Sport has always played a significant role in the life of a Geelong Grammar School student.

Dating back to the 19th century when the School won its first of many Head of the River titles, to the turn of the 20th century when the School won the APS Football title, and to Geelong Grammar claiming the APS Athletics Premiership in 1954, sporting success has been ingrained in our student’s psyche since the formative years of the School.

Sporting life for all

A Geelong Grammar education is lasting. Whilst we are proud of our sporting achievements, both individual and in teams, we are a culture that celebrates sport for all levels of ability at all ages. From Year 7, our students are asked to participate in competition team sports. These activities give them an awareness of their value to a team and establish a worthy place amongst their peers. Through winning and losing, they come to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates, of themselves, and their dependence for success on their fellow students. We want all students to strive, share in the joys of success, and at times, the disappointment of defeat and live the core values of sportsmanship. It is the development of character, friendship, leadership, and cooperation formed on the field that lasts well after the siren has sounded.

Sport in the Primary Years

All Early Learning and Primary students participate in fundamental motor skill sessions and activities on a weekly basis. Through Physical Education, students work to increase their knowledge and skills, and develop positive attitudes, beliefs and values about physical activity and the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.

Our students also participate in annual sporting events such as swimming lessons, swimming carnivals, junior and senior athletics days, House sport events, cross country events and the whole School Athletics Day.

 

Sporting Competition in the Secondary Years

Our students participate in a combination of APS, AGSV, VSRU, and Geelong-based sporting competitions throughout the year. The School’s interhouse sport programme includes swimming, athletics, and cross-country events. The sports available to students varies slightly in Middle School and Senior School.

Summer Sport

Terms 1 and 4

Summer sport commences at the beginning of November with fixtures split across Term 4 and Term 1 of the following year. Sports available for students during Summer are badminton, cricket, rowing, sailing, swimming, tennis and touch football.

Winter Sport

Terms 2 and 3

Winter sport at our School is often contested in gruelling conditions whilst featuring some of the most popular sports. Winter sports played during Terms 2 and 3 include netball, Australian Rules football, rugby, soccer, cross-country and hockey. Late in Term 3, the snow sports season reaches its crescendo with both the State and National interschool championships taking place.

Spring Sport

Participation is encouraged

Athletics, along with water polo, take centre stage during the spring season where all students are encouraged to participate. In September, our whole school athletics carnival takes place, a vibrant calendar highlight where all students and families from every campus come together at Corio Campus for an enjoyable day of competing and connecting.

All Year Round Sport

Our campus boasts an exceptional equestrian centre, The David William Robert Knox Equestrian Centre and is surrounded by sprawling paddocks that allow students to agist their horse on campus during the academic year.

Students can participate in Equestrian by agisting their horse at the School, undertaking lessons from expert instructors, participating in the School’s polo programme or competing in regional, state and national competitions.

Sport Opportunities

Select a sport for more information

Athletics

Athletics

Spring Sport – Term 3

The School has a proud history of alumni enjoying success in the field of athletics.

Our athletes compete in a wide range of competitions, both internal and APS, culminating with the School’s Athletic’s Day which precedes the APS Carnival in late October.

Australian Rules Football

Australian Rules Football

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3

Our school has seven Boys’ teams entered in APS competitions and three Girls’ team entered in the combined AGSV/ APS competitions. Over 225 students play Football at the School during winter.

The School has produced a number of successful VFL/AFL/AFLW players over the years, and there are currently 15 Old Geelong Grammarians on AFL/AFLW lists.

Badminton

Badminton

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

Badminton is an inclusive, dynamic and physically demanding sport. Training takes place in the Handbury Centre for Wellbeing and at purpose-built courts at Corio Leisure Centre, combining both on-court coaching and fitness conditioning. The aim is to improve students’ agility, strength, power and speed, as well as their technique and tactics.

Many students choose to continue with badminton as an activity during the off-season of Terms 2 and 3 when they can participate in locally run competitions.

Cricket

Cricket

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

The cricket programme aims to create a dynamic and exciting environment for both male and female students. Coaches with high-level experience cater for students at all levels of ability, with several midweek fixtures being played against local and visiting schools, as well tournaments and carnivals. Interstate and overseas tours are an integral part of the programme from Year 7 to 12. All students that participate in have the opportunity to play on quality turf wickets and pristine playing surfaces.

Cross Country

Cross Country

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3 

The Cross Country programme at Geelong Grammar School runs between Term 2 and 3, with 30 students (19 girls, 11 boys) involved. Students train, both on and off campus, for a total of six APS events as well as other competitions organised by the Geelong Cross Country Club and Athletics Victoria.

Equestrian

Equestrian

All year round sport

All three Olympic disciplines are taught at GGS with various instructors attending the school and clinics being held throughout the year.

A cross-country training course has been built in the adjacent plantation; this includes a water jump, roll tops and other training jumps.

Students may compete throughout the year in the Victorian Equestrian Interschool Series, (Dressage, Show jumping and Eventing), the top two riders in each division/section will qualify for the National Interschool Competition at the end of the year.

The GGS Equestrian Centre enables students who love riding for competition or pleasure in all disciplines to continue their passion while they are at school. It is a wonderful opportunity for those passionate about horsemanship to enhance their equestrian skills while they are boarding.

To select Equestrian as sporting pursuit at the School students must house their own horse at Corio and, although there is both a summer and a winter season for Equestrian, students cannot take part in both. Formal training must be undertaken.

Hockey

Hockey

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3

We offer a vibrant, high level competition in our Hockey programme. Students enjoy an excellent synthetic hockey pitch on campus at the Bender Centre, together with accomplished coaching staff.

Our teams compete in both the APS (boys) and AGSV/APS (girls) competitions in a range of grades.

Netball

Netball

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3

Netball continues to be one of the most popular winter sports for our students, with over 200 girls participating in various age groups and grades and around 20 teams entered in AGSV/APS Netball competitions. The School’s netball programme boasts an enviable history of premierships and playing seasons undefeated, and continues to celebrate the ongoing success of our students, both past & present.

Students train in the Handbury Centre for Wellbeing and are supported by a quality coaching group with experience at elite competition level.

Rowing

Rowing

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

We have a long and proud history in rowing with students from Year 7 to 12 benefiting from a structured and high-quality programme. With a team of enthusiastic and well credentialed coaches, rowing has seen a large group of state and national representatives in past years.

The programme is divided into three stages of learning. In Middle School, students get to experience the sport and learn the basic skills. In Year 10, the focus is on learning to race and train, and at senior levels of Years 11-12, crews begin training seriously to compete at Rowing Victoria and championship regattas.

Rugby

Rugby

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3

Rugby has been a very successful sport at the School for many years and provides an exhilarating and fast-paced option for Senior School boys in Winter.  With many interstate and international students boarding at the School, rugby is an excellent option for many boys.

We have three teams competing in Victorian Schools’ Rugby Union; 1st XV, 2nd XV and Under 16.

Sailing

Sailing

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

We are fortunate to have Limeburner’s Bay located on our campus perimeter, which is at the northern shore of Corio Bay, providing students with all-year-round access to hone their skills on the bay.

The School is very competitive in Victorian fleet and teams racing events under guidance of our professional coaches.

Students wanting to participate in aquatics based sports such as sailing need to have demonstrated water-based competency skill.

Snow Sports

Snow Sports

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3

All families are welcome to join the School’s snow sports programme where we celebrate a proud history of competition. The team involves students from all four campuses and is one of the few sports where the whole school is represented and competes as one team.

It is not offered as a seasonal sport; however, students are given the opportunity to be involved in a very successful programme in Term 3 when the on-snow skiing programme commences in Mt Buller. The annual GGS Cup is in late July. GGS teams take part in the Victorian Interschool Competition and the Australian Nationals which are held later in Term 3. Geelong Grammar has had state and national champions in numerous ski and snowboard disciplines over recent years.

Soccer

Soccer

Winter Sport – Terms 2 & 3

Soccer is a very popular winter sport at the School, with a number of teams at both the Senior School and Middle School levels. Development is a central focus of the program, targeting the players technical and physical skills as well as their understanding of the strategies involved in the game. There are quality coaches within the programme and as such the programme continues to improve. Our boys teams play in the APS competition whilst our girls teams play in the AGSV/APS competition.

Swimming

Swimming

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

The Handbury Centre for Wellbeing, featuring a 10-lane 25 meter lap pool, provides the ideal training environment for our student swimmers. The centre also hosts competitions throughout the APS season, predominantly in coordination with 2-3 other schools.

It is expected that students choosing swimming have passed the School’s swimming test or equivalent.

Tennis

Tennis

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

Tennis is offered at a variety of levels for students, and the multi-purpose Bender Centre provides the backdrop for APS competitions, interschool play and activities.

The Tennis programme at GGS offers private tennis lessons and professional coaching for all squads. We suggest that students considering choosing Tennis for summer sport already have a reasonable level of experience playing.

Touch Football

Touch Football

Summer Sport – Terms 1 & 4

Touch Football is the most recent introduction to the School’s sport programme and is one of the most popular and fastest-growing sports in Australia. It is a fast-paced game that requires agility, coordination, communication and teamwork. Divided into two 20-minute halves and a 5 minute half-time, the duration is shorter to other Summer sports, but requires strong aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Touch Football is available for our female Senior School students to participate in.

Water Polo

Water Polo

Spring Sport – Term 3

Water polo is an increasingly popular sport and provides an excellent option for students wishing to prepare for the swimming season, increase their fitness or participate in a sport during the Spring season.

It is expected that students choosing Water polo have passed the School’s Swimming test or equivalent.

Athletics Badminton Cricket Cross Country Equestrian GGS Football GGS Football Hockey Netball Rowing Rugby Sailing Snowsports Soccer Swimming Tennis Touch Football

Parent Support Groups

We are in the fortunate position, due to the passion and commitment of our current and past parents, to have thriving support groups for many of the school sports. Parental involvement in the sport programme plays an important part of our school community, and we encourage all parents to get involved in supporting their child in their sporting pursuits.

Read more

Sport Scholarships

Our School awards a number of sport scholarships to talented athletes who show exceptional sporting promise at an elite level. The programme is designed to bring out the best in students through performance coaching, mentoring, training and competition support.

Sport Scholarships