‘Eang yw'r byd i bawb’
Growing up in a Welsh family, I have recently been reminded of a wonderful Welsh phrase, eang yw'r byd i bawb - the world is wide to everyone. Each and every day this proverb rings true across all corners of the Junior School. With students seizing the numerous opportunities presented to them with vigour, wholeheartedness, and hope-filled enthusiasm.
The co-curricular and academic enrichment programs, as well as the diverse sporting options at CGGS, complement and build on what is learned in the classroom, supporting the holistic experience of students. Across the School, a wide and open world of opportunity is provided to students from Prep to Year 6. Sport in particular provides an engaging and challenging space in which the boys and girls of the Junior School learn new skills, compete and hone the productive and valuable dispositions of teamwork, resilience, humility, effort, and commitment.
During the last fortnight, over 100 students from Years 3 to 6 participated in the Sue Geh Cup interschool basketball competition, arriving as the largest contingent across the two days of competition. All teams played exceptionally well, and I was incredibly proud to see our students' comradery, school spirit and unwavering sportsmanship on display.
Similarly, the commitment of the Junior School football teams has been outstanding this year, including our winning Year 6 interschools football team earlier in Term 3. Braving the winter chill on Thursday and Saturday mornings, the Kavanagh Oval comes alive with the energy of close to 80 students from Prep to Year 6 – there is certainly a future Sam Kerr or Tim Cahill in our midst!
I am fortunate to visit netball and water polo most weekends and experience an extraordinary sense of pride when the students win, but more importantly, seeing how they improve each week and play with tenacity and courage when the opposition is stronger. Cricket, hockey, and snow sports have also featured heavily in the Junior School this term, with special congratulations and best wishes to our snow sports team, who recently collected the Primary Female Champion School at the ACT Schools Cup, and will compete in the national competition early next week.
Sport plays a fundamental and essential role in developing well-rounded and healthy young people with a positive sense of wellbeing. For some, sport is a particular strength and it is right to nurture, recognise and celebrate this in our students. With the onset of the warmer months, parents and students are encouraged to try one of the many Prep to Year 6 summer sport offerings at CGGS, including futsal, twilight netball, basketball, tennis, rowing or touch football. Most importantly, llongyfarchiadau a da iawn – congratulations and well done to all our teams, players, coaches, and parents on a successful winter season of sport in the Junior School at CGGS.
Mr Peter McDonald
Head of Junior School and ELC
Photos
CGGS snow sport students, CGGS students participating in cricket