From the Deputy Head Master – Summer Hill

Over the last couple of weeks we have acknowledged a slew of representative selections in Basketball, Cross Country, Diving, Football, Golf, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Swimming and Volleyball. After many, many years at Trinity, I am still continually amazed at the level of athletic talent this school produces, year after year, with CAS, CIS, State and National representatives. It is a tremendous reflection of the quality of our coaches and the commitment of the boys and young men who reach these lofty heights. I hope it never becomes something we take for granted.

All of this serves as prelude to this week’s news. I would like to extend the School’s congratulations to Lucas Young 10We and Harper Stewart 10St who were selected in the Cadet  Australian Water Polo Team to play in New Zealand next month, and to Thomas Rathbone 11Ke who has been selected in the Australian Youth Water Polo Squad for an intensive training camp in Sydney. These are extraordinary achievements and follow something of a purple patch for Water Polo, and the Young family, in particular, who now have two sons who have represented Australia in Water Polo. It would be wonderful to see some of these Junior Australian Water Polo representatives follow in the steps of Sam Fricker from the Class of 2020 and Rohan Browning from the Class of 2015 who have both been selected in the Australian Team for the Tokyo Olympics. We are hoping to hear news that they will be joined by Oliver Hoare, also of the Class of 2015. In an interesting footnote, Caleb Dryer 12Sc, Gabriel Wilczak 11Ar and Hayden Hoang 9Ta (who turned 15 this week!) competed at the Olympic Swimming Trials in Adelaide. Well done!

Congratulations to the Cadet Corps, and SUO, Sebastian Papadopoulos 12He, on a fine Annual Ceremonial Parade this week, and which continued a tradition stretching back over eighty years. The weather was kind and the Cadets of Trinity and Meriden brought great credit to the Unit. The Marching Band, as always, was outstanding. Well done! The parade was followed by a very convivial Dining In Night for the graduating Cadets at the Canada Bay Club. May I extend my best wishes for a safe and successful Cadet Promotions’ Camp this weekend at the Field Studies Centre, and also to the boys and young men heading off on their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh, as well as to the Snow Sports Team who compete over the winter break.

Please accept my thanks for your support, my congratulations to your sons on another fine term, and my best wishes for the coming holiday. However, may I remind Year 12 students that they would do well to view this three-week hiatus as a study break rather than a holiday. Even six hours of study per day, six days per week, provides the opportunity for almost 200 hours of preparation for the coming Trial Examinations and Final Examinations for the HSC and IBD.

Bradley Barr | Deputy Head Master – Summer Hill