“Who are we?” We are MC Sport and our time is now!

This week we caught up with Mr Jim Zenith, for the fourth and final installment in our series of MC Sport Staff Q&A sessions.  We’ll hear about recent experiences and future goals for delivering sport and recreation programs for students in 2018, and beyond. 

How does it feel to finally get into this new facility?

It feels really good to have an undercover area that allows us to play in all weather and doesn’t hinder our normal routine. Before the new Sports Centre, if the weather was bad, we would need to find a suitable space to teach in, which wasn’t always easy especially for sports like softball!  We would then need to teach more sport theory and then reschedule the practical classes to ensure they were completed before the end of term.  There is such a great flow and balance now in terms of our teaching. 

What have you enjoyed most in these first few weeks?

I have really enjoyed having a central office for the PDHPE department. The facilities are excellent and it’s been particularly good for us as a team.  Moreso, the central location is proving beneficial for parents and students, particularly new students, who sometimes had difficulty locating us in multiple locations.  Another thing I’ve noticed is that more students and staff are riding their bikes to the College, due to the additional shower facilities, which is fantastic!

What do you think the completed Centre will mean for students coming through MC over the next 10-15 years?

For me, it means that we can start to foster and create our own sporting traditions. I went to school in the USA and schools over there are notoriously steeped in tradition. My school, Fresno High had a mascot which represented all sporting codes and as well as being easily recognisable, united us a school.  I come from a family of swimmers who all represented Fraser High in swimming, as part of this, we were given the infamous  ‘letterman’ jacket which we wore with immense pride. The jacket identified me as a swimmer and and meant I represented my school.   

I believe that creating new traditions such as these, will help us further answer the question ‘who are we’?, both as a school and as a community, and’ where are we going’? I hope to see and be part of MC building their own sporting history.

I also think it will mean a lot to those who have long-anticipated the Centre’s completion. For the MC Community who have been planning and fundraising, I think it holds particularly sentimental meaning. It’s completion comes with a sense of pride and a feeling of having been part of the building of this awesome Centre. I would like to invite all those who are keen to be been part of the massive fundraising and building efforts to come in for a game and have a ‘shoot’ with us on the new courts!

What types of events would you like to see MC host in the Centre?

I would love to see us hold more social sports events which revolve around fun and companionship rather then competition. Events that bring the wider MC Community together and foster unity and camaraderie.  I think a Staff vs Staff tournament would be fun!  I believe this would be a great step towards fostering staff morale.  I would also like to see the Centre open to past students at certain times, and to see more access be facilitated to a wider range of people. 

Who would you like to see showcased in a ‘Hall of Fame’ when the foyer is completed?

Macquarie College has a number of high performing sports Alumni who I would like to see recognised. From current world record holding Paralympians such as Cameron Crombie (shot put and javelin) to International sailor’s such as Kyle Langford. Honouring these sports men and women creates a rich picture of MC’s sporting history. Naturally, the Centre will house our trophy Cabinet to proudly display all of our sporting achievements. In addition,  I think we should also include team and individual photos in the cabinet. My hope is that these elements combined will create a sense of awe around our sporting history and give current students something to aspire to.