2022 is looking good for our sports-minded youth as COVID restrictions are being loosened on sporting and recreational activities for the state. Bishop Druitt College, in particular, have been planning for this reopening with a series of key sporting initiatives, and are poised to maximise these opportunities for our youth to encourage a come-back to sport, from recreational through to athlete development and high performance programs. 

The college has recently penned a new partnership with the Liverpool Football Club International Academy NSW as a host venue to provide students and the broader community with access to high-quality coaching, mentoring and academic pathway support into physical education careers. Players aged 6 to 16 years have started signing up already with the programs starting this December. 

Bishop Druitt College also recently hosted a magnificent fundraising day for the BDC Barracudas Sporting Club with over $11,000 raised. The event was held at the spectacular Bonville Golf Resort and a full field of 120 players participated. A huge thank you to the local businesses who sponsored this annual event: Geoff King Motors, FXBC, Colourworks, Westpac Commercial, Watsons Caravans, SCL Sport and Support, The Dental Centre, Midford Uniforms, Newcombe Coach Lines, XCorp, Coffs Computers, Ray Ellicott Concreting, and Oak Tree Retirement Village. These funds will be used by the BDC Barracudas Sporting Club to expand their range of sporting offerings to the local community. The BDC Barracudas is in a major growth phase going from 6 teams across two sports to 28 teams across 5 sports. In 2022, the BDC Barracudas will be running Football from under 6s to under 8s; Rugby Union from under 8s to under 14s and under 15s in girls rugby, Basketball from under 6s to under 19s in boys and girls, six teams in the junior and social Touch Football competitions and a get into Netball type taster program. 

In November 2022, Bishop Druitt College will host the inaugural Anglican Schools Country Week with Anglican school students coming from across the North Coast to play in a variety of sports including Chess, Cricket, Football, Golf, Netball, Rugby, Tennis and Volleyball. This wonderful new initiative is expected to be used as a platform to showcase some amazing sporting talent in the region and other Anglican schools from further afield have already expressed interest in joining this carnival in 2023. This event will also provide an economic stimulus to the Coffs Coast as families travel with their respective schools to witness these athletes in action as they vie for the Bishop’s Cup.

The College will continue to be an active member of the North Coast Independent Schools Sporting Association as a pathway to regional and state teams across a huge range of sports including swimming, athletics, cross country, football, netball, basketball, surfing, hockey, rugby union, and touch football. 

These competitions build performance opportunities for our students at Bishop Druitt College and add to our specialist sporting academies in Golf, Netball and Football, the Athlete Development Program and the individual support offered through our High Performance Program, partnered by local businesses, North Coast Football, Coffs Harbour Golf Course, and Hoys Health and Wellness. 

For more information: 

Liverpool Football Club International Academy NSW - http://www.lfcacademy.com.au  

BDC Barracuda Sporting Club - info@bdcbarracudas.com.au or find ‘BDC Barracudas’ on Facebook and Instagram 

Bishop Druitt College High Performance and Athlete Development Manager - Natalie Titcume ntitcume@bdc.nsw.edu.au 

Nick Johnstone 
Principal 

This article first appeared in the December 2021 issue of Focus Magazine - Coffs Coast