MR ROBERT EGAN
prep sportsmaster
2
018 was always going to be a memorable one, with the Gold Coast welcoming the world, at the Commonwealth Games, our junior sports program growing from strength to strength and the GPS celebrating its centenary year. This year was an ideal opportunity for TSS to show sport as one of our fortes, to the rest of Queensland, Australia and indeed the wider world’s sporting community. Each year is indeed remembered differently. The past 12 months will be remembered in a large part for the emergence of our new Prep Hall, Prep car park, sandstone grandstand and oval regenerations impact on our sporting program. All four projects came to fruition throughout the summer months of 2017/18 and had an immediate impact, promoting our Prep venue to one of the premium sporting venues on the Gold Coast. Hosting in the region of thirty fixtures on any given weekend, the oval and Prep Hall proved a picturesque site, with our new GPS guided field marking system and up to date sporting equipment providing the precision our boys deserve. These projects highlighted a major investment in our boys’ future. 2019, and beyond, promises to see similar investment in the Prep sporting facilities, with a number of projects planned, including the regeneration of our outside undercover courts. A sensational time to be a budding athlete at the Prep School.
Our Junior Sports program continues to thrive. TSS is unique in this 224
SOUTHPORTONIAN
regard, being the only school based program on the Gold Coast in the Gold Coast District and Football Gold Coast competition. The junior rugby and junior football programs compete along the length and breadth of the coast, showing our true band of brothers unity, with boys from Preschool all the way to Year 12 now able to pull on a TSS jersey. 2018 was of particular significance for the junior football program, as we celebrated the inaugural year of TSS Preparatory FC, branching out on our own. This area of our program provides the first taste of formal competition for many of our boys and plenty of opportunity to learn the fundamental skill base and structure of sport, ideal preparation for the GPS. The extended season allows for teams to work on important life lessons such as commitment, resilience, sportsmanship, continuity and team work, to name just a few. The junior program continues to grow, with over 250 boys engaged in formal sport for 22 weeks of the year. Watch this space. Our school motto is ‘Palmam Qui Feruit Merat’ – “May he who merits it, bear the Palm”. It is at this juncture, between discussing our junior and GPS program, it is important to highlight that the road to success is a shared one. Working together and helping others can be both rewarding and fulfilling. These lessons are at the heart of sport at TSS and can be seen in our staff, boys and parents alike. This support, drive and passion is the reason the
Prep School has seen so much personal and team success again this year. 2018 saw over double figure representatives at Hinterland and State level, as well as several boys representing TSS at Nationals. Results we can all be proud of, well done.
GPS sport and activities celebrated 100 years of strength this year. It has been great to look back at some of the history makers and inspirational stories coming out of the nine GPS schools, and seeing the importance TSS has played, in what can only be described as the premier school sports competition. This year not only recognised the history, but did so with new beginnings introducing the magnificent Centenary Flag to each school, that is visible at the major championships and resides at TSS year round. There has been wide spread success across TSS this year, with our GPS cricketers, sailors and rowers taking home their respective championships. The Preparatory boys grew in stature in 2018 with plenty of highlights across cricket, debating, swimming, football, tennis, crosscountry, gymnastics, rugby, basketball,
