Record number of high school students competing in national sporting competitions

21/8/94

The record number of Western Australian high school students competing in national sporting competitions points to strong State representation in the Year 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Some 200 students in nine State school boys and girls sporting teams have travelled interstate early this school term to contest national titles.

Education Minister Norman Moore, who was also the Minister for Sport and Recreation, said today the variety of sports they represented - netball, hockey, volley ball, cross country running, golf, rugby league, football and soccer - was evidence of the rapid growth in the range of elite high school sport.

Ten years ago, WA sent school teams interstate to play in just seven sporting codes.  Now 22 different sports were contested at the national level and 42 sports were played in the inter high school Commonwealth Bank Champion School Competition.

Statistics from the WA School Sports Association showed that 58 per cent of competitors in State teams were from Government schools and 42 per cent from private.

Country schools were well represented, with often up to one in four interstate competitors coming from schools outside the Perth metropolitan area.

Mr Moore said a general broadening of the physical education, physical recreation and outdoor education syllabus in high schools had seen students compete at the national level in sports as diverse as sailing, orienteering, waterpolo, triathlon and even surfing.

Traditional sports also continued to thrive and there were now 120 first 18 school football teams, and 137 school netball teams, in the State.

"This increased interest in elite high school sport augurs well for WA's chances of even greater representation at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, than in Barcelona, " the Minister said.

"In Barcelona, WA contributed 16 per cent of the national team, despite having only 10 per cent of Australia's population."

Mr Moore praised the dedication and professionalism of the many teachers who voluntarily devoted hundreds of hours each year to coach, to run WASSA events and to provide WASSA links to community sports associations.

Media contact:  Ross Storey  321 1444    222 9595