Back to school 2021: School sport carnivals get the go-ahead

School, representative and state sporting carnivals have been given the green light this year. But schools will still face challenges in keeping students and spectators safe.

Schools will fire the starter’s gun on sports carnivals for the first time in almost a year, during which time the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined student athletes.

Students were last year robbed of the chance to compete in school, zone, regional, state and national sporting competitions, which were cancelled from March 13 onwards.

School-aged swimmers Ella Hradecky 8, Sarah Richards 8, and twins Leigh and Victoria Syrakis 11, are elated to jump back in the pool. Picture: Tim Hunter

School, representative and state sporting carnivals have been given the go ahead this year, with swimmers to be the first to dive back into competition.

It is welcome news for Peakhurst South Public School’s three-time girls swimming age champion Victoria Syrakis, who hopes to win every one of her five events in the pool at the school’s swimming carnival in two weeks.

Peakhurst South was one of the few schools that last year staged a swimming carnival before the statewide ban but Victoria’s bid for repre­sentative honours was sunk with the cancellation of the ­regional championships in March.

“The swimming carnival is my favourite thing to do at school all year and I train all year for it,” Victoria said.

“I hoped to go to the state championships last year but the season ended early when the regional carnival was cancelled. One day I hope I can swim for Australia.”

Sporting carnivals are not only fun for kids but an important springboard for young athletes. Picture: Tim Hunter

School sporting carnivals are not just a great opportunity for classmates to bond but an important springboard for emerging elite athletes, Victoria’s swimming coach Alex Clarke said.

Mr Clarke, of Harlee Elite swim school in Sydney’s southwest, also trains 15-year-old schoolgirl Abbey Connor who late last year swam the 200m butterfly in 2:12.6 to break the 42-year-old state record held by Olympic gold medallist Michelle Ford.

“Schools are where it all starts,” the swim coach and former World School Games competitor said.

“The vast majority of great swimmers start in the school system.

“We have kids who have exceeded in the school system to become state and national champions.”

State and national champion athletes begin with school sport, according to swim coach Alex Clarke. Picture: Tim Hunter

But schools will still face challenges in keeping students and spectators safe.

Pupils have been asked to stick within their class, year group or house during the carnival to limit close contacts and all teachers and support staff must keep 1.5m apart where possible.

Parents and other family members will be allowed to watch on, provided pool ­venues limit attendance to 25 per cent of indoor seated ­capacity or 50 per cent of outdoor seated capacity. All spectators in the stands at high school swimming carnivals will need to wear masks if ­students are expected to sing, chant or cheer.

Other sporting activities to resume after being cancelled last year include inter-school competitions in athletics, rugby league, cricket, netball and basketball.

Private schools in both the GPS and CAS school systems will return to summer sport as usual.

“School sport is a vital part of the curriculum and our communities, providing the right balance to academic ­activities and helping to maintain the health and wellbeing of students,” Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.