Mr Peter Hawkins brings more than 20 years of experience to his new role of Director of Sport at Melbourne Grammar School.
He will oversee the Sport programme across the whole School, working to grow a lifelong interest in sports participation in all students.
“I’ve always looked at Melbourne Grammar School as one of the leading APS schools, with a wonderful history in Sport. The opportunity to be the custodian of Sport at a school that takes this area seriously greatly interested me,” says Mr Hawkins.
Mr Hawkins aims to identify and improve the unique strengths of the Sport programme at each campus and to provide consistency in language and coaching styles, creating pathways for students that complement their ages and abilities. “For our talented athletes, I see my role as looking after their welfare to find the right balance between training and performance, and other aspects of their lives,” he says. “I’m also very passionate about keeping teaching staff involved in our Sport programme – their knowledge of, and investment in, Sport here is immediately obvious.”
“My favourite aspect of working in sport is seeing young people grow as individuals and collectively as teams,” Mr Hawkins explains. “I enjoy seeing them build an awareness of the benefits of physical activity and team sport over the long term. Involvement in sport also provides a great release from the business of day-to-day school life.”
Mr Hawkins believes there are many inherent benefits associated with participating in sport. “Through playing sport, we learn to respect the opposition, appreciate the role of officials, work as part of a team, and to win and lose with grace and humility,” he says. “We all love to win, but there are also losses and other challenges in sport. These experiences allow students to learn what they’re capable of, truly understand the meaning of resilience, and to develop lifelong friendships.”
