2023 RSC Update - Term 2, Week 5

Hacky sacks are a hit with adults and children alike, offering endless opportunities for physical activity and fun.

For beginners or old-school pros, this simple bean bag is a great addition to any family’s active toolbox. So grab your hacky sack (or make one!) and try our nine activities for fun and developing physical literacy.

The hacky sack is a great addition to Daily PE programs, and provides a simple piece of equipment for students to work on their Fundamental Motor Skills.  Why not create a fun hands-on lesson where students make their hacky sack and try it out?

The hacky sack can also be used as a stress ball, supporting mindfulness, meditation or reflection activities in the classroom.  

See below for supporting resources.

Australia's most popular primary-aged surf education program returns for another year!

Reaching over 6,000 Tasmanian students in Grades 1 and 2, our lifeguards are ready to deliver another exciting program of surf safety with you and your school.

Beach to Bush is the most impactful educational initiative of Surf Life Saving and has been delivered to schools for over 25 years. The program consists of a FREE 1 hour aquatic safety presentation delivered by lifeguards around the state. It aims to educate young people about safety at the beach and in other aquatic environments - pools, rivers, dams and lakes.

What does it cover?

• General beach safety messages.
• Identifying hazards and dangers.
• Sun safety.
• Rips and waves.
• Calling emergency services.
• Rescues and getting help.
• Safety in other aquatic environments.

PLUS! Each student will be presented with take-home Beach to Bush giveaways and an info pack to reinforce safety messages and share with their families.

Applications close on Wednesday August 9, 2023.

Tasmanian All Schools Cross Country, Symmons Plains

The 2023 Tasmanian Primary All Schools and Tasmanian Secondary All Schools cross country events are almost here! Get your entries in now!

Primary All Schools XC: Tuesday 27 June 2023
– entries close at noon, Wednesday 22 June

The Primary All Schools registration portal is open. Registration, event information and regular updates can be found here:

Secondary All Schools XC: Tuesday 20 June 2023
– entries close at noon, Wednesday 15 June

The Secondary All Schools registration portal is open. Registration, event information and regular event updates can be found here:

Athletics Tasmania looks forward to seeing you at Symmons Plains.

The Deadly Choices Touch Football Carnival and Community Day is on again!

After the amazing success last year, we are excited to have it run again this year and we would love to have you come along.

Who: Players aged between 12 - 18 years old. 

When: Thursday July 6 (during NAIDOC week).

Time: 8:45 am - 2:45 pm.

Where: Wentworth Park (Clarence).

Free sausage sizzle, fruit, and water available.

One team per school. A team requires a minimum of 10 people, but you are welcome to have up to 15 – this will allow for more substitutes throughout the game.

Each team will be required to be made up of 70% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander players. 

There will be one field dedicated to the community aspect of the day with stall holders and community activities, and the other fields will be for the round robin touch football matches running throughout the day.

If you require some training sessions with Touch Football Australia in the lead up to the carnival (to make sure your team know the rules and will feel confident playing full games), please contact us.

This is a completely free event – there are no fees to sign up a team or to attend. 

See below for a team entry form and a flyer for display in your school.

With the excitement of the Schools Triathlon Challenge happening again later in the year, Triathlon Tasmania would like to offer primary students the opportunity to prepare for the event by having one of our accredited coaches visit your school to deliver the TRYstars program.

TRYstars is Triathlon Australia’s national participation program which assists students to develop fundamental movement skills using a games-based sense approach. The program provides a great introduction to the sport and general knowledge about how to participate safely.

We have found that students that have participated in the program have a greater experience during the Schools Triathlon Challenge event, which leads to potential participation in future TRYstars – Club and Community programs.

Term 3 Sporting Schools Program funding opens on Monday 20th May 2023, and Triathlon Tasmania encourages your school to consider triathlon. 

If you would like more information about the funded program or would like to discuss how your school can be involved if you are not eligible for the funding, Triathlon Tasmania would welcome the opportunity to discuss our activities further with you, either via email, telephone or a face to face meeting.  Please contact Shellie Wakefield using the details below.  

Did you know that AFL Tasmania offers Professional Learning?

The AFL has recently launched professional learning opportunities for HPE and classroom specialists. We have capacity to deliver this in a suitable timeslot for Tasmanian schools in 2023.  

We have three Professional Learning offerings: 

1. In person – this could be an AFL organised session or at a teacher conference, split into theory and practical sessions.  
2. Webinars – we can run a series of live webinars online.
3. Learning Management System – (under development for launch in 2023) – teachers can undertake learning at their own pace via an online module.  See below for example videos.  

 Examples of self-paced Learning Management System videos:

Please contact your local AFL Tasmania Regional Manager to discuss and schedule Professional Learning opportunities.

South: Linsey Da Costa - linsey.dacosta@afl.com.au 

North: Aaron Roberts - aaron.roberts@afl.com.au 

North West: Barry Gaby - barry.gaby@afl.com.au 

The Junior Travel Assistance Program (JTAP) provides financial assistance to help alleviate the costs of competing in national sporting championships.

Round One

• Applications open on May 11, 2023.
• Applications close at 2:00 pm on November 1, 2023 or when the available funding has been exhausted.

Round Two

• Applications open on November 2, 2023.
• Applications close on May 30, 2024 or when the available funding has been exhausted.

Program Objective

Funding will be available for Tasmanians aged 12-18 years selected to travel interstate for the purpose of representing Tasmania in a national sporting championship.

Funding Available

The maximum funding limit is $250 per athlete per financial year.

The total funding available in 2023-24 is $100,000.

Program Guidelines

How to Apply

Kick Start grants help young Australians with a disability access financial support to rejoin their sporting club and/or sporting competitions.

The funds can help pay club registration fees, carer costs, extra coaching, team uniforms or travel to participate in the sport.

Summary

• Grants are worth $1000 each.
• 4 x grants are available in 2023.
• Grants are open to 13-17 year olds with a disability.

Eligibility Criteria

No Barriers grants help young Australians aged 7-12 with a disability overcome initial start-up costs to participate in sport.

The funds are to be used to meet the cost of new and upgraded equipment, club and competition fees, travel and accommodation. 

Summary

• Grants are worth $500 each.
• 8 x grants are available in 2023.
• Grants are open to 7-12 year olds with a disability. 

Eligibility Criteria

The Compeat Performance Pathway to Paralympics grants is for aspiring Paralympians.

Summary

• Grants are worth $1500 each.
• 2 x grants are available in 2023.
• Grants are open to 13 - 17 year olds with a disability.

This grant will help support two potential Paralympians to reach Paralympic-level performance and assist with the additional costs incurred.

Eligibility Criteria

Hockey Tasmania currently have two exciting programs running in Term 2.

Both programs are aimed at primary school children aged 6-12 years, providing them with the opportunity to learn the skills of hockey.

All sessions are conducted by trained coaches who use fun and exciting activities and games to introduce participants to the sport.

Please see information below for details on both programs running in Term 2:

Get Into Hockey (Hobart)

Where:        Tasmanian Hockey Centre, New Town

When:          Wednesdays from 5:00 - 6:00 pm

Duration:     5 weeks (17th May - 14th June)

Cost:            $40.00 (Revsport charges apply)

(Registered participants will receive a backpack and kit including reversible singlet, hat, pencil case and more!)

HookIn2Hockey (Hobart, Launceston, Devonport)

Hobart:             May 13 – June 24 (Tasmanian Hockey Centre)

Launceston:      May 20 – July 1 (Northern Hockey Centre)

Devonport:        May 20 – July 1 (Meercroft Park)

Cost is $20 per participant, which includes the Hockey Australia levy and player insurance.  

For further information on these exciting programs please go to the Hockey Tasmania website:

If you would like to speak to someone in relation to these programs, please contact our Pathway and Development Officer:

Name: Josh Mardell

Email: joshua.mardell@hockeytasmania.com.au 

Phone: 6228 0780 (office hours)

Attention students with a disability - read on for information on some exciting programs to help you get active and make new social connections!

The Parkside Foundation offers a number of other programs for young people with disabilities that are community inclusive, encourage physical activity, promote personal growth and build relationships:

School Holiday Program – runs every school holidays, featuring fun and interactive activities.

Saturday Program – Recreational and social activities, building relationships and linkages in the community.

Weekends Away – overnight/two-night breaks (mixed, male-only or female-only), consisting of varying recreational and social activities chosen by participants.  

The Parkside Foundation caters to participants from the age of 12 upwards, but this can be negotiated based on individual needs.

Please refer to the flyer below for additional program information and contacts. 

Blind Golf Australia, in partnership with Golf Tasmania and Inclusive Innovations Tasmania, will be holding a Blind & Low Vision Golf Come & Try Day. 

This free event is open to all ages, abilities, experience levels and is open to all. See below for details:

What: Blind and Low Vision Golf Come and Try Day
When: Sunday 28 May, 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Where: Royal Hobart Golf Club, Seven Mile Beach, Hobart

Participants can register on the day or scan the QR code on the flyer attached.

Netball Tasmania's High School Championships are back in 2023.  The championships are open to boys and girls, with Grade 7/8 and Grade 9/10 divisions offered.

The championships will commence with regional rounds conducted from September 19 to 22, as follows:

Tuesday September 19: Grade 7/8 Girls

Wednesday September 20: Grade 7/8 Boys

Thursday September 21: Grade 9/10 Girls

Friday September 22: Grade 9/10 Boys  

State Finals will be staged in the North West region (Ulverstone and Devonport) on Thursday November 9 and Friday November 10.

Entries open on Tuesday May 2, and close on Friday June 16.  

More information on venues, entry costs and competitions is available on the High School Championships website or in the flyer attached below.

The North West Athletic Club is offering a new Cross Country Series for primary, secondary and college-age students from May to July.

Inspired by the World Cross Country event held in Bathurst in Febrary, the series is open to competitors of all ages.

The series is a great way for students to prepare for their school cross country event, or even state or national championships.

It is also aimed at those who participate in ParkRun looking for another opportunity.

The five-race series will feature courses with an exciting mix of challenging hills and terrain.

The shortest race will be 500 metres, with multiple laps of a 3-4 km course available to older students.

Event Schedule

Race One: Saturday May 13 at Reece High School

Race Two: Saturday May 27 at Parklands High School

Race Three: Saturday July 8 at View Road Reserve, Burnie

Race Four: Saturday July 15 at Fairway Park, Ulverstone

Race Five: Saturday July 22 at Splash Aquatic Centre, Devonport

Registrations are now open for Race One via the links below:

More information is available on the North West Athletic Club website.

Variety Tasmania is delighted to be offering students and schools the opportunity to participate in Variety Kids Sports Days to be conducted across the state.

The Variety Kids Sports Days offer a fun and inclusive day of sport for children living with a disability (i.e. physical, sensory, intellectual).

The program is open to children aged 5-18, providing an opportunity for them to have a go at a range of sports led by specialist coaches.

Limited places are available, so register now to avoid missing out!

Event Details

South

Date: Monday May 29

Time: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm

Location: Swisherr Hoops Academy (Hobart)

North West

Date: Tuesday June 13

Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location: Devonport Recreation Centre (Devonport)

North

Date: Wednesday June 14

Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location: Elphin Sports Centre (Launceston)

Additional information will be provided upon registration.

More event details are available on the Variety Tasmania website.

The Devon Netball Association will be hosting several Banjo's Devon Dragonflies clinics in May and June across the North West.

An ages 13-17 clinic will be conducted at the Spreyton Primary School Gym on Tuesday May 16 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

For Circular Head students, an ages 8-17 clinc will be conducted at the Smithton High School Gym on Sunday June 4 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.  

Finally, an ages 8-12 clinic will be conducted at the Spreyton Primary School Gym on Tuesday June 13 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  

Cost is $25 per person per clinic.  

The clinics will be led by Devon's State League coaches and players.

The attached flyers contain more information.

The Burnie Emus Rugby Union Club, Devonport Bulls Rugby Union Club and Marist Regional College are pleased to announce a North High School Rugby Union Gala Day will be staged on Thursday June 15 (Week 8 of Term 2).

Please reserve space in your school calendar to attend this new event.  We'd love for your school to attend, providing students with an opportunity to learn the game and receive information about other participation opportunities.

Boys and Girls divisions will be available.  Schools are encouraged to book in a free school clinic in the lead up to the event.

Gala Day information and team entry forms will be available soon.

For any enquiries please contact Event Organiser Sam O'Keeffe.

The Burnie Emus Rugby Union Club, Devonport Bulls Rugby Union Club and Marist Regional College are pleased to offer all North West High Schools the opportunity to receive one or two FREE school clinics to be conducted in HPE lessons.

The free sessions will have qualified coaches attend your school to run your students through some fun rugby activities, while also learning how to play the game safely. School clinics are available from Monday May 1 through to Tuesday June 13.

If your school is interested in a school clinic, please complete and return the registration form attached to the School Clinics Invitation flyer below.