Westfields Sports High School

Westfields Sports High School (abbreviated as WSHS) is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary day school, with speciality in sports, located in Fairfield West, a western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1963, the school catered for approximately 1,440 students in 2024, from Year 7 to Year 12, of whom five percent identified as Indigenous Australians and 64 percent were from a language background other than English. The school is operated by the NSW Department of Education; the principal is Andrew Rogers.

Westfields Sports High School is a member of the NSW Sports High Schools Association. The school sits on a total area of approximately .

History

The school was established in 1963 and opened by Edward Gough Whitlam, later Australian Prime Minister. The school's first Principal was J. P. Quinlan and its first year enrolment had 300 students. Principal Quinlan had originally wanted the school's motto to be ANZAC, but that was not allowed, so he then chose the , translated as "courage and valour", that remains the school's motto today. The school originally had four sporting houses: Prospect (team colours black and gold); Kanangra (red); Werriwa (blue) and Lansdowne (green).

In 1964 the new student intake was even larger than the previous year, with close to a thousand new students enrolled. Classes were listed alphabetically from A down to J to include them all. That year also saw a massive fire at the school that affected mainly the science block and the technical arts block, rendering many of the classrooms unusable. Classrooms were temporarily offered at the local primary school, Fairfield West Public School on Hamilton Road, until the burnt out classrooms could be restored. Each day for close to a year, around 100 or so new Year 7 students would attend assembly at Westfields, then march up the hill to classrooms at Fairfield West PS. The cause of the fire was never stated, but it was strongly suspected that the expulsion of several students earlier in the year had led to a grudge arson attack, since the words "N R gang" had been painted in large letters across the girls' and boys' toilet blocks.

From the 1960s to the 1980s the school achieved moderate success in sports and was on the rise during the late 1980s. The then principal, Philip Tucker, had wanted to establish Westfields as a school that could provide any sports person who attended, a pathway to the Australian Institute of Sport, and extend their possibilities beyond high school level sporting competition. The school was eventually officially declared a sports school on 24 April 1991.

Notable teachers who taught at the school in the early years of their careers include the artist Mary Shackman and the international concert pianist Michael Leslie.

Since 1997, there has been an annual student and teacher exchange scheme with Kasukabe High School, from Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan.

In 2008, the International Olympic Committee recognised Westfields Sports for their involvement in producing many Australian Olympians with a special Sport and Youth Trophy. In 2023, it was awarded the Australian Olympic Pathway Schools designation.

Enrolment policy The school has a partially selective approach to enrolment, with students needing to either live catchment area of the school or demonstrate their ability in sport. The school is very well regarded for having produced sporting talent in a number of different areas of sporting endeavour, and has received a range of grants to support its work with sporting talent.

Talented sports program Sports offered at Westfields Sports High School include athletics, Australian rules football, baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, dance, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, hockey, netball, rowing, rugby league, rugby union, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling.

Basketball Team Achievements Championship Women (Open) Australian Schools Championships Runners Up: 2023

Notable alumni

Mustafa Aminisoccer player Terry Antonissoccer player Chris Armitrugby league player Nahuel Arrartesoccer player Zeljko Babicsoccer player Alexander Badolatosoccer player Kate Batestrack and road cyclist Patrick Beachsoccer player Michael Beauchampsoccer player Lenny Beckettrugby league player Evan Bergersoccer player Joel Bertolissiosoccer player Tegan Bertolissiosoccer player Ricky BetarParalympic swimmer Nicholas Bilokapicsoccer player Leah Blayneysoccer player Noah Boticsoccer player Leon Bottrugby league player Milly Boughtonsoccer player Mark Bridgesoccer player Lachlan Brooksoccer player Alex Brosquesoccer player Michael Buettnerrugby league player Kerem Bulutsoccer player Jacob Burnssoccer player Nathan Burnssoccer player Anthony Cáceressoccer player Jason Cadeebasketball player Catherine Cannulisoccer player Shane Cansdell-Sheriffsoccer player David Carneysoccer player Ellie Carpentersoccer player Connor Chapmansoccer player Margaux Chauvetsoccer player Joven Clarkerugby league player Michael Clarkecricketer Jade Closehockey player Kyra Cooney-Crosssoccer player Ben Coridasrugby union player Jason Culinasoccer player Jesse Curransoccer player Hannah Darlingtoncricketer Tallyn Da Silvarugby league player Leah de Oliveirasoccer player Miloš Degeneksoccer player Bill Devenishswimmer Karyne Di Marcohammer thrower Miguel Di Piziosoccer player Matt Dooreyrugby league player Indiana dos Santossoccer player Jynaya dos Santossoccer player Jed Drewsoccer player Gareth Eddssoccer player Shadeene Evanssoccer player Latu Fainurugby league player Manase Fainurugby league player Samuela Fainurugby league player Sione Fainurugby league player Viliami Fifitarugby league player Israel Folaurugby union, rugby league, and Australian rules football player George Francisrugby union player Tony Francisrugby league player Will Freneysoccer player Roy Friendrugby league player Liam Fultonrugby league player Jacob Gaganrugby league player Daniela Galićsoccer player Sheridan Gallagherrugby league player Lachlan Galvinrugby league player Heather Garriocksoccer player Bryce Gibbsrugby league player Kelly Golebiowskisoccer player Isabel Gomezsoccer player Blake Greenrugby league player Michael Greenfieldrugby league player Eric Grothe Jr.rugby league player Bradley Grovessoccer player Dene Halataurugby league player Brendan Hamillsoccer player Amy Harrisonsoccer player Jarryd Haynerugby league player Trent Hodkinsonrugby league player Justin Hororugby league player Isaac Hovarsoccer player Angelique Hristodoulousoccer player Alexandra Huynhsoccer player Bernie Ibini-Iseisoccer player Princess Ibini-Iseisoccer player Jamal Idrisrugby league player Krisnan Inurugby league player Luke Ivanovicsoccer player Scott Jamiesonsoccer player Marko Jesicsoccer player Matthew Jurmansoccer player Billie Kayprofessional wrestler Aideen Keanesoccer player Kris Keatingrugby league player Matt Keatingrugby league player Simon Keencricketer Alanna Kennedysoccer player Sean Keppierugby league player Harry Kewellsoccer player Usman Khawajacricketer David Klemmerrugby league player Tim Lafairugby league player Fabrice Lapierrelong jumper Luke Lauliliirugby league player Kylie Ledbrooksoccer player Connelly Lemuelurugby league player Alessandro Lopanesoccer player Issac Lukerugby league player Jared Lumsoccer player Sitiveni Mafirugby union player Mitchell Malliasoccer player Chantelle Manitisoccer player Kristiana Manu'anetball player Feleti Mateorugby league player Jada Mathyssen-Whymansoccer player Ben Matwijowrugby union player Trent McClenahansoccer player Shannon McDonnellrugby league player Liam McGingsoccer player Brent McGrathsoccer player Wade McKinnonrugby league player Jamie McMastersoccer player Karl McNicholrugby league player Vesna Milivojevicsoccer player Mark Minichiellorugby league player Trey Mooneyrugby league player Aaron Mooysoccer player Brodie Mooysoccer player Moudi Najjarsoccer player Ramy Najjarinesoccer player Heka Nanairugby league player Isoa Nasilasilarugby union player Caleb Navalerugby league player Courtney Nevinsoccer player Yianni Nicolaousoccer player James Nikolovskisoccer player Luke O'Donnellrugby league player Wade Oostendorpsoccer player Aimee Palmersoccer player Amanda Pascoeswimmer Radovan Pavicevicsoccer player Adam Pavlesicsoccer player Corey Paynerugby league player Yianni Perkatissoccer player Helen Petinossoccer player Dimitrios Petratossoccer player Susan Phonsongkhamsoccer player Les Pogliacomisoccer player Rhianna Pollicinasoccer player Kristian Popović Tiago Quintalsoccer player Jamilla Rankinsoccer player Kim Ravaillionnetball player Taylor Raysoccer player Pat Richardsrugby league player Peyton Royceprofessional wrestler Mathew Ryansoccer player Jason Saabrugby league player Casey Samuelsbasketball player Sienna Saveskasoccer player Courtney Schonellfield hockey player Josh Schusterrugby league player Sam Silverasoccer player Amandeep Singhcricketer Harjas Singhcricketer Lindsay Smithrugby league player Jaushua Sotiriosoccer player Dani Stevensdiscus thrower Jeremy Su'arugby union player Danny Sullivanrugby union player Blaize Talagirugby league player Tommy Talaurugby league player Ephraim Taukafarugby union player Ryan Teaguesoccer player John Thornellathlete Nemanja Tomićsoccer player Maria Tranactress and filmmaker Daniel Tranterswimmer Jason Trifirosoccer player Sam Tuivaitirugby league player Tahlia Tupaeabasketball player Stefano Utoikamanurugby league player Malia Vakanetball player Danny Vukovicsoccer player Brandon Wakehamrugby league player Sarah Walshsoccer player James Wesolowskirugby league player Amorette Wildnetball player Tony Williamsrugby league player Daniel Wilmeringsoccer player Rhys Youlleysoccer player John Paul Youngpop singer Louis Zabalasoccer player Neil Cassidy - baseball

See also

List of government schools in New South Wales: Q–Z Selective school (New South Wales) Education in Australia

References