General Information
Sport at the School is designed to allow each boy to develop skills, good sportsmanship, correct behaviour and fair play, always understanding that the referee's or umpire's decision is not to be questioned. The sporting programme of the School is a vital part of the learning and development process of every Shore boy.
Shore was a founding member of the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools (AAGPS). The School competes at a very high level of participation and skill against other GPS schools. In addition, fixtures are enjoyed against other schools in Sydney, from interstate and from overseas. Shore's results in GPS inter-school competition are impressive. The School prides itself in presenting teams that are well prepared in all games throughout the sporting calendar.
Shore also has a very active Surf Life Saving Club.
It is compulsory for all boys to participate in sport until their final year and the majority of final year students continue to be involved in the sporting program.
The choice of sports has grown in recent years and the aim is to provide regular coaching and supervision for all teams so that all boys can improve their level of performance and gain educational benefit and enjoyment, whatever the grade.
The staff of the School is responsible for the coaching of boys twice a week after school as well as attending sporting fixtures held mainly on Saturdays. In addition to drawing on their own experience in sports, many of the staff have undertaken intensive programmes to qualify for national coaching certificates and to update their skills.
The School is proud of the success achieved in sport as well as the high level of enjoyment which the boys of Shore have had throughout the years at the schoolboy level.
All boys playing sport at Shore enjoy outstanding sporting facilities at the North Sydney campus, the Northbridge Memorial Playing Fields or at the Eric Russell Sinclair Memorial Boatshed.
Blazers, Colours and Awards
The Headmaster attends and presides over the Sports Executive, the Chairman of which is the Sportsmaster. Eight other staff members (usually Masters in Charge of a sport) are appointed, together with an Honorary Secretary (a senior boy). Captains of Sports in which Colours are awarded become members (12) and two other senior boys are selected to sit on the committee.
Blazers are an item of apparel, predominantly for sporting occasions and, therefore, may be worn to and at all functions, including the Head of the River and the G.P.S. Athletics. They may also be worn to drama productions and to interschool debating. As a rule blazers are available to boys who have reached Year 10 subject to certain requirements being met.
At the end of Term I in Year 10, all boys will be given application forms on which they should indicate their sporting involvement whilst at the School. The Sportsmaster will then issue blazer order forms as boys become eligible to receive their blazer.
The awarding of pockets for blazers is a reward for taking part in sport activities as well as for excellence in any one area. The making of these awards is a function of the Sports Executive or Activities Executive, according to the criteria laid down in their respective constitutions.
Blazers Award Criteria
A boy may be awarded his blazer if:
He receives House Colours OR after the winter sports season of Year 10 is complete (if the boy has participated in two sports each year for four years) OR at the end of Term I in Year 10 if he has done something extra by way of a non-compulsory games activity (Athletics, Swimming) OR he receives sports colours or an award (1st, 2nd 3rd) before Year 10.
A boy who is new to the School after Year 7 must either meet the criteria above or must have completed two satisfactory seasons of sport beyond Year 9 (ie End of Year 10).
The awarding of Blazers is always at the discretion of the Sportsmaster.
Blazers, pockets and embroidery are all purchased through The Uniform Shop. Please note that there is approximately a three-week turnaround for embroidery.
No boy may order a Blazer, pocket or embroidery without a signed order slip from either the Sportsmaster (sporting award) or the Director of Activities (activities award).
House Pockets
When a boy is eligible to receive his blazer (according to the Sportsmaster's games criteria - see below) he may automatically have his House pocket put on his blazer. He does not have to have his House Colours for this.
House Colours
If a boy receives House Colours before he has received his blazer (according to the Sportsmaster's games criteria - probably a Year 9 boy), he may then apply to the Sportsmaster to get his blazer and have his House pocket on it. House Colours are awarded by a boy's Housemaster once specific criteria involving successful participation in academic work, games and other activities are met.
Sports Training Camps
In order to prepare for the high standard of sport within the G.P.S. competition, several sports hold concentrated training periods in the vacations. Senior football and cricket teams often have practices and fixtures in the holidays, normally in the last few days, whilst G.P.S. Regatta crews row in the last week of the Christmas vacation and live at the Boat Shed, which has ample dormitory and catering facilities. Athletics, Basketball and Rifle Shooting also hold training camps for a period of the vacation prior to their major competitions. Expenses in these camps such as food and transport have to be met by those attending.
Attendance at Sports Fixtures
Boys are encouraged to support School teams in all sports. All boys in Years 7 to 11 may be required to attend the G.P.S. Athletics Carnival, for which admission is free for boys in uniform and a free programme is provided. Boys in various year groups may also be required to attend the G.P.S. Regatta at Penrith. Where attendance is compulsory, transport from Shore and returning to the School is provided.
Code of Conduct
In response to a perceived deterioration in the conduct of behaviour at sporting fixtures by both participants and spectators, the following statement was prepared by G.P.S. Headmasters.
The School believes that it contains all the conditions to allow sporting contests to take place in the right atmosphere.
A Code of Behaviour Concerning Sport
Revised in 1995 by the Headmasters of the GPS Schools of NSW
The GPS Headmasters have produced the following guidelines to assist teachers, coaches, boys and parents.
Sport in our schools are an important part of a fully balanced education for our students. The Heads are concerned to preserve sound educational and social practices in the many inter-school sports that are played and ask for the cooperation of school communities to ensure that these aims are realised.
The trend towards professionalism in school sport is to be viewed with caution. Where such an approach involves sound coaching techniques and is aimed at producing a satisfying and improved level of performance, this approach can be beneficial. However, care should be taken to exclude from our schools practices which place the pursuit of victory above those aspects of sport concerned with enjoyment, balanced development and good sportsmanship.
In other words, the spirit of the amateur in its best sense should remain the ideal which guides these aspects of school sports.
More specifically, the following points are made:
Players
Play may be hard and vigorous, but deliberate violence should never be used towards opponents.
Verbal provocation of any sort is unacceptable.
Players should not react with violence to any physical or verbal provocation.
Use of bad language, whether directed at an umpire/referee, another player or oneself, is unacceptable.
Players should never argue with an umpire/referee (whether boy or adult) or contest a decision. Any negative response towards an umpire's ruling is unacceptable. (A captain only may ask a referee to clarify a ruling in the event of uncertainty).
Immodest behaviour in victory or success, and manifestation of self disgust at an error or failure are poor sportsmanship. Gracious conduct, whatever the result of a game, is important.
Unfair or illegal tactics to gain an advantage should never be used.
Excessive or inappropriate talk should not be used on the field of play.
Players are encouraged to play in a positive and sportsmanlike manner and to extend every courtesy to the opposing team. This should include pre-match courtesies, recognition of good play on the part of the opposition and extending thanks to the umpire/referee and to the opposition after the match.
Spectators
Parents are asked to make their presence and support as positive as possible.
If your school is host, parents are asked to assume some responsibility for making visiting parents feel at home.
When visiting another school, the host school's premises and rules in matters of parking, tidiness, etc. should be respected. Adults are asked to note that, with the exception of family picnics in some circumstances, alcohol should not be consumed at GPS matches. If in doubt about such matters, visiting parents should check with an official of the host school.
Parents should never seek, during or immediately after a match, to give advice to coaches, umpires/referees or to players.
Barracking may be enthusiastic, should be positive rather than negative, avoiding excessive attention to the individual even to praise him. A good example should be set by applauding skilful performance and play regardless of school.
Parents can assist their son's fuller education by being sensible about the number and length of his sporting commitments. While these are regulated within the school context, parents should see that other, outside sporting involvement does not interfere unduly with academic study, religious activities, cultural and social life, as well as time spent with the family.