Sports night for college

Brisbane Water Secondary College held its annual Sporting Excellence Presentation Night in a packed auditorium at Woy Woy Leagues Club recently.

Invited students and their parents from both campuses of the college, together with college staff, celebrated students' participation in sport throughout the year, according to college principal Mr Pat Lewis.

Special guest for the evening included former Socceroos captain and defender, and now a part of the Central Coast Mariners, Alex Tobin.

Mr Tobin gave an insight into the world of international soccer, particularly the challenges and the exhilaration of playing in front of thousands of chanting South American fans, Mr Lewis said.

Early in the evening, 31 students received college sporting blues for representing Sydney North Area at State level.

Of these students, Robert Cross, Kevin Moore and Amanda Thorpe went on to become State champions in athletics.

Matt Jones played in the all-schools under-15 cricket.

Zac Dawes played in the CHS Open Softball,.

Tyson Saunders played in the NSW wheelchair basketball team in the Pacific School Games.

Stevie Matamua represented NSW in Futsal, and Alex Brown toured the UK with the undefeated CHS Open Cricket side.

Aku Uate represented NSW in the Open Rugby League team and then went on to star in the Australian Schoolboys Rugby League team, which defeated NZ Schoolboys in a three test series.

Other major awards on the night were made to Team of the Year - the Lawn Bowls team who won the state championship.

Mr Lewis said that the team was made up of Blake Butler, Wade Hayward, and Kevin Smith.

The team had had several years of near misses at state level and were finally rewarded this year for fine skills on the greens.

"For his all round sporting skill, sportsmanship, and school leadership, Alex Brown won the coveted Pierre Du Coubertin Award, while Michael Smith won the Rodney Fowler Sporting Award for his fine efforts in both Rugby and Rugby League," Mr Lewis said.

"Choosing the Sportspersons of the Year from the vast array of talent within the college was extremely difficult with many state champions under consideration.

"The awards went to Amanda Thorpe and Jay Pilson (junior) and Holly Johnstone and Aku Uate (senior).

"This presentation ended another outstanding year of sport for the college and both students and parents were very warm in their praise and thanks for the teachers who gave vast amounts of time and effort to coaching individuals and teams."

Press release, November 9 Pat Lewis, Brisbane Water Secondary College