Director Of Sport Report

Westfields Sports is the premier Sports School in Australia. The capacity to integrate academic and sporting curriculum within traditional school hours is an achievement that affords our students opportunities not available in other schools.

The school’s reputation for excellence in ALL endeavours has resulted in over 1000 applications for positions in the school for 2003. Those applicants who are successful in gaining a position are extremely proud to be part of the Westfields family.

The academic and sporting achievements continue to be nothing short of superb. During 2002 Westfields Sports won 24 team state titles and 31 individual state titles in basketball, cricket,  gymnastics, netball, rugby union, soccer, softball, swimming,  and track & field. The following students have been selected to represent Australia : David Nattrass, Chris Neal, Adrienne Te Whata, Shane Benson, Jessica De Vita, Kayla Hockey, Brett Morrison, Liam Fulton, Julia Bazi, Kylie Ledbrook, Hayley Todd, Amanda Pascoe, Anna Atelj, Stephanie De La Torre, David Jeflea, Anthony Tuong, Robert Marks, Issac Simon, Paul Stickler, John Thornell, Jennifer Swan, Nathan Lovett, and Adam Laws.

My congratulations go to those individuals who have achieved success at state, national and international levels both as individuals  and as team members. Special mention has to made of Amanda Pascoe who won a Commonwealth Games Silver Medal and came 4^th at the World Swimming Championships, Fabrice Lapierre who won a World Junior Track and Field Silver Medal and John Thornell who won two World School Games Gold Medals and came 6^th at the World Junior Track and Field Championships. Good luck to Adam Laws who takes up a scholarship  at the Australian Institute of Sport for Water Polo, Peta Sinclair who takes up a scholarship  in  America at the Oral Roberts University  for basketball, Matthew Sundstrom who takes up his professional contract with the Seattle Mariners Baseball Club, and James Wesolowski who has taken a Soccer Apprenticeship with  Leiciester City Football Club.

Many sports have scheduled overseas tours for 2003. Baseball,  Basketball and Softball are planning tours to the United States. Cricket and Netball are planning  to tour England while  Soccer plan to tour England and Holland. Many hours of planning and fund raising have been evident in ensuring the success of these tours. Thanks to parents, staff and students for continuing to providing  these opportunities for our students.

The school and community have again united to provide better sporting facilities for our students. 2002 has seen our gymnasts return  to school to train  in the recently finished world  class gymnastics training  facility  complete with pits. The new strength and conditioning facility has also opened and many sports are now able to incorporate this into their training programs. The Sports Medicine Clinic on site allows students to be treated by the doctor or physiotherapists during  the school day. We have taken delivery of a 42 seater bus which was kindly donated by Andy McGrath, Managing Director of Col McGrath Pty Ltd who also had it resprayed  to match the two mini buses. In partnership with the University of Western Sydney’s Sport Psychology Masters Program we have been able to introduce a sports psychology program for our students. Continued community support will   ensure the facilities at Westfields Sports remain  first  class.

Westfields Sports remains committed to the professional development its coaches. Several coaches have been supported in their programs to upgrade their qualifications through Australian Coaching Council. Coaches contunue to be sent interstate and overseas to gain further experiences and qualifications. The benefit of these initiatives will be passed on to the students in their programs.

The school has continued to develop study programs to meet the individual needs of our athletes. Increasing numbers are completing Pathways HSC so they can combine the demands of their training programs whilst satisfying their academic commitments. The partnership between education and sport is clearly a winning combination.

Mrs Joanne Kenny - Director of Sport