State's first specialist sports high school gets a new name

Forrestfield Senior High School will formally change its name as it becomes Western Australia's first specialist sports high school.

Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan today announced that the school would be renamed Darling Range Sports College to better reflect the specialist nature of the school and its wider catchment area.

"Darling Range Sports College is offering students sophisticated top level coaching along with the opportunity to compete at interstate, national and international levels," Mr McGowan said.

"Since introducing specialised sports, the college has had increased enrolments and already students are using their sport to gain entry to university.

"In changing the school's status to a specialised sports college, the school community decided on a name which reflected its status as a place of quality sports."

The school offers specialised programs in:

·         swimming;

·         football (soccer);

·         cricket;

·         netball;

·         Australian Rules Football; and

·         Rugby Union.

The elite coaching at Darling Range Sports College is provided by both current staff and private contract coaches.

The Minister said the college had exceptional sporting facilities, including an eight-lane heated indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, strength and conditioning centre, tennis courts, basketball court, cricket nets, and playing fields for football, rugby and soccer.

"During the process of changing the college's name, parents, staff, students and community members were consulted, with an overwhelming majority voting for Darling Range Sports College," he said.

Late in 2007, the school received $120,000 from the State Government to enhance the transformation to a specialised sports college and began officially enrolling students this year.

In addition to training the students to become top performing athletes, the school will also run courses on coaching, sports medicine and other sports related fields.

Students will be required to try out for places in the various sports courses, and competition is expected to increase as the school grows as a premier sports college.