SEED STARTS TO FLOWER
NORTHERN Bay College principal Scott Diamond may be a little biased but he is adamant when he says his school boasts “the premier sports program in Geelong”.
Step on to the grounds at the Corio school and you can see why.
Built off the back of the Sport, Empowerment, Education and Development (SEED) program, Northern Bay boasts a top-line synthetic soccer pitch and cricket nets and is working to alter opinions about schooling in Geelong’s north.
“We want people to know that this is a great college and change perceptions,” director of sport Steve ‘Stoofa’ Lewry said.
“We want people to be coming to our college and to be involved in our programs. It is a fantastic program and everyone who comes into it witnesses the smiles on their faces when they play sport.
“It is a hidden gem, for people who haven’t seen North Bay College facilities, they come in and say ‘how good is this’.”
It was a similar reaction for Australian men’s cricket team coach Andrew McDonald when he toured the school last week, as he took in the new nets and gym with surprise.
“The infrastructure here, if you compare it to what you were brought up on, it was nothing like this,” McDonald said.
“To see the kids out here at lunchtime engaged in a multitude of sports and a facility that is able to cater for it, it is pretty special.”
SEED began at Northern Bay in 2018 with just 19 students, and now takes in every year level to get the multicultural school students into sport.
By Years 7 and 8, students pick a preferred sport and receive specialised coaching.
Some students who had never played cricket before have become passionate about the sport and were aided by the Lords Taveners, a local group of cricket-mad people who raise funds to support children getting into the game.
The group donated a bowling machine to the school last week, prompting more children into action.
“Everything we do is led by the students in this college,” Lewry said.
“What will happen is two or three will come out and play cricket and then all of a sudden there will be 20 or 30 playing cricket.
“The students are recruiters not us. The good thing here is it’s a very multicultural school and everyone gets involved. Sport is a massive part of this school.”
TO SEE THE KIDS OUT HERE AT LUNCHTIME ENGAGED IN A MULTITUDE OF SPORTS AND A FACILITY THAT IS ABLE TO CATER FOR IT, IT IS PRETTY SPECIAL.”
ANDREW MCDONALD