Edgecliff Preparatory Newsletter Volume 25 Number 1

Sydney Grammar School

Sports Information for 2019

Hello and welcome to a new School year.  

This email details important information about upcoming events in the Sport calendar and ways in which we can maximise the enjoyment and success of the Sports programme here at Edgecliff, for all involved. To find out more information about our Sports programme please read the Edgecliff Sports Handbook by clicking here.

As new information comes to hand I will include it in the fortnightly School Newsletters which are emailed every second Friday. Please be sure to read the Sports section each fortnight to stay up to date.

As always, if you require any further information, please contact me on 9366 0172. I hope you and your son(s) have many enjoyable sporting experiences throughout this year.

Mr S. Ferguson

The School App

The School App has been in operation since Term 4, 2018, and it provides an important means of communicating Saturday sport fixtures. All fixtures for Term 1 can be found on the App and parents are encouraged to download it from the App Store, if using an Apple iPhone, or through Google Play, if using an Android. Changes to the fixtures, cancellations and absences on Saturdays can all be sourced through the App. Upon downloading, please go to settings and select the sports your son(s) will be competing in, to ensure that push notifications (message alerts) about cancellations can be received. To do this, please follow the steps below:

  1. Download the App.
  2. Register.
  3. Go to the top right corner and click on your name as shown below.
  4. Click on My Settings
  5. Click on the sports your son(s) play in the ‘Subscribe to Sports Fixtures Alerts’ section as shown below.

Carnival Information

Primary Swimming Carnival

The Primary Swimming Carnival will be held on Monday 4 February at the Des Renford Leisure Centre, Corner Robey St and Jersey Rd, Maroubra. All boys will be transported to and from the venue by buses leaving from School. Boys are to wear their house t-shirt, sports shorts (white or black), sports shoes and costumes underneath.

All boys must be dropped off and picked up from School at the usual Monday times: Years 3 - 6 boys may be collected from 3.20 pm.  

Your son’s safety is of the highest priority during this event. Boys will be swimming in a 25m pool and a qualified surf lifesaver will be present to assist if required. We will be organising the carnival based on the races that the boys elect to enter by completing the online Google Form - click here. Please complete this form as soon as possible if you have not done so already. We encourage all boys to enter at least one race. Please contact the Sportsmaster if you wish to discuss any concerns.

Parents are welcome to come and spectate.

Infants boys do not participate in this carnival.


Primary House Cross Country

On Monday 4 March the Primary House Cross Country Carnival will be held at Weigall. Junior and Senior distances will be marked and each age group will compete. This compulsory event will be held from 1.15 – 2.40 pm, in place of summer sport team training. Years 3 - 6 boys may be collected from 3.20 pm.  

The School Cross Country Team will be selected from this race, with the top 5 boys in each age group being chosen. Boys are to wear their P.E. uniform, which includes their house t-shirt.

Parents are welcome to come and spectate.

Infants boys do not participate in this carnival.


Primary & Infants Athletics Carnivals

The Primary Athletics Carnival will no longer be held in Term 1. This year, the Primary Carnival will be in Term 3, on Thursday 1 August, at E.S. Marks Athletics Field in Kensington. To help develop the boys’ athletics abilities, an Athletics Club will commence on Friday mornings in Term 2.

The date of the Infants Athletics Carnival is yet to be confirmed.

Infants Sport

The Infants Sports programme will commence in Week 3. Years 1 and 2 boys will be involved in a six week teaching unit, which will align with the seasonal sports offered in the Primary years. Please note that the units will extend beyond the sports of soccer, rugby, basketball and cricket. This programme will be run by Infants Staff members and College Street coaches.

In order to assist the new Kindergarten boys with their transition to School, the Kindergarten children will join the Infants sports sessions in Term 3. Kindergarten parents, please note that your son’s sport sessions will begin on the second Thursday of Term 3.  

Infants Sport(Compulsory) – Thursday afternoon 2.30 pm – 3.30 pm.

The Infants Sport programme will take place on Thursday afternoons from 2.30-3.30 pm. Years 1 and 2 parents, please note the later pick-up time of 3.30 pm on Thursdays in Weeks. This later pick-up time will commence in Week 3, Term 1, and conclude in Week 8, Term 1.

Uniform – Years 1 and 2 boys will arrive at School wearing their P.E. uniform, which includes house t-shirts and they will stay in this uniform for the entire day. Kindergarten boys will also wear P.E. uniform for the entire day on Thursdays when they commence the programme in Term 3.


Structure

Term 1 – Cricket (with a focus on cricket and tee ball skills)

Term 2 – Soccer (with a focus on soccer and Gaelic football skills)

Term 3 – Rugby (with a focus on touch football, Walla rugby and European handball skills)

Term 4 – Basketball (with a focus on basketball and netball skills)

When the Kindergarten boys join in Term 3 there will be a focus on developing kicking, catching, and throwing skills.


Infants Ball and Boy (Optional)
– Tuesday morning 7.45 am – 8.30 am.

The Ball and Boy programme will commence for Years 1 and 2 boys on Tuesday 12 February, Week 3 Term 1, and Kindergarten boys from Term 3.

Uniform – Years 1 and 2 boys wishing to participate in this programme will arrive at School wearing normal School shorts with their house t-shirts. They will change into their School shirts after the session. Kindergarten boys (who may attend from Term 3) will receive appropriate assistance in this regard from their class teachers.

Primary Sport

Primary Summer Sport Team Trials

Before the start of each season, trials are held to determine the allocation of boys to teams. Trials for Summer Sport teams begin on Thursday 31 January and continue on Saturday 2 February. Teams will then be finalised after the first competition match on Saturday 9 February.

Boys are encouraged to bring their own equipment such as cricket kits. However, please know that the School does provide all necessary gear and safety equipment (excluding mouth guards).

Training Days and Times

All training times and days for this term, including voluntary extra-curricular training sessions before School (Ball & Boy and Fitness Club Sessions), can be accessed in a printable document by clicking here.

If you would like your son to attend Ball & Boy please complete the expression of interest Google Form by clicking here.Please complete this form by 3.00 pm, Wednesday 6 February.

Saturday Sport Fixtures (Years 3 - 6)

There are six rounds of Summer Sport fixtures in Term 1, which begin in Week 2 on Saturday 9 February. All fixtures, including opposition, locations and times, can be found on the School App. Please note, throughout the season, some fixtures change. These updates are documented on the School App and website. These changes are also listed on the team sheets, which go home with the boys each Friday. All venue information, including links to Google maps, can also be found on the School's App and website.

Saturday Sport Leave

Participation in Saturday sport is compulsory, except where a satisfactory medical or religious reason is given. Notes requesting special leave from Saturday Sport should be directed to the Headmaster and Sportsmaster, and received by the Monday preceding the Saturday for which leave is sought.

Late requests can leave teams without sufficient numbers. It is important that families realise the importance of commitment to the team. Learning to be part of a team is a high priority of our sporting programme at Edgecliff. Please help your son learn the value of being part of a team by respecting this leave system.

Illness

If your son becomes ill after School on Friday, kindly phone the Sportsmaster on 0499 515 993 so that the relevant coach can be informed. Parents may also submit a sports absence via the School App, if their son becomes ill or injured after 3.00 pm on Friday.

Medications

It is the expectation of the School that the parent or guardian who accompanies boys to Saturday sport will bring necessary medications, such as epipens and asthma medication. Furthermore, we recommend boys bring personal asthma medications to training. Despite all coaches being qualified in First Aid and having First Aid Kits, additional personal medications are not their responsibility.

 

Wet Weather Cancellations

Even if the weather appears fine, I encourage all families to call the Wet Weather Line on 9990 8534 prior to departing for sport. All wet weather cancellations will also be made through the School App and if parents have selected the sports in which their son(s) play, they will receive a push notification through the App.

Ball & Boy

I will update the Wet Weather Line on Monday and Tuesday mornings by 6.30 am.

Afternoon Sport

Even if sport is cancelled on Monday or Thursday afternoons, boys will remain at School until the designated pick up time.

Friday Morning Tennis

I will update the Wet Weather Line on Friday mornings by 6.30 am.

Friday Afternoon Tennis

If Friday afternoon tennis is cancelled, boys should be picked up at 3.00 pm. Parents will be notified of cancellations as early as possible.

Saturday Sport

If there are Saturday Sport cancellations decided on Friday afternoons, I will communicate them to the boys before they leave School. The Wet Weather Line and School App will also be updated with such cancellations. If cancellations occur after 7.00 am, they will be updated on the School App only.

Primary Tennis

Tennis coaching is available to Primary boys on Friday mornings from 7.30 – 8.30 am, and afternoons from 3.15 pm – 4.15 pm. The lessons commence on Friday 9 February and run for 7 weeks.

Boys will be grouped according to their age and ability; the lessons accommodate beginners to advanced players. College Street tennis coaches are employed, led by David Garth, who is a Level 2 coach.

Term 1 positions have already been filled and Term 2 applications will be accessible in the second last newsletter of Term 1, which will be emailed on Friday 29 March. Spaces are strictly limited to 12 morning and 24 afternoon places, on a ‘first in, first served’ basis.

Mouthguard Fitting

All boys participating in winter sports (Soccer and Rugby) are required to wear a mouthguard for training and matches. No mouthguard, no play. On Thursday 14 February, Dr Cem Onur from Champ Mouthguards will be visiting the School to take moulds for mouthguards. If you wish to purchase a professionally-fitted mouthguard for your son, an application form will be sent in this week’s School Newsletter. All order forms must be completed and returned to the Front Office by Friday 8 February.

Infants boys will not require mouthguards for their sport.

Summary of Important Dates

Thursday 31 JanuaryYear 3-6 Summer Sport Trials during School
Saturday 2 FebruaryYear 3-6 Summer Sport Trials Morning
Monday 4 February
Year 3-6 Swimming Carnival (Des Renford Leisure Centre, Maroubra)
Tuesday 5 FebruaryPrimary Fitness Club commences 8.00 – 8.30 am    
Saturday 9 February
Summer Sport Round 1
Monday 11 FebruaryPrimary Ball & Boy commences 7.30 – 8.30 am
Tuesday 12 FebruaryInfants (Years 1 and 2) Ball & Boy commences 7.45 – 8.30 am
Thursday 14 February Champ Mouthguard Fitting
 Infants (Years 1 and 2) Afternoon Sport starts 2.30 – 3.30 pm
Saturday 16 FebruarySummer Sport Round 2
Friday 22 February
Scots Invitational Swimming Carnival at Scots (Swimming Team)
Saturday 23 February
Summer Sport Round 3
Friday 1 March 
South Harbour Invitational Swimming Carnival at Scots (Swimming Team)
Saturday 2 MarchSummer Sport Round 4
Monday 4 MarchEdgecliff Cross Country at Weigall
Tuesday 5 MarchIPSHA Swimming Carnival at Homebush (Swimming Team)
Saturday 9 March  
Summer Sport Round 5
Saturday 16 MarchSummer Sport Round 6 (Final Round)
Monday 18 March
Winter Sport Trials during School
Thursday 21 March 
CIS Swimming Carnival at Homebush
 Primary Winter Sport Trials during School
Saturday 6 April  
IPSHA Cross Country Carnival at King’s (Cross Country Team)