3-9 Coughlan Road
Blaxland NSW 2774
Telephone 02 47394655 Fax No: 02 47398237
Educational District: Penrith
School Sport Area: Sydney West
School Sport Zone: Nepean

SCHOOL DESCRIPTION

Blaxland High School is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school located in the Lower Blue Mountains area of New South Wales. The school has a population of 1155 students and exists to provide quality educational and social outcomes for all students. Prominent areas of achievement are academic, performing arts, sport and social contribution. The major cultural feature of the school is a strong bond between students and teachers. The school curriculum emphasises breadth of choice, vocational education, student leadership and socialisation. The schools outstanding record in sport has seen it win the WJ Young Trophy for overall sporting achievements in the Sydney West Area for the past seven years. Blaxland High School has won every one of the last thirty-four zone carnivals. A great number of students represented at Area, State and National levels. The volleyball program has been outstanding with twenty students being selected in zone teams, two in Combined High Schools teams and four in State Volleyball Association teams. Several students hold State Tiles in Fencing, Lawn Bowls and Go-Karting.

SPORTS ORGANISATION

Sports Program

Contact Richard Emmerick Sport Coordinator or Steve Okell Principal

Blaxland High School competes in the Nepean Grade Sports Program for Years 7 to 12, conducted on Wednesday afternoon. The school enters teams in the Year 9 to 11 competitions.

Term 1

Basketball (G), Cricket (B&G), European Handball (B&G), Tennis (B&G), Softball (B&G), Touch (B&G), Volleyball (B&G).

Term 2 & 3

Netball (G), Basketball (B), Hockey (B&G), Soccer (B&G), Touch (B&G), Softball (B), AFL (B).

Term 4

Basketball (G), Cricket (B&G), Oz Tag (B&G), Netball (Mixed), Touch (Mixed), Volleyball (Mixed).

Non Grade Sport

Aqua Golf, Body Fit, Bush Walking, Chess, Climbing, Dance, Fencing, Ice Skating, Lawn Bowls, Softball, Table Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling, Theatre Sports.

Scattered Sport for Year 8 is conducted on Wednesday morning with the following sports being offered.

Aerobics, Athletics, Basketball, Gym, Ice-Skating, Netball, Rugby, Spairee, Self Defence, Snooker, Softball, Ten Pin Bowling.

An Integrated Sports Program is conducted for Year 7 students

Big Ball and Small Ball skills as well as Stick/Striking activities – Softball, Sphairee, Cricket, Hockey, Soccer, Basketball, Netball, Volleyball, Handball.

Students

Sport is selected on a term basis. Students hand in a form giving three (3) grade choices. Trials for grade teams are held and students missing out go to their second preference. If a student misses out on being selected in a grade team after completion of the trials they are then given a chance to select a further three (3) sports from the recreational sports list. Students are allocated to non-grade sport in the order in which the forms are received.

Year 8 students select 1 of 8 sports offered in five (5) week blocks in Terms 1-3. All students do swimming/Aquatics for 5 weeks in Term 4. Students must change sport each selection rotation. Exceptions are made for sports where outside resources are utilised eg rugby, basketball, cricket development.

Year 7 students have a set program. They do sport in their PDHPE classes – 2x 60 minute sports periods per week.

The average cost for Grade Sport is $4.00 when travelling. Year 8 may pay up to $8.00 depending on busing.

Staff

Staff members are allocated according to preference. The PDHPE staff plus two other experienced members of staff take Year 8 sport. Staff members nominate an area of expertise for 1 term, where skills training can be focused on. Other activities are allocated on a rotational basis. The PDHPE staff take Year 7 sport. Faculty programs are provided for integrated sport.

OTHER SPORT INVOLVEMENT

Knockouts and Gala Days

Blaxland High School enters the following Combined High Schools Knockouts:

Australian Football, Basketball, Baseball, Cricket, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Tennis, Touch, Volleyball, Water Polo, Rugby Union.

The school also takes part in a number of other competitions:

Horse Riding, Canoeing, Gymnastics, Fencing, Trampolining, Rowing and Triathlon.

Approximately 10% of staff are involved in coaching and managing teams. Most school teams train but the amount of training depends on both staff and student wishes.

Other Student Participation

The school takes part in the Fencing competition conducted during the weekend with mostly private schools.

Students work as officials but no formal training occurs. Students with Referee qualifications are used where available.

Community Involvement

NSW Basketball and Rugby Associations provide support with specialist coaching clinics.

Members of the community are used as a source of referees, umpires and specialist coaches.

SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM

Blaxland High School really does not have a Sports Program. What the school has is a school culture that embraces everyone "having a go" in both academic and sporting areas. A large number of our students are involved in weekend sport and they contribute greatly to the grade and knockout teams. The school is very strong in all aspects of sport and believes that knockout teams bring a great deal of kudos to the school. Local sporting competitions are extremely strong in the Blue Mountains area and students are keen to be involved in school sport.