A GUIDE TO SPORT AT QUEENWOOD
CONTENTS
1.
Sport Pathway to Elite Sport
2.
Sport Guide to High Performance and Further Participation
3.
Sport Pocket Criteria
4.
Sport Selection Policy
5.
IGSSA Code of Conduct & IGSSA Representative Sport Policy
7.
Frequently Asked Questions
PATHWAY TO ELITE SCHOOL SPORT
School Sport Australia (SSA)
New South Wales All Schools
NSW COMBINED INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (NSWCIS)
IGSSA
AICES
CAS
CSSA
GPS
NSW School Sporting Associations
QUE
NSW COMBINED CATHOLIC COLLEGES (NSWCCC)
NSW COMBINED HIGH SCHOOLS (NSWCHS)
RAS
NCSA
ISA
GUIDE TO HIGH PERFORMANCE & FURTHER PARTICIPATION
AFL http://aflnswact.com.au / info@afnswact.com.au Aquatics & Swimming http://www.queenwood.nsw.edu.au / Aquatics@queenwood.nsw.edu.au Athletics http://nswathletics.org.au Basketball http://www.foxsportspulse.com / http://www.manlybasketball.com.au Cross Country http://nswathletics.org.au Dance Dance@queenwood.nsw.edu.au Equestrian http://www.nsw.equestrian.org.au Gymnastics http://www.gymnsw.org.au Hockey http://hockeynsw.com.au Indoor Hockey http://www.sydneyindoorhockey.com.au Netball http://my.netball.com.au Rowing http://www.mosmanrowing.com/ Snow Sports http://www.nswsnowsports.com.au / info@nswsnowsports.com.au Soccer http://www.myfootballclub.com.au Tennis http://www.queenwood.nsw.edu.au / Tennis@queenwood.nsw.edu.au Touch Football http://www.nswtouch.com.au Water Polo http://www.waterpoloaustralia.com.au
SPORT POCKET CRITERIA
SPORT
WHITE COMMITMENT
SILVER Winning Greater Sydney Juniors Youth Harbour Grand Final
AFL
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Athletics
3 years non-consecutive commitment to the Queenwood Athletics team
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Earning Top 3 finish at NSWCIS Carnival / making final at NSW All Schools
Basketball
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Cross Country
3 years non-consecutive commitment to the Queenwood Cross Country team
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Top 10 State Championships and compete in at least one Interschools event Qualifying for, and competing at, State Championships through Regional Championship
RED Winning NSW State Championships
Equestrian
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Qualifying for, and competing at, National Championships
Futsal
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Gymnastics
3 years non-consecutive commitment to the Queenwood Gymnastics team
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Hockey
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Indoor Hockey
3 years non-consecutive commitment
N/A
N/A
Winning NSW State Championships
SPORT
WHITE COMMITMENT
SILVER
RED
Netball
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Rowing
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Podium finish in Div 1 at State Championships or HOR, or making A Final at a National event, or winning 2nd VIII at HOR
Podium finish in A Final at a National event, or Winning 1st VIII at HOR
Soccer
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Snow Sports
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Qualify for, and compete at, National event
Podium at Nationals (team) Top 5 at Nationals (Individual)
Swimming
3 years non-consecutive commitment to the Queenwood Swim team
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Tennis
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
Tildesley Shield Tennis
3 years non-consecutive commitment to Tildesley Shield Tennis as a Player or Reserve
4th Rd singles or doubles Top 3 as a team
5th Rd singles or QF doubles Win Tildesley as a team
Touch Football
3 years non-consecutive commitment
N/A
N/A
Water Polo
3 years non-consecutive commitment
Making, and competing for, an IGSSA team
Making, and competing for, a NSWCIS team
SPORT SELECTION POLICY
Often when selecting sporting teams there is no single objective measure to compare one student with another, and Queenwood staff must make decision based on their experience in a subjective manner. Our purpose is to, as successfully as possible, select teams/crews that best challenge each individual student. Through the selection process, Queenwood aims to: - Provide a consistent, transparent and coordinated approach to team selection - Ensure equal opportunities for all players to perform - Create an environment in which all girls are challenged, and feel safe to perform to their best ability (1)
Absence from trials
Students absent from trials will be placed in a team based on previous playing experience and have the opportunity to trial in the first available training session.
(2)
Trialling up
All players wishing to trial in teams higher than their age group may do so after seeking permission from the Director of Sport. This request may be denied based on a number of factors.
(3)
State and National level representation
A student may be absent from trials if attending a State or National level (or equivalent) training session, trial, squad or camp. This student will be placed in a team and trialed at the next available opportunity. Permission must still to be sought from the Director of Sport.
(4)
Selection panel
All selection panels will comprise experienced, knowledgeable and impartial selectors. An independent selector will be used where available.
(5)
Process of appeal
Selector's decisions will be final, however a student wishing to appeal may do so in writing as soon as possible after the draft teams are published. The appeal may be discussed by the Director of Sport, PE and coaching staff, and Deputy
(6)
Naming of teams
All draft teams will be published via email as close to the trial date as possible. Unless in extreme cases, no teams will be announced on the day of a trial.
(7)
Injury and illness
All girls suffering injury and illness must identify this to the selection panel upon arrival at the trial. Selectors are permitted to prevent a student from trialling, if they feel the injury/illness of the student will prevent her from participating safely in the trial.
(8)
Players not registered on Trybooking
Will not be permitted to travel to a trial venue or complete a trial, under any circumstances, as this is a duty of care issue. Please see (1) above.
(9)
Students departing trials early
Selectors will primarily base their selection on what they have seen at the trial. Selectors may use prior knowledge of a student to accurately place them in a team.
In the first instance Queenwood Sports teams/crews will be selected on the following criteria where relevant: 1. Ability
2. Playing Position
3. Year / Friendship Groups
4. Previous Playing Experience
5. Decision making ability
QUEENWOOD SPORT - STUDENTS TO SHOW PROFICIENCY IN THE FOLLOWING SPORT SPECIFIC CRITERIA DURING SPORTS TRIALS:
SPORT & TRIAL PROCESS
Offense
Defense
Other
AFL Trial held during Term 1
Reliable, accurate kicking and proficient marking Create and run into space Can handle defensive pressure
Comprehends team defensive concepts Comfortable tackling opponent Long kicking and handballing
Confident with physical contact Comprehends basic AFL rules Cardiovascular endurance
Basketball Term 2 Sports Trials
Uses dribble or pass to create space or score Looks to shoot when open Limits turnovers when passing
Moves feet Comprehends man to man and zone team defensive concepts
Correct spacing on offense and defense through court movement Jumps vertically for rebounds Comprehends roles of five playing positions
Dance Company Term 4 & 1 Auditions
Technique Displays core technical skill through movement extension, control, placement, alignment and floor transitions
Musicality Strong understanding and response to timing and rhythm
Performance Quality Strong expression, eye line and interpretation
Hockey Term 3 Sports Trials
Identifies and creates space through leading Consistently accurate goal shooting techniques Solid dribbling, ball control and defender elimination strategies
Physical strength in tackles and opposition marking Spacial awareness to channel players and perform interceptions Hitting and slapping ball
Positional flexibility Supporting ball carrier with passing options
Indoor Hockey Week 1 of competition
Accuracy and consistency of goal shooting Demonstrates good ball control and defender elimination strategies Creates space by leading
Strength in tackles Use of body to channel opposition players
Firm passing and ball distribution Position flexibility, works effectively within a team Displays game awareness and use of boards
Netball Term 3 Sports Trials
Sound footwork, limits stepping and remains balanced Demonstrates and appropriately uses a variety of passes Shooters display accurate shooting percentage
Moves feet to be in effective defensive position Challenges ball to create turnovers Disciplined with three foot defense
Comprehends court spacing, creating space for themselves and others Effective timing on jumps for intercepts and rebounds Limits turnovers from centre pass
Soccer Term 2 Sports Trials
Creates space through dribble or pass Ability to cross a ball and shoot accurately Shoots when open, from anywhere within the 18 yard box
Keeps balanced and does not foul when tackling Uses body to shepherd Adopts clearing kicks and defensive header techniques
Controls ball on both feet Displays speed to the ball Creates space by using a pass back
Strokes Performs consistent rally with forehand, backhand, volley, serve and smash
Movement Moves feet and recovers to appropriate recovery position
Matchplay Understands basic rules and scoring for tie break, games and sets Comprehends positioning for singles and doubles
Tildesley Tennis Strokes Development Ability to rally and direct ball with top spin on forehand Squad and backhand side Term 4 Sports Use continental grips for volleys, smash and serve Trials and challenge Begin developing splice technique matches
Movement Light on the feet, move quickly in competitive rallies Understands basic footwork patterns and importance of the movement cycle
Matchplay Understands defense and offense positions for singles and doubles Independently solves problems and actively keeps score
Strokes Tildesley Tennis Consistently performs top, slice and flat spins Training Squad Developing techniques for drop shot, lob, half volley, Term 4 Sports drive volley and adapting swing patterns when required Trials and challenge matches
Movement Consistently completes movement cycle Adapting footwork patterns in competitive play Athletic and dynamically balanced on court
Matchplay Understand basic pattern plays for singles and doubles Increasing controlled agression for neutral rally whilst improving defense and offense skills Analysis of opponent game and own performance and implements game plan for strategic outcomes
Tennis Term 4 Sports Trials and challenge matches
Touch Football Trial held during Term 3
Able to pass ball on both sides of body whilst running Runs at defensive player / gap in the defensive line
Able to mark up in man to man defense Reads the defense and moves along the defensive line Moves up as a line
Communicates with team mates to fill gaps and push along defensive line Can pass more than three metres in both directions Can perform a three man raid with a group
Water Polo Term 4 Sports Trials
Makes accurate decisions on when to pass or shoot Correct wrist, arm and finger positioning when releasing the ball Correctly takes a foul and displays team work to create exclusions
Stays with player and marks using correct body positioning Agile when changing direction and adjusts to the dynamic nature of the game
Comprehends various body positions when defending Quickly transitions between offense and defense Displays team concepts on offense and defense
QUEENWOOD SPORT - CARNIVAL AND ALTERNATE SPORT SELECTION PATHWAYS
Athletics
Queenwood Athletics Carnival
2 to 3 students per age selected based on results for IGSSA Twilight Carnivals
1 student per age per event selected to represent Queenwood at IGSSA Track and Field event (3 individual events and 1 relay permitted per athlete)
Cross Country
Queenwood Running Club Queenwood Cross Country trials Previous Cross Country experience
10 students selected per age group
8 runners and 2 reserves in each age group attend the IGSSA Cross Country Carnival
Diving
Expression of Interest to Director of Sport
Student competes at the IGSSA Diving Championships as per Team Entry rules
Equestrian
Expressions of Interest to Director of Sport or Queenwood Equestrian Coordinator
Student enters various Interschools events as per Team Entry rules for each event and discipline
Gymnastics
Expression of Interest to Director of Sport
Student competes at the IGSSA Gymnastics Carnival as per Team Entry rules
Rowing
Snow Sports
Yr 7/8 1km Ergometre testing Attendance Coach input on technique and crew compatability
Yr 8/9 1km Ergometre testing, single skulling time trials and seat racing Attendance Coach input on technique and crew compatability
Registration on Trybooking or Expressions of Interest to Queenwood Snow Sports Coordinator
Regional Championships Selection based on student average times from events attended in previous year New students to be placed in team of appropriate level at the discretion of the Director of Sport and Snow Sports Coordinator
Yr 10/11/12 2km Ergometre testing, single skulling time trials and seat racing Attendance Coach input on technique and crew compatability State Championships selection based on fastest times from the Regional Championship event of that year Australian Championships selection based on fastest times from the State Championship event of that year
More detailed Snow Sports selection criteria can be found in the Queenwood Snow Sports Handbook available from the Director of Sport, or Queenwood Snow Sports Coordinator
Swimming
Queenwood Swimming Carnival
Any Invitational meets attended by Queenwood Minimum three sessions per week
Tildesley Shield Tournament Team
Tildesley Shield Squad selected from: Previous year squad Top Junior and Yr 7 team from Term 1 season Any other suitable players Expressions of Interest to Director of Sport
Attendance Saturday competition match scores Fitness test scores Ladder Challenges
1 student per age per event selected to represent Queenwood at IGSSA Swimming Carnival (3 individual events and 1 relay permitted per swimmer) Singles and Doubles teams determined by Director of Sport and Head Coach - Tennis Team entered into Tildesley Shield Tournament as per Team Entry rules
IGSSA CODE OF CONDUCT & REPRESENTATIVE SPORT POLICY
IGSSA Code of Conduct – click here
AHIGS- IGSSA REPRESENTATIVE SPORT POLICY Updated October, 2014 1.
PURPOSE
1.1
The AHIGS Representative Policy is designed to provide girls enrolled at AHIGS members’ schools with the opportunity to access the representative pathway provided by NSWCIS, NSW All Schools and School Sport Australia.
1.2
Selection trials are for girls who show outstanding skill and talent in the relevant sport. Trials are not to be used to gain playing experience, or to reward good team players. Schools should carefully consider the ability of the girls they nominate. AHIGS has very structured guidelines for the selection procedure as set out in section 3 below. This is necessary due to the vast depth of sporting talent within our schools and the need to be fair and accountable to all students. To allow the AHIGS Office to effectively administer and communicate the selection process, it is important that schools observe all the relevant guidelines, and dates for nominations, paperwork, trials etc. These can be found on the AHIGS-IGSSA website at www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/IGSSA.aspx.
2.
NOMINATION PROCESS
2.1.
To be eligible for selection in an AHIGS-IGSSA team a student must:
2.2.
i)
be enrolled and attending a school whose Head is a member of AHIGS.
ii)
be enrolled in years 7 – 12 and be under 20 years of age in that particular year. Please note that there are some sports’ specific age restrictions at NSW All Schools’ level that may prohibit a student being selected further.
iii)
attend and actively participate in the scheduled AHIGS-IGSSA trials or carnival for the particular sport. Girls must be able to participate for the duration of the trial as partial participation will not be accepted.
iv)
girls who are not available for all commitments and major carnivals should not trial.
v)
exemption may be considered for a student competing in the same sport for a compulsory state or national level team or squad selection event. As a general principle, a student failing to participate in a scheduled IGSSA trial or selection carnival through injury, illness, family crisis, misadventure or school related activity, does not constitute a satisfactory basis for exemption. Requests for exemptions will be considered on a case by case basis.
vi)
schools will be notified if an exemption has been granted and the effect this will have on the number of representatives requiring selection at the IGSSA event.
vii)
girls who are ill or injured should not trial and may be prevented from doing so unless permission can be obtained from a parent or guardian or relevant medical consultant. Even with parental permission, a girl may be prevented from trialling if the selectors feel that she is too ill / injured to do so.
An eligible student must also play a minimum of 3 IGSSA Saturday Sport matches in the IGSSA season of that sport in that year. These matches may be played in either of the two IGSSA sports offered in that particular term.
2.3.
2.4.
2.5.
Exemption from this rule will be given to students: i)
when their school does not have sufficient numbers to enter any teams in the IGSSA competition in a particular sport. (schools that enter teams in non IGSSA competitions will not be permitted to send girls to IGSSA trials; the representative pathway in this situation is through non IGSSA sport.)
ii)
where distance is an issue (PLA and NEGS only).
The AHIGS Sports Staff reserve the right to not allow girls to attend trials: i)
if they feel the students have not attained the required performance standard based on information submitted on the IGSSA nomination form.
ii)
if a student has failed to fulfil all their representative commitments in previous years e.g. not attending training, withdrawing with late or no notice.
iii)
if a student has displayed poor behaviour and sportsmanship throughout the current or previous seasons e.g. code of conduct violations, poor behaviour whilst away on a previous tour.
Schools may choose how many girls they nominate to trial. However, IGSSA will determine how many players from each school will be allowed to attend trials, taking into consideration, the number of teams being selected, the total number of nominations, the experience of the players nominated and any other relevant criteria. Players without playing and representative history completed on the correct form will not be considered. It is not necessary for schools to nominate any girls if they feel their players do not meet the required standard. Schools who nominate more than 2 students will be considered for S1 and J1 respectively when Saturday morning grades are decided. The students’ playing position should also be given careful consideration.
2.6.
All nominations must be submitted to the AHIGS Office, on the correct nomination form, by the due date as advertised in the IGSSA Handbook Yearly Calendar which are both available on the IGSSA Website. Only school Heads of Sport or the PE staff member in charge of a sport at a school, are permitted to nominate students. Nominations submitted by parents or casual coaches will not be accepted.
2.7.
The AHIGS Office requires the full names, dates of birth, year group at school and playing experience from the previous two years. The correct representative nomination page for each sport can be found on the IGSSA Website.
2.8.
Girls are expected to supply all playing gear and protective clothing at trials and must abide by the relevant safety requirements for each sport as outlined in the rules and guidelines for each sport at www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/IGSSA.aspx (e.g. helmets, shin-pads, mouthguards, gloves etc.)
2.9.
Once selected, girls who withdraw from a representative team without a suitable reason, or sufficient notice, will be liable for all associated costs.
3.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
3.1
Team Sports in Which AHIGS Conducts Trials (i.e. Softball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Touch, Water Polo): i)
in Netball, Touch and Hockey where both 15 or 16 and under, and Open teams exist, girls must choose which age group they wish to trial for if they are eligible for both.
ii)
all IGSSA teams should be announced on the day of the trials. In the event of selectors being unable to name a final team (e.g. too many girls at trials), a squad will be announced from which the final team will be selected. Only girls present at the initial trials will be eligible for selection in the squad. Any girl who has been given exemption from the initial trial must attend any subsequent trials and/or training sessions. In this situation at least 3 extra girls must be chosen so there are several girls eliminated from the final team and not an individual.
iii)
girls who are not selected in IGSSA teams are unable to trial as individuals at NSWCIS level.
iv)
3.2
Team Sports in Which AHIGS Does not Conduct Trials (i.e. Badminton, Cricket, Golf, Triathlon, Volleyball): i)
3.3
all girls who are selected in IGSSA teams are required to attend the training sessions/carnivals. Failure to fulfil team commitments may result in exclusion from the team, or ‘sitting on the bench’ during competition matches.
schools must nominate directly through NSWCIS. All NSWCIS representative nomination forms can be accessed via the CIS website. NSWCIS will not accept late entries under any circumstance.
IGSSA Carnival Sports Swimming: i)
girls must compete in the IGSSA Carnival in order to be eligible for the IGSSA team selected to compete at the NSWCIS Carnival.
ii)
the number of competitors selected for each event is based on NSWCIS entry guidelines.
iii)
times swum at the IGSSA Carnival will be taken as entries towards NSWCIS. Finishing first at IGSSA does not guarantee a place in that particular event.
iv)
competitors are only allowed to submit times for those events which they could not compete in at the IGSSA Carnival due to entry restrictions. These times must be NSW sanctioned long course times, achieved in the last 12 months. Nominated times of events not swum at IGSSA must be submitted by the due date using the IGSSA entry form.
Athletics: i)
girls must compete in the IGSSA Athletics Carnival in order to be eligible for the IGSSA team to compete at the NSWCIS Carnival.
ii)
students competing at a higher level Cross Country event, which precludes their participation in the IGSSA Athletics Carnival, may be permitted to submit times for Athletics 800m, 1500m and 3000m only. Consistent with section 2.1, each request will be considered individually, on its merits.
iii)
the number of competitors selected for each event is based on NSWCIS entry guidelines.
iv)
the two highest placegetters for track events and the 1st placegetter in field events at the IGSSA Carnival, from the finals, will automatically qualify. The next place may be decided by the second (field) or third (track) placegetter in the event or heat at IGSSA, or a nominated time/distance achieved within the same calendar year (NSW Athletics approved times/distances only).
v)
competitors are only allowed to submit times for those events which they do not compete in at the IGSSA Athletics Carnival due to entry restrictions. Nominated times must be submitted by the due date using the IGSSA entry form.
Cross Country: i)
the first 15 placegetters at the AHIGS-IGSSA Cross Country Carnival will constitute the IGSSA Team in each age group. In the event of withdrawals, girls who placed 16th, 17th etc. may be called into the team in the order of their finishing times at the Carnival.
ii)
students competing at a higher level Athletics event, which precludes their participation in the IGSSA Cross Country Carnival, may submit a Cross Country time providing they have either placed in the top five in the previous year’s IGSSA Cross Country Carnival, or have a comparable IPSHA, PSSA or CHS time / place. Consistent with section 2.1, each request will be considered individually, on its merits.
iii)
the number of competitors selected for each event is based on NSWCIS entry guidelines.
iv)
girls who are granted exemption under section 2.1 prior to the event will become part of the CIS entries. If this occurs schools will be contacted so that runners affected by this decision can be informed of how many places will be selected from the event.
Rowing: i)
schools enter crews for the School Girl Head of the River through the Rowing NSW website by the due date (http://www.rowingnsw.asn.au/) based on Rowing NSW guidelines.
4.
PROCESS OF APPEAL
4.1
As a general practice, the selectors’ decision will be final. However an appeals process does exist for those who believe their circumstances are exceptional. Appeals challenging a team selection must be received in writing by the Director of Sport, within 48 hours of the trial date.
4.2
Application for exemption from attending selections must be submitted in writing to the AHIGS Director of Sport at the time of nominations or, in exceptional circumstances, at least forty eight hours prior to the running of the appropriate selection event.
4.3
The Appeals Committee will consist of at least three of the following: the AHIGS Executive Officer, AHIGS Director of Sport, AHIGS Assistant Director of Sport, the IGSSA Convenor of the particular sport, any AHIGS Standing Committee Head of Sport not involved in the appeal, any AHIGS Head of School. It is compulsory that at least one AHIGS staff member sits on the Appeals Committee, but no more than one. Each individual appeal will be dealt with on its own merits.
4.4
AHIGS will send a response to all appeals within 7 days, in the following manner; i)
verbally to the Head of Sport of the school concerned.
ii)
in writing to the Head of School, Head of Sport / PDHPE, AHIGS Executive Office and AHIGS President.
5.
RISK, INJURY AND ILLNESS
5.1
Sport is a potentially dangerous activity and AHIGS refers girls and their families to the Association’s Risk Warning below. It is assumed that all girls participating in AHIGS/IGSSA trials are fit to do so. Girls unsure of their fitness to trial should consult a medical practitioner.
5.2
A girl who appears to be ill or injured will not be allowed to trial without the consent of her parents. A permission slip is attached and it is suggested that all girls complete this.
5.3
Selectors may prevent a girl from trialling, even with parental consent, if they feel the girl’s fitness level is insufficient to allow her to participate fully as required by clause 2.1(iii).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
INDEPENDENT GIRLS SCHOOLS SPORTING ASSOCIATION (IGSSA) What is IGSSA? IGSSA (Independent Girls Schools Sporting Association) is a sub-committee of AHIGS, the Association of Heads of Independent Girls’ Schools, New South Wales. There are 30 independent girls’ schools within AHIGS and IGSSA’s role is to provide sporting activities for the students of members’ schools. The IGSSA philosophy was developed by AHIGS and is reviewed regularly. Its emphasis is on helping girls appreciate the value of physical activity, fair play, teamwork and good sportsmanship while building selfconfidence, skill, discipline and responsibility. Both individual and team sports are provided by IGSSA with eight different Saturday sports offered throughout the year. Six carnivals are also offered annually in the areas of swimming and diving, rowing, tennis, athletics, cross country running and gymnastics. In addition to providing inter-school sporting opportunities for girls, IGSSA also provides a pathway to representative competition at the state and national level. This commitment to school girl sport at all levels is central to the IGSSA philosophy of encouraging each student to develop her full potential as both an individual and team player. Although IGSSA has grown rapidly in recent years, the formation of the sub-committee dates back to 1922, six years after the formation of AHIGS in 1916. Today, IGSSA sport is managed by the AHIGS Director of Sport who, with the support of the Assistant Director, co-ordinates an extensive network of committees, conveners and umpires. What is the IGSSA Philosophy? To encourage girls to develop an interest in physical activity, participation, teamwork and the setting of personal goals that will continue in the post school years. To provide an opportunity for every girl, regardless of her ability, to develop her physical potential through participation in graded sport. To provide a pathway, through CIS, to more elite levels for those girls who qualify. To assist girls to develop skills across a range of sports, to understand the rules of sport and to grow into positions of leadership within and beyond sport. To bring girls from member schools together so that they may be enriched by exposure to different regions and cultures and by developing connections which cross-school boundaries. To provide enjoyment, fun, relaxation and leisure as part of a balanced and fulfilled life. To help girls appreciate their own worth as individuals, the benefits of learning to work as a member of a team and to develop the self-discipline and responsibility required by team membership. Ultimately, To establish habits of healthy living, fair play, good sporting conduct, generosity in recognising the talents of others, the gracious acceptance of defeat and respect for the ruling of the umpire. How are IGSSA grades determined? 1. Girls are selected into a school team based on her school’s philosophy and policy. 2. Each school nominates its preferred grades for discussion at the grading meeting for that sport. Grading meetings are open to all participating schools. 3. The grading meeting occurs and grades are determined based on democratic discussion, player profiles, the number of representative players in each team, previous season’s results and school nominations / justifications. Why can’t IGSSA be more like the boys’ schools in the way it organises sport? The boys’ schools do not have the same graded system that the girls’ schools do. The largest boys’ association has only 8 schools, all with their own facilities. IGSSA has 30 schools, many with no facilities. IGSSA offers 8 regular Saturday sports, with the boys’ associations generally offering only 4. Why does my daughter’s team have to play against teams that are clearly more / less skilled than her team? Why can’t teams be re-graded regularly so that they are more equally matched? A grading meeting occurs for all sports where every attempt is made to grade teams fairly according to ability and information provided by each school.
Re-grading occurs only after round 2 in all sports. This is to maintain equity to all teams during a relatively short playing season.
Why does re-grading take place? The process of grading is not fool proof. Team changes can occur after grading that affect the strength of various teams e.g. students leave the school, new girls sign up to play at the last moment. Teams can sometimes end up being way out of their depth competitively. This is a very demoralizing experience and one that IGSSA wishes to avoid where possible. Alternatively, a team that is too strong for a particular grade is not being challenged and may become bored. Re-grading may occur after Round 2 in each Saturday sport. Schools are able to request that a particular team be considered to be re-graded. Re-grading is kept to a minimum by the IGSSA office, with only extreme cases being considered for re-grading. This is to maintain equity to all teams during a relatively short playing season. What is the main issue with re-grading? Teams being re-graded will take on the draw of the team they are switching with. This means that should a Queenwood team take on the draw of another School, this team may then take on a draw of another School. This could see all remaining home games changed to games at other venues closer to the switching School. Are students restricted to their age groups when placed in teams? Selection of teams is based on school policy and school selection procedures. Some schools choose to select girls in their own age groups. Other schools select solely on ability, enabling a talented young athlete to be selected in the highest school team. IGSSA rules allow for year 7 students to play in any grade. Years 8 - 9 can play in any grade except grade Y07. Years 10 - 12 are only allowed to play in senior grades delineated by the ‘S’ prefix. Why do we have to travel so far to Saturday sports venues? Why can’t games be organised closer to the school? Often schools do not have any playing facilities at their school or close by. There are other school based sport associations and local community sporting associations who compete for facilities. IGSSA attempts to hire as many facilities as possible that are close to our schools; however this is not always possible. Why do we have to play at other venues so often when our own school has such good facilities? Schools cannot always provide enough facilities at their venues at the required times of our competition. Some schools have many more teams than facilities e.g. 2 netball courts x 3 timeslots caters for 6 teams to play at home – if the school has 20 teams then 14 teams must play away from ‘home’. Sometimes IGSSA hosts country schools which may use a Sydney based school’s facilities on rare occasions. All schools are given the opportunity to have games at their home venues. Other schools may also have good facilities and there is a need to share games both home and away. Some sports and higher grades require specific facilities e.g. S01 netball on an indoor court, S01 hockey on an artificial hockey turf. Why do we have to travel to Frensham so often and why do the games at Frensham seem to commence so early? Frensham are an IGSSA member School, and upon acceptance to the association by the various School Heads, a decision was made to manage the expense placed on Frensham should they be required to travel to Sydney venues every week. Teams with Frensham in their grade will only travel to Frensham once a season. Frensham travel to Sydney for all semi’s and finals. Frensham game times are exactly the same as all other venues. Why do we have to go to the venue in wet weather only to find that the game has been cancelled? What should we do in wet weather situations? Due to the short season for all AHIGS sports, every attempt is made to play inter-school matches and cancellations of Saturday sport are rarely made before Saturday morning. On many occasions it may be raining in one part of Sydney but not another, hence some matches shall still be played.
The IGSSA venue closure page on the website is updated as soon as our Director and Assistant Director of Sport are advised by the venue convener. At Queenwood, @Queenwood_Sport is updated on twitter as soon as information is updated on the IGSSA website If the venue has not been cancelled then all players must arrive at the venue where a decision may be made later in the morning to cancel matches.
Previously we have travelled to the sports venue at which we thought we were playing, but it turned out to be the wrong place. How can mistakes like that happen? Due to the size and complexity of all the IGSSA sports draws, human error can occur. Information is first passed from the AHIGS Office to the Director of Sport at each school. The Directors of Sport will pass it on to other relevant staff and sports coaches, as well as students and parents. Sometimes people get confused by the name of the venue e.g. PLC Sydney at Croydon is often mistaken for Pymble Ladies’ College (PYM) at Pymble. Why is the playing season so short? My daughter barely gets started in a sport and then she has to change? The IGSSA philosophy is such that all girls are given a variety of sports to experience at a variety of playing abilities. IGSSA is designed to complement the club season e.g. early timeslots, short seasons. Should a girl enjoy one particular sport she then has the option to join a community based competition that offers a longer playing season. Many schools provide additional School based invitational competitions to complement the IGSSA seasons e.g. Term 1 UNSW Water Polo, Term 4 HKDTA Tennis How are semi’s and finals determined? Places and points are calculated at the end of the round robin competition. 1st place plays 4th place, 2nd place plays 3rd place. In short seasons i.e. 7 weeks, sometimes 5th place plays 6th place in a ‘friendly’ match so as to maximise playing weeks however this depends on the availability of venues. Will AHIGS cover my medical expenses if my daughter is injured while playing IGSSA Sport? While AHIGS takes all reasonable steps to ensure a safe playing environment, sport is an inherently risky activity and injury or loss may occur during play, practice or while travelling to and from an event. The AHIGS risk warning outlines the dangers involved in sport in more detail and parents and girls are encouraged to read this risk warning (published on the IGSSA website, displayed at all venues and by AHIGS member schools, and specifically to Queenwood are found under Terms and Conditions on Trybooking) when considering their level of participation. AHIGS does not take out medical insurance for students. Parents should consider their own needs and personal situation in regard to insurance. Why does the school Sport department from our school decide who can trial for an IGSSA representative team? Why can’t we send our entire school team to trials? The Sport staff within each school generally have a good knowledge of the standard required to trial for a representative team. Girls at some schools may represent their local community association, however at IGSSA or NSWCIS trials will be competing against older girls from all over NSW. In most instances there are only a handful of places available in a representative team so the standard is very high. Sport staff on IGSSA sports committees have limited time available to select representative teams and cannot trial unlimited numbers of girls who may wish to experience the selection process. How do I find out more about IGSSA Sport? Contact your school Sport department first. All communication should be directed through each school’s Director of Sport. Parents and students should not be contacting the AHIGS office directly unless instructed to do so. Comprehensive information can be found on the IGSSA website at www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/IGSSA.aspx
What guidelines govern IGSSA? The AHIGS Code of Conduct and Harassment Policy details the expectations of player / coach / spectator behaviour. It also details the disciplining procedure and appeals process. Specific sporting rules and guidelines exist for each sport, with all guidelines published on the AHIGS Website. The IGSSA Philosophy outlines the Association’s views on schoolgirl sport and can be found on the AHIGSIGSSA website. Why are some sports that are offered by Queenwood not a part of IGSSA? Not all sports are offered within the extensive sporting program offered by IGSSA, with Queenwood participating in several external sporting associations to complement those accessible through the School Sport Australia pathway. These might include sports such as AFL and Indoor Hockey, or those where the IGSSA pathway does not suit our timetable, such as Touch Football. Further seasons may also be offered in sports where local clubs offer School-based competitions in Terms alternate to the IGSSA season, such as Term 4 HKDTA Tennis and Term 1 UNSW Water Polo.
REGISTERING FOR SPORT AT QUEENWOOD How do I register for Sport at Queenwood? All sports at Queenwood are registered through an online booking system at www.trybooking.com, with reminders and booking windows being sent via @Queenwood_Sport on twitter, announcements on your daughter’s Canvas page, and via the School newsletter. Why are registration dates so early, and sometimes up to a Term in advance? Registration dates are set by the various sporting associations and must be strictly adhered to, ensuring all Queenwood teams are accepted to each competition. Queenwood Sport staff allow parents and students at least three weeks to choose a sport and register, with staff allocating themselves only two or three days to ensure all appropriate paperwork is received by the association. What if I miss the Trybooking deadline? Can I register late? Each late registration request will be handled on an individual basis. Most times Trybooking will be reopened to accept late registrations, however, at times team entries may have been closed by associations, maximum player numbers reached or other deadlines that will prevent a late registration request to be approved. E.g. If team entries have already been received by associations, one late entry for Tennis is 25% of a Tennis team, two late entries 50% etc. If all other teams have reached their maximum allowance of players as set by association guidelines, a late request will have to be denied. Players registering before the registration booking window closes will not miss out on playing that particular sport. What happens after I register my daughter for sport on Trybooking? Information regarding sport trials will be sent via email addresses recorded on Trybooking upon registration. Draft teams will be sent via email after any sport trial, with all girls being re-trialled during the first training session for that sport. Girls absent from trials will also be trialled at this point, with final Team Sheets, Draws and Contact information being sent during Week 1 of a sport season.
TEAM SELECTIONS AT QUEENWOOD How are teams selected? Why are certain girls selected over others? Often when selecting teams there is no one single objective measure to compare one student with another, and Queenwood staff are expected to make decisions based on their experience in a subjective manner. Through any selection process, Queenwood aims to provide a consistent, transparent and coordinated approach to team selection, ensure equal opportunities for all players to perform, and to create an environment in which all girls are challenged and feel safe to perform to the best of their ability.
More detailed information on the Queenwood Sport Selection Policy can be found on Canvas and in the School Newsletter.
What if my daughter cannot attend a sport trial? As per the Queenwood Sport Selection Policy, should a girl be absent from a Sport trial, she will be required to notify the Director of Sport. She will then be given the chance to trial at the next available opportunity. Why is my daughter in the bottom team? Girls absent from trials may appear lower down than expected in the Draft team lists. This simply allows Queenwood staff to elevate the appropriate player once all girls have been trialled. We aim to never “drop” a player down a grade/s to ensure that all girls, regardless of ability or experience, feel safe to give their best effort at every opportunity. We feel it is much better practice for girls to be promoted to higher placed teams, assisting their self-esteem and self-worth. Being dropped to lower graded teams at a time when all girls can experience self-doubt, can be an adequate reason for a girl to discontinue their participation. Girls are selected to teams that are deemed to best challenge them, and therefore teams are selected based on ability, playing position, Year/friendship groups, previous playing experience and decision making ability, as well as sport specific selection criteria. After all the above are taken into consideration, some girls will end up in a bottom team. It is important to remember that it is therefore the opinion of the selectors and Queenwood Sport staff that this is the best position to appropriately challenge your daughter. Why do teams in lower grades tend to have more players than those in higher grades? Almost every sporting association has rules outlining players being permitted to play up, and not down, grades. Having an extra player in lower grades allows for players to be elevated owing to improvement throughout the season, incorrect grading of a player, injury/illness to teams above. Am I able to appeal a team selection decision? All appeals are requested to come through the Director of Sport after first considering the impact an appeal might have on the overall team selection for a particular sport. Some sports have over 230 students playing, across 23 teams, with any change usually effecting more than the one team. With so many girls registering for sport, appeals in relation to car-pooling, friendship and Year groups, other family members sporting commitments etc will be considered, however unlikely to be approved.
WEEKLY SPORT TRAINING AND GAMES AT QUEENWOOD Is my daughter classified as a Junior or a Senior given that now that she is in the Senior School? Certain sports may have different criteria, however, generally in regards to sporting teams, all girls in Years 7, 8 and 9 are classified as “Juniors”, with girls in Years 10, 11 and 12 placed into “Senior” teams or crews. Can my daughter play Club and School sport? If Club and School sport draws and training sessions do not clash, girls are encouraged to participate in as much sport as possible. If a girl is particularly interested in one particular sport, she will be encouraged to pursue this sport at a club or representative level. Queenwood has a clear pathway for girls in each sport, and can be found on the School website and Newsletter under Queenwood Pathway to Elite School Sport and the Queenwood Pathway to High Performance and Further Participation Why do some Schools play Club Netball and not School based Netball? Some Schools decide that playing Netball should replace focus in other sporting areas. These Schools decide to play club netball, however do not field Basketball or AFL teams, and only field a small number of Hockey and Soccer teams. Queenwood believes in offering numerous sports across shorter season, to ensure girls are able to select multiple sports across the year.
Is sport and training compulsory? All co-curricular sport at Queenwood is voluntary, however once registered, all training session and games become compulsory. How does my daughter get to weekly sport training and games? All girls are transported via bus to and from all training sessions. Girls are able to be collected from venues if that is more appropriate for families,, however girls must be collected prior to the bus departing a venue. Girls will not be left at a venue unattended. For certain sports, where training finishes late or starts early at an offsite venue, parents will be expected to drop off or pick up girls from this site. Transport to weekend games is the responsibility of each family. Why are some training sessions in the afternoon, whilst others are in the morning? How are these allocated? With participation numbers in sport so high, attempting to schedule training sessions for all teams on both onsite and offsite venues becomes challenging. Scheduling these sessions takes some time and constantly evolves season to season. Age, physical size and ability of the members of teams, coach availability, training venue suitability, bus bookings and other student co-curricular commitments have a place when discussing training session allocation. Why do some sports train more often that others? Some sports have different physical or skill based requirements in order to perform at the very basic ability level, let alone at that of high performance. Some higher ability teams, at times, may not be playing at a level required within a certain grade, and therefore require some extra tuition to ensure they are playing at a suitable level. What time should I arrive at my venue for my weekend game? Most sports require girls to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of their match. This allows coaches to ensure an adequate warm up, instruction to be given, and the team prepared for their game. Some sports, more physical in nature (e.g. AFL), may require players to arrive earlier than the allocated 30 minutes to ensure girls are sufficiently prepared for their game. Why do some Schools have an entire other team as reserves for their team, and we only have one or two? Queenwood aims to ensure that all girls are offered the very best chance to improve and enjoy their sporting experiences. Queenwood feels that this can only be best achieved by actually playing the sport, rather than sitting on the sidelines. Teams are traditionally selected with an “ideal” playing number in mind to allow for maximum participation, whilst still allowing for injury/illness to any particular team. How are coaches selected to certain sports or teams? Coaches must prove themselves to be fit to work with children through the gaining of a Working With Children Check, and either experience in working with sports teams, or the motivation and enthusiasm to develop certain skills within the sports coaching field. Those coaches successful in gaining employment will be allocated to teams based on availability, experience, personality, age and potential. With a large number of teams involved in most sports at Queenwood, finding qualified, motivated and professional casual coaches, available at certain training times and on weekends can prove challenging. How do I know of venue changes or wet weather arrangements? All wet weather or venue changes will be posted on @Queenwood_Sport on twitter, the official sport notification system for parents and students.
Am I able to apply for leave for a training session or game? Once a registration is made to play a certain sport, it is expected that each girl commits for the entire season. At times, however, it may be necessary for girls to request absence owing to illness/injury, unforeseen family commitments etc. All leave requests must come through the Director of Sport. Each case will be considered on an individual basis, and must take into account factors such as number of previous absences/leave requests and other girls absent from the same team.
FINDING OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPORT AT QUEENWOOD How do I find out information regarding my daughter’s sport? All information regarding your daughter’s sport will be emailed to you. Should you require any further information please contact the Coordinator of that particular sport in the first instance, or the Director of Sport directly. The Queenwood website contains important contact information relating to each Sport at the School. How do I know what uniform my daughter should be purchasing from the Uniform Shop? All uniform requirements for particular sports can be found on the School website, or in the detailed email sent by the Coordinator of a particular sport. Why have other parents received an email regarding sport and I did not? Email distribution lists are taken directly from data inputted into Trybooking by parents upon registration of your daughter to a particular sport. Should this email address be typed incorrectly, emails will bounce back. It is the responsibility of the person completing the registration to ensure all details are filled in correctly. It is wise to record two email addresses within the Parent Email Address field on Trybooking to ensure that at least one of these email addresses received the relevant sport information.
RECOGNITION How are sporting achievements recognised at Queenwood? All sporting achievements are aimed to be recognised as equally as possible, with all major student accomplishments being posted on @Queenwood_Sport on twitter, mentioned in weekly Newsletters, at end of Term Sport Assemblies and through the awarding of pockets at the end of each School year. Junior, Intermediate and Senior Champions and Runner Ups are also awarded perpetual trophies and medals at each of our Athletics, Swimming, Running Festival and Queenwood Tennis Championships. Four major sporting accolades are also presented at Speech Night every year. What are pockets? How does my daughter receive a pocket? Pockets are a line recognising achievement in a particular area, sewn into the School blazer. There are three forms of pockets; White for Commitment, Silver and Red for achievement. Each sport has a certain criteria that must be met before receiving a pocket, with this Pocket Criteria viewable on Canvas and the School Newsletter.