Page 45 - 2022 - Altiora Vol 74

SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS

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SPOR TING HIGHLIGHTS | 45
TENNIS MAKES A COMEBACK TO BMGS
TENNIS MAKES A COMEBA CK T O BMGS
This year Tennis returned to BMGS for the first Meanwhile, Neil Geikie
time since the 1960s. (Year 8), who has
been pursing tennis
Together with Rugby and Cricket, Tennis was
offered at BMGS when the School was founded independently for many
in Springwood in 1918. The School’s property - years and has previously
Homedale - had its own court, and the School’s been playing at State
archives reveal that the sport was extremely level, was this year
popular with the boarders. Various School Runner-Up at the Central
prospectuses, from the very first publication, West Champion of
described the School as one which would Champions Tournament.
develop ‘the whole child’, with participation in Neil also qualified to play
sport ‘strongly encouraged’ for its benefits to in the NSW Champion of
the boarders’ health. Past Headmaster, Mr John Champions tournament.
Deane, was a particularly keen player and the
recorded reminiscences of one of the boarders
of the day reflect that “Tennis was looked upon
as being a very serious sport... there was always
a rush after school to play”.
In October, fourteen current students made
history as BMGS joined ISA Tennis for the first
time; these students becoming the first team
to represent our school in an ISA competition.
There were three other schools in the
competition: Scots All Saints College and St.
Stanislaus College from Bathurst, and Kinross
Woloroi from Orange. As a summer sport, it is
played across Terms 4 and 1.

The teams (Odds and Evens) comprise six
players each. The teams play in a Fast-4 format,
with a ‘best of 3 sets’ outcome. In each set it is
the first team to win four games, with a tie-
break at 3-all. If the teams are tied at one set
each, there is another tie-break to decide the
winner. At time of writing, the students are
halfway through the 2022/2023 competition
with BMGS well-placed on the league table.

Abo v e right: The court at Homedale (Springwood) circa 1920s. Abo v e: Hugo Hammon, Marlowe Gaibor , Ela die
Above right: The court at Homedale (Springwood) circa 1920s. Above: Hugo Hammon, Marlowe Gaibor, Eladie
ewczak, Jed Ackman, Mrs Ca
therine van
Simmonds, Lee Elliott. Below: Noah Yin, Liam Mackie, Otto Umbers, Hugo Lewczak, Jed Ackman, Mrs Catherine van
Simmonds, L
Hugo L
ee Elliott. Below: Noah Yin, Liam Mackie, Otto Umbers,
Gelderen (MIC Tennis), Tien Attwater, Alex Stewart, Raphael Hampartzoumian, Jesse Hardaker, David Babajanyan.
Gelderen (MIC T ennis), Tien Attwater , Ale x Stewart, Raphael Hampar tzoumia n, Jesse Hardak er , Da vid Ba bajan yan.