At St Margaret’s, within our non-compulsory sports program, 89% of students participate in school sport. This statistic is significant because it bucks the growing trend of decline in female youth sport participation witnessed Australia-wide. The 2023 AUSPLAY: National Sport and Physical Activity Participation Report indicates a significant 3% decline in sport or physical activity participation in female youth populations.
One of the top identified barriers and drivers for this decline is associated with the perception and reality that there ‘is not enough time or too many other commitments’ taking place in young adults’ lives. Here at St Margaret’s, we are particularly proud of our Year 12 cohort, of whom 78% took part in school sport, establishing a healthy balance with their increased academics and wellbeing pursuits… healthy bodies pave the way for healthy minds.
Similarly, at an age when burn-out and drop-off are most relevant our Year 9s contrast this with 94% of the cohort participating in school sport and together with the Year 7s, they identify as our most engaged year groups in school sport. Our boarders are also thriving in the opportunities seized at St Margaret’s, with 92% of boarders involved in school sport. Their enjoyment and thirst to challenge and learn provides a healthy environment for all to excel.
To foster such strong participation, our program continues to deliver holistic outcomes, incorporating both the physical and psycho-social needs of those who participate. Taking reference from the Positive Youth Development through Sport Framework (PYD) our program aims to instil a sense of competence, confidence, connection & character, which ultimately lends itself to the more intrinsic forms of motivation fun and social connection that fuel our program and align closely with the top motivations identified with the AUSPLAY report.
The AUSPLAY report identifies running, swimming and netball as three of the most popular sports participated in by youth females. These are all sports that form an integral part of the St Margaret’s sport program, with netball being our most popular with 33% of secondary students engaged within our QGSSSA Netball and Club Netball programs. To match contemporary trends our school has invested in our strength and conditioning space and program offering, with fitness/gym identifying as the number one non-sport-related activity for young females. Similarly, eSports is another program trending highly in participation and one that St Margaret’s continues to foster. Both new activities and traditional sports continue to develop the self-regulatory skills that form self-confidence, connection with others and character in application. These skills continue to transcend beyond life at school.
I continue to be blown away by the participation and enjoyment of sport shared by our girls, staff and wider school community. As we move forward into 2024, we will continue to encourage the intrinsic forms of engagement, enjoyment, social connection and character development, just as much as we do the more extrinsic values of achievement, success and accolade. We will continue to encourage girls to give new things a go and support each other in the process. I would personally like to thank the captains, coaches, teachers and members of our parent community who have given their time and energy passionately to the betterment of sport at St Margaret’s. Thank you to everybody for making the St Margaret’s sport program a special place to be.
On behalf of the Sport and Activities Department, I wish our community a safe and merry festive season. We look forward to 2024 with eager anticipation.
Lloyd Knight
Australian Sports Commission. (2023). AUSPLAY: National Sport and Physical Activity Participation Report. In https://www.clearinghouseforsport.gov.au/research/ausplay/results.
Côté, J., & Mallett, C. J. (2012). Review of Junior Sport Framework: Draft Briefing Paper Topic: Positive Youth Development through Sport. In UniQuest. Australian Sports Commission.
Secondary Sport Selection Term 1 2024
St Margaret’s offers a holistic extracurricular program complete with 21 different sport programs. Each program aims to provide an enriching experience, developing a student’s sense of competence, confidence, connection and character.
Participation Guidelines
St Margaret’s recommends students participate in one to two sports at any given time within the school year.
Students should not participate any more than three sports at any given time within the school year without sought permission from the Director of Sport.
• Students can only participate in one (1) seasonal sport in the Autumn and Winter seasons:
o Autumn Season - students must choose between Basketball, Soccer or Touch Football
o Winter Season - students must choose between Hockey, Netball, Tennis or Volleyball
• Students can only participate in one of either Netball (QGSSSA and/or Club) or Rowing
• Students who participate in Rowing cannot participate in Winter Season Sport
Program Communication
Information about St Margaret’s sport program is accessible via the POD. Students and parents are encouraged to join the Secondary Sport POD page to stay up to date with all the latest information. Students who sign up for a particular sport will be automatically added to the respective sports POD Page. The POD is accessible through the School App and notifications can be received via smart phone.
Sport Expectations
There's a way in which we strive to do things at St Margaret's; a way in which we seek to treat people throughout our community; and a way in which we aim to serve others. Underpinned by our school values, our St Margaret’s Way extends itself to the way in which we behave and perform in sport.
It is expected all students selected within St Margaret’s representative teams will attend all scheduled trainings and fixtured matches. If unable to do so, for legitimate reason, communication with the Sport Coordinator is expected.
TERM 1 SIGN UP
Club Netball 2024 ‘Intention to Play’ Sign-up
Club Netball is one of the most popular sports offered to students at St Margaret’s. The ‘Intention to Play’ sign up for the 2024 season has now opened. Please ensure your ‘Intention to Play’ online form is submitted as soon as possible. Complete registration and payment for the club season will be required by Wednesday 14 February.
For more information, please see The POD - Club Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au).
Lloyd Knight