71 McCulloch Street
Riverstone NSW 2765
Telephone 02 96271484 Fax No: 02 98381138
Education District: Blacktown
School Sport Area: Sydney West
School Sport Zone: Blacktown

SCHOOL DESCRIPTION

Riverstone High School is a comprehensive, coeducational, middle high school for Year 7 to 10 with a student population of 400. The school is located in the western area of Sydney and is part of the Nirimba Collegiate, consisting of two other Year 7-10 campuses and a senior campus on the Nirimba Education Precinct. It has a support unit, which caters for students with a mild and moderate intellectual disability. The schools mission is to provide a positive and stimulating environment which values and fosters: the involvement of parents and care-givers in student’s education; teaching and learning that is enjoyable, challenging, rewarding and lifelong; mutual respect, responsibility and individuality; self esteem and self confidence through participation in academic, cultural, sporting and social pursuits; appreciation of the physical environment. The school had a number of sporting representatives in 2000 with the most outstanding being the selection of Alicia Aberley in the Pacific School Games Team followed by her selection in the Paralympic Team. Alicia won two silver and two bronze medals at the Paralympics. Other representatives were in the sports of Rugby League, Tennis and Netball. The Girls 14 Years Indoor Soccer Team won the State Championships and the Boys U16 Rugby League team won their division of the Panthers Trophy.

SPORTS ORGANISATION

Sports Program

Contact Karen Berry Sport Coordinator or Bob Saville Principal

The school conducts a combination of Integrated and Scattered Sports Programs.

Year 9

Season 1 A Touch B European Handball

Season 2 A Netball B Hockey

Season 3 A Soccer B Walla Rugby

Season 4 Recreational Sports Golf, Swimming, Tennis, and Bowling.

Year 10

Season 1 A Korfball B Volleyball

Season 2 A Gridiron B Softball

Season 3 A Australian Football B Basketball

Season 4 Recreational Sports Golf, Swimming, Tennis, Bowling,

Students

The students elect a group known as the Sports Board whom are responsible for the main running of the season. This group also selects teams. Once selected in a team the students stay in that team for the season.

Each team selects a captain and coach. One other person on the team is often on the Sports Board. If teams are larger than three, the additional players will select roles such as publicity officer, end-of-season event organiser, community links officer etc. The roles the students choose are explained by the teacher and displayed on the SEPEP (Sport Education in Physical Education) notice board

The season is centred on a full competition schedule organised by the Sports Board who decide rules etc. (with teacher input). At the start of the season the teacher helps the students prepare for the competition by explaining coaching drills umpiring and other responsibilities. Teams practise hard at the beginning of the season and before games, just as in community sport. Teams are allocated practice areas for the whole season.

Each round of matches has an extra team who is duty team. This team is responsible for getting equipment out and officiating at the games. They are also responsible for giving scores and MVP votes to the Sports Board representative. At the end of the round the duty team is responsible for clearing away all the equipment.

Any disputes are reported to the ‘disputes panel’ at the end of the game who will decide on any action to be taken. (The teacher is often a member of the panel).

During the season the teacher helps with skill development. Problems are always directed to the Sports Board in the first place. Students are assessed on achievements as a player and in other roles that contribute to the success of the season. Students are given the opportunity to perform different roles in other seasons.

The year is divided into 4 seasons with an A and B component of 5 weeks each.

Each team receives Team Register, Duty Role Cards, Team Practice Outlines, Rule Sheets, Competition Draw.

Student Assessment is based on

Staff

PDHPE staff plus others interested staff members as required. Provision is made, as far as possible, for staff, other than PDHPE, to take some sport if they wish to do so.

OTHER SPORT INVOLVEMENT

Knockouts and Gala Days

Knockouts

The school enters the Gala Days run by the Sydney West Area for Years 7-8 and Years 9-10. The school also enters as many U15 knockout competitions as are available. The PDHPE staff mainly coach teams with a couple of others involved. Training is normally at lunchtime and sometimes after school under staff supervision.

Riverstone attends the Blacktown Zone Gala Day for year 7 and 8. A number of sports are played on the day. All students participate.

Other Student Participation

Students in years 9 & 10 are involved in the organisation and running of the sport program. Committees are set up for the running of the program.

Community Involvement

Referee and Umpires are used from outside sporting organisations.

SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM

Students are exposed to a large variety of sports and have the opportunity to develop skills in a variety of sports. This has been extremely effective in the school as the school was previously involved in grade sport and experienced great difficulty in many areas such as travel times, cost, lack of staff motivation, students always choosing the same sport, lack of motivation of students remaining at school and doing school based sport, bus problems, truancy and duty of care. This program is taken in the main by the PDHPE staff and involves no travel and no cost. Participation rates are considerably up and students are keen to participate in knockout teams.