Message from the Headmaster

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Practical Christianity at Shore

As I am sure all are by now aware, Service Learning at Shore is being elevated to the status of a major initiative of the School. Structurally and developmentally it sits within our Mission of Building Good Men. Indeed, this is a key part of Shore’s Strategic Direction 2023 – 2025. The underlying assumption is that an aspect of the very goodness of Good Men is a concern for others. Such concern is thoroughly and fundamentally Christian. This being the case, it is essential, if we are to act with substance and integrity, for substantive actions to occur rather than merely fine words to be spoken. The New Testament Apostle James wrote:

“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:15-17)

What follows is an account from Mr Huw Blood, Head of Service Learning, of Shore’s recent Rough Edges Sleepout. It is one aspect of our long relationship with the Rough Edges café, serving the homeless.

The capstone of this programme, at least as far as 2024 is concerned, will be on Speech Day, where our Guest of Honour and orator, Rev Tim Costello AO, is well known as one of the main advocates for assisting the underprivileged. Rev Costello was formerly the CEO of World Vision Australia.

Shore Sleepout

Late last Term on Saturday 22 June, the annual Shore Sleepout took place at St John’s Darlinghurst Church and Rough Edges café. The event comprised of a significant educational journey in which staggered year groups departed from Shore, with various checkpoints along the journey, ending up at Rough Edges to sleep out. The intention of the event was to also develop a sense of what a day and night feels like for many people sleeping rough in Sydney.

Boys, staff and parents listened to Allied Health Services supporting homelessness and learned from a variety of patrons’ stories, involving domestic violence, addiction, homelessness, discrimination and marginalisation. At each of the checkpoints, boys, parent volunteers, and staff gained personal narratives of experiences encountered by patrons, with opportunities to ask questions and learn about many important issues.

The event itself created many profound experiences for all involved, to understand, empathise and be inspired to continue in service to others. Boys, throughout the evening and night, had moments of reflection with staff in discussing what they had heard and experienced.

Furthermore, the Sleepout helped raise significant funds through generous donations from the Shore community to support St John’s Community Services, via the Rough Edges café and, importantly, in support of Banksia Women. The event raised more than $50,000 in support of these vital community services, and impressively involved over 225 students, 30 staff and 30 parent volunteers.

The event itself highlighted the very real demand and need in Sydney, with increasing pressure on many people and communities struggling with a range of societal and financial pressures. Shore continues to be actively involved in supporting Rough Edges through weekly service and cooking meals through Our Big Kitchen. As we continue to build our Service Learning programme at Shore, we encourage the entire community to support these initiatives, through time, service and humility, in serving the greater good.

A special thank you to Rough Edges staff, the many parent volunteers, the Shore staff and the many boys involved in this most worthwhile cause.

Mr Huw Blood
Head of Service Learning

A Thank You from Rough Edges

June has been a particularly full month for us. We had the terrific experience of hosting the Shore boys sleepout, where over 200 boys slept rough at the St John’s Darlinghurst site. This was an amazing feat of logistics as it was one of the wettest nights of the year! The aim of the night was to provide the students with an immersive experience of homelessness. Sincere thanks to Huw Blood, Head of Service Learning at Shore, for his commitment and vision. Wonderfully, the boys raised over $50,000 for us.

Read about their adventure on the Rough Edges website.

Thank you for being a part of our community of support and making sure we can continue to be a place of safety and healing in these very difficult times.

Blessings,

Gabriel
Saint John’s Community Service CEO

Sport at Shore

Over time, the range of sports offered, and complexity thereof at Shore, has grown. At the same time, the awareness of the need to mitigate risk has become more prevalent and demanding. One of these issues which needs very careful management is concussion, as the medical science is now indicating that blows to the head are far more serious in effect than what was once believed. The implications include the need to be very intentional in our onboarding of new coaches such that, in terms of Shore culture and risk mitigation, they are comprehensively informed. As a consequence of this growing complexity, Shore has moved into alignment with other GPS schools in making provision for two staff to lead in this area. Mr Mark Ticehurst has moved “upstairs” in the scope of Sport to the new position of Head of Sport. He continues as President of the AAGPS (Athletic Association of Greater Public Schools) and, as such, is the only other member of a school staff who meets regularly with the GPS Heads. Mr Gareth Inches is moving from Head of PDHPE into the substantive position of Sportsmaster. Mr Jono Sparks will act as Head of PDHPE for the remainder of 2024 while recruitment proceeds in the total staffing operation leading into the new academic year. I am grateful to all of those who continue to serve Shore so faithfully in these important domains. 

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

CRU Update

An obsession can be the thought or idea that preoccupies our thinking. There are times when we all think about particular things. But are we obsessed with them? Are there things we could be obsessed with? Maybe a sport takes up all our time or maybe we spend our whole weekend gaming to level up. Perhaps grades are the only thing we think about or learning that song on your instrument to perform in front of everyone. At CRU we considered how obsession may apply to the Christian worldview and life.

CRU was back for Term 3 last week, but moving forward we have Junior CRU (Years 7 to 8) on Thursday lunchtime and Senior CRU (Years 9 to 12) on Friday lunchtime, for any boys in those year groups to come along to in the Christian Studies area. This Term we are looking at Colossians, and we began with Chapter 1, verses 1 to 14, hearing from Mr Ho. The apostle Paul was the writer of the letter and he begins the letter to the Colossians by praising and thanking God for the faith of the people in Colossae, because of how encouraging it is that the gospel is bearing fruit and at work. He then proceeds to pray a prayer for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will to live a life worthy of the Lord (v9-10). Mr Ho spoke about the way Christians should be ‘obsessed’ with Jesus, putting their hope in Him and of course continuing to think about him. As Christians we have everything we need, so we don’t need to balance out Jesus with other things to be satisfied. We can even give up everything for Him. Just as Jesus has kept His Word, bringing us out of darkness and into the light of God’s kingdom where we are forgiven and redeemed. Jesus will continue to do what He has promised in coming to judge the world, and bringing eternal life for those who trust Him. So, to continue living in Christ and be filled with knowledge and understanding of Him, Mr Ho encouraged us to attend youth group and church and deeply consider our priorities in seeking to put Jesus first over our whole lives.

Daniel Becker
Year 11

Shore Foundation Giving Day – Handing on The Torch of Life

Our annual Giving Day is coming!

On Friday 9 August, every dollar you donate to the Shore Foundation will be doubled to maximise its benefits for the School and our students.

Giving Day has become the Foundation’s Annual Appeal to raise funds for bursaries, capital needs, service initiatives and various other areas of the School.

Our school motto says it best – Handing on the Torch of Life – which states that the good fortune we have as a community should be passed to others. 

For 24 hours on 9 August, your donation will be doubled by generous matching donors:

$100 will become $200
$250 will become $500
$1000 will become $2000 etc.

And you can choose where your support goes. Select to support either Bursaries or Future Capital needs.

You can also participate ahead of time (and your gift will still be doubled) or support on the day by following this LINK.

This is a wonderful way to start or continue your giving journey and give back to the areas you are most passionate about.

We thank you for your support.

Vitai Lampada Tradunt

Mr David Mason-Jones
Executive Director, Shore Foundation

Scone Dinner Invitation

We are excited to extend a heartfelt invitation to all our esteemed Shore students, families, Boarders, and alumni, to an evening that celebrates the very essence of our School: a close-knit community that stands the test of time.

Date: Friday 16 August 2024
Time: 6.30pm to 9.30pm
Location: The Cottage, 196 Kelly St, Scone NSW 2337

We warmly welcome you to join Director of Boarding, Alistair Roland; Robson House Housemaster, Peter Reid with Fiona Reid; School House Housemaster Werner Pienaar with Tara Pienaar and Barry House Housemaster, Brendan Morris and Sophie Morris for a delightful cocktail dinner that promises to be a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Please RSVP via trybooking.com/1246460

OBU Scholarship Applications Opening Soon!

The Shore Old Boys’ Union will shortly be offering all students in Year 12 the opportunity to apply for the OBU Scholarship. The Old Boys’ Union Scholarship is awarded by the Old Boys’ Union to a boy (or boys) completing their final year at School.

The scholarship is provided to the successful recipient/s after they leave Shore to provide financial support in the pursuit of an activity (or activities) that seek to serve the wider community. Shore has always sought to ‘Build Good Men’. One of the characteristics of good men is that they seek to serve others, including family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and wider society.

The purpose of providing the financial support is so that the Old Boy can pursue some form of service activity that they might not normally have the resources to pursue. The scholarship seeks to acknowledge both a boy’s appreciation of the School’s aims and his desire to put into practice, in a unique way, what he has learned. The value of the scholarship is a minimum of $3,000. It may be utilised by the recipient/s over a three-year period up to 31 December of the third year following the final year of School. The Scholarship recipient/s are announced in the final week of Term 3.

Some examples of service-related activities might include volunteering for a charity, serving with Indigenous communities, participating in an Aid programme, assisting rural communities in times of need, volunteering with the SES, volunteering with a local community group, or volunteer coaching at a local club or sporting club.

Bus Changes in the North and North West of Sydney

In August, Transport is making changes to some bus services to support the launch of Sydney Metro, Chatswood to Sydenham.

The bus changes aim to improve connectivity to Sydney Metro services and support integration into the broader public transport network, primarily in Sydney’s North West and North Shore.

The changes will enhance the network, support residential growth and reduce duplication of public transport services.

To understand what the changes mean for our students, or for more information, please visit transport.nsw.gov.au/buschanges

The Transport for NSW Trip Planner will be updated with the new information before the changes take effect. Please plan ahead by visiting transportnsw.info/trip before travelling.

US Undergraduate Information Session | Save the Date

Date and Time: Friday 16 August | 5.00pm – 6.30pm
Venue: Playfair Hall

In partnership with Education USA, Shore is delighted to welcome Elisabeth O’Connell, Senior Associate Dean, Director of International Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, to share her extensive experience.

Years 10, 11 and 12 families are invited to gain insights into the US College application process and the opportunities available through a US education.

Please book here:  trybooking.com/CSIZG

Ms V Shirriff
Head of Careers Education

Term Dates 2024

Years 10 Progress Meetings

• Information will be emailed home with all the details.
• Boys are expected to attend in School uniform.
• No Co-Curricular activities for students who have Progress Meetings.

Mr S Werakso
Staff Professional Co-ordinator

Careers News

Welcome to Term 3! We are looking forward to an action-filled Term in Careers as we share opportunities and explore possibilities with students. We will continue to meet individually with Senior students to discuss post-school options in line with interests, identify skills in line with future jobs and create flexible and interactive career plans with students. All Senior students have a Careers Action Plan on OneNote which is accessed through their Year Team page which we encourage to be shared with parents/carers.

Over the next couple of months, a number of institutions will host Open Days (see list below). This is a fantastic opportunity to gain insights into courses, meet professionals and current students and gather information. Year 11 students are strongly encouraged to attend Open Days this year as Year 12 trials occur around the same time.

Reminders:

• Year 10 Work Engagement documentation is due to be uploaded onto Lampada by 31 August 2024. A “check-in” survey has gone out to students to see how they are going in securing a placement and a workshop to support students was held this week.
• US Undergraduate Information Session is being held at Shore on Friday 16 August from 5.00pm-6.30pm. Students from Years 9 to12 are encouraged to attend and learn more about the US application process. Tickets are available on trybooking.com/1236384.

List of NSW Open Days:

Ms V Shirriff
Head of Careers Education

Shore’s Study Centre

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. 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 support 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 occasionally as teachers’ Co-Curricular commitments change. It is always best to check for the most up-to-date version of the timetable on Lampada.

Mrs E White
Head of Library & Information Services

Please view the study timetable below:

Term 3 Update: Pastoral Care at Shore

Dear Parents and Carers

As we embark on Term 3, we are excited to share some significant updates and initiatives in the pastoral care space at Shore. Our focus this Term is on refining and developing a coordinated approach to providing Social and Emotional Learning, Character Education, and emphasising Positive and Healthy Masculinity.

Character Education, through our Character In Action programme, continues to be integrated with our outstanding Service Learning programme. This integration allows our students to apply their virtues in real-world contexts, enhancing their learning through community service and outreach activities. This Term, we will empower our Year 11 students to lead sessions reflecting on our School virtues, promoting leadership and peer learning among our students.

Last week, we hosted Brent Sanders on Wednesday July 24 for Year 11 on the topic of Respectful Relationships. Additionally, we will welcome several external experts later this Term including ySafe who address cyber safety and digital footprints, and Red Frogs who will conduct sessions for Year 12 on safe partying and focus on post school celebrations. We are also making progress on our plan for a more comprehensive collection of wellbeing data. We are exploring surveys for all year groups to better understand and support our students’ needs. More information will be shared as this plan develops. Following a presentation to all staff during our Professional Development Day, we are excited to begin the Learning Consent Initiative in partnership with Dr Joy Townsend. This Respect and Consent Programme will begin with Year 9 in collaboration with the PDHPE Department. Ongoing consultations are being held to refine our approach for 2025. We encourage parents to attend our parent seminar on Wednesday August 7, to learn more about the program and ask questions. More information can be found on Lampada.

In Week 5, we have our Year 11 Leadership Day on Tuesday August 20. Students will hear from Executive Staff, past student leaders, and a guest parent on leadership beyond school. They will then spend time with their Housemasters to learn about leadership in Year 12 through the House system and how they can lead and mentor younger students. During the day, they will complete applications for leadership positions in Year 12, including prefect roles.

We look forward to a productive and enriching Term ahead, fostering a supportive and positive environment for all our students. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our pastoral care initiatives.

Mr D Champion
Deputy Head, Patroal Care

Reminder – Learning Consent Seminar for Year 9 Parents

Hosted by the Pastoral Care Team and Shore Parents’ Association.

Dr Joy Townsend from Learning Consent will be speaking to parents about her research-driven programme being taught to Year 9 students in Term 3 2024.

This curriculum has been codesigned with our Pastoral Care Team and PDHPE teachers, to promote positive masculinity and respectful relationships.

Parents from other year groups are also welcome to attend. The evening will be recorded and shared on Lampada afterward.

Date: Wednesday 7 August 2024
Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm
Venue: Playfair Theatre, North Sydney Campus. 
(The theatre is located in the BH Travers Library building, just inside the Blue St Front Gate.)
Parking: Available in Bishopsgate carpark, please enter via Hunter Cres.

A light supper will be served from 5.30pm in the Robson Courtyard, beside the library.

This is a free event but bookings are required, please RSVP  here: trybooking.com/CTNJW

Charlie C-J Becomes State Champion Twice!

Shore was represented by Year 12 French Horn player Charlie C-J at the State Solo Championships on the first weekend of the June/July holidays. The NSW Band Association holds both Band and Solo competitions. This competition was held over two days on 29 and 30 June and saw hundreds of entries covering three different age sections (U15, U19 and Open) in various instrument specialisations. The soloists who entered are all members of School and Community Bands. Each section has closed adjudication, meaning the judges are behind a screen and cannot see the performers, therefore, all soloists are judged purely on what they hear and are free from any bias.

Charlie performed Hindemith’s Horn Sonata in the Open French Horn section on the first day of competition. Whilst Charlie competed against previous winners, he was victorious in this section. On the second day of competition, Charlie entered the U19 French Horn section, performing the first movement of Richard Strauss’ Second Horn Concerto. In what was an even closer competition than the previous day, Charlie also won this section. Both adjudicators for the two sections remarked on the musicality and sophistication that Charlie demonstrated. Winning both sections enabled Charlie to perform in two Champion of Champions events. These are trophy events where all the winners of every instrument in each age category perform against each other to be named the overall Champion of Champions. Here, Charlie performed Nocturno by Franz Strauss (Richard Strauss’ father). Whilst Charlie didn’t win either of the Champions events, he performed in front of a large, appreciative, and knowledgeable audience and represented both himself and Shore admirably. Charlie last entered this competition when he was in Year 7 and in the U15 French horn section. He came 2nd in that event and so Charlie is immensely proud of his improvements and achievements. We would like to thank Mrs Oxley, who was able to accompany Charlie over the weekend.

Miss S Robertson
Director of Symphonic Winds

From the Music Department

Photos from last Term’s Band Concert

Congratulations to…

…all students who performed in Battle of the Bands at the end of last Term and to the winner Clockwork. Thank you to Mr Payne for organising this event and to the judges Mr Gulliford and Mr Ho.

…choristers who sang at Evensong last Wednesday 24 July. The service was beautiful with excellent repertoire. Thank you to Mr Fox and Director of Choirs Mr Massey.

…All students who performed at their studio concerts at the end of last Term. For some students, this was their first solo performance. A wonderful achievement.

… Charlie C-J, Ryan Gilmour, Max Kim, Alan Li, Lachlan Martin and Chris Mathur on their outstanding performances at the HSC soiree concerts held this week. The calibre of performances were outstanding. Thank you to all the accompanists and to Ms Robertson and the Music Extension class for their organisation of this event.

…Liam O’Neill who won the Composition Competition held by the Alan, Charlie and the Music Committee last term. A wonderful achievement.

Thank you to…

…Mr Robert Fox who organised a wonderful evening with James O’Donnell, one of the world’s most distinguished organists. The community thoroughly enjoyed listening to his performances and hearing of his experiences. 

Upcoming Events

Choir Camp

Choir Camp is on Wednesday 7 August and Thursday 8 August. This year, it will be held at Shore. Year 12 will be attending after school on Wednesday 7 August and will attend normal classes during the day. School uniform is to be worn. Any questions, please contact Director of Choir Mr Massey: lmassey@shore.nsw.edu.au

Resonate: Gala Concert – 135th year of Shore

On Tuesday 13 August at 7pm the School will present its 135th Anniversary Concert- Resonate at Sydney Town Hall, with a preconcert at 6.30pm in the vestibule featuring Trumpet Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. All students in Years 7 to 12 are expected to attend this concert. Rehearsals for our performers will be held throughout the day. Tickets have sold out and we are looking at our seating options for those of you on the wait list.

Confirmation Service Date Change Choristers Take Note

There has been a change of date for the Confirmation Service which is now being held on Wednesday 11 September at 6pm.

Term 3 Music Calendar

Mrs K Barber
Head of Music

Cover and Contents

Passing on the Torch

My Final Words for the SWR

M. D. Kwak

IT’S THE END. This edition of the Blue and White Insight will be the last from the 2023-24 team.

First some thank yous: The SWR is a tremendous publication and an enormous amount goes into it every week from many people behind the scenes including the Community Engagement Team. Thank you to Mrs Reid and Ms Thurgood for your tireless work as MICs for the student articles. Ms Thurgood, you have been so quick and capable, stepping into your new role and providing us with your support and advice. Next, a huge shout out to the Graphics Editors, Ramon Zhang and Jamie D’Arcy. You guys have put in as much if not more into the student articles in making sure it is designed and formatted to such a high standard every week. Ramon – your covers are simply works of art and some of the best of any magazine I’ve seen. I am so thankful for your hard work and friendship over the past year. Jamie – your work ethic and attention to detail have been invaluable. Your humour and company have made my journey so much more worth it. To the whole Senior Committee: Callum, Angus, Teeg, Tellis, Daniel, Alan, Orlando, Chris Lovell, Chris Mathur, Hamish, TK, Max, Liam, Josh, Hector, Charlie and Hugh,  your articles have been so so funny, intelligent and provoking to read – your dedication and writing capabilities are what define the Record. Thank you for being a group of lads who shared my love for writing, cared for the Record as much as I did and created a supportive and caring community. Finally, Brad. When I think back to the highs and lows of our tenure, it hasn’t always been easy, but I could not have asked for a better partner and friend to weather it out with. I can always count on you to be mature, dedicated and hilarious. It’s been so much fun and I’m incredibly grateful for you. 

Congratulations and good luck to the incoming Editor and Secretary for 2024-25: Ethan Nam and Callum Zhu. I have the greatest trust in you to lead the student section of the SWR and bring it to even greater heights. Have fun, stay committed but crucially, always remember and protect the cornerstone that holds together the Record – a paper by the boys and for the boys. Fostering student expression, thought and passion for writing should be your primary concern. In my view, unlike various other publications produced by the school, the Blue and White Insight is an internally produced and consumed snapshot of the boys and their thoughts. Authenticity and genuineness should come before a facade of perfection; free and healthy discourse, disagreement and opinions should come before curating an image for the media or broader public.

For me, the biggest value of this role is that it has forced me to sit down every week and just think. To take a couple hours, reflecting on my beliefs about the world, crystallising my idiosyncratic observations and distilling my thoughts on a blank piece of paper has been my ironic source of relief amidst the tumult of my final year. I’ve written works I hold the greatest pride for and some that I am already beginning to cringe at. I’ve tried my hand in comedy, satire, strongly-worded polemics, discursive and even poetry. In my view, experimentation – the freedom to try, fail and improve across different mediums, styles and content – should be encouraged and developed, rather than censored or seen as an unnecessary risk. It is truly the process that has fulfilled me the most, deepened my understanding of the world and my own self, and allowed me to convey that to others. So for the final time, thank you to you guys, the readers, for your support and interest in the Record. I hope that this newspaper has provided you with some value and inspired you to think, read and write about the world. 

Vitai Lampada Tradunt

Pressing The SWR’s Writers

A (Blue and White) Insights into the Souls of the SWR’s Writers for 2024.

B. N. Dent

AND JUST LIKE THAT, MY TENURE AS A SHORE WEEKLY RECORD WRITER COMES TO A CLOSE. Back when I was just a gremlin in Year 9, I remember submitting my first article about my then failing football club, Arsenal, to former editor Mesake Taulawakeiaho. I blinked. And now my involvement with the SWR has reached its final stage. It’s a good thing we don’t have to handwrite our articles, because then you would be able to see the dark outlines of teardrops on these pages as I get a bit nostalgic. Just kidding, I’m a sigma and have learnt to suppress my emotions.

Whilst writing for the paper, one of the invaluable benefits that I didn’t foresee was the connections that I developed with fellow writers. Reading the articles that my peers produced and discussing the ideas they presented week in, week out allowed me to gauge a better grasp of who they really are as a person. There is definitely something to be said for the increased authenticity of one’s voice when they put pen to paper.

So, to crystalise my newfound enlightenment of the true nature of the SWR Writers for 2024, I thought what better way than to share these ideas in the paper. After all, one of the best ways of solidifying information is to try and explain the ideas to others. To offer you the deepest insights into some of the SWR writers of 2024, I have asked them carefully crafted questions that challenge their humanity in the ultimate way and should hopefully provide you with a better understanding of the boys behind the words that you have been reading this year. It’s ironic; I’ve been writing for the paper for three years, and it’s only in my last article that I finally decided to do something that resembles actual journalism. Nevertheless, let’s have a look at some of the responses.

M. Kwak 

What do you ask the boy who, apart from a sharp jawline, pretty much has it all? A deep philosophical question perhaps, one that seeks to capitalise on his fierce intellect. No, that’s too obvious…

Question: What is your favourite brain rot and how has it influenced your approach to life?

Response: The notion of aura has redefined my ontology, catalysing an insatiable desire for self-improvement to reach the zenith of human potentiality. It’s an oxymoron to call it brain rot; rather than cerebral decay, it has expanded and constructed neural pathways as I meticulously maintain an ongoing count of my net aura for the day. It has motivated pro-social and pro-human behaviours (including but not limited to: keeping my bag zipper closed, maintaining basic coordination and mogging brad).

How Mike felt writing this response.

C. Vujanovic 

In the eyes of many in my year group, Callum is a bit of an enigma. Randomly spawning in Year 11, he quickly engrained himself within the school life, participating in a wide array of extra-curricular activities. With his well-mannered personality, neat appearance, direct way of conversing and sleeper physique, he emulates somewhat of a Patrick Bateman. So, how can you weed out a psychopath…

Question: How do you make decisions when under pressure?

Response: Pressure is relative. I try to challenge myself daily with difficult tasks under pressure so that ‘tough decisions’ just become normal decisions. It’s like living in a perpetual, high-stakes thriller.

Unfortunately, the only sufficient answer to that question is to flip a coin. Any form of calculation or rational thinking is the sign of a meticulous person and therefore a psychopath.

M. Kim

Max has touched on some pressing issues this year, including the omnipresence of the blue tie hunt and the stresses of exam periods. Some were so pressing that they did not make it to the press…

Question: If you could have an article published that would headline the New York Times, and it wasn’t allowed to be censored, what would you write about?

Response: Brad has asked me to write a “30 word response that is comedic”. Some people might think my articles are satirical (such as a certain English teacher…), but I think Michael Leunig best illuminates my own sentiments towards the creative process when describing his work “JOMO” as “entirely sincere and true to my life and feelings”. I don’t think I’ve ever been a satirist or comedic writer. Nevertheless…is it bad that the funniest thing I can think of writing about is skibidi toilet lore? (it’s so over for me).

T. George

Upon posting a meme in the English group chat in Year 11, in fear of being caught by our teacher, TEEG made the decision to self-report with the idea that it would present him with more humility. A truly historic moment that will never be forgotten by those in 11ENA1…

Question: What is the best life lesson that you gained from playing Among Us?

Response: I’ve learned many things from Among Us. How to be a critical thinker, or perchance, the importance of communication. But the most valuable lesson actually stems from what Among Us failed to teach me – the importance of integrity. Deceit will drive you away from your crewmates. Lies will lead to back stabbings. More often than not, you’ll just get thrown off the ship. So maybe it isn’t too bad to self-report.

A real still of TEEG whilst cooking up this poetic response.

H. Longstaff

This year, Hamish has written about a variety of pertinent issues, particularly to do with the future outlook of humanity such as the transition to a green economy and the opportunities of space exploration…

Question: Has short form content like insta reels and TikTok hindered our generation’s ability to prolong the existence of humanity? 

Response: Well, if our attention spans get any shorter, we might forget to breathe altogether. But hey, at least we’ll have Subway Surfers and soap cutting videos to keep us entertained! Imagine the future: humanity saved by oddly satisfying content and endless game loops. Our descendants might look back and thank us for perfecting the art of 15-second storytelling. Who needs a prolonged existence when you can go viral instead? 

D. Kang

Deek served as the Society and Politics Editor for the SWR this year. On top of that, his study of King Henry IV in English this past term has made him quite the Machiavellian figure, so I would assume that he has some wisdom to offer us in the world of politics.

Question: Which Shore boy would you back to win the 2024 presidential race in the U.S.?

Response: Watching the presidential debates has left me with the impression that old age doesn’t really do you good. Who else but our Sports Editor and beloved Robson House Captain TEEG embodies the springtime of youth the best? With his politically astute ability to perform in transpositional settings of school and the tavern (for those of you who have/will read King Henry), I have no doubt he would lead the U.S. to a Golden Age.

A. Li

Among many impressive achievements, one thing that is widely known about Alan across the Year 12 cohort is his cooked sleep schedule. I’ve heard rumours that he once went an entire exam block without sleeping…

Question: Are there any absurdist thoughts that come into your mind in the depths of the night that you think would resonate with the whole school?

Response: It’s obvious that sleeping is a myth propagated by the government to keep you trapped in the matrix. Regardless, an absurd thought was that if I’m always tired and sleep-deprived, maybe I’m not tired after all? To overcome this Sisyphean struggle, maybe I need to sleep even less so that I’ll be grateful for the sleep I did manage to get the previous night. 

Interesting take Alan – the Sisyphean struggle with sleep is sure to be a universal plight faced by Shore boys. Scientific advice seems to differ on that one…we would recommend our readers get the maximal amount of sleep before their exams. Personally, often when writing I write SWR student articles on Sunday night (sometimes leaking into Monday morning), my mind would also drift towards some obscure thoughts. I would ponder whether there was a higher chance that my article would be read by a Shore boy or a cockroach who inhabits the nearest rubbish bin on Blue Street. Retrospectively, regardless of who my audience would turn out to be in the end, it was all worth it. 

The accumulation of yap that has been growing in my room over the last year.

My Reflecting

Reflecting on my time at Shore

T. G. George

ON JANUARY 29th, 2019, I had my first day at Shore. I remember my parents taking my photo out the front of the house, with my boater consuming the top of my head. Beside me now is that same boater, worn in and no longer rattling around my dome when I chase after the bus. To think that photo was only taken six years ago is quite remarkable. In my childhood, Shore was just a concept, an idea in a country 16,000 km from me. Now, Shore is a focal point in my life. My values, friendships, memories, and education have all been shaped comprehensively by this School and will stay with me forever. 

I have always been fond of Shore and have always dreamt big of what I could achieve here one day. However, life at Shore has not always been as enjoyable and rewarding as I find it now. In the early years, I had a squeaky, quite frankly annoying, American accent. I was in the lowest rugby team, was not majorly involved in the School, had no close friends, and found I hadn’t quite settled in. At some points, I dreaded walking through the Blue Street gate, just to spend another day on the outskirts of a group that was mostly uninterested in my company.

I think everything changed when my parents signed me up for the Boarding trial in Term 2 of Year 9. I protested and refused to go, but my parents weren’t having any of it. So, on Sunday the 6 June 2021, Mr Walker and Mrs Walker welcomed me into Robson House. It was perhaps a bit of a glorified sample week. No exams, and on the Wednesday night; pizza and doughnuts with a 50-6 Blues win to top it off. That alone would boost anyone’s spirits. Nonetheless, I found the close Boarding community highly refreshing. The jokes, the comradery, the activity. I went home that week smiling, ready to start the second half of my Shore journey in Boarding.

COVID passed, and I started Year 10 in a room with Jim Richardson, before moving into a room of four, with Tom McDonald and Alex Bishop joining us. The pranks, jokes and conversations we had in that upper wing of Robson House are some of the fondest memories I’ve made at this School.

In the classroom, I’ve been with the same group for five years now. I’ve heard far too many classic Suttsy quotes, and I’ve learned to tune out Matt George’s boisterous remarks. Stereotypically, set 1 is seen as the quiet, studious lot. I think Ms Oud would happen to disagree. Over the years, as we’ve gotten closer, some of the boys have tried to test the waters, and I think Jamie D’Arcy would take himself as a bit of a stuntman now. Nonetheless, I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by a dedicated group, encouraging me to do better.

Constantly bolstering, and often leading the encouragement, are the fantastic teachers, Housemasters, tutors and coaches I’ve been guided by. They all deserve my thanks.

Something particularly special about Shore is the opportunities that can come when you’re not expecting them. For me, moving to Boarding was just one example of great things arising from something I thought I’d hate. Another example is Cadets. I remember when Will Anderson told me the senior rank list was out, and that I was tech Sergeant of Pioneers. Knowing Will, or having no idea what a tech sergeant was, I thought it was a joke. It wasn’t, and for a while I was disappointed. I was somewhat humiliated entering the parade ground to start the new Term. And yet, the times I spent with the pioneers on camp are easily some of the best memories I’ve made at Shore, and the boys I spent them with are now my best mates.

There are so many more things I can speak about on my time at Shore. I encourage the younger boys to keep their heads up when things don’t go their way. I encourage my cohort to make the most of our final Term. Study hard, get around the Firsts Football and Rugby, and spend time with each other before we all go our separate ways.

Thank you Shore.

The Wheels on the Shore Bus Go Round and Round

Round and round, Round and round, All through School.

R. Zhang

I’VE NEVER REALLY LOVED BUSES, not because I’m a Shore boy, but because they seem to always be so slow and eternally running late. Personally, I think bikes are pretty cool; you get to break speed limits (no speedo, sorry officer), run reds (oh I couldn’t stop, the brakes are shoddy sir) and whether you get to your destination on time really only depends on your level of fitness. A far superior option to buses. 

The only bus I truly love! Source: google search

Yet I seem to spend so much time on buses, mainly because I don’t own a bike, but also because my parents don’t love me enough to fund my Uber addiction. Now, this has left me a plethora of time to watch reels, and even more time to be alone with my thoughts when my terrible phone inevitably dies (Mum, I told you I needed the iPhone 15 pro max with 22 hours of battery). And with all that time spent staring at passing asphalt, I’ve realised that my school life has been very akin to a bus trip… Now, please keep reading and let me cook!

Buses may be slow, they may be unreliable, they may even break down and cause five lane pile-ups but they’ll always be special, because every single fault of the bus system gives it charm. I think it’s a privilege to be able to watch the kilometres disappear beneath the buses’ wheels and in a way, it’s important we watch life progress too.

I want to watch the passing trees, the passing cars, the passing shops with excitement. Truly, I want to cherish every passing moment, every laugh, every stupid skibidi joke, every passing nod at a classmate, every single minute of our limited time. I want to be able to enjoy the company of every passenger; every person who enters life, even if we never talk, even if all that happens is we enjoy the passage of life together, as passengers on the same bus but with different destinations.

I may have got on at St Ives, and some of you may have got on at Northbridge, but we’ll ride the same bus to the city even if I get off at UTS and others go to UNSW or even keep on going to Queensland (we’ll still love you, promise!). No matter what happens, we’ll still have spent that time together; watching the passing cars, fooling around in the same Year 8 classes, hitting the same potholes, locking in together at the library this year, laughing at the same jokes, and honestly, I’m glad I’ve been able to share this bus ride with this cohort, even if we sat in different sections of the bus and never got to have a chat and enjoyed different scenery. I hope you share the same sentiment.

Of course, we’ve had all the other fun related bus metaphors. Great drivers and conductors who we need to press b to thank; an analogue for great teachers who have kept us going until our destination and especially those who put in double time this year, going above and beyond for us. We’ve even had our fair share of reels style catastrophic bus accidents! Some that have even caused great storms on reels and social media. It’s been an honour Year 12, and a real joy making covers for the SWR this past year and I’m not crying, you are (I’m a tough sigma I promise). But for those in younger years, please, look up from your reels every once in a while and watch the passing scenery instead. (That was both a metaphor for getting involved in the School and some friendly literal advice, it’s good for your eye health!) And don’t forget, neither us nor you will be the first nor hopefully the last passengers on this route, so please don’t be afraid to reach out to ex-passengers and don’t forget to help new ones. But yeah, thanks for reading my first and only published rant, and don’t worry Mr. Scobie, I still think bicycles are pretty cool, but a bit more lonely.

Article-ception: 93′ to 24′

The Article Within the Article and Why I Write?

J. K. Tang

THE SMELLS OF GREEN BY THE HAWKER STANDS awakened the words, Vitai Lampada Tradunt, into my life. It was Old Boys’ Day. As I heard the thunderous roar from the stands, my infant hands held the bacon n’ egg roll tighter. Dad raised me above his shoulders to watch a game of GPS rugby for the first time. By three o’clock in the afternoon, the Blue and White Army filled every seat in every row, chanting together and as one. At ten past three, a silence broke the blue of the cloudless sky. All the Shore boys, no matter how small or how tall, lined a tunnel from the lockers to the A-ground. Arms locked. Drum beating. I knew something was special here.

When I finally got a boater on my head, I began to recognise what was special there, could be found beyond the pitch. Music. Drama. Debating. Talent everywhere! Shore was not only the place but was also the people. People that uplift boys’ boundless dreams into reality. A community that pushes the weight of every tackle on the field and the stride of every pen on the page. What Shore provides isn’t a compass or map to high school. It is a flame that ignites passions and illuminates possibilities. After the 2:50 bell, I remember finding that flame printed on the cover of “A SHORE HARD LOOK” (SWR T1 W3 2019). The Culture Section unravelled the ethical dilemma of criticism. The Science Section exposed the ecological problems found in Australian waters. The Politics Section informed us of France’s outrage with their government. From this paper on, my flame for writing burns.

However, I must not forget what fuels my flame… My great-uncle Peter enrolled Dad to Shore for the Summer of 1992. From the coastal towns of Malaysia to a harbour-side boarding school in Sydney, this flame warmed my family into the Blue and White Army and burned memories that Dad holds onto long after he finished in 93’. Since his 30th reunion at Old Boys’ Day 2023, the embers of his memories sparked into a retrospective inferno. With Shore burning back into his mind, I asked Dad about the SWR of his day. He remembered it being printed and handed out as it is today. He remembered the font-play on its covers and fun quizzes posted between each issue. My intrigue took me to the archives, where I found the first film review of “Critic’s Column” 1993.

Movie Review: SINGLES was a perfect reflection of the time. The aesthetics of alternative America were revered. Distaste of the zeitgeist. Distaste of relationships. Distaste of cookie-cutter lives. 90s Hollywood was big on the corny rom-com genre, where our experiences with love are subverted, twisted and redefined. This critique embraces the satirical insight of Crowe’s 1992 film and emphasises comradery and struggles for love, thus, projecting onto the worldview of high school boys.

“Life for singles in the ‘90s is shown in all its gruesome detail; gruesome because the details seem all too familiar…”

As a demonstration of our excellent English department, the article maintains an ongoing discursive-essayist expression and creates a satisfying balance of opinion and fact. What the SWR has taught me is that journalism is a simultaneous exchange of thought. You express as much thought as you invite. It is amazing to see the writer’s ethos endure thirty years later.

Definitively, this film review does what all good SWR articles do, which is to bring the wonders of the world and its media to the boys. With its sustained textual integrity (note for Mod B English Adv) and comedic undertones, the SWR speaks as the powerful product of the flame.

“It’s not often that you go from the cinema feeling like you are leaving behind a bunch of good friends…”

The film within the article within this article is what the school means to me. A flame of memories warming the reminder that we were all in this together. Although high school is a cold time, let this flame ignite your passions and illuminate the possibilities. Do not let it burn out.

Christian Sanctification

What Should You Expect of A Faithful Christian?

I. J. Lanham

CHRISTIAN SANCTIFICATION is essentially a fancy word for the cleansing of the human soul and bearing of good fruit subsequent to the submission to Jesus’ headship and leadership. Lots of words to also unpack from that definition. Where fruit is the analogue of ‘good deeds’ which are produced but a Christian who is made righteous – Good in God’s sight – “from whom there is now no condemnation” (Romans 8:1) and their ‘soul’ which is symbolic as the spiritual and moral centrepiece is now clean from the death-bound sin (‘for the wages of sin is death’ – Romans 6:23). 

Christians believe that they have been ‘saved’, and this salvation comes simply from ‘If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead’ – (Romans 10:9). And it seems really simple, and fundamentally it is, but there’s a lot more to unpack… Believing that this figure Jesus was raised from the dead means he has ultimate power and Him being ‘Lord’ gives him ultimate authority. These characteristics therefore completely validate his ministry where his moral law and philosophy should be followed, and his words must then be embraced as ultimate truth. Now this simple reception of salvation has radical implications for the outworking of a Christian life. To truly embrace truth will mean you live as though it is true, as convicted by Jesus’ authority and proved by His power, which will result in the glad embrace of so many encouraged and commanded ways to live to ‘live life to the full’. To be sure, this is subsequent to your salvation, but inevitable as a result of.

But hang on: What if you find a loophole – and you can gain salvation and not have to live by these countercultural commandments and teachings of Jesus? The classic deathbed conversion. Unfortunately, you’re missing the point entirely. It’s a change of mindset that is involved here in what we call the Christian ‘conversion’. It’s not a cultural conversion, a tick in the survey box or something merely symbolic. A deathbed conversion would only guilt a Christian who feels the loss of opportunity to proclaim faith and live as someone cleansed into ‘righteousness’. 

When the Bible talks about the aforementioned ‘fruit’ of the spirit – it considers these fruit as the proof of integrity of faith. The fruit, “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22) cannot be taken in isolation from one another, but they are indicative of spiritual growth as evidence of true faith. Likewise, James makes the comparison “Like the body without the spirit, faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26). So while the capacity for faith is unconditional, the outworking of the fruit of faith will determine whether it is a living dynamic faith, or a shallow reflection of cultural Christianity. The latter would be true of those simply nominal in their faith as a hereditary product, to feel comforted and fulfilled by such half-conceived notions, or to bag the offer of eternity without truly committing or understanding. 

Sanctification is not salvation by works, but faith by spiritual fruit, the only way to respond to Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. There are no exceptions. And this does not disqualify salvation by grace (free mercy, no meritocratic). God knows his creation – and the only way to possibly respond to this kind of love and forgiveness from the condemnation of God’s wrath cannot be living the same way. You will be changed. 

Shaping a clay pot

What about Christians you see who seem to live unchanged by the grace of God? As I have suggested, a proper acknowledgement of God’s grace is heart, mind and soul (the trinity of perception: intellectually, emotionally and spiritually) is a change in character. What can we say about a lack of change from those who proclaim such a faith? Well spiritual growth can appear very gradual, so although you may not see it, at distinct points in time you can measure and discern it. Someone who has truly accepted Christ will have a change of mindset, but this doesn’t negate the human propensity to do evil, and perfection has been exemplified only by one man. Be discerning with real Christians from those who simply profess it, you must critically “separate the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32) – but also realise many are still caught up in attachment to the deceptive pleasures of the world as they begin to dissociate, for “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23) and will continue to do so. Yet even Jesus says, “if your brother sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you” (Matthew 18:15) as Christians are called to keep one another accountable. 
Finally, from our school New Testament reading, we are called to “live such good lives among the pagans so, although they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven on the day he comes” (1 Peter 2:12). You should be able to tell who is grounded in their faith by their ‘sanctification’ – the fruits of their labours.

AFL Report

In the final week of Term 2 Shore had three boys, Ben H (Year 11), Matt G (Year 12), Mitchell D (Year 11), and Shore First XVIII coach, Mr Frank Punch, as the Head Coach of the Combined President’s (GPS) XVIII vs Combined CAS XVIII. Always a tough contest, the GPS boys were going for three years in a row. The team came out strong a dominated from the start with our very own, Mitch D and Ben H scoring goals in the first quarter. They continued to take full control and went on to win 13.11 (89) defeating CAS 5.5 (35). Ben H finished with three goals and Mitch D one. All three boys played extremely well and represented the school in the highest manner.

With the First XVIII losing their first round of the finals at the end of Term 2, the team was relegated to Division 2 to see out the last three rounds of the season. Playing against Redlands First XVIII, the team were unsure what level to expect. However, after just a few minutes, it was quite notable that we were far superior than our opponents and the boys were ecstatic to be able to kick goals and enjoy their first win for the season. Harry Marshall (Year 12) kicked three goals and it was great to see Ben H (Year 11) back in action for the first time this season. The team manage to be able to sing the new Shore AFL song for the first time.

The Second XVIII is also playing in the Open’s Division 2 and they went up against Newington’s Second XVIII. Newington is a strong AFL school and have plenty of depth. This was going to be a tough contest for the boys. Our team have heart and passion, but the skill and fitness of the Newington team allowed them to win the ball in tight contest. Our boys fought all the way and should be proud of their efforts.

In the Intermediate level, Waverley has become one of the strongest schools with the huge depth and registered players they have. This was going to be a tough ask. Our boys played very well and took their opportunities with Aiden K (Year 9) kicking four goals. With many Year 10s playing up in Open’s First XVIII, they continue to build and strengthen the depth we require.

The Junior Division 2 contains schools that are either very strong and would be competitive in Division 1, while the other schools do not have the depth, but would be too strong for Division 3. The boys came up against a very strong Northern Beaches school, St Augustine’s, who contain many club players. With our boys lacking the experience and physicality, they were far to strong for us. However, if they continue with the sport and train hard over the years, they will see a huge improvement and be able to compete.

We only have two rounds remaining. Good luck and finish the season well.

“Courage is the process that builds good men, striving for consistency”

Top image: First XVIII: Sam W

Mr G Tesoriero
MIC of AFL

ISC Round 8: Team of the Week

ISC AFL Round 8 – Saturday 27 July 2024

Cross Country Report

Barker Invitation, St Ives Showground | 22 June

Excuse me as I unpack some of my thoughts from sitting in the car on the way back to the Inner West last Saturday following the Barker Invitation at St Ives Showground. Firstly, how awful is the Saturday morning traffic in the rain? Secondly, I was trying to think if I could remember a wetter season of Cross Country, Schoolboy sport in general for that matter, since 1996… Nope, I couldn’t. Thirdly, I was also contemplating how proud of those young Blue Street Boys who showed up and raced in absolute crazy conditions and raced well, taking it to our brother Schools in typical tenacious Shore fashion. Lastly, I’m so pleased that Barker and Riverview chose to continue with the competition as they hosted. In this new age of ultra-conservatism and compliance, Schools are so quick to cancel, but to what end? Saving a patch of grass for next week. Avoiding danger and litigation? I don’t know, but what I do know is that I’m a massive fan of the old Latin phrase (shocking some of you, no doubt) Quod non te occidit, fortior te facit, (What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger) and surely that is what we need to be challenging our young men with, safely of course, as they develop the character that we are then so quick to laud! I’m very proud!

The Juniors were first to strut their stuff in the rain and mud, again! George Harvey surged to the front of the race, pleasingly backing himself on the back of some good form. He continued to push hard for the duration and secured an awesome result of 8th overall, to be 6th amongst the GPS. I feel a little Abrahamesque as I prophesied that Tom Roxburgh would surge toward the pointy end of competition last week as he smashed out a fine run to be 16th, 11th GPS. Archie Watson, regaining form from a bout of the lurgy, ran tenaciously to be 26th, 18th GPS and Leon Field was our 4th runner home, securing our team result of 3rd amongst the GPS Schools as he was 35th, 25th! We are so pleased with the depth that is developing in the Juniors, as it is the nursery for future success and our aspirations!

The Inters were once again led out by the surging Will Bestic, who is showing signs of really turning into a runner! Mind you 95% of that is actually believing you are a runner. I think he is starting to work that out! He scorched around the muddy and wet track to finish in the awesome position of 4th overall, 3rd GPS. Hugo Stewart also found his mojo last Saturday, seeming determined to finish closer to the pointy of the race as he slid into the Top Ten in 9th, 5th GPS. Jonty Jagger ran well as always as he was 17th, 12th, with James Warren having a blinder to close on Jonty, only 1 position adrift as he sealed a very pleasing team result of 3rd overall, 2nd amongst the GPS Schools. This kept us 1pt ahead of King’s in the season long tally – the silverware in the Inters is still within reach…

Our Opens were once again missing El Captain Lachy Brown, who is having a shocker of a season suffering blows weekly as the lurgy seems to have a real grip on him, and we need him! That being said, his right-hand man Ryan Gilmour led the Open Team well and surged into his best result of the season so far to be 2nd Overall. He was tenacious in the mud and ran superbly! Isaac Lanham also ran well and managed to hold James Bestic at bay as the finish line approached, finished virtually together in 5th and 6th, respectively. James did provide the humour last Saturday, there wasn’t a lot of laughing matter on offer after I called out to run wide and avoid the deep mud on a bend near the finish, which he ignored, and then I felt I should add – ‘you’re a clown Bestic!’ His response ‘I know Spratty!’ The Shore supporters gathered, loving it! As Lachy was crook, Tom Gray filled that all important anchor role and did extremely well. He had a fine run to be 13th, just out of the GPS Top Ten in 11th. We were a very creditable 2nd again to the very strong Scots team. It does appear season end honours have slipped out of our grasp in the Opens. Though we should be proud of how hard we have worked to maintain contact with Scots, who look set, deservedly, to hoist the Trophy at the GPS Championships. There is certainly no shame in trying hard and failing; not trying at all would certainly not be character-building. After all, isn’t that what Schoolboy Sport is actually all about?

Shore Cross Country ‘Machine of the Week’: The Cross Country brains trust put forward three contenders for ‘Machine’ honours from last Saturday. Hugo Stewart and James Warren in the Inters, and Tom Gray in the Opens. After much discussion, it was decided that James should be anointed as the ‘Machine of the Week’ last Saturday, based on his tenacious run. We are loving we have so many options, as it’s a great problem to have!  

The Trinity Relays, Ewen Park, Hurlstone Park | 27 July

Choreographers seem to be at the forefront of many minds following the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games on Friday, some were pleased with their efforts, others not so. Well, let me just say, I am NOT pleased with the weather choreographers in Sydney this winter season of GPS Sport! It hadn’t rained for a month, yet walking to Ewen Park in the rain last Saturday for the 24th Trinity Relays was very disappointing! That being said, the Blue Street Boys shrugged off most of their chagrin and once again stepped up to the task at hand and made a good account of themselves.

As is the case with the Cross Country Relay format, all age groups started at the same time, which made for some chaos until the field strung out, thankfully. Ryan Gilmour was our anointed speedster and lead-out man for our fancied Open Team. He surged the team into contention with a blistering first lap to be not far adrift of the lead, certainly in touch, as he handed over to Isaac Lanham. He too motored around the course, and we were looking good. The gathered Shore Cross Country aficionados, Mr Friend et al, were pleased with this fast team mid-race, commenting how the 4 x 2.6km format seemed to really suit us. I didn’t notice any teams really getting the better of us by any great margin as Isaac then handed onto James Bestic and then onto El Capitan Lachy Brown. Lachy crossed the line for our premier Open Team, landing themselves a very pleasing 2nd in the Opens, narrowly, indicating how close we really are to the season’s front runners Scots. 

The Intermediates Ben Frantz, James Warren, Hugo Stewart and Jonty Jagger were also setting a cracking pace alongside the Opens and did well to place a commendable 8th amongst the teams from both associations in their age group. Our Juniors too had a fine run. Toby Ward smashed out a stellar first lap. He was then followed by Henry Grieve, Archie Watson and George Harvey, all running very well also, as they fine 5th place in the teams from 30 teams. Solid!

We head to Northbridge tomorrow as we host there for the first time! If you happen to be in the hood, pop in and check out what all the fuss is about at Cross Country!

Top image: ‘Intermediates – splashing start!’

Good running,

Mr M Spratt
MIC Cross Country

Football Report

After a lengthy break, we finally made it back to the pitch… just! As it’s a Saturday we can always expect rain to follow and Saturday 27 July was no different.

Match Reports 19 June to 27 July

19 June CIS Cup Plate Semi-Final – First XI vs Moriah College 0-3 loss

In the semi-final of the CIS Cup Plate, Shore participated in a strenuous battle against a strong Moriah College, unfortunately resulting in a tough 3-0 loss. Initially, the game started off positively, with Shore creating a few chances and controlling the game. However, as the game progressed, a hapless lapse in concentration led to an easy goal for Moriah College. Despite being slightly demoralised, Shore held out with strong defence to finish the first half 1-0 down. Following a half-time chat, Shore returned to the second half stronger, however, another unlucky mistake in the penalty area resulted in a second goal for Moriah College. Shore continued to create chances in the attacking half of the pitch but a third minor error led to Moriah College’s third. However, on the back of this unfortunate result, hopeful the squad can learn from their mistakes and return strong for the remaining GPS games.

25 June GPS Round 2 – First XI vs Scots 5-5 draw

A midweek make-up game saw Shore come up against Scots in what was a tit-for-tat battle for the ages. Originally caught unprepared for the physicality of Scots attack which resulted in an early goal, Shore responded with a volley from Charlie Mattison to level the scoring at 1-1. Scots however struck back with two goals by overloading their forward line with the half-time score being 1-3 down. Tactical changes saw Shore set up with two more defensively based midfielders which seemed to be the difference in the second half with Shore now being able to retain possession and pile on substantial pressure culminating in a header from the big man Liam McFarlane. A moment of magic followed with Ben Hadfield whipping a freekick bottom right to silence the Scots bagpipes and bring the score to 3-3. Liam McFarlane found his second for the day in what was a seemingly impossible header with the Shore striker now having 3 goals in 2 games, however an unfortunate mishap at the back saw the score levelled at 4-4. A dime of a delivery found Ben Hadfield again who emphatically headed in his second goal of the day making it 5-4. Yet a controversial penalty saw the game finish at 5-5 in what was another riveting blue and white performance with the squad currently sitting 2nd on the GPS table and showing promising signs for the rest of the season. 

4 July Trial – Senior Squad vs St. Aloysius 0-5 loss

Shore’s Senior Squad faced a tough match against St Aloysius College, culminating in a 5-0 defeat. The game began with promise as Conner Fung took an early shot at goal, but it was St Aloysius who capitalised on defensive errors, scoring three quick goals in the first half with their fast attacking line. Ben Hadfield, Tom Robson and Lachie Cameron acted as a compact centre defensive unit but struggled to contain the fast breaks from St Aloysius. The second half saw a moment of hope when goalkeeper Jaxon Black saved a crucial penalty, boosting the team’s morale. Shore’s strikers, Angus Leslie and Connor Morgan found themselves unable to convert their chances. Shore’s performance was notably impacted by the absence of several Firsts and Seconds players due to holidays. This match served as a wake-up call midway through the season, highlighting areas for improvement and the importance of defensive solidity.

11 July Trial – Senior Squad vs Dulwich Hill 2-5 loss

Shore played against a mixed squad of 16s and 18s from NPL League 2 club Dulwich Hill FC in a holiday game. It was a strong start from Shore creating many opportunities in the first half. Angus Leslie had many chances and finished with a header, late in the first half. Dulwich Hill later scored followed by a second to go into half-time 2-0. Dulwich Hill started off the second half very intense scoring a goal early on. A bit of hope sparked by a goal in the second half by Will Procter saw Shore reduce the deficit. Dulwich Hill managed to get the better of Shore late in the second half seeing them finish the game winning 5-2. Good experience and opportunity for the boys to compare themselves with a very advanced side.

18 July – Trial Senior Squad vs EVO Academy 1-2 loss

Shore started the game against EVO Academy with strong intensity and unrelenting pressure. A competitive first half saw chances at both end of the field but both teams were unable to convert. The second half kicked off, and EVO Academy were quick to score. Shore fought back well, and a great passage led to Charlie Mattison scoring to even the match. EVO Academy pushed ahead in the final minutes to take the lead. The final score was 2-1 In EVO Academy’s favour.

22 July GPS Round 3 – First XI vs Riverview 3-1 win

In another make-up game in the third round of the GPS competition, the Shore First XI emerged victorious over Riverview with a 3-1 win, demonstrating the rewards of their practice matches and consistent training during the holidays. The game began with both teams displaying high energy, making for a fiercely competitive first-half. Midway through the half, Shore took the lead when centre back Ben Hadfield delivered a superb ball to Liam McFarlane, who scored to make the game 1-0. In the second-half, Shore quickly extended their lead, with Liam McFarlane once again finding the back of the net. However, Riverview remained resilient, scoring later in the half to bring the score to 2-1. Despite Riverview’s efforts, Shore sealed their victory in the final minutes as Charlie Mattison calmly converted a penalty, securing a well-deserved 3-1 triumph for Shore.

27 July GPS Round 4 – First XI vs King’s 2-0 win

Historically games against King’s have been tight and hard-fought and the game this weekend was no different in challenging conditions. Shore started on the front foot with a few penalty shouts and shots that hit the wood work within the opening 5 minutes. A few minutes later from a free-kick Braden Dent whipped in a ball which Ben Hadfield headed in, opening the scoring. At half-time the game was 1-0 to Shore. From the first play of the second-half, Will Procter, driving down the by-line found Hamish Walls with a cut back to tap the ball in, making it 2-0 just after the break. The rest of the second-half was evenly poised with defences hard to break down. Ultimately, Shore ran out victorious 2-0. Shore now sit 2nd on the ladder, playing 1st place High in a crucial match for the title next weekend.

Mr E De Marchi
MIC Football

Results Saturday 27 July 2024

Interschools Sydney Region Snowsports Championships

In the last week of the recent holidays, the Shore Snowsports Team travelled to Perisher to compete in the 2024 Interschools Sydney Region Snowsports Championships. Fifty-two skiers and boarders from Kindergarten through to Year 12 competed in Alpine GS, Ski Cross, Moguls, Snowboard GS and Snowboard Cross.

A small number of the team competed in the Redlands Cup and Scots Race as a warm-up to Interschools on Sunday, July 14. At Redlands, Ari Ganasin placed 8th, and Duncan C clocked the fastest single time in Division 1 Alpine; Charlie Kovacs won individual Silver and Jack Steiger-Thorpe individual Bronze with the A Team winning Silver in Division 2 Alpine, and in Division 3 Snowboard, Cyan C placed 3rd for Individual Bronze. At the Scots race, Duncan C took home Individual Gold for Division 1, in Division 2 Micah Minchin placed 13th and in Division 3 Anders Minchin placed 25th.

The Interschools Sydney Region competition commenced on Tuesday July 16 with the Snowboard races. In Division 1 Snowboard GS, the B Team won Team Silver, with George L placing third overall for Individual Bronze. In Snowboard Cross, each team was allowed a single run on a very short and basic course – the best that could be provided under the conditions. In Division 1, the B Team won Team Bronze, while in Division 3, Cyan C blitzed the field for Individual Gold.

Wednesday continued the flow of success with Moguls Qualifier runs. In Division 1 Moguls Qualifier, Ari Ganassin and Alexander Yu placed 4th and 6th respectively; In Division 3 Charlie Kovacs placed 3rd; and in Division 3 Lachlan Jansen, Henry Grieve and Benjamin Rose placed 2nd, 3rd and 6th respectively.

On Thursday, Division 3 Ski Cross had our A Team place 5th and the B Team placed 6th, demonstrating the strong depth that we continue to develop in the sport. In Division 2 Alpine, the A xTeam won Team Silver, with Charlie Kovacs placing 4th overall. Our B Team placed 6th by 0.25 seconds. Division 1 Ski Cross was a nail-biting event, down to the wire. Our A Team raced brilliantly to hold on to Team Gold by 1/100th of a second. Duncan C took out Individual Gold.

The weather on the final day of competition was bleak, to say the least. The wind chill making an already cold day seem below -10 degrees. Regardless, our boys competed with vigour. In Division 1 Alpine, the A Team placed third for Team Bronze with Duncan C placing 1st in both his first and second run for Individual Gold. The Division 3 Alpine race was reduced to one run and, due to timing issues, the race took two and a half hours to conduct. It didn’t deter our boys, however, with the Division 3 Alpine A Team charging home for Team Bronze and William Thompson winning Individual Silver. In Ski Cross, the Division 2 boys continued their display of depth with the A Team placing third for Team Bronze and the B Team placing 5th. Jack Steiger-Thorpe’s Individual Silver and Charlie Kovacs’ 4th place show formidable strength.

All up an awesome week. Very special thanks to the parents for their support of the boys’ passion for skiing and boarding. The team now look forward to the NSW State Championships to be held in late August.

Stay tuned!

Mr WJ Payne
MIC Snowsports