Message from the Headmaster

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Shore’s fundamental aim to develop fine young men of quality is well known. Character is critical. In many respects, Shore is swimming against the tide, in fact, against a flood of unsavoury influencers easily accessible on social media. One of the best ways to tutor boys towards a quality expression of masculinity is for character to be manifested by their own. Our desire, consistent with Biblical principles, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men,” is that they grow in maturity and wisdom to an adulthood marked by respect and grace. What follows is the recent address by our Senior Prefect Angus Leslie as part of the Lions Club Youth of the Year Competition. This text is used with kind permission of Angus.

“Oi stop it. Wipe those tears. Man up now. It’s time to put your big boy shoes on. Get yourself together and get back out there. Don’t let ’em see you cry.”

Ladies and gentlemen, timekeeper, and fellow contestants, in just a few seconds, you’ve heard the words that have painted many boys’ childhoods – the idea that a man is invulnerable, an island alone and women are less. In just these seconds, you’ve heard the issue facing the young men of our generation; toxic masculinity.

Now, why would anyone become this sort of guy?

You see, society and the media feed us two core types of men:

First: the “Macho Man”—stoic, unemotional, dominant, powerful, and above all, successful. He’s the athlete who plays through injury, the CEO who prioritises profit over people, the father who can’t say “I love you.” He’s strong, but he’s alone.

Second: the “Performative Good Guy”—one who showcases morality for applause rather than principle. He’s the politician preaching equality for votes, the influencer demanding respect while exploiting women. His words ring hollow; his true motives lie elsewhere.

Just think of how many people you know like this in your life.

Both are flawed, both are dangerous, and both reflect the issue facing young boys; we can’t escape toxic masculinity.

Let me be clear: masculinity itself is not the enemy. Strength is not the enemy. Courage is not the enemy. But how do we teach and define masculinity? That is where the problem lies.

For many, they’ve got no one to role model. No person to look up to. See, my saving grace was my parents. You see, my Mum, she’s the breadwinner of the family and works in a male-dominated field, running her own business. Of all the moments of hardship she’d faced, the one that stuck with me over all these years was to see her, someone who’d come from rough outback Australia, faced experiences I’d never understand. It was to see her cry. Cry at the fact that as the Chairman of a business she built, she wasn’t allowed to speak at a meeting, just because she was a woman.

The possible investors wished for the next male representative to speak on her behalf. That was the first and, to this day, the only time I’ve seen my Mum cry and it was because a man believed he was better. This showed me it’s about resilience and self-respect.

But for many, they’re stuck with toxic masculinity; a message which tells boys to “man up” and to tell women “to step down”. 

So how can we change this?

We redefine masculinity.

We revive the Third forgotten type of man: the Good Man. A guy who embodies wisdom, courage and integrity. He knows his worth isn’t measured in power plays, but in compassion and looking out for others.

And all of us —parents, teachers, influencers— we’ve got to hold one another accountable. We must challenge those who prey on insecurity, engage rather than belittle and foster an environment where boys can be human well before they’re forced to be “men”.

This isn’t a fight against men; it’s a fight for them. For the young boy told to toughen up. For the father who never learned to say “I love you.” For the friend who never came back because he thought no one would listen.

Toxic masculinity has taken enough. It’s time we take it away.’

Angus Leslie
Senior Prefect

Local Government

Schools in the North Shore precinct, and especially Shore, have come to attention recently as a result of North Sydney Council writing to all independent schools in this Local Government Area to invite them to make a voluntary donation, which is the equivalent of rates which would be charged if currently applicable. For Shore, this amount is an annual contribution of $345,000. In fact, Shore contributes to the community in other ways, partly through the service ministries of our students. Whatever the merits of a voluntary rate contribution, to make such a payment would actually be a breach of law. Schools in receipt of Government money, even small amounts from the Treasury, are required to expend their funds only in fulfilment of the core business of the school. This is interpreted quite narrowly according to the black letter of the law.

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Chaplains’ Chat

We all want to make good decisions in life. Whether it’s about what subjects to choose next year, what sport to sign up for, which job opportunity to take, or how to handle that relational conflict, we all want to make good decisions in life. This is where wisdom comes in. Wisdom is being able to make good decisions and using your experience and knowledge to live well, but being wise isn’t the same as being smart. They say intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad! Intelligence can show us our options, but wisdom is choosing the right one.

The book of Proverbs in the Bible is all about wisdom for life and is full of sayings delivered from a father to his son about how to be wise. This week in Chapel, I shared a favourite verse of mine from Proverbs that says:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.”

This passage calls upon us to turn to God for wisdom and not rely exclusively on our own knowledge. It’s so easy for us to think that we have all the answers and that everyone else is too foolish to see what we see so clearly! But wisdom is knowing that we don’t have all the answers. Making the best decision in life relies on a lot more than just what you want. A wise decision considers how your choice will impact others, where it may lead you in the future, and how it will shape your character. When we trust in God, we are also called to not rely entirely on ourselves and recognise that our understanding only goes so far. Rather, we trust in the one who knows all.

This proverb reminds us that wisdom comes from God and that submitting to Him leads to a fulfilling life that is not confined to our immediate circumstances. We may not know what the future holds, and often, we need to make wise decisions based on limited information. But if we trust in God, we know that he works all things for the good of those who love him.

Mr John Sheldon
Chaplain (Acting)

AAGPS Sporting Events

Year Group Compulsory Event Dates

Each year, the major AAGPS Sporting events provide an opportunity for the boys of the School to come together to show support for their School and our athletes.

In 2025, the following year groups will be attending the AAGPS Events:

Head of the River, Saturday 22 March

• Compulsory for all Year 7, 8 and 9. Year 11 and 12 are welcome to attend.
• Summer School uniform (no coats or boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Bus transfers will be arranged.

AAGPS Swimming Carnival, Friday 28 March

• Compulsory for all Year 10 and 11 (except those participating in the Musical).
• Summer School uniform (no coats or boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Bus transfers will be arranged.

AAGPS Athletics Carnival, Saturday 20 September

• Compulsory for all Year 7, 8 and 10. Year 12 are welcome to attend.
• Winter School uniform (no boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Transport will be arranged.

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

Dr Andrew Mansfield
Deputy Head Operations

Shore Community Fellowship and Prayer Evening

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

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

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

Thursday 6 March – Shore Dining Hall

Dress – Smart Casual

Dinner – A casual dinner will be provided (Boarding meal)

RSVP – To assist with catering, please let us know if you are attending by clicking here

Parking: Parking available in the School Car Park (Entry via Hunter Cres)

Please forward this to any interested members of the Shore community.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Introducing the Shore Parents’ Association

The Shore Parents’ Association (SPA) is dedicated to fostering a strong and connected School community by bringing parents together and encouraging friendships. Through a variety of events and initiatives, the SPA plays a vital role in supporting both families and the School.

Each year, SPA hosts numerous events, with highlights including the American Tea and Icebreaker, providing wonderful opportunities for parents to connect. Additionally, SPA coordinates parent volunteers for canteen shifts, library book covering, and exam scribing, offering valuable assistance to the School.

Our Year Representatives serve as key links between parents, keeping them informed about SPA activities and organising year-specific social events to strengthen community bonds. SPA also arranges information evenings featuring guest speakers who address important issues relevant to our children today.

Beyond social events, SPA provides support to families facing challenges due to illness or other difficulties, assisting with meals and School transport when needed.

We warmly encourage all parents and carers to get involved and become an active part of our School community.

For more information about SPA, including Year Rep lists, please follow this link.

To contact the Shore Parents’ Association, please email: spachair@shore.nsw.edu.au

Sharing Year Group Contact Information

Dear Parents and Carers,

As part of our commitment to fostering a strong sense of community among parents, I would like to inform you about a very important opt-in process related to sharing contact information within your child’s SPA (Shore Parents’ Association) Year Group.

Accessing contact details of other parents in your child’s year group is facilitated through the Year Contacts button in Lampada. By default, your contact details, including your name, address, email, mobile, and home numbers, remain private and are not visible to other parents.

However, if you would like to connect with fellow parents, we encourage you to opt in by selecting at least one piece of information, particularly an active email address.

Specifically, if you wish to receive emails from your child’s SPA Year Group Representative, please ensure that you tick the ‘Email’ checkbox. This will ensure you receive important information from the SPA on Shore community initiatives and events. If you are already a Shore parent and not new to the School in 2025, then you may have already ‘opted in’, and if so, you do not need to take any action.

These emails will come from a dedicated email address for each Year’s Group Representative and will look like this: Classof20XX@shore.nsw.edu.au. The address reflects the year in which your child is anticipated to graduate from Shore.

In the future, if you update any of your contact details, such as email address, home, or mobile number, your preferences to share this information will reset. You will need to opt-in again.

I would like to emphasise that opting in or out of sharing your contact details does not impact communications directly from the School itself. Messages from the Headmaster and School newsletters will continue to be delivered to you as part of your enrolment terms and conditions.

For a step-by-step guide on viewing parent contact details or modifying your preferences, please refer to the screenshots, which can be found here. You can also follow these steps: 

1. Log into Lampada
2. Select the Year Contacts icon on the Lampada homepage. 
3. Select your child’s name from the top-left dropdown list. 
4. Ensure you have checked the email box that appears in the ‘Share my contact details’ box.

For assistance or queries related to this specific process, please reach out to contactlists@shore.nsw.edu.au.

I appreciate your cooperation in helping us strengthen our Shore community. I wish you a wonderful and engaging School year ahead.

Warm regards,

Rev Dr Richard Wenden
Chair, Shore Parents’ Association

Tennis Day – Hosted by Shore Parents’ Association

Friday 7 March 2025 from 9.30am – 12:30pm

Mums, Dads and Carers, please join us for a fun morning of social tennis at the wonderful Northbridge Tennis Pavilion. There will be prizes, a raffle and morning tea.

There will be a Tennis Active Clinic for all levels, or Round Robin matches if you love competition. All standards of player are welcome!

Book Now

Year 7 Welcome BBQ

The Shore Parents’ Association (SPA) warmly invites all 2025 Year 7 Shore families to a Welcome BBQ.

Saturday 8 March, 4.00pm to 6.30pm – Shore Northbridge Playing Fields, E Ground (behind the Hawker Stand). Corner of Alpha and Sailors Bay Roads, Northbridge.

Parking – Parking available on G Ground with entry via Alpha Rd.

Dinner – A free sausage sizzle is provided and non-alcoholic drinks will be available to purchase.

Please feel free to bring a picnic rug, cheese plates, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Games and activities will be organised for the boys and their siblings by Shore staff, coaches and Senior boys.

RSVP – Please let us know if you are attending by 28 February: click here to RSVP

Volunteer – All SPA events rely on the generosity of volunteers. At Shore, volunteers are required to have a WWCC clearance. We ask that you please consider registering as a volunteer via this link and also click here for a 30-minute commitment at the Year 7 Welcome BBQ. It’s a great way to meet new friends!

For further information contact Year 7 Reps: Mrs Virginia Westcott, Mrs Karen Prowse and Mrs Laura Ferguson via ShoreClassof2030@shore.nsw.edu.au

We look forward to seeing you there.

Lampada Tips and Tricks

Lampada is here to help simplify School communications for you! Designed to consolidate parent communications and essential School information on one central platform, Lampada ensures that parents can stay informed and engaged, whether your child is in the Early Learning Centre or Year 12. To help you make the most of Lampada, over the next few weeks, we will be sharing some ‘Tips and Tricks’ to enhance your experience. From setting up notifications to quickly accessing important updates, these insights will help you navigate the platform with ease and confidence.

Staying on top of assessment deadlines is essential for student success, and Lampada’s Student Assessment Calendar makes it easier than ever.

How to view Student Assessment Calendars

Step 1

On your Lampada homepage, navigate to My Students and click on the Assessments button to view a student’s assessment calendar.

On desktop devices, My Students can be found in the right column of the page. On mobile devices, please scroll to the bottom of the homepage.

Step 2

The student’s assessment calendar will appear on the next page. This calendar displays assessments and exams only and does not contain other types of events from the School Calendar, sports training sessions and fixtures, or other activities.

This calendar defaults to the current month. The calendar view can be changed to weekly or daily.  

Click here for more Lampada help information.

Extend is Hiring!

Athletics Trials for Year 7 to 10

On Thursday 6 March (Week 6), all students in Years 7 to 10 will participate in Athletics Trials on the School Oval at North Sydney. These trials will assist with formulating Championship Races for the upcoming Athletics Carnival on Tuesday 1 April (Week 10) at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre (SOPAC). Further details will be provided closer to the date.

ALL students must arrive at School in their full school uniform.

Boys will contest the following events: 

• 60m Sprint 
• Long Jump 
• Shot Put 
• 400m (Year 7 and 8 only)
• Push Up Test 
• 800m (Year 7 and 8 only)
• Vertical Jump 

Boys will need to bring their PE uniforms on the day to complete these trials, which will be run throughout the school day. Normal before and after-school Sport activities will remain for all students.   

Mr Jono Sparks
MIC Athletics 

Annual Ceremonial Parade

The Senior Under Officer, CUO William Fife

and

The Commanding Officer, LTCOL (AAC) Chris Oxley

cordially invite

Members of the Shore and Wenona Communities

to the

Annual Ceremonial Parade

of the

Shore Cadet Unit

We would be pleased if you could join us on

Monday 10 March 2025

4.45pm for 5.00pm

School Oval, Shore – North Sydney Campus

Parking is not available within the School grounds.

Career Event

UNSW Year 12 Medicine Information Evening

When: Wednesday 12 March 6.00pm-7.00pm

Where: Online

Register here

Cost: Free

Learn about the highly competitive application process and the opportunities available in the programme.

Music Calendar

All dates and events are subject to change, please confirm with the Music Department.

Term Dates 2025

Year 12 Progress Meetings

Progress Meetings: 4pm-7pm Tuesday 25 March via Zoom

• Information will be emailed home with all the details closer to the meeting.
• Boys are expected to attend.
• No co-curricular activities for students who have Progress Meetings.

Ms Emma Campbell
Academic Data Manager

The Idea of Love and Conflict

Year 10 are currently studying Poetry through the idea of Love and Conflict. Mr Fitisemanu set a challenge to his class to write a Love Poem and last Friday (Valentine’s Day), the boys shared their work. There were a range of topics that offered interesting, humorous and sincere depictions of Love. It was so wonderful to see the respect and encouragement each student demonstrated as they shared their poetry, one of the most personal forms of writing in which one can engage.

The Beauty of the Depths by Finn Herald, Year 10

I wrote the poem below in response to a homework task where we had to write a love poem for Valentine’s Day. I decided that I did not know what exactly I loved, so I just started writing with the idea of love in my head until I felt satisfied that what I was trying to achieve had been done. My poem discusses the beauties that hide in travesty and the travesty that is a sad mind. I propose that love is only found by a loving soul and that there is love in all.

The Beauty of the Depths

Seas and skies sway together,

Bleeding blues and greens to a waking eye.

Restless days creep from restless minds,

Swallowing possibilities till veins run dry.

The winds of freedom snap their tether.

Yet, still high fly those mighty winds,

Till what was one, becomes another.

Another life, another view upon this accursed world,

Whose beauty knows no brother.

Suffocating, spluttering, reaper of the depths,

Why too, do you give me sustenance of mind and body?

Waves to meld with, and bony beasts to feast on.

Till every other store sells endless ingestion,

And all afternoons fill my holes with water,

As I leave my body, in the ocean’s care, I drift.

Yet it is not you, the seas,  who provides for me,

But me who asks why.

A loving heart finds love in all,

The caring embrace of fish blood and the pier,

Prismatic streaks run oil-soaked gull wings,

Broken things fuse with a water tree,

Creating a beautiful new whole.

The rippling sunset on the sea,

Triumphed by the beauty of the soul.

All the hidden symphonies of the world

Begin to envelop your senses,

A strange interpretation blows in the salty breeze,

A new perspective reveals in ripple’s reflection.

Peace and chaos spawns existence,

Never different, never the same,

Its omnipotence yields control to us,

Beautifully ugly, justly unfair,

It and us,

is Everything.

If you love, you are loving it.

When you die, it absorbs you.

It’s your perception, you control every bit.

It is the love of the view.

Support From High-achieving Old Boys and Teachers

Shore boys have a long tradition of getting academic support in the Study Centre. This free service employs Shore teachers and high-achieving Old Boys and operates as a drop-in centre with subject-specific sessions according to the published timetable. Students are welcome to come to get difficult topics explained, get feedback on essay drafts, get help with homework or ask any questions they need help with. They should not leave it until just before the due date of a task as it tends to get very busy at such times.

This year, Shore is lucky to have secured the services of some of the high-achieving Old Boys. The English Study Centre is supported by Messrs Michael Kwak (’24), Hector Richards (’24), Daniel Ivanhoe (’24) and Harvey Frewin (’24), as well as Tom Wait (’23) and Liam Sewell (’23). Mr Tom Fisher (’24) will work with students in PDHPE, Mr Nathanael Robinson (’24) in Drama and Mr Tom Ellis (’24) in Business Studies. These Old Boys all achieved Band 6 in their subjects with some of them receiving State placings.

All Shore boys are encouraged to take advantage of the service provided by the Study Centre. Besides the subject-specific help, the Old Boys are happy to share more general tips for developing good study habits and achieving good results in the examinations.

Mrs Eva White
Head of Library & Information Services

Study Centre Timetable Term 1 2025

   Study Centre Timetable Term 1 2025

Parent Seminar Series 2025

Student Articles Available in Lampada

In keeping with tradition, printed copies of student articles are handed out at the Senior School gates every Friday. This allows us to honour the Shore Weekly Record’s mission, ‘by the boys, for the boys,’ while making the digital version more concise for parents. A PDF of the student articles is also available each week on Lampada in the publications page.

Basketball Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

In Round 10, Shore Firsts had a hard-fought match against a strong Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview (SIC) team. With both coming into the matchup with a 4-4 record, it was bound to be a close game. With only seven players due to injury, it was going to take an extraordinary effort to get the win.

The match was up and down, fast-paced, with both teams swapping the lead back and forth. With four minutes to go into the fourth quarter and a 1-point game, SIC made back-to-back 3-pointers, which ended up solidifying a lead that was too hard to overcome.

The final score was 64-77 to SIC, though a tremendous effort from the Firsts, including a team-high 19 points from Kai Tropman.

The Seconds had a tremendous 60-54 upset win against SIC, which continues to keep them in contention for a premiership.

An absolute team effort from the Seconds, turning SIC over defensively and making big plays on the offensive end. Jordan Gao played above his years with his composure, leading the team on both ends and combining Jacob Shih’s lightning speed and outside shooting, along with Harvey Joyce’s slashing, rebounding and physicality; both were the ultimate offensive X-factors and made huge plays down the stretch. Jacob Shih led all scorers with 19 points.

Player of the Week: Oliver Parry-Okeden – Oliver was all over the court, getting steals, rebounding the ball and adding 24 points in a big win against SIC.

Team of the Week: The 13A’s had a monster 65-20 win against SIC and are this week’s Team of the Week.

The focus thus far for the boys on offence this season has been pace, trying to create as many layups and open shots for one another as they can. There is an understanding however, that easy offensive opportunities start from relentless pressure defence. The 13A’s started the game full of energy and on fire, opening with an 18-0 run and continuing to roll the entire match. It is a very is for a Coach when every time a sub is made, the energy and effort remain high, and all the boys were positive contributors to that. Both Oliver Parry-Okeden and Adam Shih led the way in play-making and scoring, but it was a dominant team defensive effort.

Mr Indiana Faithfull
MIC Basketball

Cricket Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

Cricket is a wonderful game for everyone!

A game that can be played from age 3 to 83 and beyond!

A game for life to play, to watch, to enjoy, to support, to wear, to saviour, to read, to discuss, to listen.

While many players aspire to play to the highest level they can get to, whatever that may be, others who love the game as much, sit content and are happy to play with their mates and tone down the serious levels a little.  

With the recent influx of Year 7 boys who are new to cricket, we also need to look at the other end of the programme, where boys are coming to the finish of their cricket here at Shore.

The great friendship teams: the tremendous Fourths, and the BBQ Boys, the Fifths. Seemingly, their biggest concern is whether the gas is on so they can BBQ their sausages post-game! They celebrate every wicket like they have just won the Ashes 16-0 (hello to all the English supporters), and their support for each other is amazing. The buzz and the celebrations that reverberate around Northbridge every Saturday when the Fourths and Fifths play are infectious. Recent observations of “walkout music” as the opening players walk out through a guard of honour is but one example of what playing cricket for fun is all about.

The boys across both teams also manage to fit in, starring in the musical or continuing with other co-curricular activities while having fun donning the Shore whites each weekend. They all just LOVE CRICKET!  

For some, Shore Cricket memories will be playing on A Ground in the First XI. For many, the outer grounds at Northbridge will ensure that Cricket at Shore will be a long-lasting fond memory.

Mr Brett Hunter
Head of Cricket

Cricket Wires

The U15’s had a cracking weekend, with the 15A’s having an unbelievable one-run win, all coming down to the last ball! Jack “Stone Cold” Courtenay bowled a brilliant spell at the death to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. There is a must-read report below.

The 15Bs definitely qualify as a (GBXI-Great Blokes XI) with what happened in a recent game. With a couple of injuries to Shore, the 15B’s had to borrow two players from the opposition team, good spirit of cricket. When the “borrowed” players were asked to go back to their actual team, they said, “No thanks, we would like to stay for the rest of the game with the Shore Boys”. Another example of the GREAT Spirit of Cricket!

New Boarder Stirling Strachan (Second XI) hit one of the longest bombs (6) seen in many years at Northbridge, over the sightscreen and crashing into the car park at the southern End of A-Ground.

Two boys had an unexpected, exciting experience when both were asked to field for the First XI on A ground. Quietly preparing for their respective afternoon games, Tom Gray (Fourth XI) and Harrison Koch (14A) both quickly took their crocs off and spikes on to cover for an injured First XI Player.

Digby Hockey (Fifths) got a HATTRICK in his 3-11, and the BBQ Boys enjoyed lamb and thyme sausages on wholemeal with tomato or BBQ sauce as available condiments.

Great catches in the Thirds with Brian Thorpe, Jeremy McKindley, Henry Pritchard and Zac Roberts all taking screamers.

James Mathur (Seconds) and Tom Capes (15A) both took a wicket in the first over, while Cam Newtown (Thirds) took 2 wickets in the first over of the game!

Comeback of the week goes to 14A’s player Tommy Campbell, who scored a great 60*. After serious back injuries, he wasn’t allowed to play in Term 4; he is back playing as a batter only and scored his maiden ever 50.

All three U14 teams had stunning victories on the weekend.

15A Match Report

The 15As had a thrilling win over SIC on Saturday afternoon. It was hard going after winning the toss and electing to bat, with runs hard to come by. A slow outfield and strong SIC pace attack challenged Shore, who finished 1/38 at drinks. Josh Cawood did an excellent job as opener, batting until after drinks and scoring 27. Xavier Simmonds provided some much-needed scoring power, ending a long innings on 44. With not many other runs being scored, Shore finished 9/106 after 32 overs.

Defending a small total required some bowling and fielding brilliance, and this is exactly what the 15As delivered. Tom Capes set the standard in his first over, taking 1 wicket for no runs. He finished the day with figures of 3/13. Billy Sorensen contributed with two wickets at a time when the SIC batsmen were starting to dig in and get the run-rate ticking over.

The star of the day, however, was Jack Courtenay, who was required to bowl at the death of SIC’s innings. The Coach – usually a brilliant mathematician – was feeling tense when he realised he had done his sums wrong and that SIC needed 17 runs, not 27 as he had calculated, off the last 24 balls, to win.

Jack stepped up and took 2 wickets in his first two overs and was called on to bowl the last, with SIC needing 6 runs off 6 balls to win. Jack kept his cool and took a third wicket in the final over, increasing the pressure on the batsmen.

With one ball left, SIC needed 2 to win and 1 to draw… Jack’s outswing led to a swing and a miss, and then a run out, which secured a huge win for the 15As. The juggernaut rolls on.

Second XI Match Report

Shore won the toss and elected to bat at Northbridge on what appeared to be a favourable wicket for making early runs. SIC began their attack with threatening bowling and sharp fielding, effectively restricting Shore’s scoring opportunities. Despite this, a promising partnership developed between Josh Evans and Gus Manchee before Evans was dismissed in the 12th over. Cooper Glanville then joined Manchee at the crease, and the pair attempted to consolidate the innings, though scoring easy runs remained challenging. As seen in the previous match, Shore’s top order suffered a collapse, losing three quick wickets for minimal runs, shifting the momentum back in SIC’s favour. However, Tom Glasson and Julian Harrison, as they have done in past encounters, navigated the team out of a precarious situation with a crucial 64-run partnership. Their efforts not only preserved wickets but also accelerated the run rate. Stirling Strachan showcased his powerful stroke play, significantly lifting the scoring rate and propelling Shore to a total of 195 after 50 overs—an impressive recovery considering they were 4/90 after 34 overs.

The second innings commenced in emphatic fashion, with James Mathur claiming a wicket on the third ball. Mathur and Harrison continued their sharp spells, reducing SIC to 4/24 and placing Shore in a dominant position with the prospect of securing valuable bonus points. Debutant leg-spinner Henry Benecke was introduced into the attack alongside Strachan, both of whom maintained relentless pressure and claimed crucial wickets, leaving Riverview with little respite. Strachan’s outstanding caught-and-bowled dismissal exemplified Shore’s sharp bowling and fielding performance.

A special mention goes to Benecke, who marked his debut with an impressive and composed spell, claiming two wickets. SIC’s resistance was short-lived, as they were dismissed for just 68 runs after 24 overs.

Shore now faces a crucial fixture this weekend against the competition front-runners, The King’s School, at Northbridge.

Fifth XI Match Report

The Fifths played what might be their best game of the season on the weekend. Winning the toss and choosing to bat, they got off to a hot start. SIC dropped two catches in the first few overs, which they would regret when Will Penney and Tom O’Brien went on to put on a 100-run opening partnership. Tom (74*) and Will (21*) selflessly retired in the 10th over to give others a chance to bat, having set a solid platform of 10 an over. Ollie Gade (22) and Dan Ritchie (40*) kept the run rate up, seeing Shore post 183 runs off their 20 overs.

Shore backed up their great batting with some economical bowling. SIC could never really get the run rate going, and eventually, the wickets started falling. Digby Hockey took a hattrick on his way to figures of 3-11 off his two, and Will Penney backed up his batting performance with 2-2 off two. SIC was eventually dismissed for 95 off 18 overs.

The Fifths catching and fielding have improved a lot since the first game after the break. It has also been nice to see runs and wickets coming from different players each game, with everyone contributing in some way to each win.

Results

Golf Report

Saturday 8 and 15 February

Over the past two Saturdays, our golfers faced tough competition as they continued their campaign in the Combined Independent Schools Golf Competition Series.

Saturday 8 February

Shore vs Newington (Massey Park Golf Course)
In our clash against Newington, all matches were fiercely contested, featuring numerous lead changes and momentum swings. Zach France produced a standout performance, defeating the top-ranked player in the competition 3&1 with some exceptional golf.

Thomas Gocher and Lachlan Kwan both found themselves trailing early in their matches. Despite mounting impressive comeback attempts, they eventually fell short, losing 4&3 and 3&2, respectively. Captain of Golf, Harrison Graetz, also found himself in a tough position, 4 down early in his match. However, in true captain’s fashion, Harrison mounted a sensational fightback on the back nine to secure a 2-up victory, his second dramatic comeback win of the season.

At Northbridge, Matthew Goddard delivered a dominant performance, winning the members’ competition with 42 points—a score that could have been even better had early momentum continued! Archie Frewin and Malachi Warner also had solid rounds, recording 38 and 32 points, respectively.

Saturday 15 February

Shore vs Oakhill College (Warringah Golf Course)
The following week, we faced Oakhill College at Warringah Golf Course. With the benefit of Thomas Gocher’s local knowledge, we were optimistic heading into the round.

All matches were highly competitive and played in excellent spirits, with a special mention to the Oakhill supporters, whose strong yet respectful presence created a fantastic atmosphere. Zach France and Thomas Gocher both faced tough opponents and lost their matches 4&3. Archie Frewin secured a 2-up victory with some composed play, while Matthew Goddard battled hard to square his match, earning Shore a vital half-point.

As the season approaches its conclusion, Shore’s lead at the top of the table has narrowed to just 2 points over St Aloysius, making the final two weeks of the regular season critical. Next week, we will host Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview at Northbridge in what promises to be another thrilling round.

Mr Hugh Morgan
MIC Golf

Rowing Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

The Gold Cup has been described as “chaos afloat”, and this year was no different. With oar clashes, course issues and the occasional crab (lost oar), the 2025 Gold Cup was one to remember.

The day got off to a flyer with our Year 8 Quads setting the scene with strong performances, resulting in the claiming of a Silver Oar in the first four races of the day. The Fifth Year 8 Quad was in a terrific position until we struck a little disaster in the lead-up to the bend; it was a really exciting race from here on out with the Shore boat down to three men fighting off the improving View boat. It was a similar story in the Second quad as well. Ultimately, the View boat in both races prevailed, but it was great to see the spirit of the Shore crews racing hard to the line, as lesser crews would have simply given up. The Fourth Year 8 crew of Harrison James Thomas, Finn Glanville, Aaron Xu, Anders Minchin and Bryce Gorman had a brilliant run down the course. They were able to take control of their race from the get-go and secure their Silver Oar as well. At the end of the regatta, the boys were able to secure five wins and four 2nd places from their nine starts. A great day of racing in some very trying conditions.

Our Year 9 Quads went down what was fast becoming a washing machine of a river with several washes coming from spectator boats, coaching boats and the various public that travel up and down the Lane Cove River. Our Year 9 Quads recorded three 1st places and 5 2nd places from their eight starts. While this squad didn’t experience the success they have had at this event in the past, there was a lot of great racing. It was with a mixture of excitement and relief that we saw the Year 9 First crew of Charlie Bassingthwaighte, Will Scammell, Lawson Wood, Louis Corcoran and Owen King claim the win and the amazing finish by our Fourth and Second boat, both of which left their run a little late (albeit for the Second boat that was pushed way wide of a turn that should have been in their favour) both crews coming within half a canvas (.75 of a second) from 1st place.

The Year 10 VIII had a great battle on the river, which, by the time they raced, resembled a mogul’s course at Thredbo. Our Fourth crew raced first and, as they have done in recent years, showed great improvement week to week – recording a closely fought 2nd place to the St Ignatius’ College Riverview (SIC) crew. Our Third Year 10 crew had a brilliant tussle down the course and, for the first time this season, had to deal with the furnace-like pressure of being neck and neck down the course with their opposition. In the end, the win went to the host school, but there was some brilliant learning to take away from the course for the Shore crew. 

The Second Year 10 VIII went to the start line in a seating arrangement. This seemed to bring an improved performance in the heat, but with the pressure of the final, the new seating plan was a little erratic. In a great show of grit, the boys were able to hold on to secure the victory. 

The Year 10 First VIII were last to race from this age group, and they were most certainly primed to lock horns with their division rivals, SIC. This was a traditional Gold Cup race, with all crews really quite close together as they rounded the bend in the A final. I am pleased to say that Shore was the first to straighten from the outside lane, but also, in traditional Gold Cup fashion, four crews were trying to row on the amount of water usually reserved for three. The resulting tight racing resulted in an oar clash and, unfortunately, a jammed oar, which brought the Shore crew to a standstill. Whilst they were unable to finish the race, the crew should be quite happy with the overall improvement in their racing.

The Senior Third VIII got down the track next thanks to the efforts of a few of the Year 10 crews who were able to jump in and assist these boys’ race on the day – A massive thank you to Will Heiler, Harry Tyrell and Dom Walker for their assistance with this – great to see this crew gain valuable race experience as they head towards March 22.

Our GPS Fours programme took to the race track next. Our Fourth IV and Fifth IV raced really well to secure a place in the A final, and it is with much pleasure that we report that these crews finished 1st and 2nd in this division. A brilliant result for two crews that have a fair bit of healthy rivalry in training. Both these crews had a late line-up change as well, with Liam Kennedy moving into the stroke seat of the Fourth crew the night before and Charlie Glancy settling into the three seat of the Fifth boat. The Fourth boat secured the victory by a very impressive 11.69 seconds over the 1400m course.

The Third IV raced next, and like the previous two boats, they had a late line-up change, which saw Christopher Yun move into the stroke seat. This crew had a great start to launch out as the early leader, and from here, they dictated the pace well – leading from start to finish to win by a respectable margin.

The Second IV had a slightly tougher time during their race, with strong competition coming from a very fast King’s combination that most certainly looks to be the faster of their combinations. The Second V found the final a little challenging, with the St Joseph’s College combination pinching across early to make a pass a little more difficult. This crew had to settle for 4th place, but there were some definite lessons learnt through the 1400m.

The First IV had a brilliant regatta. This crew has gone through a little bit of a transformation lately, with half of the crew having changed over the past two weeks. This crew was able to get away cleanly out of the blocks and lead to the turn. Here, despite pressure from the Riverview crew on their home track, the mighty “1” IV was able to show good control and take the victory. This field is becoming very tightly contested, with three schools sharing the top spot on the podium over the past three weeks.

The Second VIII continued their great run of form this week despite a few crew changes, with boys earning promotions through the week’s testing. This, like the Year 10 VIII, was a very tightly contested event as the crews drew up to the dog leg turn. Under the very experienced hands of coxswain Jethro Chapman, the crew of Oliver Paris, Ethan Nam, Kalan Welch, Henry Roxburgh, Connor Glancy, Angus Marshall, George Scammell and Addison Stanberg produced a great turn and push to establish a great lead from the pack. Newington ended up in 2nd place, with Riverview in 3rd place. 

The First VIII continued their solid form at this regatta and continue to improve with each race. Their Heat row saw them skip away from St Joseph’s College and Newington, which was very pleasing to see and in the final, they were able to maintain that margin from those crews as they continue their pursuit of the Riverview First crew.

Mr Glenn Bates
MIC Rowing

Surf Lifesaving Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

Years 9 and 10 Intermediates

The Year 9 and 10 Intermediate group will be participating in a team-based competition across all training sessions throughout the remainder of the Surf Lifesaving season. The overall winning team will be announced on our final Saturday of the season. The teams have been named according to popular surf spots.

A series of team relay events were run on Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning, which included an extended iron-man challenge, beach sprint relay, board relay, and swim relay. Based on these events and more, the top three teams and students at this early stage are listed below.

Beyond the training sessions, we wish Will Lacroix, Jake Maslen, Tristan Rowe, and Max Hill the best of luck with their Bronze Assessment this weekend at Whale Beach, and we look forward to having them join the Patrol Teams on Saturdays in the near future.

Mr Gareth Jones
MIC SLS

Surfing Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

Battle of the Boards 2025

Despite the small and messy surf conditions, the standard of surfing and level of competition was outstanding at the annual Battle of the Boards on Saturday. For the first time, three schools were involved, with St Augustine’s College joining Knox Grammar School and Shore for the Tag-Team contest. 

Each school entered two teams of five surfers. The team had one hour for all of their surfers to catch two waves each in a relay format. Wave selection and time management are crucial. In the end, the team bonus points (for finishing all surfers quickest) made the difference for St Augustine’s to take out the win.

The following scores were recorded:

*Score is doubled

Mr John McClelland
MIC Surfing

Swimming Report

Thursday 13 February 2025

GPS 1 – Shore sets a new GPS record!

On Thursday 13 February, the Shore swimming team headed out to the first carnival of the AAGPS season, held at the home of swimming, Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC).

The team was chosen following the School carnival, and the first GPS carnival of the year is always a good time to have a hit out with no events counting towards the point scores except for one event, the Opens 4 x 100m Medley Relay.

Shore’s team of William Bestic (Backstroke), Ethan Cook (Breaststroke), Ethan Ng (Butterfly) and Noah McLaren (Freestyle) forms the best combination that our School has seen, and with one eye on the GPS record of 4:02.81, the confidence was high.

The swim team members were great as they gathered poolside to cheer the relay on, and from the opening backstroke leg of William Bestic’s, Shore hit the front, challenged initially by Newington College and Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, but then every leg after that we extended our lead as other schools were unable to match. With Noah’s thumping anchoring freestyle leg, he stopped the clock in a time of 4:00.12 – a new GPS record of over two seconds, with 2nd place over 6 seconds behind. I hope this illustrates the incredible swimming performance by William, Ethan, Ethan and Noah – well done, boys!

The GPS record was lowered last year to a 4:02 by Newington, which at the time was an incredible performance, and in that race, our boys went 4:09. However, in the 12 months since, we have dropped that time from a 4:09 down to a 4:00 to set the record a second time. This is certainly a great achievement and one all boys and those involved should be proud to have been a part of.

Shore boys secure 43 top three places!

The rest of the evening was a great display of sportsmanship and camaraderie by the team. Shore boys took wins in a total of 15 races, with 2nd and 3rd spots secured in 28 races for a combined total of no less than 43 top three swims on the night, the most out of any school.

As we look ahead, we have a week off before GPS 2 on Friday 28 February. Moving through the season means that each carnival increases the amount of events that are point-scoring. At GPS 2, we have the 200m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley and the open 4 x 100m Freestyle relay – some challenging events, but I know Shore boys will deliver in spades!

Go Shore!

Mr Tom O’Keeffe
Head of Swimming

Tennis Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

Round 9 vs Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview (SIC)

Firsts Report

The Firsts maintained their flawless start to the year, beating SIC 9-0 away from home. The boys played clinical doubles and took a commanding 3-0 lead, starting the day well. What followed was a resounding singles display, with only one set being dropped. Special mention goes to Josh Powell, who has lost five games over three singles matches this year and to Ari Ganassin for a convincing 6-1 6-1 victory. The team has started the second half of the season flawlessly, going 27-0 and giving Shore a commanding lead in the premiership table. The boys look to go to The King’s School on Saturday for a crucial match in deciding the team’s premiership fate.

Oliver Wilcox
Firsts Captain

Opens

Third IV

The Third IV put on a dominant display, securing victories in both doubles and singles matches. George Storey and Archie Jones set the tone with a commanding 6-1 doubles win, followed by another solid 6-3 win from Oscar Chadban and Oliver Moufarrige. In singles, Storey, Chadban, and Moufarrige each secured 6-3 victories, while Jones fought hard for a 6-4 win, completing a clean sweep for the team.

Fourth IV

The Fourth IV continued the strong showing, with Daniel Burgess and Andrew Gilchrist winning their doubles match 6-3, while Austin Xu and Conrad Lo secured a 6-2 victory. In singles, Burgess battled to a 6-5 (7-4) win, Gilchrist won 6-3, and Xu dominated with a 6-0 victory. Conrad Lo faced a tough opponent and fell 2-6, but the team still secured an overall win.

Seventh IV

The Seventh IV saw a mix of results, with Hugo Mason-Jones and Alexander Taubman narrowly losing 4-6 in doubles, while James Cochineas and Jayden Pan responded with a hard-fought 6-4 win. In singles, Mason-Jones impressed with a 6-0 victory, while Taubman edged out a 6-5 (7-5) win. Cochineas also secured a 6-4 win, and Pan closed out the day with a dominant 6-0 result.

Eighth IV

The Eighth IV delivered a solid performance, with Qiming Niu and Mitch Bowen winning their doubles match 6-1 and Henry Marshall and Jaeyun Koh following up with a 6-3 win. In singles, Niu battled through a tight match for a 6-5 (7-5) victory, Bowen won 6-4, and Koh claimed a 6-2 win. Marshall faced a tough challenge and lost 3-6, but the team still walked away with an overall victory.

George Story
Opens player

U13A

Our doubles were quite forgetful, but redemption was in the singles. Ziheng Wang played smart tennis, way above his age. Benjamin Pan was consistent with a rocket-like forehand. Alexander Warren played some great tennis and was unlucky not to come home with the silverware, while Henry Brieger played his best tennis to date.

U13B

Again, it was the curse of the doubles, but there was some solid play. Well done to Edward Perham for playing his first-ever competition game. Alex Kirkwood dominated in his singles. Hugh Young and Thomas Coleman were slow in the doubles but ripped into their singles. Thomas’ match saw some of the longest rallies I have seen in schoolboy tennis. One rally was over 50 shots!

U13C

Nathanial Lam was dynamic with his serving, often putting his opponent in two minds due to the pace of the ball. Kerian Yan had some moments of brilliance, and Daniel Jin had a strong forehand from the baseline, winning many points in his singles hit out. Tom Rose had a strong game, narrowly losing his set to a tough Riverview opponent.

U13D

Lachlon Wang did well to win his singles after many long games, which demonstrated his endurance to tough it out and not give up. Collin Yu and Jack Hersey missed out on a win but played some great tennis. Thank you to Koji Takamura, who stepped up late on Friday afternoon and didn’t disappoint.

Well done U13s.

Mr Junee and Mr Winters
U13 coaches

Water Polo Report

Saturday 15 February 2025

Firsts

It was a memorable day for the Shore Firsts, and the game began quickly with three goals from Jett Semmens at the start of the first quarter. The team continued to thrive with some further good offensive play to give the squad a lofty 5-1 advantage by the end of the first quarter with goals from Cooper Semmens and JJ Black. However, a lapse in concentration saw the second quarter go Newington’s way, as Shore conceded 4 goals and only managed to score 1, narrowly holding onto a 7-5 lead going into the third quarter. With the momentum on Newington’s side, Shore struggled to hold onto the lead, taken back to an even scoreboard of 8-8 at the end of the third quarter. However, with some inspirational motivation and the quarter-time oranges, Shore regained their courage, not only scoring three goals with the help of Charlie Kovacs but also performing well defensively to prevent any goals against the team and finishing the game strong with an 11-8 victory. The first team to beat Newington, at Newington, in the Firsts. 

Hamish Walls
Firsts Player

16A

The 16A Water Polo team put on an impressive performance, claiming a well-earned 9-6 victory over Newington in a highly competitive match. The team started strong, with sharp attacking plays and disciplined defence setting the tone early. Russell Yuan was in top form, scoring 4 crucial goals, while Jonty Jagger, Oli Gee, Max Hughes, Luke Larcombe, and Hamilton Ward each found the back of the net to keep the scoreboard ticking. Their teamwork and tactical awareness were evident throughout, allowing them to maintain control of the game despite Newington’s persistent efforts to close the gap. In defence, Henry Frape was outstanding in goals, making several crucial saves and steals that kept the opposition from gaining momentum. It was a well-fought contest, and the team’s determination and cohesion ultimately proved the difference, securing a well-deserved victory of 9-6.

Ms Izzy Pamp
16A Coach

Results