Throughout the school year students participate in physical education once a week. During the year students also participate in annual carnivals such as the swimming carnival, the athletics carnival and cross country, every student enrolled in St Joseph’s is put into a house colour; Mercy (red), McAuley (green) and Coolock (yellow). During the annual carnivals the house colours all compete against each other to become the winning house for that particular carnival. St Joseph’s also has many extra curricular activities that students can participate in.
Mercy House
RED
McAuley
House
GREEN
Coolock
YELLOW
Swimming Carnival
Year 1 to year 6 students participate in the annual swimming carnival. The swimming carnival is held at the Pioneer Swim Centre. Non swimmers are invited to participate in the ‘noodle event’ where they can swim across the pool with a pool noodle. There are also life savers (parents) in the water with them. Students turning 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 that year, are also able to participate in a ‘width event’ (across the pool) in freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. For students turning 9, 10, 11 and 12 that year; they can participate in the 50m events as well as a ‘championship event’ (which is 100m). There is also ‘Age Champion’ for these students. The student with the most points at the conclusion of the day will become ‘Age Champion’. There is ‘Age Champion’ for under 9 boys and girls, Age Champion for under 10 boys and girls, Age Champion for under 11 boys and girls and Age Champion for under 12 boys and girls. As previously mentioned the house with the most points (resulting from students coming 1st, 2nd and 3rd) will become the winning house for that year.
Athletics Carnival
All students participate in the athletics carnival. The athletics carnival is held at the Mackay ARC. Students catch the bus from school and arrive at the ARC around 9am. The war cry and the March Past is first on the agenda and there is a trophy for the winning house for the best war cry and best march past. Prep to year 2 students participate in novelty events such as relay races, rob the nest, sack races and modified shot put, long jump and high jump. They also run a sprint race against their own age level. Junior ball games are also played such as ‘corner spry, under and over, and tunnel ball. Prep to Year 2 then catch the bus back to school at 12pm. Students in Year 3 to Year 6 are separated into their age levels and gender. These students participate in activities such as; 100m, 200m, 800m, long jump, shot put and high jump. The 1500m and discus is held back at school prior to the carnival. Students who come 1st, 2nd and 3rd get points for both their ‘house’ and individual points that count towards age champion. Again there is an age champion boy and girl for all ages from under 9 to under 12. At the conclusion of the day there are trophies awarded to the winning house for the most points overall, house spirit award, relay races and ball games (such as tunnel ball, captain ball and leader ball). If a student comes 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any event; they then make it to the next level called ‘Southern Suburbs’, where they represent St Joseph’s School.
Cross Country
The cross country is a trial for our students to compete in and move forward to representing our school at the Southern Suburbs level. This is not the same as our school athletics carnival or swimming carnival, in which our whole school competes and is a day event. In the past, we have had all of our 10, 11 and 12 year olds race, however owing to a number of reasons including declining participation, increased absences and, and competing during the hottest part of the day, the format has changed.
What is the new format?
All students who are aged 10, 11 or 12 years are welcome to compete provided that they are prepared to train and demonstrate that they can complete the distance without stopping too many times or experiencing any ill effects. Students aged 10 years (2013) will run 2km while those aged 11 (2012) and 12 years (2011) will run 3km.
Southern Suburbs
Throughout the school year students who turn 10 or above can ‘try out’ for making the Southern Suburbs team. Southern Suburbs is a collection of 8 schools within our district who compete against each other to try and make it to the next level. In the past some of our students have represented St Joseph’s all the way to Queensland ‘State’ level. Some of the sports are; athletics, aquathon, AFL, basketball, cricket, cross country, soccer, golf, hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby union, softball, squash, swimming, tennis and touch.
Please note, these days are not come and try days and there is an expectation for all participants to be playing or have played in the sport they are trialling for in the past. All participants must have a good knowledge of the sport and the rules associated with it.
Extra Curricular Activities
As well as participating in physical education every week, students have the chance to join a variety of Joseph’s sporting teams. We have a St Joseph’s hockey team, a futsal team (indoor soccer) and we also put together at least two (junior and senior) Oz Tag teams. This year our school has also entered a boys rugby league team and a girls netball team in ‘Challenge Cup’ which is a competition held in Yeppoon in third term. This is where Year 5 and Year 6 students compete against other schools in the Catholic Diocese. We also support the annual basketball gala day.
