Toowoomba’s top sporting schools: Toowoomba Grammar, Fairholme, Harristown, St Mary’s, The Glennie School

Some of Australia’s greatest athletes first made a name for themselves on school sporting ovals around Toowoomba. We reveal Toowoomba’s top sporting schools and how they develop their student athletes. SEE THE FULL LIST

SCHOOL SPORT: Toowoomba has always been a region that ‘punches above its sporting weight’.

Countless athletes – who have called Toowoomba and the surrounding region home – first tried their hands at their chosen sports here before going on to shine at state, national and international levels.

Many of those athletes were also first introduced to their sports through their respective schools.

Here’s our list of Toowoomba’s top sporting schools.

TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL

You cannot talk about school sport in Toowoomba and not mention Grammar.

Rugby is king at Grammar but the Toowoomba private school has also established itself as a cricket, soccer, swimming and volleyball ‘player’ in recent years.

Adding to the school status are rugby, cricket and training facilities that rival those of professional clubs and sporting organisations.

The school also provides half the talent for one of Toowoomba’s largest and most prestigious sporting events, the O’Callaghan Cup.

The school is among the GPS competition’s top competitors – but performance is last on their list of priorities.

“Our first focus is character development,” Toowoomba Grammar director of sport and activities Steven Fryer said.

“We want to develop the (student’s) character first and then encourage engagement and participation.

“After that to have any success you need a skill program, good quality coaches and competitions to play – performance is a by-product of all those things.

“Essentially we want to instil skills they (students) can use beyond school life on and off the field of play.”

Clancy McPherson gets the ball away for Grammar during last year’s O’Callaghan Cup match.

A big part of Grammar’s success can also be attributed to support from the school’s ‘greater community’.

“The support from our Old Boys, parents and the greater Toowoomba community is also important,” Fryer said.

“Without that support we would not be in the position we are.”

Adding to the school’s status as a sporting powerhouse is their relationship with elite college and club programs in Australia and overseas.

Countless Grammar students have gained an education in the American college system while playing sport and others have lined up for top tier clubs in Australia and Europe.

Star athletes: Jason Little (75 Wallabies caps), Martin Love (5 Australian Test cricket caps), Matt Denny (Dual Olympian 2016 and 2020, 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games hammer throw silver medallist), Will Brown (V8 Supercars), Eli Adams (A-League – Brisbane Roar), Hamish Stewart (Super Rugby – Queensland Reds), Samson Ryan (AFL – Richmond Tigers), Isaac Cooper (2020 Tokyo Olympics mixed 4x 100m medley relay bronze).

FAIRHOLME

The all-girls school perched atop the Range escarpment is the ultimate all-rounder.

In recent years ‘experienced student athletes’ have led by example encouraging their school mates to try their hands at new sports.

Alongside passionate coaches and volunteers, these students use their experience to help others learn and shine in new sports.

As a result the school has enjoyed success in a variety of different team sports including Aussie rules, cricket, rugby and touch to name a few.

“We definitely fight above our weight division and this starts by having dedicated staff, with a good coaching skill set,” Fairholme head of sport activities Tony Tregaskis said.

“It happens by having a balanced range of activities and not over-committing but also committing to what we do and believe in.

“Winning is great but it is not the only thing, more important is to get in and have a go, compete, step up to a challenge, play with pride and passion and for those around you, their skills will evolve from your skills and passion.

“If you lose, do so with dignity, knowing that you gave it your best shot.”

Like most schools, past students have also returned to help shape the next generation of students and student-athletes.

“Past student achievements are extremely important in the development of our sport program, as many of these people have come through the college from a country background and achieved,” Tregaskis said.

“There is a real sense of community, culture and spirit, that seems to be ingrained in the girls in a short period of time from hearing stories and meeting/interacting with past students.

“We are now fortunate enough to have some past student athletes returning as staff to reinforce this.

“If you love your sport, who wouldn’t want to be the next Stephanie Hancock, Emilee Cherry, Cathy Freeman, Dannielle Leisch, Carly/Gemma/Nikki Etheridge, Dominique Du Toit, Emily Tapp, Georgia Voll, or for most, enjoy physical activity and being yourself; helping body, mind and spirit.”

Star athletes: Emilee Cherry (2016 Rio Olympics Rugby Sevens gold), Dominique Du Toit (Australian Rugby Sevens), Gemma Etheridge (2016 Rio Olympics Rugby Sevens gold), Cathy Freeman (OAM, 2000 Sydney Olympics 400m gold), Steph Hancock (NRLW, Queensland and Australian rugby league player), Emily Tapp (2017 and 2018 paratriathlon world championship gold, 2018 Commonwealth Games silver), Georgia Voll (Queensland Fire cricket).

HARRISTOWN

The Hawks soccer, rugby league, basketball and volleyball academy programs are shining lights in the state school system.

The school has also produced students who have competed in athletics and other individual sports against the best Australia and the world has to offer.

“First and foremost we have a fantastic team of staff who help provide countless opportunities to our students,” Harristown State High School HPE and Sports Academies head of department Glenn Martin said.

“From there our focus has been on developing a good culture that encourages students to get involved personally as well as encouraging and supporting others – the focus is not just on our academy program.

“We want our students to take pride in their involvement and recognise their part of the school’s rich history.”

Star athletes: Daniel Bowles (A-League – multiple clubs), Abbey Lloyd (W-League – Brisbane Roar), Ash Taylor (NRL – multiple clubs), Steve Price (NRL, Queensland and Australian player), John Rillie (NBL – multiple clubs, Australian representative and assistant coach), Brett Alderman (Australian volleyball representative).

ST MARY’S

A look through the St Mary’s history books is a ‘who’s who’ of rugby league stars.

The rugby league powerhouses have won the famed Confraternity Shield four times and have been highly competitive in all manner of elite schoolboy rugby league competitions – including the Hancock, Walters and Langer cups – over the past few years.

It’s not all rugby league though with the school showing plenty of promise in rugby union, soccer, basketball and creating netball history in Toowoomba.

The St Mary's College Laura Geitz Cup netball team (Back, from left) Hayden Beckett, Alex Goddard, Cooper Geiger, Brock Markey, Max Anderson, Caiden Bridger, Madeleine Rayner (coach). (Front, from left) Lucas Norton, Nick Jewell, Alex Maddison, Aidan Burke. Photo: Contributed

The school was the first boys’ team to enter the prestigious Laura Geitz Cup.

“I found out that (student) Hayden (Beckett) is a netball player, I’ve seen him at social netball before,” St Mary’s Madeleine Rayner said in March.

“We had discussed the idea that if a competition is coming around that he should approach the sports co-ordinator about entering a team.

“When I heard he had done that, I rushed down and said I would love to be a coach.”

Rayner said the boys gave a good account of themselves in all facets of the event.

“Having more gender equality across different sports is of the upmost importance and it’s very exciting to be a part of that with netball,” she said.

“I think across school and across society generally, there’s very specific roles that people expect girls or boys to play and hopefully we’re just slowly working towards a time when there’ll be less of that.

“They definitely came up against tough competition and people that had been playing netball for a lot longer than them.

“I’m very proud that everything we heard about the boys contribution, how they played and the sportsmanship they had was of the highest standard, and by doing that they made such a good impression.”

Harry Schwenke celebrates his try for St Mary's against Mabel Park SHS in the Langer Cup.

Star athletes: Brothers Chris, Ben and Shane Walker (NRL and Super League – multiple clubs. Chris played six State of Origin games), Jaiman and Ben Lowe (NRL – multiple clubs), Ethan Lowe (NRL – multiple clubs, 1 Queensland State of Origin cap), Johnathan Thurston (NRL, Queensland and Australian representative. NRL premiership winner with the North Queensland Cowboys), Jake Simpkin (NRL – Wests Tigers), Michael Katsidis (multiple world title winner – boxing), Stathi Katsidis (3-time Brisbane Jockey Premiership winner, multiple major race) wins).

THE GLENNIE SCHOOL

Glennie has always been strong in their ‘traditional’ sports like equestrian, Rugby Sevens and touch football.

However, a new tiered approach to athletic development is already showing great promise.

“Participation is very important – we want to provide opportunities and encourage as many students as possible to get involved in sport,” The Glennie School head of sport, GSA and HPE Josh Cohen said.

“More recently though we’ve also adopted a tiered approach to the development of our athletes.

“We’ve create a clear pathway for our aspiring and elite athletes to develop their skills and reach their goals.

“Our goal is to provide them with everything they need right here in Toowoomba by providing a holistic approach to development providing them with knowledge about health, recovery, strength and conditioning.”

The school recently added new gym and indoor training facilities to its well established swimming centre which helps develop athletes now and in the future.

Star athletes: Tori Gallegos (CrossFit World Youth Games athlete and Australian weightlifting representative), Shenae Ciesiolka (NRLW premiership Brisbane Broncos), Bianca Markham (Queensland and Australian softball representative).

NOTABLE MENTIONS:

Downlands, St Saviours, St Ursulas, St Josephs and Concordia schools all have promising individual and team sporting programs.

As the ‘other half’ of the O’Callaghan Cup Downlands have produced rugby stars Tim Horan, Garrick Morgan and Mac Grealy among others.

Zimmorlei Farquharson was a keen Concordia student-athlete before being drafted by the Brisbane Lions for the AFLW.