23 May 2025
It’s been another busy two weeks in the Senior School at St Peter’s College. There is so much energy and enthusiasm behind all that is taking place. The winter sports season is now in full swing, and considerable effort has gone into preparing for matches each week. One of the beautiful elements of playing sport is the opportunity for healthy competition. With that come moments of success – and also times of loss. Both these experiences have an impact on the development of each individual, and the manner in which success is celebrated and loss is handled says much about one’s character.
Having played quite a lot of competitive sport through my teenage years into adulthood, I have experienced both sides of this equation. At times, success has lulled me into a false sense of security, making me feel I had reached the pinnacle and did not need to do any more. Meanwhile, the losses spurred me on to train harder and strive to be better. Over the years, I’ve come to understand how both experiences have been critical in helping shape who I am today. Learning to deal with loss and falling short of a goal can be challenging, but in those moments of pain I have learnt so much about myself. One of the greatest lessons has been that, after a loss, one must re-goal and refocus in order to achieve future success. I have also learnt that success comes from hard work, energy and effort – qualities that are not just limited to the sports field, but apply in all facets of life. I would like to think that each of these experiences in my life have helped to shape my character today.
Last week we had the pleasure of hosting Scotch College Melbourne for the 46th John Roe Shield. The match ended in a hard-fought 2–2 draw after a lively second half. While Scotch retained the Shield following their win last year, it was an excellent opportunity for our players to compete in the spirit of the longstanding tradition and camaraderie between the two schools.
Hot on the heels of our success at Generations in Jazz, last night we had a wonderful evening with the Voices of St Peter’s College concert. Listening to the choirs and soloists again reminded me how lucky we are to have such dedicated young men who are prepared to get up there and perform with confidence.
National Reconciliation Week takes place next week, from 27 May to 3 June, and as part of our Reconciliation Action Plan at SPSC we acknowledge this week through a variety of activities and events. At Senior School Muster this week, we were privileged to have Uncle John who spoke to the boys about the importance of this week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. He also reflected on the reason for using the Acknowledgement or Welcome to Country at events, especially in the context of some recent controversy. His message was clear: we are all part of this land, and we all share the story of Australia today.
The theme for this year’s Reconciliation Week is Bridging Now to Next. The theme reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future, and links beautifully with Uncle John’s message. The theme also challenges us to consider how we can use our knowledge of today to help further build reconciliation in Australia. As our Deputy Headmaster / Head of Junior School so thoughtfully articulated at the muster in her challenge to every boy, “I encourage you to consider what your own bridge from now to next could look like. What steps – big or small – can you take to promote understanding and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians?” What a beautiful challenge for us all to consider as we celebrate Reconciliation Week.
Mr David Nolan
Deputy Headmaster
