Fitness testing
The bulk of the first four weeks in PE this term focused on fitness testing, a unit we haven’t done before at TPS! This involved the beep test in a relay team setup to understand the concept, then as individuals (testing endurance, agility and speed). Students did the grip strength test, testing forearm strength, the sit and reach flexibility test (testing vertebrae, hamstring muscles and hip flexor joint flexibility) and the Illinois agility test (thanks for Greg Green for telling me about this one!). Earlier on in the year we also did basketball throw and standing broad jump in most classes. Students have enjoyed learning about the main components of fitness such as cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and flexibility and how each of these are important in different sports and everyday activities.
Beep Test Challenge
The beep test remains one of the most popular and widespread cardio respiratory fitness tests in the world for aerobic capacity. It is mostly used in places like Canada, Australia, the UK, South Africa and New Zealand. In class we discussed how athletes, those in defence (air force and army) referees and those in the fire brigade and police force use it as an essential component of their job to maintain and assess their fitness. On Friday last week we held our first ever beep test challenge with the top 35 fastest students in the school, based on their beep test results in class. Numerous teachers joined in too! Congratulations to all those who qualified and a special thanks to both dads Matt Ryan (Olympian) and Greg Green (police officer) for running in the test with the students, what a thrill! Matt Ryan showed everyone how it is done, reaching level 20 whilst Greg ran in 14kgs worth of riot gear! Great job by our art teacher Mrs Goonan who also held onto near the end! Thanks also to Paul Albeitz who tried but was unable to get some firemen to attend and compete as they had very important jobs to do with the recent fires. Well done to some of our top finishes like Josie, Dimitri and Harvey and especially to Charlie Fawcett who finished first overall in the class assessments and was the first student on the day again, defending his title!
Toorak All Star Game
On Friday December 13 we will host our first ever Toorak v Toorak All Star games at the school from 2:40pm. We will have two games, Toorak grade 6 girls versing each other, then Toorak grade 6 boys versing each other. It will be like a NBA All Star game so I’m looking for lots of trick shots, deep threes and alley oops! Thanks to Stuart in advance for refereeing what will be an exciting game!
3/4 Future Stars Mixed and Boys Hoop Time Regional Competition
Well done to the two teams who represented our school at the Hoop Time regional finals. The students had a draw a win and losses on the day and it was a great experience competing against other schools in our region! Thanks to Sean Hanneberry and Effie Floratos for coaching the teams and for Stuart for attending.
3/4 All Stars Girls Hoop Time Regional and State Competition
Thanks to Sarah Ryan for coaching our girls 3/4 team through to the regional finals and onto the state finals this week! What a wonderful effort for another one of our female teams to get to the top 20 best basketball teams for their age in the state! The Ryan family have dominated this week and I’m not even talking about their kids!
5/6 All Stars Girls Regional and State Competition
Congratulations to Stuart for coaching a number of these students since 2016. Getting to the state finals is a very big deal. To add to this, they also have their Playball grand final this afternoon as well…against one of our other Toorak teams! Numerous hours of outside preparation has led them getting this far and we are really pleased they are just another example of students dedicating much effort and training to get to such a high level.
Harvey Coleman, State Championships, Athletics
Congratulations and well done to Harvey Coleman for his efforts participating in the house, district, beachside division, Southern Metro Regional and State Championships in discus! Harvey competed at Lakeside Stadium and threw 24 metres (29 is his PB). He placed 8th and we are very happy with his outstanding efforts. The last student to get to this stage for our school I believe was prior to 2011. Also worthy of a mention to Fergus Cameron who was at our school until the end of last year, he came third in long jump at region in 2018 and this year came 2nd at state in long jump. I would like to call this a Toorak victory although he has since moved schools.
Tennis
Most classes spent three or four weeks on tennis this term. Tennis remains a popular sport to learn and is enjoyed by all. We discussed how important hand eye coordination is and how you need muscular power for powerful shots and speed. We also discussed how elite athletes which will soon be playing in Melbourne at the Australian Open, need endurance for long matches.
Dimitri, Tennis State Final
Dimitri will be playing the Senior students tennis state final next week, we wish you luck Dimitri!
3/4 Soccer Gala Day and 5/6 Soft Cross Gala Day
Students in grades 3-6 had their final gala days at Fawkner Park over the last couple of weeks. Students in 3/4 did a particularly wonderful job a relocating to Christ Church briefly as we sort shelter from the thunder before we recommenced the day.