Learning

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the Sports Programme is to provide opportunities for students to develop their God-given sporting talents in a positive, supportive environment. This will promote immediate and long term benefits to students which will be observed in terms of better health and fitness, socialisation, improved feelings of self confidence and self worth and the satisfaction derived through a balance of skilled performance in individual and group activities.

SPORT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF KING'S AS

• Sport plays an integral role in educating the whole child (social, spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical).
• Sport offers opportunities to display and develop character.
• Each student is a unique creation of God with unique abilities, which can be developed through sport.
• Sport promotes the notion of school spirit and identity.

OTHER BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAM

• Encourages fellowship amongst students, across year levels and between staff, students, parents and others.
• Provides contact with other schools and communities and enhancing the school image within the community.
• Provides an opportunity for students, both players and non players to be visibly involved in school life.

AIMS OF SPORT AT KING’S BAPTIST GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The sports programme at King's aims to promote:

• Demonstration and development of Christian character.
• The ideals of fair play and honouring the spirit of the game.
• Skill development and enjoyment.
• An atmosphere of friendly cooperation and healthy competition.
• Character traits both on and off the sporting arena. This ensures the athlete values the character traits above the desire to be involved in sporting opportunities.

SPORTS TEAMS WILL USUALLY BE SELECTED USING THE FOLLOWING PROCESS:

• Coaches with appropriate knowledge and skills of the selected sport will be selected by the King’s PE staff.
• Students will be alerted to the upcoming sport and invited to attend at least 1 of the 2 set trial dates.
• At least 2 trials will be used before selecting a team. These trials will generally be offered on different days to maximize the opportunity for students to attend.
• Students are expected to attend at least 1 of the trials to be selected as a part of the team. This ensures that students understand the importance of making and sticking to a commitment.
• The coach/PE staff will select a final team and set at least 2 training sessions prior to competition.
• The selected team members will be given notification of their involvement in the team and their requirement to attend all training sessions. On occasions students will need to miss training but need to have approval from the coach/ PE staff for non-attendance.

SPORTS TEAMS EXPECTATIONS:

As these teams are representing the school in the wider community, King’s sporting teams will be selected based on the judgment of the PE staff/coach, who will determine those students who will best demonstrate excellence of skills and behaviours that our school values are built on, which include:

Fairness, Integrity, Service, Humility, Excellence, Respect (FISHER).

The school sporting teams help to fulfill not only the “Physical” ends but also enable opportunity to develop the “Spiritual” ends as these characteristics are outwardly expressed with the training and competition that occurs through sporting opportunities.

Through being involved in King’s sporting teams the following  character traits will continually be promoted :

• Team spirit – The star of the team is not the team. “We” supersedes “Me”.

• Competitive greatness – Players who perform to the best of their ability each time they take to the field or court.

• Respect –  for sporting authorities, including the umpire and officials from both teams.

• Self-control – controlling temper and language to avoid abusing others and themselves

• Sportsmanship – by welcoming visiting teams, exchanging pre-match courtesies and by thanking them, shaking hands after the game. Being humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

The character traits displayed above take time to develop but should be the focus of all that is included in any practice session and on the playing arena. These characters will always last longer then the momentary “success” of winning

NOTE : This raises the issue that if a student doesn’t demonstrate these characteristics in school, how can they demonstrate these out of school. An “at risk” data-base could be created for students who are demonstrating work-related issues. Their ability to be involved in co-curricular activities may be compromised/suspended until they are removed from such a list.

RATIONALE FOR SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED:

The sports offered to students are designed to ensure skill set variety and gender equality. Therefore each of the sporting opportunities support  the PE curriculum and keep the balance of sport among the wider school community. It was decided that SACSA sports would take the priority as these are organized for 1 day carnivals and are set before the year begins so that plenty of notice is given to both teachers and parents for planning purposes.

The SACSA carnivals provide for all skill-sets to be developed and give both genders equal opportunity to be involved. These are carefully arranged into terms so that they are spread throughout the year so that any one age group isn’t overloaded.

Swimming – Backs up the House competition and allows for those students who put in the hard work to develop the skills necessary outside of school an opportunity to display these talents.

SAPSASA/SSSSA is also entered as the only avenue for individuals to be selected in a STATE team.

Primary/Middle School

Senior

Athletics – Backs up the athletics program conducted in school and ensures a flow-on from the House competition. SAPSASA is also entered as the only avenue for individuals to be selected in the district and STATE team. Also allows for the year 10 students to serve the younger kids by being officials at these events. This has been a very positive demonstration of the community that we foster at King’s.

Primary/Middle/Senior

Basketball – This is offered as a weekly sport with many students from Reception. King’s has many teams in the local competition which has increased the enthusiasm for this sport. Students are involved in club level basketball and with the new gymnasium being built, the sport will increase in exposure through weekly training sessions, classroom PE lessons and lunchtime competitions. Staff outside the PE faculty are able staff are able to support basketball with their coaching expertise. Katherine Brown and Jamie Rock are spending time developing Aussie Hoops and will give the students opportunities to be involved in this program

 R-5(Junior School)

6-9(Middle School)

Open(Senior School)

Cross-country – This is a continuation of the house competition. This is a tough sporting event that does test the student’s ability to be mentally and physically strong. Those who are prepared to put the work in to this event reap the benefits in all other sporting areas. In today’s society the need is great to keep encouraging kids to become physically fit and this is a great way to encourage this.

Primary/Middle/Senior

Touch – One of the few games that both genders can compete in together. This game requires a complete team effort to be successful. This is a game that requires effective communication and team work for any level of success. No individual will do well at touch.

R-5(Junior School)

6-9(Middle School)

Open(Senior School)

9-A-SIDE – This competition that allows for both the girls and boys to showcase the game that is unique to Australia. The level of enthusiasm to play this modified version ensures smaller games with greater participation. This is an event that is played at King’s which also showcases our school and gives the opportunity for our school to serve the wider Christian schooling community.

R-5(Junior School)

6-9(Middle School)

Open- Regulation football (Boys –only)

Soccer – This is an extremely popular sport within the school and is one of the prime main stream sports within Australia. Many of our students are playing at club level so to give them an opportunity to participate at school level helps us to build upon the skills that they are developing outside of school. Having experienced coaches throughout the school helps to drive this sport with both genders throughout the junior, middle and senior school.

R-5(Junior School)

6-9(Middle School)

Open (Senior School)

Netball – This is a sport that has been traditionally embraced by the girls in the school but the recent SACSA carnival demonstrated that the boys are excited about the opportunity to be involved. Some of these students are basketball players and use their knowledge of the game to transist the skills from one sport to the other. The numbers of boys wanting to be involved outnumbered the girls being involved. Therefore having both genders given the opportunity for involvement has merit.

All of the sports mentioned are played and assessed at a senior school level so to be exposing the students in the younger years helps to increase the success in the Senior school.

R-5(Junior School)

6-9(Middle School)

Open (Senior School)

Table tennis – This is a new sport that does give many students, who are not linked to a mainstream sport, the opportunity to be involved in the King’s sporting program. This will be a new curriculum development which would link well with the students given opportunity to display their new found skills in a wider sporting arena.

Cricket – Being a traditional Australian sport gives weight to the reason that this has been included in the sporting calendar. Many students are already playing cricket for school teams and at club level.

Open

Volleyball – This is a new sport added to the PE curriculum with overwhelming success. The students are loving the opportunity to play this sport and will often flock to the oval at recess and lunch to play when the nets are set up. As the gymnasium is operational this sport will become bigger and giving our students the opportunity to be involved will help build this sport that will be an assessable sport in the year 12 course in future years.

R-5 (Junior School)

6-9 (Middle School)

WEATHER AND CANCELATIONS OF SPORT

Practice sessions and matches or events may be cancelled due to wet weather, excessive heat, prolonged hot weather, or other extreme weather conditions. Wherever possible, prior warning should be provided!

There is no blanket rule to cover all sports in all situations. Coaches are asked to monitor the situation during periods of hot weather or other extreme weather conditions.

EXPECTATIONS OF COACHES

Most of the coaches are part of the existing King’s faculty. The wider school community involve themselves with the sports that they are qualified and skilled to coach. At times the coaches are drawn from the senior school student body or King’s volunteers. These provide marvellous opportunities for the building of community.

• All coaches 18 years and over are required to have a current Police Check.
• All outside coaches will be required to complete the level 1 volunteer training prior to being considered for a coaching position.