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School sporting scholarships/recruitment

DragonMan

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Just a comment on crowd attendance at New. I was there about a month ago for the Joeys game. In my day (1980s) when Jpeys was at the nadir of its dominance and we expected to be beaten by at least 20+, at least 3/4of the school turned out for the Joeys match, even if it was at Hunters Hill . We even had special war cry practices during the week just for the Joeys game. There were few boarders then(New closed its boarding house effectively for two years and only allowed overseas boarders in year 10 and above) and we all had to make our own way to Hunters Hill. The school spirit was very strong because we knew that the Joeys crowd would be huge (ie the whole school).

What I observed at Stanmore in the home game in terms of crowd attendance was pitiful. I'd say there were less than 100 boys in attendance, no organized war cries (even though the College has a dedicated First XVIII to lead the war cries) and of the New kids that were there about half were wandering around the grounds with their Joeys friends. Its a long way to fall in terms of support in just one year, perhaps the boys know that there is no chance of winning the Premiership and have become complacent (eventhough from what I understand 1st XV attendance at home games compulsory for boys in years 7 and 9). Perhaps a current student can shed more light on this.
 

Tahspark

Ted Thorn (20)
and i did that, I can now admit, as a snide dig at people putting just a little too much emphasis on school sport.
There is an implicit assumption, however, that give them a thread and people will post: do you assume that there's been as much to talk about but people have compressed their thoughts?
Even that's a worry, i reckon. But for different reasons.
:confused:


I think it's a fair assumption that once a thread is started that is part of the ongoing life of this schoolboys forum that that thread quickly gains momentum.

I guess we could speculate until the cows come home as to whether an approximate 8 months premature start to the 2013 thread means that it is predictable that at the same point in time it was 68 pages ahead of its 2014 brother and still not arrive at a definitive answer; partly because as you have observed there may be other factors at hand.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Just a comment on crowd attendance at New. I was there about a month ago for the Joeys game. In my day (1980s) when Jpeys was at the nadir of its dominance and we expected to be beaten by at least 20+, at least 3/4of the school turned out for the Joeys match, even if it was at Hunters Hill . We even had special war cry practices during the week just for the Joeys game. There were few boarders then(New closed its boarding house effectively for two years and only allowed overseas boarders in year 10 and above) and we all had to make our own way to Hunters Hill. The school spirit was very strong because we knew that the Joeys crowd would be huge (ie the whole school).

What I observed at Stanmore in the home game in terms of crowd attendance was pitiful. I'd say there were less than 100 boys in attendance, no organized war cries (even though the College has a dedicated First XVIII to lead the war cries) and of the New kids that were there about half were wandering around the grounds with their Joeys friends. Its a long way to fall in terms of support in just one year, perhaps the boys know that there is no chance of winning the Premiership and have become complacent (eventhough from what I understand 1st XV attendance at home games compulsory for boys in years 7 and 9). Perhaps a current student can shed more light on this.

Speaking generally, you can't buy school spirit - people have to feel involved and feel that everyone from the 13Fs to the 1st XV are part of it, they've all been through the same process and they've all had the shared experience.

A few OBs with your experience should make these things known to the people running things there now. I hope you succeed.:)
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Dragonman confirms what I was told.
In deference to Tahspark it has to be acknowledged that in the absence of compulsory attendance there are many things vying for the attention of male adolescents that did not exist in the olden days.

That's part of rugby's wider issue.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Not help - hire. TSC can afford it.

Or buy something like this:)
Air-supported_dome.jpg
 

Colin Windon

Herbert Moran (7)
Congratulations to Joey's for outstanding results across the age groups and grades in 2014. A true embodiment of rugby culture with great participation rates and any victory over a Joey's team is a real highlight. A real nursery for the game.

Hopefully the day comes soon when the arms race stop and the rewards for this great rugby factory feed rightfully to the top grades.
 

Azzuri

Trevor Allan (34)
Much of the recent discussion/criticism on this thread has been aimed at this years whipping boy, Scots, and getting the NSW GPS house in order when it comes to this highly emotive subject. What's stopping the school systems in other states continuing the arms race .... .Nothing I would suggest. They would be sitting around the cauldron rubbing their hands together and laughing maniacally at the thought that with NSW GPS under the microscope their competitive position in attracting talent just got a whole lot easier. It's hard to establish a level playing field when one player is forced to abide by a set of rules that don't apply to the opposition...... Ironic that in establishing a Nsw commitment to a level playing field we are no closer to utopia as someone else will just step in and fill the void that we have left. This thread has some life it yet. Bring on post number 6000
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Much of the recent discussion/criticism on this thread has been aimed at this years whipping boy, Scots, and getting the NSW GPS house in order when it comes to this highly emotive subject. What's stopping the school systems in other states continuing the arms race .. .Nothing I would suggest. They would be sitting around the cauldron rubbing their hands together and laughing maniacally at the thought that with NSW GPS under the microscope their competitive position in attracting talent just got a whole lot easier. It's hard to establish a level playing field when one player is forced to abide by a set of rules that don't apply to the opposition.. Ironic that in establishing a Nsw commitment to a level playing field we are no closer to utopia as someone else will just step in and fill the void that we have left. This thread has some life it yet. Bring on post number 6000

This makes no sense.
Scots was last year's whipping boy too: summer and winter.
The non NSW posts show that allowing scholarships causes as many problems as disallowing them - including the problem of a loss of "school spirit" manifest in the poor attendances at certain schools.
The idea - if I read your post correctly - that the arms race is putting NSW schools at competitive disadvantage is really hard to follow: how many bursary boys are there in QLD from NSW? How many are there if you exclude the northern areas of NSW?
Are there really that many NSW boys going to school in Brisbane having been discovered in the Riverina, Illawarra or south western sydney?
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Much of the recent discussion/criticism on this thread has been aimed at this years whipping boy, Scots, and getting the NSW GPS house in order when it comes to this highly emotive subject. What's stopping the school systems in other states continuing the arms race .. .Nothing I would suggest. They would be sitting around the cauldron rubbing their hands together and laughing maniacally at the thought that with NSW GPS under the microscope their competitive position in attracting talent just got a whole lot easier. It's hard to establish a level playing field when one player is forced to abide by a set of rules that don't apply to the opposition.. Ironic that in establishing a Nsw commitment to a level playing field we are no closer to utopia as someone else will just step in and fill the void that we have left. This thread has some life it yet. Bring on post number 6000

Well people in other states can, but it's really only Brisbane schools who are: (a) going to go after rugby talent and (b) be in a position to attract rugby talent. Then people have to be willing to move to Brisbane:eek:.

Getting people to go from Newport to Bellevue Hill or Stanmore is one thing, but to leave the northern beaches for a town with no beach? Not as easy as you might think.:)
 

Azzuri

Trevor Allan (34)
This makes no sense.
Scots was last year's whipping boy too: summer and winter.
The non NSW posts show that allowing scholarships causes as many problems as disallowing them - including the problem of a loss of "school spirit" manifest in the poor attendances at certain schools.
The idea - if I read your post correctly - that the arms race is putting NSW schools at competitive disadvantage is really hard to follow: how many bursary boys are there in QLD from NSW? How many are there if you exclude the northern areas of NSW?
Are there really that many NSW boys going to school in Brisbane having been discovered in the Riverina, Illawarra or south western sydney?


IS I'm aware of one from Illawarra and one from Northern Nsw who have been lured to QLD over the last two years with more to follow...and I can't imagine they they only ones.... Nor will they be in future... As far as loss of school spirit take a look at any of the current youtube videos of the NC in BNE... It's hardly tumbleweeds and crickets.
 
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