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High Notes, Vol 23 No 16, June 03 2022

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to our senior fences for retaining the Roberta Nutt Shield for all-round fencing performance 鈥� foil, epee and sabre. This is a prestigious competition for team fencing in NSW. Congratulations to Jiazi (Matthew) Chen (8T) who is ranked fastest 13 years 50m swimmer in Australia with a time of 25.82

Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is an opportunity for all Australians to take some time to reflect upon or learn more about our shared histories, cultures and achievements. We need also to think about how we can personally contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia with our First Nations peoples. The theme for this year鈥檚 Reconciliation Week is 鈥楤e Brave, Make Change鈥�. It is a challenge for us all to tackle the long unfinished business of reconciliation. Every individual can take action where they live, work, play or socialise. We can start with our utterances and our actions. We can use respectful language and build respectful relationships.

The incoming Federal Government has embraced the aims of the Uluru Statement From The Heart and it is possible that some action towards implementing the three key proposals put forward back in 2017 at the National Constitutional convention may occur. The NSW Government recently announced that Me-Mel (Goat Island) in Sydney Harbour would be returned to its traditional owners after a $43m refurbishment program. It is encouraging to know that some First Nations鈥� spiritual places are being returned to their stewardship.

Winter Sports Assembly

Our special guest, former Wallaby Matt Dunning spoke about his philosophy in sport and life 鈥撯�榓lways give 100% in everything you do and always be honest鈥�. He and current Waratah James Ramm handed out the jerseys. My address to the assembly is reprinted below.

"Special guests Matt Dunning and James Ramm, parents, staff, students, welcome to our first Winter Sports Assembly, honouring football, rugby and volleyball. We gather together before the first official match of the GPS competition 鈥� winter season - to introduce some of our winter teams and acknowledge the work of our staff, coaches and committees. Our second assembly next term will complete the process for the other winter sports.

"Our volleyball program is the most successful sport at High. The boys have won at All Schools, GPS and Nationals. Every year the program delivers a major trophy in first or second grade, usually both. Mr Michael Kay remains committed to managing and coaching volleyball even after two decades in the role. Thank you, Mr Kay, for his outstanding service. We look forward to another big season from our teams. Thank you to staff members Everett Coan and Kerryn Ibbott for their support for the program. The team of Old Boy coaches is a great asset to us at High. They are headed up by long-serving Pinyan Gao (SHS-2014), Ray Gu (SHS-2017), Nathan Trinh (SHS-2018), Adrian Panas (SHS2019), Samuel Yu (SHS-2019), David Zhou (SHS-2021), Billy Nguyen (SHS-2021), Joshua Reid and Oliver Yang (SHS-2020).

"In our Football program, I would like to thank our continuing leadership team of MIC Sam Higgins and Football Coaching Coordinator, Dylan Deep-Jones. They are striving together to try and make a difference to the overall standard of High Football. Thank you to Dylan for also coaching the 1st XI again this year and to Alexei Barnstone for his work with second grade. We appreciate the work of our lower grade coaches. Thank you to our dedicated Football Committee members Andrew Williams, Michael Girdis, Utpal and Hui Ching Baruah, Luke Nottage, Kevin Leung and Gary Fiene. I acknowledge and thank our football staff members for their service to the program: Mr Jamie Kay, Ms Manolios, Mr Ohlback, Mr Rich, Mr Writer and Mr Broockmann.

"I want to thank Matt Cotton for his work as Rugby MIC again this year. Thank you to 1st grade Head Coach Jack Bowditch for his tireless efforts to improve all areas of the program and student performance. Also, we appreciate the work of 1st grade assistant coach Liam Scolari and all of our old boy coaches who come in rain or shine and provide opportunities for the boys to improve their rugby despite the field closures. Thank you to Mr James for his assistance in the program. We acknowledge and thank the parent committee who consistently add valuable input, raise funds and support the students and the MIC. Thank you to all the parents and especially Year seven parents who turn up to the games and support the boys. Thank you to the large group of parents who made the trip up to Armidale to support their boys. Rugby has a focus on safety. It is played at High at a level that encourages fair competition in matched fixtures. It is a great team game with a long history at this school. It urgently needs more support from boys at the school who are not involved in any GPS sport this winter. We need to maintain our sporting traditions.

"Ange Postecoglu is an Australian Association Football manager and former player who is currently a Scottish hero after leading Celtic to victory in the both the Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Premiership League. Postecoglu previously coached South Melbourne, Australian U17, U20 and national teams and had three years with Yokohama F. Marinos. He has imparted a football psychology based on player buy-in to a positive attitude and forward-thinking approach towards playing football. He insists that he will not become defensive or (park the bus) when playing against big name clubs in the Champions League. He loves aggressive, attacking football and employs that philosophy fearlessly, backing his players to keep positive in their work.鈥� I鈥檇 rather go down swinging than hope to stay on my feet鈥�, he said. He has risen through the ranks of world football by backing himself and his philosophy.

"In many sports at High I have witnessed players not backing their ability, being too defensive or lacking in confidence. Confidence only grows after multiple attempts and several failures. Growth as a player and as a competitor is often a function of increasing self-confidence. You will not develop such confidence without pushing your boundaries in competition and attempting the right plays even if they do not come off at first. Nevertheless, it is critical that your teammates acknowledge and support you without judging your mistakes or poor attempts. Teams are in it together and rise or fall as one. So, in team games, developing a cooperative, collaborative and nurturing culture is really important for individual players to grow and for teams to increase their collective skill.

"I congratulate our GPS representative players on their selection and wish that all our boys who have made GPS teams grow as competitors and people during the season, whatever the outcomes of their contests may be. "
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal