This year’s annual Cardijn College/Tenison College Exchange was a particularly momentous occasion with the Cardijn College Principal and exchange founder Dr Paul Rijken attending what was to be his last exchange, as he retires from his position at the end of this school term.

Established in 1987, the exchange was established by the respective sports coordinators Dr Rijken and Robert Doyle and is held annually, rotating between colleges each year.

The three-day exchange showcased a squad of more than 100 students from both colleges, with those from years 8-11 competing in a range of sports and debating.

Fundamentally, the exchange is a unique opportunity that fosters a genuine spirit of sportsmanship, friendship, and excellence.

In the final presentation assembly, Dr Rijken shared his memories of the exchange over the past 35 years, where the first exchange left Cardijn College at Noarlunga Downs and arrived in Mount Gambier via rail in 1987.

Dr Rijken, the then sports coordinator, worked closely with the Tenison College sports coordinator Robert Doyle to conceptualise the exchange.

The event has gone from strength to strength over the years and is an anticipated occasion on the calendar of both Tenison Woods and Cardijn College.

Tenison Woods College sports coordinator Tara Millard said it was a pleasure to host Cardijn College this year for the 2022 exchange where both squads upheld their college values with pride.

“This long-standing exchange is nothing short of special to be a part of.

“It is a great opportunity for our students to immerse themselves in a sporting exchange that lasts longer than the three days of competition,” she said.

There were some particularly impressive performances across the two days, with the whole event taking on a new form, being available for the first time via live stream, allowing parents from Cardijn College as well as local families to see the action as it was happening live.

In a college-first, the Tenison Woods College Year 9 Sports Journalism students were given a rare opportunity to get a hands-on experience in filming the live stream.

Marcus Jones from local company VideoLive donated his time and expertise in coaching the students, showing them the finer details of filming sport, how to use the cameras, as well as being a part of the production process.

Teacher Scott Dickson supported the students throughout the two days, fostering student agency and allowing them to get a real taste of sports broadcasting.

Students were also given an opportunity to commentate the sports and did an outstanding job.

Mr Dickson said the opportunity was fantastic for students as it provided an insight into the industry in a supportive environment.

“Marcus Jones from VideoLive was outstanding to work with, it was so good to see our students streaming the events and involved in the live commentary with staff members working alongside them,” he said.

From mixed touch football, through to college debating, both schools fought hard to win, and the 2022 champions were decided on the last day, with Tenison Woods College winning the shield for 2022.b