BMG 2020 Grammarian Issue 3

24 THE CHANGING SPORTING LANDSCAPE AT BMG The Sports Program has changed significantly over the 27 years I have been at Bacchus Marsh Grammar. Originally the school helped establish the Galway Sporting organisation which, in the initial years, saw BMG fielding teams of 50 students. This has progressed to being involved in the ICCES Interschool Sporting Organisation, with BMG fielding teams of up to 150 students in major carnivals. We now host major sporting and cultural competitions like the ICCES Football, Badminton, Summer Tour and Debating, with our students not only competing, but also umpiring, managing and officiating at these events. We also compete internationally in Singapore at the Asia Netball Challenge. One of the highlights of the current sporting landscape at BMG was the introduction of the Elite Sports Program in 2010. This was established after visiting Sports Schools in Denmark and Finland with ideas and concepts “worked” to best suit BMG. Since the establishment of the program, we have had athletes within the program win World Championship, National and State medals in a variety of sports, had athletes achieve scholarships to NCAA sports in the USA and had athletes make National and State teams on a regular basis. BMG has also partnered the WestVic Academy of Sport providing our athletes with additional resources, coaching and athletic education. For the past 7 years, the Elite Sports Program has also established a training camp in Singapore; educating our athletes on overseas travel and competition in one of the finest Sports Schools in Asia. The program has certainly come a long way from the paddock for an oval, and Wilson Hall for a sports facility in 1992. – Mr Andrew Perks, Director of Sport ANDREW PERKS REFLECTION 2019 Netball Team Graeme Frislie, Former BMG student and 2019 Silver Medallist for the Australian Cycling Team 2019 BMG Elite Sports Program Athletes