Sporting Achievements
At Concordia we seek to provide students with the opportunity to participate in a wide range of competitive and non-competitive sporting and recreational activities. Our aim is to encourage a healthy lifestyle and a lifelong enjoyment of exercise and sport. We also believe that participation in sport can build character. Team spirit results when members play hard but fair, agreeing to be self-disciplined and courteous, playing within the rules and respecting authority and opponents.
All students at Concordia participate in Sport on Wednesday afternoons. Concordia fields teams in the summer and winter inter-school competition run by the TSSSA (Toowoomba Secondary Schools Sports Association). Each year a number of our students are selected to represent the Region or the State in their chosen sports. In the second half of the year athletics, social and recreational sport becomes the focus on Wednesdays.
In addition, there are opportunities throughout the year for students to participate in other competitive and non-competitive sporting activities. Interschool and club competitions (held in the evenings) including Basketball and Volleyball have allowed students with a specific area of interest to continue their development.
Our teams have achieved State final or semi-final status in sports as varied as Cricket, Basketball, Golf and AFL. Numerous victories in Regional finals have also been achieved. Our excellent facilities add to the enjoyment of our students and we are privileged to have such an expert and hard-working Sports Department.
Sports usually offered at Concordia include: swimming, athletics, cross-country, gymnastics, cricket, league, tennis, football (soccer), touch football, union, basketball, volleyball, water polo, lifesaving, softball, golf, netball, hockey, dance, archery, skating, rockclimbing, baseball, ten pin bowling, aerobics, table tennis, badminton, indoor cricket, weights and conditioning, and boxercise.
Interhouse Swimming Carnival
Recently Redlands Campus held its annual Interhouse Swimming Carnival. In the morning the Year 7s, 8s and 9s competed in the inaugural Middle College Carnival. They showed great house spirit and we thank all competitors and spectators for becoming so involved.
Redlands house proved victorious and were awarded the Middle College Faulkner Family trophy.
The afternoon saw Senior College students participate and again there were some great performances. Redlands house scooped the pool winning the Stewart Patton Trophy for highest Aggregate Points, the Slater Trophy for Relays, and the house Spirit Trophy.
Friday Night Basketball
We have now had four rounds of competition and our 15 year boys' team has been undefeated. The 13yr boys' team has also advanced to the semi-finals and all teams have performed well.
Time Spent Behind (Handle) Bars – Cycling's Catching On!
Cycling is catching on as a sport at Concordia. During Term Four a group of lycra-clad students under the watchful eye of cycling coach Justin Eastwell from Bikeline and the direction and encouragement of College Pastor, Rev Mark Vainikka, could be seen heading out to the University precinct to go through their paces on Wednesday afternoons.
Skills learnt include bike handling, road-safety, riding in a peloton and hill climbing and even a game of Bike polo, which was enthusiastically received by everyone.
Membership of the group was by invitation and only included students who had previous road riding or racing experience and had the right equipment. Pastor Mark points out that some of the students at Concordia race at state level and have the potential of becoming top national or even international level riders.
Swimming Carnival
Congratulations to all students who participated in the annual Martin Luther Primary Campus swimming carnival at Redlands Campus on Monday 16 November. Our carnival gives students the opportunity to use the knowledge and techniques they learned recently during their annual swimming lessons. This year's winning team was Flinders, closely followed by Cook and in third place was Tasman.
Rugby at Concordia (RC)
Concordia Lutheran College has a long and successful tradition in both codes of rugby with players finding representation in district, state and professional codes. The College Open Rugby League and Union team were dual premiers in 2007 and runners’ up in 2006 against Toowoomba and district teams. The College introduced in 2007 the new logo and playing strip for the Open Rugby League and Junior football teams.
Based on the College’s close connections to the land and its proximity to the sale yards, the Bull’s logo was adopted, and unofficially, the junior teams became better known as the Steers and Poddies, and the field, ‘The Bullpen’. Continual development in technologies’ in both codes has seen in 2008 the full adoption of dri-fit technology in clothing for all players allowing a greater freedom when playing and less heat stress.
The Rugby League/Union program runs across three terms with highly qualified coaches sharing their skills and enthusiasm in afternoon practises. Built around first-class facilities, the players are challenged to become the best they can and to recognise the value of the team above the needs of the individual. (See article in 'In the Media')