Senior students from eight primary schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie enjoyed almost five hours of unmitigated fun on Thursday as part of St Pius X High School's Year 6 sports day.
The annual event, which has been running for a decade, sees Year 6 students from local Catholic schools visit the Adamstown high school where they are treated to a sports gala day organised by Year 10 students.
"It's part of the Year 7 orientation for the school. It means their first experience of high school is really fun," John McLoughlin, St Pius' acting assistant principal said. "There's no results taken or trophies given out. They play 12 different games against 12 different groups.
"In Year 7 there'll be about 250 to 300 kids from eight feeder schools, and kids from other schools, so this is a chance to play against the students they'll meet in Year 7 and some of the Year 10 kids too," he said.
About 280 primary school students from St Columba's Adamstown, St James' Kotara South, St Patrick's Wallsend, St Therese's New Lambton, St John's Lambton, St Joseph's Merewether, Holy Family, Merewether Beach and Our Lady of Victories, Shortland, participated in the event.
It was organised and run by the 120 Year 10 students at St Pius who are taking the Physical Activity and Sports Studies elective.
"It's part of the coaching and sports event management unit. Students took on roles as team managers, coaches, in the catering crew, on the organising committee and in first aid," Mr McLoughlin said.
Students selected a quirky collection of games to play, including "disco dodgeball", musical statues using yoga poses and "Saving Beatrice", a tactical tag game.
