Sport

Sport & Outdoor Education at Bishop Druitt College encourages participation, respect, inclusivity and enjoyment. It promotes positive health choices, self and social awareness, and leadership.

The BDC Philosophy of Sport

Sport plays a central role in the college’s mission to support and nurture students with diverse needs and to create dynamic, caring and optimistic individuals. Involvement in sport develops students’ confidence and resilience through physical, technical and mental stimulus, and provides exposure to teamwork and leadership opportunities.  

Sport at Bishop Druitt College encourages participation, respect, inclusivity and enjoyment, and promotes positive health choices, self and social awareness, and leadership. At the core of our sport program is participation, with every student involved in sport at Bishop Druitt College.  

Primary Sport

In primary school, all students participate in a weekly sports program that focuses on skill development and promotes a positive attitude towards physical activity. The day of the week varies depending on the year level. Students may wear their sport or house shirt for the entire day.

Secondary Tuesday School Sport

Students are involved in a weekly sports program that focuses on skill development and encourages a positive attitude to physical activity.  

In the secondary school all students in Years 7 - 10 participate in the Tuesday sport program.  

Students in Years 7 - 8 have set sports with some opportunity to select the sports they wish to be involved in on Tuesdays.  The range of sports available to students increases in Years 9 & 10.  These programs are compulsory and any costs involved for student participation are charged to parents via the Parent Lounge.

Representative Sport

The opportunity to engage in competitive sport in the primary school is ensured for all students through the inter-house competitions.

Bishop Druitt College is a member school of the North Coast Independent Schools (NCIS) association for inter-school sporting competitions.  Participation in these competitions is decided in a number of ways. For many of the sports, including swimming, athletics and cross country, students are selected after successful performance in the relevant school carnival.  

There is also a challenge process for students who did not meet the selection requirements during a team trial or carnival due to genuine illness, attendance at other sporting trials or due to special reasons as identified by the Head of School or the Principal. Students who miss the initial selection process are required to complete and submit a sport selection challenge form to the Head of Sports within that week.

Opportunities to enjoy sport and to develop skills, sportsmanship and team spirit are enhanced by the involvement of qualified development officers and coaching staff for a variety of sports. College teams participate in inter-house, local, regional and state-wide competitions, and talented students have access to representative pathways within the Combined Independent Schools (CIS) framework.  

There are some sports where there is no direct NCIS pathway and students need to nominate directly through Sport Administration. Parents and students need to be aware of upcoming events and can find relevant details through the CIS website. 

Students’ behaviour and attitude at school will also be considered when allowing them to represent Bishop Druitt College in sporting activities.  A student who has a recent history of poor behaviour or unexplained absences may not be allowed to represent the college. 

Team sport nominations are published via Schoolbox. Notices will be put in Schoolbox with information regarding sign ups and trials. Some sports will require a trial process, as team numbers are limited, but this should not discourage students from trying a new sport. It is a process we have to follow to make it fair for all students.

Most representative sports are for students from Year 5 – Year 12 and occasionally we have gala days that include students from Year 3 – Year 12.

Playing representative sport is a choice made by the students and parents of the college.  As such, parents agree to the costs that will be incurred if their child is selected for and competes in representative sports. Representative sport includes local, inter-school, regional, state and national competitions.

The college will also support individual/team sporting pursuits including: AFL, rugby league, athletics, cricket, cross country, equestrian, golf, hockey, squash, surf sports, swimming, tennis and triathlon.

Participation

There is a calendar of upcoming events for each term and students and parents are responsible for checking information regarding sporting events. This can be accessed on the college website or schoolbox page on sport. The TASS Parent Lounge is the portal through which information, permission, medical document information and payment for sporting events is administered.

Student Representative selection 

Bishop Druitt College rules and regulations regarding student behaviour apply to all students when representing the college in sporting events. Good sportsmanship is expected. There is a code of conduct that runs in line with team selections.  
Team selection criteria

Sport Code of Conduct

Adults play an essential role in supporting sport at BDC. Children learn best by example. Therefore, codes of conduct provide clear behavioural guidelines and promote a quality environment in which both the sport and the participants can flourish. 
Code of conduct

Sportsperson of the Year

The BDC Sports Awards Dinner is a celebration of the dedication, talent, and commitment of Bishop Druitt College student athletes. This evening recognises exceptional sporting achievements and contributions to our school’s sports programs by students from Years 5 to 12.

The event will be held on Wednesday 29th October 2025, at Pacific Bay Resort.

A highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the BDC Sportsperson of the Year awards. These awards are presented annually to students who have not only achieved outstanding results in their chosen sports but have also displayed exemplary character and commitment throughout the year. Recipients embody the core values of Bishop Druitt College — sportsmanship, integrity, and respect — both in competition and within our school community.

Award Categories

• Primary School Sportsperson of the Year (Years 5–6): Male & Female
• Middle School Sportsperson of the Year (Years 7–9): Male & Female
• Senior School Sportsperson of the Year (Years 10–11): Male & Female

Selection Criteria

To be eligible for nomination, students should be current students:

• Have attended BDC School Carnivals: Demonstrate strong performances in BDC Athletics, Swimming, and Cross Country Carnivals.
• Have represented BDC Across Multiple Levels: Compete in a variety of sports for BDC at the school, regional (NCIS), and state (CIS/All Schools) levels.
• Be a Role Model: Exhibit good sportsmanship, teamwork, and commitment to training and competition.
• Demonstrate the BDC Way: Embody the college’s values in attitude, behaviour, and community contribution.

Nomination Process

• Students who wish to be considered for this award must complete the form and submit their sporting achievements for the year. Achievements will be assessed using a standardised weighting system, which ensures consistency and fairness across all sports and levels of competition.

This prestigious award recognises students who not only achieve sporting excellence but who also positively contribute to the culture of sport at BDC. The recipients of these awards will be presented at the annual BDC Sports Awards.

Please note:

• These awards are exclusively for students who have represented Bishop Druitt College in sport.
• Achievements outside of BDC sport are not considered.
• Only students in Years 5 to 11 are eligible to be nominated. (Year 12 students are recognised through separate awards.)
• Nominations should be based on sport participation in Term 4, and Terms 1–3, as part of the representative pathway beginning at NCIS for team sports.