Brookfield State School has become the cross country mecca for Queensland athletics

Brookfield State School has become the cross country mecca for Queensland athletics. The school has produced countless current or past students who shine in the sport.

If you are looking at the secret of how a small school can win the Queensland All Schools Cross Country Championships for the last seven years — and then boast five state representatives — look no further than the school oval on a Tuesday or Thursday morning.

Unlike many schools, Brookfield State School, with an enrolment of around 500, encourages all pupils from Prep to Year 6 to take part in the running program.

“It is not about the elite, it is about everyone giving it a go,’’ said Sydney 2000 Olympian and parent Lizel Moore.

Brisbane State High School student Georgie Gilroy, a past student of Brookfield State School, will represent Queensland.

Moore is the driving force behind the program. “Older students help out with younger students and all students share in the positive culture, playing games and mentoring students to be their best. At the end of the morning, all students join ina continuous shuttle relay.

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“The younger students love to mix it with the older students, who encourage, teach and act as role models. This program helps build both a healthy culture for students and a positive culture for the school.’’

This is where many of the current crop of Queensland representatives started out.

Five current Brookfield pupils, Oli Gartner, Bella Mortensen, Daniel Hill, Zoe McElwaine and Zara Moore, will represent Queenslandat this week’s nationals.

Brookfield State School past student Tyla Lumley silver, now with St Peters Lutheran College, runs with Jazmine Coventry (bronze) Zoe Manning, Ella Wooldrige and Mackenzie Orminston.

Many Brookfield past students will join them after 18 past students also represented the state across respective age groups at the state titles.

Olympian and 2004 World Cross Country Champion, Benita Willis, who now works for Queensland Athletics, said: “To have successas a school in cross country, relies on depth, not just a few champions.

Brookfield State School product Zoe Mc Elwaine who now attends Christ The King at Graceville.

“Brookfield is an unstoppable force at our statechampionships and true credit goes to the consistency of the program at school, the enjoyment the students get out of it and their team spirit.

Brookfield’s past or present pupils who attended the state titles are: Oli Gartner (gold), Bella Mortensen (silver), Ava Knox, Daniel Hill (silver), Zoe McElwaine (gold), Zara Moore (silver), Maeve McCowen, Jess Fletcher, (gold), Ella Knox, Sophie Hunt, Georgie Gilroy (bronze), Erica Moore, Archie Austin, Amelia Hunt, Lucy Hill, Keira Moore, Emma Kate Watt, Emma Hossack, Matthew Bennett, Charlie Sprott, Nikita Moore (gold), Tyla Lumley (silver) and Ben Chambers.