Co-curricular Sport
All students at Pymble have the opportunity to participate in sport, to challenge themselves physically and achieve their personal bests, whether that’s at beginner, intermediate or elite level.
Pymble‘s Sport programs help girls build fitness, confidence and teamwork, with pathways to suit every interest and ability, from social fun through to competitive representation. We encourage all girls to have a go at sport for the many benefits it brings to their learning, friendships and general wellbeing.
Carnival Sports
These sports are contested at the annual IGSA Championships, with girls training year-round to prepare.
Artistic Gymnastics – Competitive
A selective squad program for our more advanced gymnasts, with offers sent to families in Term 4 each year. Our Artistic Gymnastics Team also competes at the igsa Artistic Gymnastics Carnival, held each year in Term 4.
Artistic Gymnastics – Recreational
Artistic Gymnastics builds strength, flexibility, co-ordination, balance and body awareness across vault, trampoline, uneven bars, beam and floor, with a range of levels to suit every girl. Our Aerial Circus program also takes girls from Introduction to Aerials and Aerial Foundations through to Competitive Aerial Circus.
Athletics and Cross Country
Pymble offers year-round training in sprints, hurdles, distance, cross country, jumps and throws, with opportunities ranging from low-key participation to competitive igsa and Athletics NSW events. Girls can also join Pymble Stride for expert coaching across Cross Country tracks around the College.
Diving
Diving is a dynamic sport combining grace, courage, skill and athleticism. Vertical FunDive gives girls an entry-level introduction to the sport, while our invitation-only Pathways and Performance Diving programs support our more advanced divers as they progress toward Australian Age and Junior Elite Championships.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Rhythmic Gymnastics combines gymnastics, dance and apparatus manipulation, performed to music. Pymble offers recreational and competitive classes, with opportunities to compete from friendly zone competitions through to the National Championships, igsa and the compulsory End of Year Display.
Carnival Sports
Rowing
Rowing develops skill, strength and endurance while fostering commitment, focus and teamwork, with every girl becoming part of the Pymble Rowing Team. Our Summer Season program runs across squads from Learn to Row through to our Senior squad, with a Winter Rowing program also building fundamentals and fitness ahead of the Summer season.
Snowsports
A unique sport where girls across the Junior and Secondary Schools bond and celebrate each other’s successes, with the whole family often involved. Team members require a minimum on-snow experience in skiing or snowboarding before competing in the Interschools competition.
Swimming
Pymble believes every girl should have access to quality swimming lessons for safety and confidence in the water, alongside the social, emotional and physical benefits of swimming. All enquiries and bookings are handled directly through Pymble Swimming.
Tennis – Competitions
Girls in Years 7 to 12 can compete in igsa Tennis, our graded Saturday competition, or trial for the Tildesley Shield, a competitive representative tournament running since 1918 involving around 38 students selected each year.
Tennis – Groups and Lessons
From our Active Squad, a fun way to stay active and social, through to our Development and Performance Squads, Tildesley Training Squad and the invitation-only Big Aces program, our Tennis pathway supports every stage of a girl’s game, with Semi-Private and Private Lessons also available.
Saturday Sports
Pymble girls compete against other independent schools each Saturday across a wide range of team sports.
Australian Rules Football (AFL)
A fast-paced game of skill and strategy, our AFL program helps girls develop catching, handballing, punting and game skills, with the fast-growing popularity of AFLW inspiring a new generation of players to take to the oval.
Badminton
From igsa Badminton, a graded Saturday competition open to all abilities, to our Skill Sessions preparing girls for trials, our Badminton program suits beginners through to advanced players in Years 7 to 12.
Basketball
Our pre-season Basketball Skills clinic introduces girls to the sport and builds their skills ahead of igsa Basketball, our graded Saturday competition catering for players from beginner to elite level.
Football (Soccer)
Our Football Skills Sessions build skills, shooting and goalkeeping ahead of igsa Football, our graded Saturday competition catering for players of every ability from beginner to elite.
Hockey
Girls selected for our Senior or Junior Firsts Squads take part in the pre-season Mollie Dive Hockey Competition, with a Development Program also available for players continuing to build their skills. All students in Years 7 to 12 are welcome to compete in igsa Hockey.
Netball
The Pymble Netball Academy supports our emerging and developing athletes to perform at their highest level, while Years 7 and 8 girls can also join the Ku-ring-gai Netball Association Winter Competition. Netball is one of Pymble’s most popular sports, with igsa Netball open to every ability.
Saturday Sports
Rugby Sevens
A fast-paced variant of rugby union played with seven players a side, our Rugby Sevens program welcomes new and experienced players in Years 7 to 12, building skills through progressive training ahead of the Winter Season competition.
Tennis
Girls in Years 7 to 12 can compete in igsa Tennis, our graded Saturday competition, or trial for the Tildesley Shield, a competitive representative tournament running since 1918 involving around 38 students selected each year.
Touch Football
Our Touch Football Skills Sessions build catching, passing and game strategy skills ahead of igsa Touch Football, a graded Saturday competition open to all abilities, from complete beginners through to the elite level.
Volleyball
Our Volleyball Development Program builds skills, game strategy, fitness and teamwork for girls of every ability, with the opportunity to progress to the Santa Sabina Competition, played on Saturday mornings throughout Term 4.
Water Polo
Water Polo is a healthy, safe way for girls to play an aquatic team sport, from our Pymble Water Polo Competition and Skills Sessions through to igsa Water Polo, a highly competitive Saturday morning competition for Years 7 to 12.
Co-curricular Sports
Beyond our Saturday and carnival programs, girls can also pursue a broad range of co-curricular sports that build skill, fitness and enjoyment.
Equestrian
For girls who already compete in Equestrian at a competitive level and own their own horse, our Equestrian Team competes in Interschool events including the NSW Interschools’ Championships and National Equestrian Championships. This is not a learn-to-ride program.
Fencing
Led by accredited coaches, our Fencing program builds technique and strategy in a fun, motivating atmosphere, with pathways for both social fencers and those wishing to compete through the Fencing NSW school age program.
Futsal
Based around the NSW Futsal Schools Championships, this program trains girls interested in selection to the Pymble Futsal team. Representative teams compete at the Regional Championships, with successful teams progressing to the State and National Championships.
Golf
A specialised Golf Coach helps girls learn or refine the fundamentals of Golf, from range-based instruction and chipping and putting through to bunker play and course play, catering for beginners and experienced players alike.
Health and Fitness
Girls in Years 7 to 12 can access the Braith Williams Aquatic and Fitness Centre’s weights area for resistance and cardiovascular training, supported by our Strength and Conditioning Coach, or build flexibility, strength and core control through Pilates.
Co-curricular Sports
Orienteering
An exciting, fast-paced sport combining cardio fitness and stamina with a cross-country race through a set course, with a few tricky factors that make it part of the fun.
Sailing
Designed for girls of all abilities, our Sailing program places students into Beginner or Advanced training groups, developing the fundamentals of sailing a Pacer boat through to race tactics and strategy, with experienced instructors from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
Surfing
Delivered as a Surf Intensive Holiday Camp by Manly Surf School at Long Reef Beach, offering longer surf sessions for more water time and a focus on teamwork, camaraderie and shared achievement.
Taekwondo
A modern martial art characterised by fast, high spinning kicks, blocks and punches, our Taekwondo program develops aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, power and core strength, suiting any ability from beginners through to black belts.
Triathlon
Joining the Pymble Triathlon team gives girls the opportunity to compete individually or as part of a team in the NSWCIS Teams Triathlon, with the chance to progress, if selected, to the NSW All Schools Triathlon.
Meet our changemakers
Olympic Pathways and Pymble Elite Sportswoman’s Program
Explore our world-class facilities
Frequently asked questions
What sports can my daughter get involved in at Pymble?
Our extensive range spans team and individual sports, including: Netball, Football, Hockey, Basketball, Touch Football, Water Polo, Volleyball, Rugby Sevens, AFL, Rowing, Swimming, Diving, Gymnastics, Athletics and Cross Country, Tennis, Golf, Fencing, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Badminton, Futsal, Orienteering, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Sailing, Snowsports and Equestrian. Whatever her level or interest, there’s very likely a pathway for your daughter.
Does my daughter need previous experience to join a sport?
For most sports, no. Programs like AFL, Football and Touch Football Skills Sessions and our Active Tennis Squad are all designed to welcome complete beginners alongside more experienced players. A few programs do assume existing experience: Equestrian requires girls to already compete and own their own horse, and Golf, Hockey and some Tennis pathways have entry points for more advanced players. Where a program is selective, this is noted when registering.
What's the difference between the open/recreational programs and the selective squads?
Most Pymble sports are open to every ability, from complete beginners through to igsa representative level. Football, Basketball, Touch Football and Water Polo, for example, all have graded igsa Saturday competitions welcoming any girl. A smaller number of pathways sit above this as invitation or trial-based squads, including Competitive Artistic Gymnastics, Performance Diving, the Netball Academy, Big Aces Tennis, and our Senior and Junior Hockey Firsts Squads.
How does my daughter get selected for a representative or elite squad?
Selection generally happens through trials or through progression from our open training programs. Artistic Gymnastics offers are sent to families in Term 4 each year, for instance, and Tennis’s Tildesley Shield selects around 38 students annually by trial. If your daughter already competes at a high level in a sport before joining Pymble, it’s worth mentioning this during enrolment so she can be connected with the right Co-ordinator and trial pathway early.
What is igsa competition, and does every girl get to take part?
The Independent Girls’ Schools Sports Association (igsa) is our graded Saturday interschool competition, run across most sports for Years 3 to 12. Being graded, it caters for every ability, from a girl playing her first season of Basketball or Touch Football through to our most competitive representative athletes.
Are any sports run by outside organisations rather than Pymble coaches?
Yes. We partner with specialist external providers for our Sailing, Surfing and Equestrian programs. All Swimming enquiries and bookings go directly through Pymble Swimming.
Does my daughter need her own equipment?
This varies by sport. Most programs require students to purchase their own equipment.
Can girls access strength and conditioning or gym facilities as part of Sport?
Yes. Years 7 to 12 have access to the Braith Williams Aquatic and Fitness Centre’s weights area for resistance and cardiovascular training, supported by a Strength and Conditioning Coach, as well as Pilates for flexibility, strength and core control.
What does a program cost?
Costs vary by sport, particularly where external venues, specialist coaching or interstate/national competitions are involved.
Can my daughter play more than one sport?
Yes. Many girls play across different seasons or terms, and some combine a squad-level commitment with a more social option. We encourage families to keep their daughter’s weekly training load balanced alongside academic commitments.