WINTER SPORT ROUND-UP

Rifle Shooting

To have any success at all in the sport of rifle shooting, the competitor must have control over their breathing and their heartbeat. As Grammar’s Director of Rifles Mr Nick Green puts it, seen from 300m away, the scoring ring on the target is about as big as the bottom of a can of soft drink. And the pace is gruelling: to keep up with the clock, one shot must be fired every three or four breaths.

It’s a real test, rifle shooting, both physically and psychologically, but it’s a test that many Grammar boys historically have passed. This year’s selection of shooters was no exception. At the 2022 GPS Tournament, Grammar took an impressive equal-second, tying with Shore in what was the Grammar Club’s best performance since 2014. Blair Dowling (VI) did a fine job as captain and there were terrific individual performances from many shooters, led by Jaemin Lee (V) and Greg Papantoniou (VI).

Cross Country

Grammar boys faced real tests right across the winter sporting programme, with the wet weather taking over from COVID-19 as the single most disruptive agent. This winter saw our cross country runners confronting muddy courses all over Sydney. Despite the often daunting conditions, the boys were unflagging in their commitment to training, and this commitment paid off. Captained by Bradley Chan (VI), the Juniors finished third in the GPS, while our Intermediates and Seniors each took fourth place. Sixteen Grammar boys were selected to run at the CIS Cross Country Championships, and Julian Wylie (III) advanced to represent the CIS successfully at the NSW All Schools Championships. Four of our Open runners – Bradley Chan (VI), Julian Wylie (III), Will Rowsell and Jack Davis (VI) – won the Balmoral Burn Senior Boys Relay, a race which Grammar has won every year bar one since 2010.

Volleyball

The ever-growing Grammar volleyball squad won nearly 100 of 151 matches played. The season’s Junior MVP was Hinata Morishita-Lee (II) and the Junior Clubman was Marcus Levison (III). The Firsts and Seconds lost premiershipdeciding matches against the volleyball powerhouse Sydney Boys High School, but the Grammar competition teams were the only teams all season to take sets off High. Samuel Garvin, Finlay McDonald (both V) and captain Alex Lawson (VI) represented the victorious GPS and CIS teams, and Finlay went on to selection in the U18 Australian team.