The last week of Term 2 saw the biennial migration of staff and students of Bellingen High to the crisp playing fields of Quirindi to contest another interschool visit for the Beau Valley Shield. It represented the 43rd round in the competition between the schools which first started in 1974 and remains a highlight in each school year. It is not easy for the travelling school to dominate on the sporting fields with fewer numbers, some not that familiar with the sport being played. It usually requires a Herculean performance from the visiting side if they are any chance of success. The students know this, the teachers hope for outstanding performances from their teams or sympathetic refereeing but still the home school is usually the winner. But this year was to prove the exception with Bellingen High students dominating for a fifth consecutive year.
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It must be said that the sporting prowess of our students was on show from the onset of competition, with the junior boys and girls touch team claiming victory, a sport in which Quirindi usually dominate. Whilst there were some disappointments such as a Quirindi whitewash in basketball, there were numerous positives such as Bellingen domination in softball, soccer, netball and volleyball. We should also note the continued dominance of the Year 7 boys softball team, coached for the first time at Quirindi by Mr Vartiainen, who maintained their undefeated against Quirindi. The sporting culmination of the visit was junior boys and open girls League tag a new sport that was played at a frenetic pace, and the Open boys League team which defeated Quirindi.
The trip provides the experience of being billeted with a student from Quirindi High School in a different environment, coping under different rules and expectations from the host family and the opportunity to form friendships and memories that often last a lifetime. I’m sure there are many readers of the Courier-Sun and ex--Bellingen High students right now who are reminiscing on the trips they made to Quirindi.
I cannot state clearly enough that our community can be proud of the way in which the Bellingen High students acquitted themselves both on the fields of play demonstrating skill and sportsmanship, around the Quirindi township itself and at the various stops along the way - well done.
