Westfields Sports High School, Australia's First Sports High School

Westfields Sports
_______________________________________________________________ First In Australia

The good, the better, the best

Westfields scoops
By Anita Maglicic

WESTFIELDS Sports High School always achieves big things - but now they've done it again, bigger and better than before.
Last term, the school walked away with 15 state titles, all achieved within three weeks.
Westfields won six titles in athletics, two in girls basketball, one in hockey, one in netball, another in rugby league and two in rugby union and soccer.
School principal Phil Tucker was elated with the victories and said they were well deserved for the dedicated people involved.

Sports
prize pool
"We haven't won that many titles at one time before," he said.
"It's just the results of years of dedication, effort of students and coaches."
"It's something we don't expect, but something we enjoy as it spills out to the whole Westfields community."
The coaches of all the teams were very proud of their athletes, praising them for their efforts during the season.
Athletics director Dan Suchy lauded his charges for winning three Combined High Schools titles and three NSW All-Schools titles. continues below col:1

All that glitters: Westfields Sports High School principal Phil Tucker (center) with representatives from the seven teams and their impressive collection of trophies from 15 state titles. Picture:Helen Nezdropa With thanks to

Wednesday 26th October 2005

However, Suchy said one performance stole the show.
"I think it was our best and it was a good year," he said.
"Our highlight was Matthew Outzen.
"He broke the state javelin record of Andrew Currey, who was one of Australia's best Olympic javelin throwers."
In the girls basketball, the team won the NSW CHS Shell Trophy, thus being invited to compete in the NSW All-Schools competition, which they also won.
They beat Maitland Grosman by 30 points in a tough grand final in Newcastle.
"[It was] very well performed: we played the best team game and we ended up beating them," girls basketball coach

Tracy Samuels said.
On a different court, the girls netball team took out the NSW CHS Knockout Teachers Credit Union Shield.
Experience from competing against Queensland state team midway through the year showed and helped the girls dominate the NSW competition.
"I think this team has been an outstanding one: I haven't ever seen their skills encountered before at schoolgirl level," netball program head coach Jo Macdermid said.
"It's been both wonderful to work with them, on and off the court. [There is] certainly some exceptional talent there and I'm looking forward to see them go further in the netball world."
In their grand final, they

beat Albury High School, with a very convincing 45- 27 win.
"all 12 members of the team won that game and it shows the depth and strength of the team," Macdermid said.
Off the court and on the field, the girls hockey team won the NSW CHS Open Girls Hockey Knockout for the second year in a row, sticking it to 218 other schools to get to the top.
In the grand final, the team beat Kelso High School from behind, winning 2-1 due to a team effort.
Hockey coach Brenda Baker said the girls with absolute gusto throughout the competition, especially as the juniors matched the senior players.
Two impressive and

influential visits from some of the best talent around -- Wallabies players and under-21 Australian Rugby Union captain Tatafu Polota-nau - no doubt helped coach Alex Larkin and Martin Tindall inspire the school's rugby union team.
The team firstly won the Robson Shield and won the right to compete in the All-Schools Waratah Shield competition.
There they became the first public high school to win the prestigious award in 22 years as they beat Barker College in a 22-5 game.
The rugby league side also showed the goods as they won the NSW CHS University Shield, as they went up against Endeavour Sports High 37-24.
The soccer boys, yet

again, did the school proud by winning the Puma Cup, beating KIngsgrove High School 2-1 - regaining the title after having it from 1992-2003 and losing it last year.
From there, the boys won the All-Schools Challenge Cup.
Coach David Barrett said the boys showed impres- sive skills throughout the season and deserved to win.
Mr Tucker said he was proud of his students' efforts in securing so many state titles at one time and the fact many of them have already represented Australia. But he is more eager to see what they achieve on a national and international level, beyond their schooling days, "What an exciting future to behold," he said.

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