1 July 2021
Our diverse sporting offering facilitates students鈥� social, physical and emotional development. Over the summer students participated in a range of sports including Sailing, Athletics, Badminton, Touch Footy, Cricket, Swimming, Triathlon, Surfing, Rowing, Tennis and Volleyball.
Our newly formed Middle Touch team had some excellent wins despite playing against much older sides. It was great to see students across year levels competing together and building teamwork. Our Pembroke Swimming squad trained hard all year and, despite choosing a philosophy of giving every swimmer a go in the competitions, made the finals. Our Middle Cricket teams showed plenty of spirit throughout the season, with Year 9 Harry W being promoted firstly into the Year 10 team and then finishing the season in the First XI. Three Year 9 boys, Jack L, Yibin K and Sebastian W, also made their debut in the Open A Water Polo team after strong performances throughout the term. We have some very talented triathletes at Pembroke and three of them represented the school at the State Triathlon Championships鈥擲am C and Ava W each won their respective Intermediate division, and combined with Max D to take out the Intermediate teams division.
This year we are continuing to build on the sporting program by appointing Heads of Sport across a range of sports鈥攚e have welcomed new positions in Badminton, Cricket, Basketball, Football, Volleyball and Soccer.
Leanne Choo, Head of Badminton, began at Pembroke in 2020 as an assistant and took on the head role in Term 1 this year, coaching our Open A Badminton team to be runners up in the top division, losing only one match for the term. As well as coaching the top side Leanne oversaw the development of all Pembroke Badminton players and coaches. She is an engaging communicator who challenges our students to constantly improve, setting very high standards at both matches and training while encouraging a love of the sport.
Leanne is a two-time Olympian (2012 and 2016) who represented Australia in doubles and mixed doubles and achieved fifth place at London, the best result in Australia鈥檚 history of Olympic badminton. She also represented Australia in the 2010 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. Leanne has recently returned from Canada, where she coached players at all levels from grassroots to elite. In addition to coaching, Leanne is currently in her final year studying Neuroscience at university and hopes to combine this degree with her coaching career. Her goal and vision at Pembroke is to not only grow the Badminton program but to create a rich learning environment that enables each and every player to reach their full potential. Leanne will now turn her attention to the Girls program, beginning this term.
Jamie Siddons, Head of Cricket, began last season coaching both our Boys and Girls cricketers in all three sub-schools. Jamie is a passionate coach who is keen to share his love of the game and develop the skills of each player. He teaches players to pick up the bat high and hit the ball hard while also being energetic and active in the field. He is just as keen to teach and chat to any parents who are interested in his methods.
Jamie is well known in international cricket circles and has an amazing background as a player representing Australia, winning two Sheffield Shield titles with Victoria (scoring a century) and the South Australian Redbacks (where he batted injured for 3 hours on the historic final day). As a coach Jamie has been equally successful. He worked under John Buchanan as an assistant coach to the record-breaking Australian team in 2006鈥�07 and then headed to the subcontinent to coach Bangladesh for 3 years, before coaching in NZ and then back to coach the Redbacks in Adelaide until 2020.
You will also see Jamie at Pembroke this winter coaching his other love, Football鈥攈e played two games for the Sydney Swans back in 1984. We have encouraged him to dust off the boots and coach our Year 10 team.
Peter Woon
Head of Boys Sport
Elizabeth Clark
Head of Girls Sport