Westfields Sports High School

Westfields Sports High School

Latin: Fortitudo
Endurance and Perseverance
Location
Fairfield West, New South Wales
Australia
Information
Type Public, Co-educational, Sport Selective, Day school
Established 1963
Principal Roger Davis
Enrolment ~1609 [1]
Campus Suburban
Colour(s) Blue & Gold
        
Website www.westfieldsports.nsw.edu.au

Westfields Sports High School (abbreviated as WSHS) is a dedicated Sports High school in Western Sydney suburb of Fairfield West. Unlike most other public high schools in NSW, the school has a selective approach to enrolment, with students needing to either live within the relatively small catchment area of the school, or demonstrate their ability in respect to some field of sport.[2] The school is very well regarded for having produced sporting talent in a number of different areas of sporting endeavour,[3] and has received a range of grants to support its work with sporting talent.[4]

History

The School was established in 1963 and opened by former Australian Prime Minister Edward Gough Whitlam). Its first year enrolment had 300 students. The school achieved moderate success during the 60s to 80s in sports and was on the rise during the late 80s. The Founding Principal, Philip Tucker, had wanted establish Westfields into a school that could provide any sports person who attended a pathway the Australian Institute of Sport, and extend their possibilities past High School level sports competition. The School was then officially declared a Sports school on 24 April 1991. Its motto is Fortitudo - Endurance and Perseverance.

Since 1997, there has been an annual student and teacher exchange scheme with Kasukabe High School, from Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan.[5]

In 2008, the International Olympic Committee recognized Westfields Sports for their involvement in producing many Australian Olympians with a special Sport and Youth Trophy.[6]

Education

Westfields offers a variety of courses for each of the selective sports students and also the academic localised students who attend the school. The comprehensive lists include over 100 different courses with 10 advanced classes. Subjects offered come from a variety of different KLA's including : Mathematics, English, History, Social Science, Design & Technology, Creative Arts, Language Studies (Japanese, Italian, Spanish), as well as many other extra curricula subjects.

Sport is a vital part of Westfields Sports. The school has developed its sporting teams through the coaching available within the school premises and outside of school. Through this, Westfields Sports has built up a reputation as one of the best in the world in High School Level sports and has won many state, national and international championships. A number of sports are undertaken with students representing their sport for the school - some going on to become famous sport stars. The sports are as follows:

track and field athletics, lawn bowls*, baseball, netball, basketball, rowing, cricket, rugby league football, curling*, rugby football, dance, softball, equestrian, swimming, soccer, table tennis, golf, tennis, gymnastics, water polo*, hockey, and volleyball.
* = currently not undertaken at the school

The School sits on a total area of approximately seven hectares. Some facilities include:

A map of Westfields Sports, outlining the positions of each structure around the campus
Computer labs; specialist subject rooms, library, oval sporting area; throws cage; synthetic athletics track; strength and conditioning room; indoor sports stadium; sports medicine and physiotherapy centre; cricket nets; dance studios; gymnasium; snthetic soccer pitch; tennis court; hockey field; softball/Baseball diamond; rowing facilities at Sydney International Regatta Centre, Chipping Norton Lakes; 3 school buses.

Notable alumni

Sport

Football

Baseball

Basketball

Cricket

Netball

Athletics

Rugby League

Rugby Union

Wrestling

Academia

Politics & Law

See also

References

  1. ↑ "NSW Department of Education and Training: Westfields Sports High School". Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "WSHS Enrolment". Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 Adrian Proszenko (13 January 2013). "Top marks to school where Stars are made". Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. ↑ Michael Chammas (11 February 2009). "Grant for Westfields Sports High School". Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. ↑ "West News", 7 November 2006
  6. ↑ "IOC honour for Sydney school". Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  7. ↑ "London 2012 - Dani Samuels Athlete Profile". Retrieved 4 August 2012.

External links