierce, Klay Thompson, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Davis – all of whom, except for Brown, have won at least one Championship. Kyrie Irving is one such player. And the global NBA community are well aware of his abilities as a leader, or lack thereof. His most successful season came from his time under Bron in Cleveland, followed by his most recent seasons under Durant in Brooklyn. His worst seasons, discounting his rookie years, has been his time in Boston where he took the mantle as the A-list superstar of the team. Kyrie thrives in the number two spot, he epitomises it. And it isn’t an insult either. Alongside Luka’s magic in Dallas, Kyrie will be able to stretch the floor and gain the team the invaluable asset of space in contemporary NBA better than any of his predecessors in Dallas. Kyrie’s time with Bron showed the league that any attempt at double teaming or scrambling the team leader will be repaid in full with daggers and game-winners in the clutch. There shouldn’t be any anxiety over ‘who takes the last shot’ or ‘who plays the point guard’ – these questions will be worked out in the moment of the game and in due course, with both Luka and Kyrie willing to step down or step up as comfortably as anyone else in the league. Now, the question for Dallas is: who might it send to guard the star of the opposing team? The answer will be revealed in the last months of the regular season. The Kyrie Irving trade puts Dallas, currently fourth in the West, a win-now team making a strong contention for the title.

LA Lakers, Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves participate in a three-way trade as summarised in the following: Lakers receive D’Angelo Russel, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt; Jazz received Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones. The 2027 first-round pick; the Wolves received Mike Conley, Nickeil A.W., both two second-round picks. The Timberwolves received Mike Conley, who fulfils the same role as D’Angelo Russel, whilst requiring less time with the ball to be effective on the floor. The Jazz started a rebuild by getting rid of Mike Conley and securing a draft pick, and have also established a substantial cap space, with enough room for an impressive rebuild over the coming seasons. 

The Lakers on the other hand, are, like Dallas, once again a strong Championship contender. The team’s fundamental issue through its entire time with Lebron and AD has been it’s lack of competent shooters – it has been the one piece missing from the team since the beginning, it was widened temporarily with Westbrook’s questionable shooting ability, and now, finally, it has been addressed with the new additions the trade deadline brough to them. Malik Beasley shoots 30% on a catch and shoot from beyond the arc and will prove his worth in his ability to stretch the floor. D’Angelo Russel is, similarly, confident with his shooting ability from three, and role plays as an able catch and shoot player as well as a self-sufficient guard with the capacity to create his own shots. Though the deal’s best asset is Vanderbilt, a two-way forward first-to-the-floor and able to guard the likes of Curry and Jokic and everyone in between. He is fully capable of being an efficient and effective player without the ball in his hands, and will earn a role as facilitator to Lebron and AD. 

The Laker’s struggles in this year’s regular season is largely due to their inability to close out close games. Although a number of a bad calls have dictated the ending of these matchups, including the infamous loss to Boston a few weeks ago, it has been the team’s inability to resurrect within the last minutes a momentum strong enough to gain/keep the lead that has caused their losses and placed them at 13th in the West. Were the four close games with ‘bad’ calls won, the Lakers would be sitting comfortably within playoff parameters at fifth or sixth in the Conference. And it is precisely the ability of the Lakers front office to look past the placing of the team and directly at the pool of .500 teams, and to recognise the missing pieces necessary to fill role spots around Lebron and AD, that have allowed them to gain a strong three player gain who may very well contribute crucially to the closing line-up. The trade for Russel, Beakley and Vanderbilt has rekindled Championship hopes in Lebron and the Lakers Organisation.

It what might be considered the second biggest blockbuster trade in the past decade (only to Durant’s move to the Warriors in 2016), Kevin Durant is traded from Booklyn to the Phoenix Suns in a huge four-way trade between Nets, Suns, Bucks and Pacers. The discussion will start with Brooklyn first. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden joined forces three years ago to conquer the NBA, yet today, all that is left in Brooklyn is a lonely Ben Simmons as far as superstars go. All of the drama that was the trade deadline and the rumours of trade requests in the season prior, as well as the strained relationships with Nets owner Tsai, had perhaps all began in the 2021 playoffs when Durant’s size 17 feet stepped ever so slightly on the three point line of what was thought to be the game-winning shot in game 7. Instead, it was counted as two points, tying the game, which was later won by the Bucks in overtime. The Bucks went on to win the Championship that year, and was perhaps the closest and best chance Brooklyn had of earning a title with Durant and Irving. 

In total over the last three years, that year was the only time they won a playoff series. Kyrie and Durant were able to scrape 57 games together across the period without Harden, but the title, though in sight, was too far for the organisation to risk this year. And so the front office decided to pull the plug before the players walked into free agency so that they might gather some valuable trade assets and young talent. And a mountain did they hoard. In the past week, for three players (Irving, Durant and Morris), the Nets received Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Juan Pablo Vaulet, 2023 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2028 second-round pick, two 2029 first-round picks, and two 2029 second-round picks. In doing so, the Nets remain a strong playoff team with an armada of assets that promises great opportunities in future drafts and trades. With these assets, the Nets may be capable of building around a young core of Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges, like Boston around Tatum and Brown, and build a formidable team in the coming seasons. 

Conversely, the Suns, with their newly assembled superteam of Chris Paul (CP3), Devin Booker, Durant and Deandre Ayton, are now the heavyweight, Championship favourites. However they do face a couple of questions. Devin Booker is the face of the Suns franchise, which makes the arrival of Durant a tension-full situation. Durant’s extraordinary, once in a generation, talent in basketball has made any team he’s been a part of HIS team. Thus, perhaps tension between Booker and Durant is expected, and the front office, alongside the coaching staff and the team dynamic, need to consider strategies to incorporate the skill of Booker and Durant, as well as the veteran presence of Chris Paul and athleticness of Ayton within their playstyle. With one second to go, game seven of a play off series, will Booker be willing to defer to Durant? The absence of Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson requires the Suns to fill a missing swing forward spot in the line-up. Will it be Warren? Or Saric? Or Craig? Saric is too large for an already big line-up, and will fail to keep up with small-ball matchups. Craig has been coming off the bench all season, is he able to step up into the opening-team alongside four superstars? Warren seems to be the Sun’s best option. Though, all questions considered, the Suns have now shifted the balance of power within the West and across the league, and have gained +220 odds to win the WCF, just in front of the previously obvious favourites, Nuggets, who are at +280. 

The West now looks familiarly dominant, and the WCF may yet again attract more attention than the finals themselves. What would the ideal matchup be? What would look the best on a poster at Coachella? Durant and Book vs Luka and Kyrie? Durant vs Curry? Suns and Nuggets? Durant and Book vs Bron and AD? Curry vs Bron? Bron vs Kyrie? The chaos within the Western conference within the coming weeks will be unprecedented. The Mavs, who are 4th (whilst I’m writing this article), are likely to move up, the Suns, currently at 5th are more than likely to move up, the Lakers, currently at 13th, are likely to move up, the Warriors (7th), who are looking to start to build its playoff momentum, will move up. The Nuggets will stay strong at the top, the Grizzlies (2nd) seem unmoving too. The Wolves (9th) might look for a pre-playoff run with their new assets. The Pelicans (8th) might start to redeem their fall from 1st in the West at the beginning of the season. 

What is sure for now is that the West will see a strange and chaotic few months, and this year’s NBA season seems readily even.

Champ Champs

When Great Fighters Run Out of Competition

J. A. McCreery

Winning an MMA fight is one thing, winning a belt is another, but winning two? – that’s a whole different beast entirely. 

MMA is fast becoming one of the most heavily promoted and proliferated combat sports on the planet, its combination of martial arts leaves little off the table. As such win streaks are hard to come by, one lapse, one slip and a career can end.

To even get into the UFC is a feat in and of itself. One must collate an impressive amateur record, a considerable social following and place a sizable investment into their career – with nothing certain – and only the meager winnings of the regional circuits to support them. Once you’re in, for the male divisions, there are 465 determined, talented and dangerous men trying to stop you. 

Yet throughout the UFC’s history 7 people have accomplished the behemoth task of clearing out a division, dominating it so utterly they branch out in search of competition, eventually winning a belt in multiple divisions; 4 of those achieving the pinnacle of dominance becoming simultaneous champions.  

Who are they, and what are their stories?

The Natural – Randy Couture:

A pioneer of the sport and one of the first greats, UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, secured the belt in both the light heavyweight (LHW) and heavyweight (HW) divisions. Couture first became champion in Japan, after a decision victory in the HW division over Maurice Smith in December of 1997. His second belt met him on September 26, 2003 where a legacy was formed through a light heavyweight victory over Tito Ortiz at UFC 44. 

Winning a belt in the LHW and HW divisions is of particular note, as to be a LHW one must weigh below 93 kg but at hw one can weigh up to 120kg. This is the largest top end disparity between weight classes and, as it is customary for fighters to compete at as close to the limit as possible, the divisions are extremely different and Couture would have had to alter his game drastically whilst performing a considerable weight cut. 

The Prodigy – BJ Penn:

A relatively quiet character, Penn claimed the welterweight title in 2004 after an upset submission victory (RNC) of Matt Hughes. A move down to lightweight then saw Penn beat Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 and a claim to his second belt. 

The Notorious – Conor McGregor:

Perhaps the most infamous on the list, McGregor marked his place in the UFC through more than just his perpetual trash talk. His Reign over the featherweight division followed a shocking, but in character, 13 second knockout over Jose Aldo on December 12, 2015. Aldo was no plumber, undefeated and running on a 18 match win streak in perhaps the most competitive weight class of them all. 

Within the year, Connor defeated Eddie Alvarez to become the lightweight champ and reign supreme as the first ever UFC fighter to hold titles in multiple divisions, dubbing himself the first ‘Champ, Champ’. 

RUSH – George St-Pierre:

GSP is widely regarded as one of the most well rounded fighters to ever walk the earth, claiming the welterweight crown in November 2006 via knockout. He defended his title nine consecutive times over half a decade, before vacating the title and leaving the sport in a semi-retirement. 

In lieu of his absence many expected GSP to not be competitive upon his return, however great, yet through a win over Michael Bisping in 2017 he took the middleweight championship, again vacating upon retirement in 2019. 

DC – Daniel Cormier:

The second ‘Champ, Champ’ on this list, the incredible wrestling of Cormier allowed him to submit Anthony Johnson and claim the vacant LHW championship. Soon thereafter, Cormier defeated Stipe Miocic (perhaps the HW GOAT) to gain his second simultaneous title, becoming the first African American to do so in the process. 

The Lioness – Amanda Nunes:

The first and only women’s double champ, and a ‘Champ, Champ’ at that, Nunes’ submitted Miesha Tate at UFC 200 to become the bantamweight champion. An essentially undisputed title that she defended five times since. Continuing in dominant fashion, Nunes won out over Cris Cyborg via first-round knockout at UFC 232 to gain the featherweight belt. 

The Messenger – Henry Cejudo 

A mountain of awards lie at this man’s feet: flyweight champion, bantamweight champion and olympic gold medalist. Undisputed, unchallenged and experiencing a career many cannot even dream of achieving. 

Structural “Un”integrity

W. H. R. Johnston

Powerful earthquakes across Turkiye and Syria have been responsible for at least 29,000 deaths, with UN coordinators estimating the figure could so much as double, prompting Turkish authorities to detain or issue arrest warrants to over 130 people allegedly involved in the construction of buildings that collapsed and crushed their occupants. While Turkey has construction codes which uphold earthquake-engineering standards, they are far too rarely followed, leaving their shortcomings on display to the world as buildings slumped onto their sides and folded in on themselves, as the corner cutting of construction companies left thousands buried in rubble.

While the earthquakes were certainly substantial, reaching a magnitude of 7.8 and 7.5, this level of magnitude is reached around the world quite regularly, with magnitude 8 earthquakes occurring approximately once a year. Additionally, Turkey is no stranger to earthquakes, being involved in 6 with magnitude 5.8 or higher in the past 3 years, therefore a severe lack of adequate infrastructure is certainly a problem that Turkey could not make any excuses for. If the minimum building codes were met, then it is likely that there would be a fraction of the deaths as the spontaneous collapse of fragile buildings has been the main cause of mortality and people have been crushed by their own ceilings in a matter of seconds.

While there has been clear outrage at some responsible construction companies, a mere 130 people identified clearly cannot be solely responsible for the sometimes blatant disregard of basic safety building codes on thousands of multi-story buildings. However, this incident has caused huge outrage even on parliamentary level, with the justice minister vowing to punish anyone responsible. And with the planned establishment of “Earthquake Crimes Investigation” bureaus, it does seem as though alleged perpetrators will be brought to justice. 

A large amount of frustration and irritation has also been directed towards authorities due to what has been perceived as initially an ineffective effort. It took some rescue teams days to accumulate and then reach villages, and getting through the villages themselves without access to critical roads due to immense amounts of rubble made their starts particularly slow. However, since then, such teams have worked around the clock to search and rescue as best they can in the little time they have, continuing to perform incredible rescues even 5 days after the event. Additionally, international support exceeding that of the UN has come from a multitude of countries to assist the recovery process, with forces around the world unanimously mobilizing aid.

The true aftermath of the situation will surely cause intrigue, particularly surrounding action against the corrupt Turkish construction industry, which has facilitated one of the largest natural disasters in the 21st century. Furthermore, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is in a very uncomfortable position with economic downturn and widespread national distress preceding the months before the next national election, which could well cause large political upheaval – for now, we can only wait and see how it all unfolds.

The Mindless Dissonance of Modernity

Part 1 – The Joker

M. D. Kwak

A spectre is haunting the world. It is the spectre of false hopes and empty promises that mark the death of the Human Dream.

The world of Todd Phillip’s Joker (2019) is one at its pinnacle of decay and decadence. It is jarring to comprehend the dissonance between the promises of politicians on TV, and the utter abandonment faced by the disenfranchised who cower under an uncaring state. It is uncomfortable to withstand the scornful derision and callous abuse of strangers, family and facetious idols. 

And when you break free from the veil of insignificance, when you violently shatter the city’s illusion of glamour and fulfilment, you are nothing but a mental disorder. Your rebellion is mere narcissistic delusion. Your struggle is a grandiose coping mechanism. Yet Phillips moves beyond Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness; he identifies the violence and callousness of the city that birthed the Joker in the first place. The film is introspective as much as it is didactic. It questions assumptions and demands scrutiny… Is Arthur Fleck just another insane villain or is he an offspring of the city’s nihilistic and violent monstrosity?

Philip’s characterisation of mental illness explores the root causes of today’s mental health epidemic. Mental health problems do not merely arise as a consequence of suffering and mistreatment. Rather, they are the product of a dissonance – a dissonance that’s caused by the jarring disconnect between the cold realities of our lived experiences and the projected world of glamorous promises and apparent expectations.

This is why Joker doesn’t portray Fleck’s suffering as being within a vacuum. Arthur is not merely politically disenfranchised – he is goaded and let down by the hollow promises of politicians. He is not just fatherless – he is deceived by his ‘mother’s’ lies before discovering he is utterly alone and orphaned. Poverty and decay not only surround him – he is perpetually reminded of the destitution of his existence by the glitz and glamour of the wealthy elite. 

The polar opposites of suffering – the notions of happiness and fulfilment – are tantalising dreams of what his life could and should be. The bite of suffering lies in its subversive nature. It is when expectations are crushed, when one’s reality falls tragically short of the fantasies and lies promised by society. Lies give hope. They shatter the ignorance of those sitting in Plato’s Cave, who know of nothing better and hence expect no more of their existence. Like an Aristotelian tragedy, lies elevate the ego into the realms of metaphysical greatness, making its inevitable downfall all the greater. Thus, lies are the progenitors of mental illness – for they peel back the veils of euphemism and deceit that shield us from the subtle horrors of the human condition.

In a way the human imagination will always fantasise and expect a better existence than their current one; the upshot of which is disappointment and suffering. But the lies that cause 280 million people to have depression globally are more potent and deliberate. They are exacerbated by shifts in our world like globalisation and technology. They come from cycles of cultural conflict and from the failures of old generational narratives to deliver on their promise of giving solace and meaning to the lived experiences of youth. 

The Chess Boom

How the Age-Old Game is Taking the World by Storm

B. N. Dent

As of December 2022, Chess.com reached the milestone of 100 million members on the site. Chess.com has experienced more new users in the past 18 months than in its previous 15 years of existence, and whilst the site’s servers may not be having a great time, the players are having a blast. For those unaware, Chess.com is by far and away the world’s most popular chess website where people can verse their friends or random people from all over the globe in a friendly or competitive manner across a variety of modes that will differ based on the length (time) of the game. When playing competitively, you will be queued with people based on your skill level determined via prior games, and depending on the outcome of the game, this rating will either rise or fall.

Now that the details are out of the way, let’s try to understand why this age-old game is currently receiving more new monthly players than ever before in the entirety of its existence. One would think that if a game, or any activity, has a certain intrinsic value that is not affected by constantly changing societal values, then as population increases, popularity of said activity will also increase. However, in today’s environment where the attention spans of younger generations are becoming increasingly shorter and the desire for instant gratification is growing, it is hard to make sense of the astronomical growth in popularity that the zero-sum game has experienced. It is purely counter-intuitive to think that the greyscale game of chess is not only able to survive, but thrive among the highly advanced, vibrant, and addicting video games available to us. So, is it an inevitability that chess’s popularity will continue to rise until the end of time, or was this surge simply temporary and caused by an accumulation of events leading to a perfect storm?

As we cannot look into the future, it is obviously difficult to foresee whether chess will continue to rise in popularity. If we merely base our assumption on the steady growth of the game since its inception in 6^th century India, then we can argue that the idea of this rising popularity being inevitability holds a degree of validity. But that’s not satisfying, so let’s consider this perfect storm idea. There are currently a variety of factors that are delivering chess with an excessive amount of attention in comparison to what it would normally receive. Namely, the fact that we are currently amidst the era of the chess GOAT – GM (Grand Master) Magnus Carlsen. Aside from the fact that he is a genius (IQ of 190) and has been the reigning world champion since 2013, he was also recently involved in a cheating scandal with American GM Hans Niemann. Following a game that the two played, Magnus posted a cryptic tweet that insinuated Niemann had been cheating during their game. Following this, Niemann filed a $100 million dollar lawsuit against Magnus for defamation, in turn causing large amounts of controversy within the chess community and the rest of the world due to the absurdity of the situation. Aside from this, in late 2020, Netflix released the extremely popular fictional TV series, “The Queen’s Gambit”, which follows the story of a female chess prodigy and her untraditional rise to glory. This series was viewed by 63 million households in just its first four weeks of release. 

Finally, and arguably the most prominent reason behind the chess boom, comes from a man who is currently incarcerated in Romania due to human trafficking allegations – Andrew Tate. In addition to being the most googled person in the world in 2022, Andrew Tate has amassed an extremely large following. One of the backbones of Tate’s persona is his connection to chess. His father was a very respected and prominent player, and he promoted the game, frequently making analogies between life and chess, sometimes whilst versing Piers Morgan during an interview. From this, we can easily deduce that his interest and connection to the game, combined with his unmatched following, has made an extremely large contribution to the chess boom.

In conclusion, whilst the recent growth in chess may only be temporary due to the accumulation of a number of factors, it is safe to say that the game will be known forever. The cultural significance, strategic depth, and the universal nature of the game is what has allowed, and will continue to allow, its longevity. As 20^th century artist Marcel Duchamp once said, “I have come to the personal conclusion that while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.”

Post-Quake Economics

A look inside the deeply concerning conditions of Turkiye’s economy after the earthquakes

J. C. Lai

Last Monday’s pair of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria were the region’s strongest in nearly a century and sent shockwaves across hundreds of miles. The pair of quakes has resulted in a humanitarian crisis affecting over 23 million citizens, and, as of writing, taken the lives of 29,000 people. However, a look on the other side of the coin reveals the compounded implications resulting from the earthquakes, which has trickled through into the financial markets and macroeconomics within Turkey, which will impact the lives of millions more if not dealt with. 

Initial damages to infrastructure and landscape are estimated to see economic losses of $1 billion and could translate to as much as 6% of Turkey’s GDP according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Though, these impacts can be seen as a good thing for the economy, as the excessive spending from the quakes leads to higher government spending and investment, resulting in higher economic growth for the country. 

This economic growth, however, will likely be counteracted by the fall in productivity as a result of the quakes. According to the WSJ, the impacted regions contribute to 8.5% of exports and 29% of overall production within the country. The damage to infrastructure and capital within these regions will heavily constrain the region’s ability to produce these goods and services, resulting in a fall of exports and an increase of imports. According to the Aggregate Demand Formula, a decrease in net exports will see a fall in economic growth, hence neutralizing the initial economic growth over the long-term. 

The fall in productivity will inevitably see higher inflation due to a decrease in supply. This, compounded with the already present cost of living crisis, with the inflation rate at 57.68% in January, will significantly reduce the purchasing power and savings of consumers. This will especially impact the citizens within the affected area, who have already lost their homes and physical assets. Government aid must therefore be introduced to prevent a sharp rise in poverty rates within these areas.

Unemployment will likely be stable as for now, with the loss of jobs within the impacted areas counteracted with the creation of public-servant jobs as part of rescue missions and medical-aid, as well as construction jobs to repair and rebuild damaged infrastructure and landscapes.

Istanbul’s stock exchange has seen a 15% sell-off between Monday and Wednesday, with the benchmark Borsa Istanbul 100 Index erasing $35 billion in value. This has resulted in the Turkish Bourse deciding to suspend trading until at least February 15th and cancelling all trades executed on Wednesday “to protect investors”. This marks the first time in 24 years that the exchange has stopped trading, revealing the deeply troubling conditions of the financial market which was projected to be headed to its worst weekly performance since the GFC.

https://bit.ly/turkeystockmarket

Local buyers and equity investors have been significantly affected through this share sell-off, as the stock market has been a key hedge used against inflation, with price growth exceeding an annual 85% in October 2022, combating Turkey’s high inflationary environment.

The economic impacts resulting from the Turkish Earthquakes will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, affecting millions more on a national level. Heavy tightening of monetary policy is required to battle the nation’s high inflation, and a range of fiscal measures will be needed to reduce the impact of the affected population and to ensure economic stability, with further government intervention likely introduced within the Turkish financial market to safeguard local investors.

Rowling’s Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy and the Culture War

P. P. Zhang

You wouldn’t think an action role-playing game about magic and LGTBQ rights have anything in common but Hogwarts Legacy has done just that. The game is a fresh new chapter of old lore, taking a dive into the Harry Potter Universe. Hogwarts Legacy was released just a week ago on the 10th of February, and three days earlier for early access. It’s available on a variety of platforms, ranging from $60 to $100. Despite the mediocre gameplay, the game has received widespread acclaim, predicted to be the biggest-selling premium release this year. Part of this can be attributed to the frenzy around the Wizarding World, but there is a slightly more sinister reason for its notoriety in the gaming sphere. 

It all goes back to the controversies surrounding J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, who has become infamous for her views surrounding transgender people. Previously, Rowling was, in fact, a vocal gay rights supporter, before speaking up against the erasure of the concept of sex, which led to her cancellation by many critics. Now, we’re not here today to talk about whether the author was being transphobic, rather whether the subsequent boycotts on Hogwarts Legacy are justified. Many boycotters have shamed streamers and other gamers for promoting and playing the game, in an effort to potentially cripple sales. This attempt backfired, instead propelling the game’s popularity and sales upwards, as is the effect of most controversial topics. Within the game, it’s clear that the developers have made a conscious attempt to try to be inclusive: the character customisation is ethnically extensive and there is further ethnic and gay and transgender representation in NPCs (Non-Player Characters). What’s more, Rowling herself did not actually have any input whatsoever into Hogwarts Legacy, and the characters in the game are completely independent of those in her series. All this begs the question of whether content should be separated from the creator, and further, whether products reflect the morality of the consumer.

Hogwarts Legacy is the newest controversy in an increasingly widespread culture war. A year ago, Mars Wrigley Confectionery announced their redesign of the iconic M&Ms characters, in an attempt to be more inclusive and diverse. In January this year, the “spokescandies” were scrapped altogether, as a result of being too polarising, and instead replaced with a neutral spokesperson. In the same month, Scooby-Doo remake Velma received a shockingly low IMDb rating of 1.3/10. Its redesign of the much loved franchise seemingly tries to please all sides of the political and social spectrum, but instead appeals to none. Are these examples all instances of wokeness gone too far? Writing this article was reminiscent of a similar one I wrote last year, also on the topic of wokeness. Once again, it seems time that we ask the question: Has the line between wokeness and brain rot been crossed?

The Microchip War

 The proxy war between the US and China

A.T.B. Gilchrist

Since last October, a new proxy has emerged between the US and China, due to the Biden Administration’s introduction of sweeping legislation on “export control rules designed to restrict China’s ability both to obtain advanced computing chips and to manufacture them”, as well as restrictions on U.S. citizens and residents working for chip plants in China. Paired with previous restrictions, this has facilitated a “Chip Choke” in China as the US attempts to cripple China’s electronic chip manufacturing industry. 

Telecom specialists such as Huawei and ZTE, and China’s leading chip manufacturers, SMIC and YMTC, have been particularly affected. Last week US diplomats stepped up their efforts, reportedly concluding a deal with Japan and the Netherlands that imposes new restrictions on exports of chipmaking tools to China. Many analysts have described these US policies together as a “declaration of economic war” on China.

In addition, there has been major advances to revitalizing America’s own chip manufacturing industry evident in the CHIPS Act Congress passed to devote $52 billion in subsidies to “revitalize the domestic semiconductor industry and spur innovation,” as well as Taiwan’s leading chip manufacturer TSMC agreeing to build a major new plant in Arizona.

But why are microchips and their production so important? Well, nowadays the chips (or semiconductors) are used in everyday technology, from our fridges and toasters, to our smartphones and computers. Commercially, this makes them highly sought after, with global sales in 2022 at $573 billion, and, as a result, they have been referred to as the “new oil”. However they’re not just important for public markets, they are also crucial for military and intelligence systems, a significant factor for both nations.

Microchips were invented in the US in the 1950s, after which their use rapidly expanded worldwide. In the first half-decade of chip commercialization, around 95 percent of Fairchild’s chips were bought by NASA or the US military. While the civilian market would soon dwarf the public sector as a buyer of chips, US semiconductor capital and the US state have remained closely connected, though this did not obstruct the decision of its emerging semiconductor firms to offshore production. Texas Instruments, one of the pioneers of semiconductors alongside Fairchild, established a plant in Taiwan in 1969. And so while The United States may have lost their war in Vietnam, offshoring electronics production ensured that American capitalism won.

However, this American hegemony was not to last long, as Taiwan would eventually absorb these companies and soon dominate the market, resulting in its manufacturing of 65% of the world’s semiconductors and almost 90% of advanced chips. In recent years, however, as China overtly displays its intention in following through with it’s One China policy, the Taiwanese market has been threatened, and since the US is immensely dependent on their microchips from Taiwan, it has resulted in this current face off between China and the US, as both nations seek to solidify their own supply chains.

While China has launched a complaint at the World Trade Organisation, a resolution could take years, and the US has invoked rules that allow nations to restrict trade to protect national security interests. Thus, US pressure is having an effect: Apple has reportedly shelved plans to buy memory chips from China’s YMTC because of it; Huawei’s sales collapsed by 30% in 2021. For now, China makes only about 15% of the world’s chip supply, though it plays a big role in producing older, less advanced “lagging edge” chips.

For the next five years at least, the US and the other members of what it calls the “Chip 4 alliance” (Taiwan, South Korea and Japan) are likely to dominate the production of leading edge chips. Their relative success is likely to have a powerful influence on the structure of the global economy and the balance of geopolitical power.

What is Masculinity?

E.O. Milne

For generations the word masculinity has meant how strong a man is, it has been thought to mean how hard someone can throw a punch or how intimidating a male can be to another. 

Many males have even thought for years that it is a prerequisite to attractiveness for them to be strong, and that if they can injure another opponent, it would make them well liked by all. But for years, we have been using the word masculinity wrong.

The definition of the word is:

‘The attributes of a man that are regarded as his characteristics’

This definition has nothing to do with someone’s physique – someone’s physical appearance is an attribute to them – but it is not what should solely be represented by the word. Older generations have made this stereotypical image of the word and have engraved it into our brains almost telling us that this is what a man should be. 

However, I wish to suggest masculinity is much more than how strong a man appears. True masculinity is that it is not about what you look like on the outside but what you are on the inside. A good man is not someone who can lift a large amount of weight but someone that is surrounded by people who want to be around him not only for his appearance; whether that be funny, or charismatic, or caring to all. It is the emotional attributes that shape a good man and that is not how it is being told. 

Gen Z needs to change what the word ‘masculinity’ represents. We need to get rid of its intimidating feel every time it is said. Because it is not meant to be intimidating and we do not want to frighten people.

Men should be humble, sweet, and also free to do what makes them happy without being judged by their ‘masculinity’. If that means a man wants to wear makeup, a dress, or do ballet, then that is okay, because if he feels that is what brings him the joy to be a better person in this world then there is nothing wrong with that.

In 30 years when someone says ‘that man is very masculine’ it should not be only about the way that he goes to the gym three times a week but also that he is respected in his workplace and that he treats his partner well. That is what a true man is.

That is what masculinity actually means.

New Beginnings

An insight into round 1 of the NRL pre-season

F. A. Loxton

WITH SOME HUGE SIGNINGS AT THE CLOSE OF THE 2022 SEASON, this year’s NRL calendar was set to be season to remember, and with round one of pre-season commencing last weekend, there were certainly some highlights to look forward to.

The round started with the Warriors claiming a strong win over the Tigers. Marcelo Montoya reaped havoc on the tigers backline scoring a hat-trick as the Tigers looked in awfully similar form to their disappointing 2022 season. Although the margin was thirty six points, Api Koroisau is yet to make his debut for the black and orange, and will provide valuable defense and speed to their spine.

In a grand final rematch, the Panthers edged out the Eels for a third time in a row, including the big dance, with mostly development players starting for both teams.

Finally, the Roosters new inclusion; Brandon Smith, proved pivotal in their win against his old club, with Victor Radley and Jaxson Paulo among other try scorers.

The Dolphins will also look to stamp their name into the records under Wayne Bennett’s eye, as they enter the competition as a seventeenth team this year. Ultimately, this year’s season looks to be highly promising and competitive, with narrow wins also claimed by the Sharks, Sea Eagles and Cowboys.

4ths Toadies Game Recap

One of the Great Wins

J. A. T. Collier

As the prestigious cricket team of the school (The Toadies boys) wanted to bounce back from a loss in the previous week, they came out ready to defend their school, their pride and the bridge in a massive match up against Grammar. As the skipper, Jack Mcrae, won the toss for the boys and chose to bat, the standards of Shore cricket and the whole school was resting on their shoulders to try and post a big score. And boy, with their backs to the wall, did they produce a masterclass in batting. 

Sam Widdis opened the batting with a brilliant four on the first ball. Then a minor batting collapse occurred until Sam Andrew and Sam Lewarne Dale took to the crease. These two boys kept calm, and remained collected, and posted some amazing scores, with Sam Andrew scoring a beautiful 70 runs not out as well as Sam Lewarne Dale scoring a 50 not out before the pair were forced to retire. As they were clapped off of the field, the rest of the order posted lovely scores which brought the boys total to 207 runs. Special mention to Tom Santow for leaving the last ball of the innings in his usual fashion. 

With Grammar having a steep chase ahead of them, the boys of the fourths knuckled down and went into the bowl. Harry Steil was a standout performer in the field as he took a stunning catch to secure a keep wicket. Cal Foster broke his wicket drought with some stunning “left arm over pace” and many boys contributed to the wicket taking. Due to this performance, Grammar broke down and failed to complete the chase with them being bowled out for a total of 158 runs, almost 50 shy of the Toadies score.

As the match wrapped up, Sam Andrew can be accredited with the Man of the Match award, with 70 runs and a wicket to his name, boosting his resume for a bright career ahead. However, it was a team effort and, without the crowd, the boys may not have gotten over the line. The Toadies now focus on a tough week of training for their next matchup. The boys should all be applauded for their performance this week. Well done lads, GO SHORE!