Westfields Sports High School

Infobox Aust school
name = Westfields Sports High School


motto = "Fortitudo"
(Latin:"Endurance and Perseverance")
established = 1963
type = Public, Co-educational, Sport Selective, Day school
principal = Roger Davis
city = Fairfield West
state = New South Wales
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
campus = Suburban
enrolment = 1500 (7-12)
colours = Blue & Gold color box|#000080color box|#FFD700
homepage = [http://www.westfieldsports.nsw.edu.au www.westfieldsports.nsw.edu.au]

Audio|En-WSHS.ogg|Westfields Sports High School (abbreviated as WSHS) is Australia's first Sports High School. It is a sports-orientated, Co-Educational High School in Fairfield West, Sydney, Australia. Made up of over 1500 students, from Years 7 to 12, Westfields Sports is the largest school in the South Western Sydney School Region.

Early History

Since the establishment of the High School in 1963 (which was opened by the honourable Former Prime Minister Edward Gough Whitlam), Westfields Sports has produced many successful and distinguished graduates. It's first year had 300 students, with well known physicists, Denis Evans being one of them. The school achieved moderate success during the 60s to 80s in sports and was on the rise during the late 80s. The Founding Principal, Philip Tucker, had wanted establish Westfields into a school that could provide any sports person who attended a pathway the Australian Institute of Sport, and extend their possibilities past High School level sports competition. The School was then officially declared a Sports school on the 24th of April, 1991. Its motto is "Fortitudo" - Endurance and Perseverance.

Education

Westfields offers a variety of courses for each of the selective sports students and also the academic localised students who attend the school. The comprehensive lists include over 100 different courses with 10 advanced classes. Some of these include accelerated Mathematics, advanced English, further Modern and Ancient History studies, Language Studies (Japanese, Italian, Spanish and Swahili), Social Science classes, and many other extra curricula subjects.

ports

Sport is a vital part of Westfields Sports. The school has developed its sporting teams through the coaching available within the school premises and outside of school. Through this, Westfields Sports has built up a reputation as one of the best in the world in High School Level sports and has won many trophies. A number of sports are undertaken at Westfields Sports, with a number of students representing their sport for the school - some going on to become famous sport stars. The sports are as follows:"* = currently not undertaken at the school"

School Song

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Facilities

The School sits on a total area of approximately seven hectares. Some facilities include:
*Computer Labs
*Specialist Subject Rooms
*Library
*Oval Sporting Area
*Throws Cage
*Synthetic Athletics Track
*Strength and Conditioning Room
*Indoor Sports Stadium
*Sports Medicine and Physiotheraphy Centre
*Cricket Nets
*Dance Studios
*Gymnasium
*Tennis Court
*Hockey Court
*Softball/Baseball Diamond
*Rowing facilities at Chipping Norton Lakes / Sydney International Regatta Centre
*3 School Buses

Exchange schemes

Since 1997 there has been an annual student and teacher exchange scheme with Kasukabe High School, from Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan. [ [http://westfieldsports.nsw.edu.au/WESTNEWS/071106.html "West News"] , 7 November 2006]

Notable Alumni

;Sport
*Harry Kewell - Football - Current Socceroo (Australian National Team) and playing for Liverpool F.C. in the English Premier League.
*Michael Beauchamp - Football - Current Socceroo and playing for FC Nürnberg in the German Bundesliga.
*Jason Culina - Football - Current Socceroo and playing for PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie.
*Jacob Burns - Football - Plays for Wisła Kraków in Poland.
*Alex Brosque - Football - Plays for Sydney FC in the Australian A-League.
*David Carney - Football - Plays for Sheffield United FC in the English Premier League.
*Danny Vukovic - Football - Current member of the Australia U23 squad and plays for the Central Coast Mariners in the Australian A-League.
* Trent McClenahan - Football - Current member of the Australia U23 squad and plays for English club Hereford United.
* John Thornell - Upcoming Long Jumper, competitor of the Commonwealth Games.

* Michael Clarke - Cricket - Current member of the both the Australian Test and One-day International cricket teams. Also current Australian 20/20 captain.
* - Won the 800 metres freestyle at the 2003 Telstra Australian Championships propelling her onto the national team for her second World Long Course Championships.
* Dani Samuels - Athletics - Competitor in 2006 Commonwealth Games (Discus and Shotput).
* - Football - Youngest player to represent Australia in a full international.
* Scott Jamieson - Football - Member of Bolton Wanderers F.C. youth team in England.
* Liam Fulton - Rugby League - Plays for Wests Tigers in the Australian NRL, member of the 2005 NRL Telstra Premiership winning team.
* Bryce Gibbs - Rugby League - Plays for Wests Tigers in the Australian NRL.
* Jarryd Hayne - Rugby league - Current Kangaroo (Australian National Rugby Team) and plays for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. Won the 'Rookie of the year' award for the 2006 season.
* Eric Grothe Jr. - Rugby League - Plays for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL.
* Israel Folau - Rugby League - Current Kangaroo and plays for the Melbourne Storm in the NRL. Equal top try scorer in his debut season, winning 'Rookie of the year' in 2007.
*Krisnan Inu - Rugby League - Plays for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL.
*Mark Minichiello - Rugby League - Plays for the newly formed Gold Coast Titans in the 2008 season in the NRL.
*Luke O'Donnell - Rugby League - Current Kangaroo and State of Origin player for NSW. Plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the 2008 season in the NRL.
*Dene Halatau - Rugby League - Plays for the West Tigers.

;Politics and the law
*Joe Tripodi - Politics - Member of the Legislative Assembly, Member for Fairfield, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Ports and Waterways, and Minister for Regulatory Reform and Member of Australian Labor Party.
*Denis Evans - Science - Australian physicist and chemist. He is currently a professor at the Australian National University's Research School of Chemistry.

References

ee also

*List of Government schools in New South Wales

External links

* [http://www.westfieldsports.nsw.edu.au Westfields Sports High School Homepage]
* [http://www.westfieldsports.nsw.edu.au/PAGES/westnews.html Westfields Sports High School Westnews Newsletter Page]
* [http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/schoolfind/locator/summaryschool.php?selectOption=8384 NSW Department of Education and Training: Westfields Sports High School]