Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars 

Dear Students, Parents and Carers 

Recent history, at least in the Western World, has featured many polarisations. The statement which serves as the topic of this newsletter is one example. Another is the oft repeated mantra, at least in the past, ‘It’s a man’s world’. Historically, that has been largely true, through most recorded history. Ancient societies were patriarchal. Even through to the middle of last century, a woman’s place was said to be in the home. In my own profession, teaching, once married, a woman would be required to resign.  While that is no longer the case, and there is gender parity in salary in schools, women in the commercial world are often paid less than men for equivalent work. 

Last week at Shore we recognised and celebrated International Women’s Day. The mere fact that such a day has been codified indicates there is a way to go to achieving equitable outcomes for women. My experience tells me that boys, for full development, need the experience of being taught over time by men and women. For this reason, our teaching staff features a good balance of both. This has been the policy at Shore for some time.  

In some families where boys have no sisters, they have little referent in terms of female peers. This may be interpreted as requiring some other socialisation, given the need for boys to treat girls and women with respect. Apart from the merit of such in itself and of ethical considerations, young men will often enter mixed gender residential colleges and mixed gender university campuses and, subsequently, mixed gender workplaces. Many will need to submit to the authority of a female CEO in their workplace or industry. 

There are of course other considerations. We don’t believe it is healthy to experience the company of girls in, or mostly in, the heady situation of Saturday night parties where, unfortunately, some hosts may break the law by serving alcohol to minors. In any case, some boys’ apprehension in Australian society of girls is mostly as romantic appendages, where objectification rather than relationship can easily occur. For this reason, while preserving single sex education from Year 3 to Year 12, Shore seeks helpful socialisation opportunities for our boys in relating to a range of girls schools which we believe are appropriate partners.  

Accordingly, we undertake a range of activities, mostly in the co-curricular domain, with Abbotsleigh, PLC Pymble, Queenwood, Roseville College, SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Wenona, all leading girls’ schools.  Many of these connections are being further developed.  

In order to focus on International Women’s Day and to expose our students to a female leader in authority, we invited the Principal of Roseville College, Ms Magill, to give the keynote presentation on Assembly. Ms Magill challenged our boys to make a difference in the world in terms of being people of truth and justice, who oppose gender inequality and are hopeful and compassionate young men. These are of course messages we would want to thoroughly endorse. 

It is not often recognised sufficiently that in western civilisation a great fillip was given to women’s status and freedom by Jesus. He took women seriously, showed compassion for them and freed them from the shackles of rigid opinion. The Apostle Paul continued this development and famously wrote ‘there is neither Jew nor gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28).  Paul, in context, was not dissolving genders.  He was speaking of equality and inclusion before God of both genders.  He was not “woke” (2,000 years too early for that!). 

Boys and girls are different, beyond physical differences.  Teenage boys go through periods of testosterone surges as they grow and develop.  Adults need to help regulate and direct that well. 

Women are from Venus, men are from Mars? A stereotype, one might say.  With a son who is an astrophysicist, I have a great interest in Space.  Should we indeed ever colonise Venus or Mars, I suspect we will need both genders on each!  

Given the theme of this newsletter, it may be an opportunity to convey that men and women are welcome to contribute to the staffing of our Sports canteens, at North Sydney and Northbridge. 

A further request is that senior school parents please not use the Prep School drop-off points in Edward and Lord Streets to deliver their boys to school in the morning, unless, of course, they have brother in Prep who is being dropped off at the same time.  We are keen to ease the traffic density in this area.  

Dr J Collier 
Headmaster

Upcoming Key Events

• NYU Information Session for Year 10-12 Students and Parents – Thursday 23 March 5.15pm-6.30pm

Shore Parents’ Tennis Day

The Shore Parents’ Tennis Day held at the Tennis Pavilion at the War Memorial Playing Fields, Northbridge, on Friday 10 March 2023, was a huge success, the event was a sellout with 90 tennis players enjoying a sun-drenched Autumn day. 

The event objective was to engage the extended Shore Community by providing an inclusive, fun, well run, social tennis day that encourages parents to meet and interact within their year group and across the wider school community while increasing the awareness of Tennis as a sport for life.

Players were able to enjoy Round Robin games and Tennis Active/Cardio with coaches to keep everyone moving.

Coffee and other hot drinks were supplied by 3 Wise Beans Coffee Cart and the catering was supplied by Barbettes Feast. There was a delicious spread of refreshments providing a lovely morning tea that included fresh fruit, scones with jam and cream and a variety of ribbon sandwiches. 

The gourmet item donations by the players made up eight sensational Raffle Prize Hampers, so there were some very lucky individuals who went home happy to have won them.

A huge thanks to SPA and the Shore Event co-ordinators for all the help in making the day a success.

Christine Bowen
SPA Chair

This Week We Thank the Uniform Shop

Whether it’s for the very first time or a refresh because your child just keeps on growing, you can rely on the extremely helpful Uniform Shop team to help you buy uniforms, sporting needs and Shore crested goods. The shop also forms part of the fundraising section of the School and makes a significant contribution to the funds of the Shore Parents’ Association from the sale of crested goods. Thank you, Mrs Peta Creighton, Mrs Jenny Clinton and Mrs Cherieve Payne for always helping make sure our students look their ‘Shore Best’!  

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

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 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 while 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!

Follow the form links below to sign-up:

Cricket and Tennis Saturday

Basketball and Water Polo Saturday

Please refrain from eating and 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 Co-ordinator Mrs Gaby Hunter, directly at spacanteen@shore.nsw.edu.au or on 0414909545

Ms G Hunter
Northbridge and RAI Grant Canteen Co-ordinator

Boots for Kokoda Kids

Please donate your old Rugby and football boots to the Kids of PNG.

Place your boots in the boxes labelled in various locations around the Senior School campus.

CRU Update

Do you ever wonder why we have to do Christian Studies every year?

Last Friday at CRU, we were looking at the conversion of Saul. Nathanael Robertson was leading, and following the reading of Acts 9:1-4, Phillip Greenwood spoke on the passage. He began with a game of trying to imitate Transformer poses, which was won by Jesse Cochrane from Year 12. Phillip then linked this to the transformation of Saul, as he became Paul, on the road to Damascus. He contrasted the character of Saul, who was killing and persecuting many Christians, with the character of Paul – the same man with a transformed attitude and life towards Christ. Paul went on to risk his life for Jesus, sharing the gospel and even writing many of the letters in the New Testament. 

Phillip then linked this to how, in the same way, God’s living Word has the power to transform us, which is one reason why God’s Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ is taught in Christian Studies. Another reason is that the spread of Christianity has made massive impacts upon the entire world and particularly western countries. We would do well to understand this more fully and the impact it still has on our culture. Similar to Paul, after a Christian has been transformed, they will often want to share the amazing news of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins providing eternal life for those who believe. Next week we will continue diving into God’s Word as we push on through Acts.

Daniel Becker
10 TY 4

Chapel Notices

Holiday Workshops

Holiday Workshops will be offered from Thursday 6 April to Year 12 boys during the upcoming holiday period. These have proven successful in providing boys with a structure that complements their individual study programmes.

Each three-hour Holiday Workshop session covers important HSC topics in that subject. A mix of strategies will be used in order to maximise learning, including revision lectures, structured tutorials and discussions. Workshops will generally be limited to a minimum of seven and a maximum of 20 boys. A fee of $70.00 (GST included) will be charged per three-hour workshop, which is excellent value compared to externally run HSC lecture courses. Boys are strongly encouraged to make good use of the workshops and are expected to stay for the entirety of each workshop.

A selection form will be handed to each boy in Year 12 and is to be returned to Ms Ducrou, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Headmaster Academic. Boys can choose to attend as many sessions as they like.

Every attempt will be made to accommodate all boys, but it may be necessary to restrict the number of boys in a particular workshop, depending upon demand. This will be done on a first come, first served basis.

A list of all available workshops will be available through Lampada, from Friday 18 March. Please note, charges will be made to the next fees statement on a no-refund basis.

Boys will not be required to wear School uniform and are not encouraged to drive to School for the workshops. However, if they do drive, they are not permitted to park on School property under any circumstances.

We do hope that each boy will participate in the workshops, which, according to boys in the Classes of 1999 – 2022, contributed well to their success during the HSC examinations.

Mr I M Middleton
Assistant Director of Studies

Term 1 Progress Meetings

Notice to Year 12 Parents

Year 12 Progress Meetings: Monday 20 March 4.00pm to 7.00pm via Zoom

• Further information will be emailed to parents of Year 12 students with meeting details
• All Year 12 boys are expected to be in attendance
• No Co-Curricular activities will take place for students who have Progress Meetings

For further enquiries, please contact Academic Data Manager, Ms Jenni McKinley, at jmckinley@shore.nsw.edu.au.

Ms J McKinley
Academic Data Manager

Pastoral Care update and International Women’s Day

At Shore, we strive to create a community where everyone is respected, valued, and has equal opportunities to belong and contribute meaningfully. We believe that every individual matters, and that respectful relationships are key to fostering a supportive environment and a positive school community that recognises the value of every individual. Our boys are told that they matter, each one of them, simply for being them. We build further on this idea to explain that for the same reasons that they matter, so does everyone in our community. International Women’s Day is a terrific opportunity to engage the boys on the importance of respecting women, acknowledging the existing inequalities in our community, and taking action to make a positive change. I want our boys to recognise that they should be young people of character who are caring, courageous and principled, willing to do good and speak up for what is right.

The recent address in our full School Assembly last week from Ms Deb Magill, the Principal of Roseville College, spoke about the significance of International Women’s Day. During her speech, Ms Magill acknowledged the progress that has been made towards achieving gender equality but emphasised that much work still needs to be done. She also highlighted the focus for 2023 is on digital equity, and how the disparity in women’s access to technology has implications for education. Ms Magill challenged the boys to make a difference in the world by choosing to work for an employer that champions gender equity and pay.

At the local level, Ms Magill stressed the importance of understanding how negative gender phrases and sayings can be hurtful and make girls feel ashamed. She emphasised that bridging the gender gap is a shared responsibility. Our Head Boy, Lachlan Hunt, followed on from Ms Magill’s presentation by speaking at length about International Women’s Day. He encouraged the boys to engage with the messages presented and emphasised that it is not just about thanking the women in their lives but recognising and taking action to eliminate the limitations and boundaries that women still face.  

Our approach to Character Education through the House system and Building Good Men program provides opportunities for more detailed and rigorous conversations about these issues, and it is essential for the boys to continue engaging and learning about this topic. Gender inequality is real, and there is still work to be done. We must act and bridge the gap at different levels, be it international, national, or local. It is crucial for us to challenge outdated ways of thinking about gender equality and for the boys to treat all the women in their lives with respect. Our service and leadership initiatives are currently working to build on our existing programs and find more opportunities to engage in this important area.

As part of our ongoing external speaker program, Year 10 boys spent Thursday morning, March 15, in a seminar run by the external provider Goodfellas. The seminar focused on unpacking and dispelling some damaging and unhelpful myths or stereotypes about teenage boys based on masculinity, strength, vulnerability, behaviour, and respectful relationships. This bespoke program, called Walk the Talk, addresses harmful stereotypes, healthy and unhealthy relationships, consent, building awareness of domestic violence, and women’s homelessness. The goal of the program is to help educate teenagers in a meaningful way that moves beyond theory and token gestures and into purposeful, informed action, empowering them to be upstanding agents of change.

A key goal of our approach to pastoral care is for the boys to understand that they need to develop social and emotional skills that can aid them in building meaningful and nourishing relationships with others. The boys will now have some opportunities to debrief on this topic in Year meetings and tutor time to maintain and continue the common discourse established during the day and to develop their understanding of the ideas and terms around masculinity, strength, vulnerability, behaviour, and respectful relationships. It is my goal that all our boys recognise the value in each person and that our community is grounded in shared principles that allow them to do good for others.

Mr D Champion
Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care

From the Music Department

Band Camp 

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, the Concert Bands had their annual camp. The camp provided an opportunity for the ensembles to delve into pieces much more significantly and provided feedback to the students to enhance their performance. The students were fortunate to have expert tutors who workshopped pieces in addition to a guest conductor Mr Matt Klohs. Mr Klohs is an internationally acclaimed conductor, composer and, more recently, print music publisher. He has performed in Australia, the US, the UK, Spain and Hong Kong. He has worked with ensembles of all levels, from world-renowned Military Bands and University ensembles to school and community bands. Mr Klohs has also adjudicated at regional, state and national levels. The Bands were also privy to a performance from TaikOz, who performed a variety of repertoire and explained the different instrument names and playing techniques. Congratulations to all the students for their hard work, determination and openness to the new repertoire. Thank you to Mr Dorich (Coordinator of Bands) for his organisation of the camp and to Ms Robertson (Director of Concert Band II), Mr Klohs, tutors and OldBoy mentors for all of their work in making the camp such a success.  

Wedding 

On Saturday 11 March, sixteen students from Chapel Choir led the congregational singing at the beautiful wedding service of Shore old boy Gordon Whitehead and Lauren Goodrich.  

Thank you to Alexander Beattie, Ollie Bucktin, Oliver Cardwell, Charlie Corbett-Jones, Cooper Denovan, Andrew Gilchrist, Joel Gilmour, Lachlan Jansen, Alan Li, Benji Loy, Nathanael Robertson, Hugo Stewart, Lachlan Walter, William Watson, Rory Wenden, Digby Wood and to Mr Wels (Director of Choirs) for enabling this opportunity. 

Musical Tickets 

Tickets are now on sale, bookings are via Trybooking.

House Music Awards 

Each year students who learn instruments can perform in front of an adjudicator for feedback and House Points. A selection of students then perform in the Smith Auditorium in Term 2 to their fellow peers during Tutor period. This year, students can sign up to perform in Weeks 9 and 10. Available times will be out shortly. Elective students perform during their class practical period. Keep a look out on the TV screens around the school. 

Upcoming Dates:

Mrs K Barber
Head of Music

2023 Musical – Singin’ in the Rain

Tickets now on sale!

On behalf of the cast, orchestra, crew and production team, it is my great pleasure to invite you and your family to the 2023 Shore Senior School Musical, Singin’ in the Rain. It is a wonderful show for the whole family and the original 1952 film won numerous awards. It offers a light-hearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to “talkies”. 

The Musicals at Shore are always a highlight to start the year, and this year will provide a unique experience for the community, being our first outdoor Musical. Under a setting twilight sun, each performance will truly be an event not to be missed! 

With over 60 in the cast, in addition to orchestra and crew, the students and staff have been working tirelessly this term and warmly invite you to attend one of seven performances from 23 March to 1 April. 

Tickets are selling fast and can be purchased via Trybooking.

I look forward to seeing you at one of the shows! 

Dr L Gilmour
Deputy Head Co-Curricular

School Athletics Carnival

Monday 27 March (Week 9) sees the Annual School Athletics carnival at Homebush.  This is one of the highlights of the school calendar and allows all boys in the school the opportunity to compete in any number of track and field events during the carnival. Participation and enjoyment are seen as paramount for the day.

The Championship races on the track for Years 7-10 are based on the Athletics Trial performances from earlier in Term I. For boys in Years 11 and 12, the Championship races are based on the previous year’s performances. However, for boys running in division races, their times are compared to the results in the Championship races, and therefore they can still receive Championship points for their performances. The track events on the day include the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, Hurdles and the House 6 x 100m Relay (with the 1500m races contested before the carnival) while the field events involve the High Jump, Long Jump and Shot Put.  The boys simply need to turn up to the marshalling area on the carnival day to compete in their chosen events. We look forward to an exciting and enjoyable carnival day next week.

There are a number of events that will be contested prior to the School Carnival. These include the Tug-o-War preliminary rounds, the 1500m races and the Open 3000m race.

The details of these specific events are as follows:

• The Senior Tug-o-War (Years 10 to 12) preliminaries will be held on Monday 20 March at 12.40pm on the School Oval.
• The Junior Tug-o-War (Years 7 to 9) preliminaries will be held on Tuesday 21 March at 12.40pm on the School Oval.
• The 1500m races will be held on Tuesday 21 March at 7.00am on the School Oval.
• The Open 3000m race will be held on Thursday 23 March at 7.00am on the School Oval.

Reverend A Benn
MIC Athletics

Rowing Report

GPS 3 and SGHS Regatta

Last weekend, our junior fleet went into battle in Canada Bay to compete in the GPS Junior regatta No. 3. It was a great day for our junior shed, recording many great performances. Our Year 8 quads had a very impressive day recording five wins and a third place. That performance sets them up for a great final weekend of racing in GPS junior No.4. 

Some highlights of the day included the very strong performance by our Year 8 6^th quad of Oli Gee, Will Atkinson, Finn Herald, Max Riddell and Harry Parry Okeden and our Year 8 5^th quad of Max Warnes, Scott Robson, Xavier Coker, Oli Koch and Dom Walker recording massive margins in their two races (combined it added up to over 34 seconds). Our Year 9 1^st quad continued their run of thrilling finishes, finishing over the top of the St Josephs combination by .79 of a second. 

The Year 9 quads continued the trend and recorded a very impressive four wins, a second and two third places from their seven starts. It has been really encouraging to see the continued form of these crews despite having regular shuffles due to injury/illness and other commitments especially the mighty 3^rd and 4^th Quad who have gone through the majority of the racing season undefeated. The 4^th quad lead by Alex Rogan have been able to dispatch their opposition whilst the Hamish Gilligan stroked 3^rd quad has done the same. Really great racing coming from these boys. 

Our Year 10 VIII’s didn’t compete on Saturday, instead used the time to prepare for the upcoming Head of the River.   

Our Senior crews travelled to Penrith to compete in the Sydney Girls High School regatta,  This regatta was not part of our normal regatta program but with the inclusion of schoolboy events it was a great opportunity to come down the Head of the River track. Our GPS IV’s got the day underway with some very strong racing occurring.  A highlight of the regatta was the very brave race from the 1^st IV that found themselves trailing the Riverview crew by just over 2 seconds. With some true grit, they were able to wind in the leading boat to claim a great confidence-boosting result. 

The 1^st and 2^nd VIII both competed next with the 2^nd VIII re-engaging their ongoing rivalry with the Riverview crew. The boys showed great composure to finish in 2^nd place, three seconds ahead of the St Josephs combination.  The 1^st VIII came down the track to finish the regatta, with a strong showing in the final, the crew had to settle for second just under a length back from St Josephs.  

Mr G Bates
MIC Rowing

Holtermann Columns

Opens Basketball Report

SHORE VS JOEYS (11 March)

Thomas Graetz

This week’s matchup was the last home game at the RAI Grant Center for many of the senior boys, including Brandon Salis, Thomas Graetz, Joslin Barnes, Sam Guild, James McCreery, Jimmy Dougherty and Stef Petrellis in the 1sts, and Luke Wendt and Josh Ashton in the 2nds.

The 2nds proved to be an incredible game, with both teams competing on every possession. Joeys were able to open up a double digit lead after half time, and were looking like a possible upset win over the third place Shore team. However, our boys showed great fighting spirit, and were able to claw back the lead and forced the game into overtime through some great shooting and strong plays inside from Luke Wendt and Josh Ashton.

Overtime again proved to be a see-saw affair, with both teams trading baskets and neither team able to pull away. Nick Riley always looked dangerous in offence, drawing the attention of the Joey’s defenders, and Nic Wendt hit a massive 3 pointer to tie up the match. The game came down to the final two possessions, both teams defending desperately, and the match remained tied forcing a double-overtime!

The second overtime was a great spectacle, with James Boyd, Nic Wendt, Ben Barry and Ben Murray stepping-up big time, hitting some massive baskets to the delight of the crowd. Overall, the Shore boys’ defensive intensity, team play and strong work ethic enabled Shore to pull away, coming out winners 87-78. Luke Wendt led all scorers with 23 points in a memorable last home game for our boys.

The 1sts were coming off a massive overtime GPS-classic game against Riverview last week (see report below) and keen to earn a win in the last-ever home game for many of the team. The boys enjoyed a run through the tunnel to start the match, as well as great support from the crowd, making for some great memories for the team.

Shore started strongly, playing tough defence, restricting Joey’s offence and forcing turnovers. Shore was able to break down Joey’s defence and score in the paint, opening up a commanding 23 point lead by half time.

The whole team competed strongly from the opening tip-off, enabling Shore to run out eventual winners 78-54. James McCreery and Sam Guild rebounded strongly, limiting Joey’s opportunity for second chance points and earning easy points for Shore. Julian Reynolds showed great court awareness in notching up 9 rebounds, and Jimmy Dougherty, Stef Petrellis, and Oscar D’Almeida brought great energy off the bench. Joslin Barnes continued his scoring streak with 18 points, with Brandon Salis (13 points and 4 assists), Sam Guild (12 points and 9 rebounds) and Thomas Graetz (11 points and 3 steals) all finishing in double digits in what was a strong performance from the entire team.

SHORE VS RIVERVIEW (4 March)

Last week, the boys faced a challenging matchup at Riverview’s renowned homecourt, notorious for its packed stands and boisterous support from students and the crowd. The Riverview crowd was well matched by our own Shore cheer squad, which made for an outstanding atmosphere and brought out the best in both teams. The 1sts were playing with just 8 players due to injuries to Oscar D’Almeida (Year 10) and Tom Latimer (Year 11). Our boys brought big time game energy, attacking efficiently and scoring quick points in transition, contributing to a competitive run that stunned the defence and fuelled an incredible first half of basketball. As the game progressed, Riverview’s formidable shooting abilities

enabled them to claw back Shore’s lead, resulting in a nail-biter that demanded the utmost concentration from our boys throughout. The game came down to the final possession, with Shore leading by 3 points with just seconds remaining.

Riverview called time out, aiming to draw up an inbounds play for a 3-pointer to tie the game. Shore defended well, disrupting the play and forcing a tough shot that missed. The long rebound resulted in a desperate scramble for the ball, which fell into the hands of Riverview, enabling a desperate last second 3-point shot that found the bottom of the net and tied the game, forcing overtime. Despite their best efforts, the Shore boys were unable to maintain their momentum, ultimately going down 87-91.

Our team played their hearts out until the last whistle, and everyone can be proud of their efforts. James McCreery (Year 12) and Sam Guild (Year 12) rebounded strongly and were a force in the paint. Julian Reynolds (Year 11) and Jimmy Dougherty (Year 12) provided their usual outside shooting threat, and Stef Petrellis (Year 12) added a spark and quick points off the bench. Joslin Barnes (Year 12) led all scorers with 22 points with Brandon Salis and Thomas Graetz (Year 12) followed closely with 17 points each. The game will be remembered as a GPS classic with high standard play offensively and defensively and an electrifying atmosphere. Overall, the energy and pressure applied by both teams would not have been possible without the support of the countless boys on the sidelines, cheering and chanting until the very end, making it a memorable game to look back on for years to come.

The 2nds faced a similarly competitive matchup, putting pressure on Riverview’s forces and purposefully applying themselves on both ends of the court. Despite fighting until the end and maintaining a relatively short point difference throughout the game, the boys eventually weren’t able to establish a lead in the 2nd half, falling short to a 52-75 deficit. Josh Ashton (Year 12) and James Boyd (Year 11) applied great intensity on court, with Ben Barry (Year 11) leading all scorers with 12 points. It was a valiant effort from both teams, and they can be proud of the heart and determination they showed on the court.

Photos by George Davis (Year 12)

Behind the Scenes

Inside the SWR

P. P. Zhang

MUCH OF HOLTERMAN’S COLUMN AUDIENCE, IN PARTICULAR YOUNGER READERS, MAY BE CURIOUS AND UNAWARE OF THE PROCESS BEHIND PUBLICATIONS THAT HAPPENS EVERY WEEK. This article takes a look into the work that goes on behind-the-scenes to ensure consistent, quality journalism. The publication, available each week, is composed of two parts: the student journalism known as the Holtermann Columns, and articles and notices from the School. With regard to the former, it all starts with the creativity and genius of individual writers. The specific crafting of an article varies from person to person, as well as section to section.

Personally, during the week, I keep an eye out for interesting news stories or topics I’m passionate about, to get a broad idea of what I want to write about. In the Holtermann Columns, there are three main sections: Insights (international current affairs that traditional newspapers would cover), Sport (sport-specific news, usually centred around Australia), and Shore News (everything that happens concerning and within the school). Special section editors ensure that there exists at least one article per week in their respective sections. Apart from this, the Editor and Secretary, Justin Gao and James McCreery respectively, write weekly for the ‘Editorial’ and ‘Secretarial’ sections located at the beginning of each Holtermann Columns. Overall, the Senior Committee is composed of around ten to fifteen Year 12s, who all contribute to the Holtermann Columns (to a varying degree).

Outside of the Senior Committee, junior writers also often feature in the Holtermann’s Columns. Their writing process is likely similar, with the main difference being mostly independent journalism, which is submitted to the Editor or Secretary upon completion. There is no quota or restriction on who can write, so if you’re an aspiring young writer keen to try your hand at journalistic writing, feel free to type something up and send it through. Publications also can include ‘creative spotlights’, which come in the form of comics, poems, and so on, as well as fun activities such as crossword puzzles.

You may have noticed that there’s usually a lag of about a week from your traditional news sources reporting on current affairs, and that of the Holtermann Columns. This is due to the extensive work that occurs to ensure the quality of articles is acceptable, as well as holding the general design and aesthetic of the publication to a high standard. Following the submission of articles by the deadline, which is the Sunday night before, the individual articles get proofread multiple times to ensure that they are appropriate, as well as to fix up any spelling or grammar mistakes. When the articles are deemed acceptable, they get passed on to the Graphics Editor, Liam West. Liam formats and compiles all the articles into the layout that you see in hardcopy versions, in addition to choosing a publication and cover design. After this, the finished product is sent to higher-ups, including Dr Mansfield and the Shore Communication Team, who authorise the articles. The Holtermann Columns is then combined with the teacher directed section of Shore Weekly Record, run by the Shore Communications team, and is then printed out into hardcopy form, ready for distribution, as well as uploaded to the website format for electronic viewers.

Each year, in a long standing tradition (as this is the longest running student newspaper in the Southern Hemisphere), the students section of the Shore Weekly Record, which is renamed according to each Senior Committee, (Our’s is Holtermann’s Columns) is composed of different members, with a change in the Senior Committee after Term 2. Additionally, since the newspaper is mostly student run, each new group personalises their legacy through the choice of name and design elements, among other things. All in all, the Shore Weekly Record takes a village to run, but this process has been occurring for decades, cementing the Shore Weekly Record as the longest (and greatest) running form of student journalism in Australia.

Cricket Report

L. A. Hunt – Captain of Cricket

Round 13 1st XI Match Report v St Joseph’s College

Saturday 11th March played at Northbridge A Ground, Northbridge

Shore 9/138 (Hugo Orpin 51, Toby Robinson 45) SJC 10/101 (Ben Hocking 4/19, Sam Walton 3/15)

Coming off a series of agonisingly close losses, that were thrown away by a SHORE side that lacked a sense of desperation and fight, the 1st XI arrived at Northbridge on Saturday with a point to prove. Playing a Joey’s side that was imbued with excitement over a potential grand final match against Kings the following week given they merely ‘beat the 6th place SHORE side’, the SHORE cricketers were keen to disrupt this course and throw the competition off balance. Intending to get runs on the board and put a weak Joey’s batting side under pressure, SHORE won the toss and elected to bat first. However, they underestimated the stickiness and deviation that existed on the A ground wicket, and some consistent bowling from Joeys opening bowlers saw them fall to a devastating 5/22. Although, something was different this week, SHORE understood they had lacked fight and mental strength in the previous weeks and did not want to slip into the soft complacency that they had allowed too often. So, in a 2016 Lebron-like comeback, Hugo Orpin and Toby Robinson, number 6 and 7 batsmen respectfully, revived the SHORE innings from a treacherous position. Some clinical playing of spin and rapid running between the wickets saw the two guide the innings to 114 before Robinson fell for 45, agonisingly short of a deserved 50. His partner, Hugo “Craynos” Orpin was able to make this milestone, scoring his 50 before falling shortly after for 51. The partnership speaks to the mental resilience of each batsmen, to be in such a devastating position at 5/22, only to guide the team to 114 without losing another wicket is a remarkable achievement and both should be commended. After the fall of the two batsmen, SHORE’s lower order successfully battled the entire 50 overs, scraping the side to a more than defendable score of 138.

The bowling innings began well for SHORE, with Tom Fuzes and Sam Walton sharing the new ball between them. Two early wickets from Walton saw Joeys fall to 2/18 before the number 2 and 4 batsmen began to stabilise their innings. As per usual, a remarkably accurate stump to stump bowling spell from Ben Hocking tore apart the opposing side, interrupting the Joeys partnership and taking the side to 4/46. This was supported by some excellent bowling from Josh Constantian, whose around the wicket angle to the left-handed Joeys’ captain was vital in stemming the flow of runs and putting pressure on the batting side. By this point, the game, which coincided with a year 7 orientation event at Northbridge, had drawn in an unusual number of spectators for a cricket game at Northbridge, providing the 1st XI with motivating support. This seemed to spur some exceptional off-spin bowling from Axel Bailey, who appeared to be eager to finish the game early and get home for undisclosed reasons. His consistent lines and difficult pace saw him go for an economy of only one run per over and claim the wicket of the Joeys’ number 7 batsmen. The return of Ben Hocking for his second spell struck fear into a depleted Joeys’ side at 6/86. Hocking bowled 3 batsmen in his second spell, taking his figures for the gamer to 4/19, whilst Walton’s return from the other end claimed the final wicket, taking his figures to 3/15 and seeing SHORE claim an epic victory.

Such an excellent victory was capped off by the fact that it was the year 12s final game at Northbridge. Finishing the final game on Northbridge’s memorable fields on such a high was truly a special moment for the senior players in the team. Thanks must be given to Mr O’Kane and Mr Ticehurst who have catered for the 1st XI at this ground for the entire season and to Mr Wallace and Jack Davis-Rice whose coaching was imperative to SHORE’s victory against the 2nd place Joeys’ side.

Do We Still Have Hope in Ourselves?

The Willow Project

E. O. Milne

Climate change, you’ve heard it all too many times before: “we need to save the planet” we say, “the new generation needs to change the ways of the past.”

And even though we say all that in such a sure manner, we cover up what is underneath the surface – the fact that we are the villains of our own story. How can we be saving ourselves when we are allowing things like this to happen. The Willow Project.

The Willow project is an 8-billion-dollar plan to turn Alaska into an oil drilling station. If it is to get approved, 287 million metric tons of carbon dioxide will be brought into the atmosphere. Not only would this harm a significant percentage of the animals that would be exposed to the gas and oils, but it will make the chances of stopping climate change next to impossible.

So, the president of the United States says that he wants to stop climate change but then his administration proposes ideas like this. It sometimes makes me question what is the point of people like Greta Thunberg, David Attenborough, as well as all other climate activists? If we are just going to take everything they have worked for and ignore it?

Luckily, as I say all of this, there is something getting in the way right now of allowing this project to go forward. Very recently one of the greatest uprisings we have seen in a long time has begun. People on multiple social media platforms have been coming forward and raising awareness of the fact the project is taking place. When I scroll through TikTok and Instagram I cannot get away from the videos. Thankfully, I am not the only person having this brought to my attention, the entire world is beginning to understand what is at stake if we do not say ‘no’.

In under a month from now, over 3 million people will have signed the petition telling the American government that they do not want this project to take place. There is still hope that we can protect ourselves and thrive as a species for centuries to come.

Six Nations Drama

An Update After Round Four

F. A. Loxton

WITH THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE DOMINATING THE INTERNATIONAL RUGBY UNION SCENE, ahead of the World Cup in September, it’s no wonder that this year’s six nations have made for some gripping clashes. In particular, last weekend’s round four saw some telling fixtures, with both struggling and triumphant teams made around the grounds.

In the opening clash of the round, the Welsh faced Italy, with both sides battling to find form and escape the wooden spoon. Starting strongly, Wales established an early lead through the boot of Owen Williams, and backed this up with a try from Rio Dyer. The Italians, however, remained determined, hoping to record their first win of the tournament, with their best opportunity yet against Wales. Amidst a strong effort, a lack of discipline cost the side the match, with two yellow cards and a penalty try allowing Wales their first win. Although a late try made things interesting, the Welsh had too great a margin, perhaps forecasting some promise, as they face a strong French lineup next week.

The most significant match of the round was the England vs France clash at Twickenham, a fixture which has seen England win their last 10 matches. Following the surprise dropping of Marcus Smith earlier in the tournament, the young flyhalf returned to the ten jersey, as Owen Farrell started on the bench. This meant, Ellis Genge had his debut match as captain, having shown consistent form throughout the last few years. However, what was predicted to be a tight England win, was anything but that as France dominated the English from the outset. Thomas Ramos established an early lead of ten points, before Thibaud Flament crashed over to provide the side a seventeen point lead in twenty five minutes. The rest of the first half saw France dominate possession entirely, breaking the English line a concerning amount of times. Whilst Freddie Steward showed some promise early in the second half, the onslaught continued as a further four tries were scored in the final quarter of the match. Overall, England were completely outclassed by the French; as they remain in strong form in the leadup to their home World Cup in September.

In the final match of the round, the world number one Irish team took on Scotland in Edinburgh. Starting strong, Ireland capitalized on an early penalty, establishing a 3-point lead through Johnny Sexton. Although, this was short lived with Huw Jones crashing over, bringing the home fans to their feet. Going into the half, Ireland held a one point lead after a responding try in the 28th minute, and a brilliant backline performance which built on their lead in the second half. Much to the disappointment of the sell out crowd, the game was sealed through a Jack Conan try, confirming the Irish as outright leaders of the six nations, as they look to raise the Triple Crown, with a win over England next Saturday. 

In next week’s final round, the three fixtures look to be interesting, with France facing the struggling Welsh, and England in great position to provide an upset, amidst their troubled form. Scotland also face Italy which should see them finish third on the ladder, a commendable performance considering France and Ireland are first and second in the world rankings. Ultimately the tournament so far has answered many questions for the upcoming rugby world cup, and the tough northern hemisphere matches have provided all six sides with excellent preparation for the biggest tournament in rugby, starting in September.

Futile Fight

The Director’s Bag of Tricks

J. Y. Gao

My visit to the new film installation at the State Gallery had been pushed forward, and what I had planned to be a quiet reflective viewing next to Sydney’s most senior retirees and odd middle-aged artists had become a struggle for peace among chattering cocoons of art nerds too eager to demonstrate their new-found understanding of Jungian symbols and Marxist readings. “Oh, how Jungian. I really feel my subconscious engaging with the colours,” is one of the too many comments I overheard. They fought like gladiators under the imperial ear of the teacher, battling with relative clauses and adverbial phrases to earn a look of recognition, a thumbs-up for their unique insight. Although, unlike gladiators, they never fought for honour or freedom, instead their childish poly-syllabic bickerings were no more than a fight for attention, a way to elevate above the rest, to become the quirky but intensely intellectual one of the group. 

One shot, in particular, caught the attention of several discussion groups. “I really felt the post-colonialist semi-feminist approach to framing the protagonist’s gaze as a way of exploring heritage within the rigid capitalist infrastructure of the contemporary Australian economy.” An adjacent hand was raised with clear intent, “I personally found the eyes to be a semi-abstract non-idealist representation of meta-space and the ability to…”. He was cut off by another student. The conversation continued, navigating its way through a myriad of interpretations and understandings. 

The eyes of the character didn’t represent the economy or the meta-space. I liked the shot, it played its part in the film – it gave the audience a necessary tug, but they were never mentioned in dialogue and appeared for a total screen time of three seconds. And yet everyone noticed them, the change, everyone understood the internal dialogue that had occurred, and, even under the cluster of the abstract and metaphysical bickering, everyone felt the emotional weight behind it. 

Eyes have been exploited by filmmakers since the beginning of the moving picture, and form a fraction of the elaborate network of techniques and law-like conventions used in film to control the audience. They establish empathy between the audience and the character, they efficiently communicate the wants and needs of the character, and they subconsciously inform the emotional reaction, sustain the engagement, and direct the attention of the audience. Though ultimately, these conventions turn disjointed segments of impersonal, third person, 2D footage so unlike our visual experience of the world into an immersive and cohesive experience that is shared and understood by even the most bohemian group of art students. Had James Cameron decided not to include his 13-second aerial swing shot after Rose exclaims “I’m flying, Jack” in Titanic, the signature flying pose would never have reached its global acclaim, and the statement a symbolic statement too insignificant to the plot to remember.

The director’s toolbox, within which they house the myriad of possible configurations of cinema’s various elements, apparently contained a distinctly separate bag of tricks saved purely for audience engagement. ‘Eye candy’ was one such trick: vertical lines like railings, trees or telephone poles are included in the frame solely for their ability to tempt your eyes as they move across the frame. An incongruent cut between two unrelated settings may seem a threat to the seamless immersiveness of the film-watching experience, and yet a simple sound effect that is appropriate for the latter setting, like a train honk for a train station or a car beep for a busy street, hides the fragmented visual stimulus under a veil of normality. 

None of this is noticed by the fast-turning cogs of teenage art critics. They’re concerned with the intellectual side of things, the sophistication of themes and motifs and concepts and intertextual references. Seemingly far more complicated, powerful and resonant, the perfect playground for a dictionary battle of the ages, a field with the potential to grow a thousand different types of fruits and vegetables, each glistening with individuality under the warm rays of academia. Except, of course, each seed is sewn by the same machine, watered within the fences of the field, and driven to grow and ripen under the same mechanical beat of the earth. 

Hope for freedom, or perhaps an assumption of freedom, had entrapped the students that day. Under the guise of creativity, individuality and academia, the youthful fight for attention was no more than a public demonstration of control, homogenisation and myopia. Although, most ironically, I find myself on most days precisely where they were, among the crowd, arguing, straining my neck for the absolute glory of a thumbs-up and beaming a smile far too wide.

Why is Yawning Contagious

From Mirror Neurons to Social Empathy: Unpacking the Complexities of Contagious Yawning

J. C. Lai

Have you ever noticed that when you look at someone yawning, you do it too? The term for this phenomenon is called contagious yawning and there is no scientific consensus to why it happens, making it “the least understood, common human behaviour.” However, a look at the various scientific theories proposed may give us a better understanding on the complexities of contagious yawning.

Before we look into why yawning is contagious, we must first look into why we yawn in the first place. Similar to the phenomenon of contagious yawning, the practice of yawning in itself is unknown and there are multiple theories that attempt to explain it. 

The main line of argument is that yawning helps regulate brain temperature, or what scientists call thermoregulation. Much like a computer, the brain functions the most effectively and efficiently at a certain temperature. To prevent overheating, we yawn to increase our heart rate, blood flow, and muscle use, all of which are essential to cool the brain. Since exhaustion and sleep deprivation both increase brain temperature, this explains why yawning occurs more often when we’re tired.

Another theory proposes that we yawn in order to wake our bodies up. The motion of yawning supposedly stretches and lubricates our lungs and their tissues, alongside our body’s muscles and joints, which in turn encourages blood flow around the body and into our face and brain, which increases overall alertness and cognitive behaviour.

A study by the University of Maryland found that the likelihood of yawning increases sixfold after seeing someone else yawn. More interestingly, the reason for contagious yawning is unrelated to the reasons why we yawn mentioned above.

Neuroscientists suspect that yawn contagion is a marker of social empathy as a result of the mirror neurons in the brain. These neurons cause our bodies to copy and impersonate the actions of the people in order to allow us to learn, be self-aware and relate to others around us. A range of evidence supports this theory. Contagious yawning begins in children around the age of 4-5, which is around the same time that empathetic behaviour and the ability to identify emotions begin to develop in the prefrontal cortex of children. Furthermore, people who suffer from empathy related disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia, have significantly lower rates of yawn contagion, which supports the theory of yawning contagion. A recent study by the University of Turin also found that yawning is more contagious with someone who we are socially or genetically close to, such as our family and friends. The phenomenon is not limited to humans, with animals such as dogs also being more susceptible to yawning contagion by its human owners. This can be attributed to us feeling more empathetic for those who we are closer to, hence reaffirming the theory.

On the contrary, another theory proposes that yawning is a form of indirect and unintentional social communication. Yawning, as an ancient, evolutionary conserved behaviour shared among many vertebrate animals, may have helped our ancestors evoke their feelings of a certain experience as unpleasant or boring, and has trickled down to today’s generation.

The average human yawns about 20 times a day, yet we have no conclusion on why we do it nor why it is contagious. Next time you yawn, think about whether you’ve yawned because you’ve caught it from another, tired, or bored. Maybe you can even prove or disprove some of the theories mentioned above.

We’re All Flawed

The Mind Traps That Keep You Stuck

J. A. McCreery

A mental bias is a systematic error in thinking, usually short term, that occurs when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them. Many of the decisions and judgements they invoke are plain wrong and can be disproven on further thought. 

These cognitive errors are mental shortcuts in our primal brain that once helped to make sense of the world around us, a product of evolution nonetheless. You can’t get rid of them, you will never outrun them, but an awareness of them will help you be one of the few people that will pause, consider them, and make more thoughtful and rational decisions.

1. Cognitive dissonance – incompatible beliefs

One of Aesop’s fables explores this idea; 

A fox looked up at a vine, he stared longingly at the juicy, overripe grapes hanging from the vine. He jumped for the vine. He jumped again. He jumped a third time, landing sorely. The fox turned up his nose: “I don’t really care”, those grapes aren’t even ripe. Why would I want those grapes?

From this analogy we get the term “sour grapes”, which is idiomatic for putting down or expressing disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.

The fox had 3 choices, (1) work harder and get to the grapes, (2) admit he couldn’t reach the grapes (harms pride) or (3) reinterpret the situation retrospectively (‘I didn’t want those grapes’).  

Option three essentially entails creating a new belief which conflicts the first. Two contrasting beliefs held at once – this is cognitive dissonance. All rich people are greedy and evil but you want to be rich.

It is a self-protective mechanism, when one fails they adjust their views to encompass the failure. When one applies for a job and fails, or studies really hard for a test and is beaten by their friend who hardly studied, they don’t reason that the other person was better, just that they didn’t actually want it or that it was unfair. It’s a rationalization.

Excessive dissonance has been linked to discomfort, mental stress, anxiety and even depression.

A person must question their conflicting beliefs. Is this new belief because I need an excuse? Am I telling myself this new belief because I couldn’t get what I wanted?

“You can play the clever fox all you want – but you’ll never get the grapes that way.” – Rolf Dobelli

2. The halo effect – information sequences

An example by B. C. Marx makes this effect clear; What do you think about Alan and Ben?

Alan is intelligent – industrious – critical – impulsive – stubborn – envious

Ben is jealous – obstinate – headstrong – sharp – hardworking – loyal 

If you are like most people you see Alan in a better light than Ben, even though their character traits are remarkably similar. The order in which we receive information affects our thinking, even if the information is the same.  More credit is given to the first pieces of information than the last. Our brain – the supercomputer it is – seeks to quickly create a story of the person or situation in our minds. 

Take another example Marx offers. If we learn that someone graduated from a prestigious university, the halo effect will distort all other traits we attribute to that person without any evidence.

Further, a multitude of studies have proven that attractive people are automatically perceived as nicer, more honest, and more intelligent. Even at school if a student answers two essay questions and the teacher gives the first a high grade, the teacher is more inclined to give the second a higher grade – vice versa for low grades. 

The halo effect is the mind attempting to fill in the blanks about a person or thing, it’s a shortcut whereby we tell ourselves stories that are often inaccurate from reality. To move past it one must decorelate sequences and rebuild images of people or ideas objectively.

Note: this article was based on Nobel Prize winning Psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s bestseller Thinking, Fast and Slow and analysis by B. C. Marx

Existential Questions

What Is It All For?

L. D. Banks

“SOLITUDE IS THE RICHNESS OF SELF.” A nifty quote I heard while listening to an

 SBS documentary on Tibetan monks. An interesting idea? Sure. Yet, not particularly approachable for your substandard adolescent male. As much as I consider myself a bit of a philosopher – engaged in deep thought, and heroically pondering the chaotic and prodigious nature of our indifferent universe – I’m not even sure I understand the meaning of coagulate, let alone the meaning of the universe. Which is outrageously frustrating, and often isolating, in a world so predicated on purpose and meaning. It’s hard not to feel angry at the monks. How can they be so sure in their beliefs that they would spend their lives cross legged in a cave, halfway up a mountain, with no food or water?

These zealots confuse me a great deal. Are they truly utterly convinced in what they believe? Or have they made a decision to commit to something and now feel obligated to stick with their decision regardless of their doubts? Like those crazy American pastors online performing live exorcisms on upwards of fifty people. That can’t be real – can it? The reason their certainty is so puzzling is because I am not sure I could ever reach that stage myself. Even if I decided to choose a faith of my own, there would always be significant doubts in my mind regarding the hundreds of other philosophies. There really are so many. Even just the main ones I could list off the top of my head; Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism. Each of which with their own unique convictions and sentiments. Yet, their objective truth is no more apparent than what is found in one of my unintelligible English essays.

Recently in English I have been learning about Existentialism and Absurdism (Great! Two more philosophies to stir up the anxiety of my meaningless existence). Both stemming from a nihilistic assertion that religious meaning is self-deception, they advocate for new ways of approaching an innately meaningless existence. Existentialism tells me to find my own meaning, like through helping people, or saving stray puppies, or collecting snails. Upon reflection, it seems I have been getting sold an existentialist line my entire life:

“Money can’t buy you happiness.”

“Do what you love.”

“When you’re on your deathbed, you will only regret not spending more time with your family.”

All existential questions for sure. Proposing a reasonable idea; ‘If you spend your life doing things you enjoy with people you love, how could you be dissatisfied at the end?’ I can certainly see the appeal to an ideology like this. However, I don’t know what I love to do. Sure – I enjoy various activities, but nothing I could make a career out of or spend my life doing. That seems to be the case for many people, like my dad, who fell victim to a mid-life crisis and decided to take up skateboarding at roughly fifty years of age. Which lasted roughly three weeks before he broke his arm and decided it was time to hang up his board.

Absurdism on the other hand, doesn’t exactly present a solution. Rather, absurdism acknowledges the indifferent nature of the universe and accepts it. This can be misunderstood as being a somewhat depressing idea. Admitting there is no meaning for us to find, must mean we should just give up – right? Wrong. Absurdists claim that it is in this discovery, that the universe provides us with no innate purpose, that we can be liberated from this rat race. Why should humans care about finding meaning? Why do we need a purpose? Absurdists claim we shouldn’t care, and that we do not need purpose. That we should merely follow our desires in the moment, doing whatever feels right at the time. As much as this sounds comforting, I struggle to see a functioning society of Absurdists. Everyone might just quit their jobs to sit on the beach and tan. Fattening up eating ice-cream and fast food for every meal. Hence, I feel the responsibility to contribute to the society that supports me. Rather than becoming an ice-cream wielding freeloader.

Pop-culture sells us all this story. With movies depicting heroic leaders, historic rises and championship teams. Like ‘Coach Carter’. Great film? Sure, but I’m no good at basketball. It’s these notions ‘Follow your dreams’, ‘seek out your passion’, ‘believe in this God’, ‘look at it this way’, that isolate us all.

ISDA Debating Round 4 vs St Aloysius Report

J. G. Nicholas

Last Friday, Shore hosted St. Aloysius on topics related to ‘Media,’ and our debaters were victorious in two of eight debates in a tough night on the podium for the men in white and grey. 

Invigorated by their Playfair feast, our Year 7s negated the topic ‘That parents should have access to their adolescents’ social media accounts,’ unfortunately going down to a strong Aloys side. A good effort from the boys, Eddie Ohlsson in particular shone with his exciting introduction, great examples and emphasis on the significance of his arguments. Clearly inspired by the wise words of their Debating Captain, Richard Zhan and Fred Stewart effectively implemented thematic rebuttal for the first time off the back of their strong speech structure and growing confidence. Moving into Round 5 this week, the boys hope to continue to improve and secure a spot in the ISDA postseason. 

Suffering the same fate as our Year 7s, our Year 8 team went down negating the same topic. In the face of strong opposition, greater engagement with the opposition’s model and a more nuanced discussion of the importance of their principle of privacy would have enhanced their case. Nonetheless, the weekly improvements of the boys put them in good stead to add another win to their column against Kambala this Friday. 

The Year 8 ISDA Team

Extending their hot streak to three, our Year 9s triumphed in the only Shore senior school victory of the night, negating the topic ‘That the media should refrain from reporting on the private lives of public figures.’ Effectively dismantling the opposition from the jump, Jayden Pan dominated at first with a softer approach compared to previous weeks that served him and the team well. Yukai Yan articulated the harms in the opposition’s model well, and methodically bulldozed their substantive. Overall, the boys should be very proud of their win as they hope to extend the streak to four this Friday. 

All smiles from fourth speaker Liam O’Neill during the Year 9s’ glorious victory

Our Year 10s found themselves negating the tough topic ‘That we should regret the rise of TikTok,’ and were unfortunately defeated on the almost unwinnable side of the case. Doing well to expand on some of the benefits of the platform, specifically as a platform for small business to create a following, creative expression and a positive source of entertainment, the boys were unable to prove why these positives outweigh the innumerable negatives of TikTok. While the team did well, they aim to work on their analysis and time management moving into the latter half of the season. 

Psyched to continue their dominance of Pool A, the Senior Bs negated the rather ambiguous topic ‘That artists should be paid a living wage.’ The team worked hard to establish logical frameworks around both the economic and artistic harms of the Affirmative model, but ultimately needed more convincing rebuttal and clearer stakeholder definitions. Despite the loss, Max ‘Kyrie’ Kim opened their case well at first negative, setting up an effective throughline with his good pacing and beautifully synthesised rebuttal. 

The Senior Bs hard at work

Affirming the same topic, the Senior As took their first L of the season in a saddening loss that left Ms Wolsely and coach Liam Graham with much to be desired from the boys. Excited by the proposition of a more challenging case on the negative, the As got to work in the prep-room, naively focusing their energy on the idea of struggle and authenticity of an artist’s work as more important than their wellbeing. Missing minorities-specialist Blake Fite, the team failed to look past the idea of the ‘troubled artist’ reifying their sadness in the beauty of their works and a ‘call to arms’ for the oppressed populace. Confident in their somewhat flawed arguments, the boys failed to identify the obvious weaknesses in the opposition’s model, or grapple with the most numerous stakeholders, in professional artistry such as graphic design or visual arts teaching. Despite continuing to develop their time management and identification of issues, Aloys claimed the victory, ending the As’ hopes of an undefeated season. 

Little did they know…….. (The Senior As)

Next week, the men from Blue Street take on Kambala on their home turf in what is shaping up to be an exhilarating and competitive night of debating. 

Captain of Debating – Jimmy Nicholas

GPS Rowing Report

W. A. Clubb

Saturday the 4th of March marked the annual Sydney Rowing Club regatta and saw a large turn out from many crews, clubs and schools from all throughout the state, and some overseas representatives from the Vietnam national team. For the GPS squad of the Shore boatshed, it was a tougher weekend than most, giving the crews a boost of energy leading into the next regatta, still with time to work on their racing before the Head of the River.

The first VIII raced to a close fourth place in the schoolboy event with second through to fifth place separated by only two seconds. The crew placed fifth in the Men’s Open Eight event, lined up against the crews for Sydney Rowing Club and UTS. It was a tough regatta for the crew, however, lessons have been learned and they are more keen than ever to hunt down first place.

The second VIII experienced a similar occurrence in the schoolboy race, seeing them finish in a close fifth place within a second of second and third place. However, the crew was spurred on by their previous result and eager to improve for their Open event, seeing them take out second place behind a strong Riverview crew, leaving them ready to push into first place in the coming regattas.

The first IV has had a strong season so far, winning at the Kings PLC regatta just last week. The crew had another strong performance finishing second in their schoolboy event. The boys finished fourth in their under 19 event, behind a fast UTS crew. They leave the weekend ready for another week of training, eager to return to their previous success in the next regatta.

The second IV had some great racing on the weekend, successfully taking out the first place in their schoolboy event, clearing a gap of two seconds over the chasing crews. The boys finished fifth in the under 19 event, racing first IV crews from other schools as well as the Shore first IV. Congratulations to Ed Kenny, Adam Watson, Preston Scott and Max Gillian on their performance, keep up the good work.

The third IV saw some tough racing on the weekend, fending off fast crews to finish fourth in their schoolboy event, tight on the heels of the crews ahead. In their under 19 event, the boys finished third behind crews from Riverview, leaving them eager to keep training hard to return to the first place spot in the coming regatta.

The fourth IV also had a strong performance in their schoolboy event, finishing second, closing the margin quickly in the last 500m. In their under 19 event, the boys finished fourth ahead of the Newington third IV and behind the Shore third IV.