Olympians Praise Interschools Program for Providing Strong Pathway Opportunity

An impressive 30 of the 33 Australian Snowsports Olympians taking part in Beijing Winter Olympic Games, kick started their competition through the highly successful Interschools program.

Since 1958 in Victoria (1988 in NSW), Snow Australia’s Interschools program boasts more than 80 Olympians, with the event allowing school aged competitors from prep through to year 12 to compete across eight disciplines.  Every year, more than 7,000 students from close to 700 schools take part in the prestigious event. 

Australia’s newest Winter Olympic gold medallist, Jakara Anthony, got her start at Interschools, and won her first Victorian Interschools Moguls Championship in 2008 as a 10-year-old.

Among the Olympians taking part at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, is recent Jindabyne Central School graduate Josie Baff who will line up in the Snowboard Cross in her first Olympic Games. 

Baff has lost count of how many Interschools competitions she competed in but said it was a pivotal part of launching her competitive career.

“I loved the whole aspect of Interschools, every person there is so lovely and you make really good friendships and I have friends from there I still have, including Abi Harrigan. 

“I went to Jindabyne Central School all the way through from kindergarten to year 12, and Interschools was a very big part of our culture… without Interschools I don’t think I ever would have got into racing the same way.  It’s such a big part of everyone’s introduction to competition.

“I think the whole friendly aspect of Interschools is really nice because it makes such a positive environment for the sport to grow,” she said. 

No matter how many Olympic Games campaigns, the memories from Interschools carry with you, as is the case of triple Olympian Phil Bellingham.

The former Mt Beauty Secondary College (Vic) who has gone on to have a successful international career in cross country, said he remembers the huge amount of talent that he competed alongside during his Interschools days. 

“The Interschools are really good at bringing out a lot of talent… with an abundance of students and potential athletes that could quite possibly move up through the ranks. 

“One of my favourite memories was when I entered the moguls… I thought I was pretty good and went for a 360 off the top jump and ended up so deep in the moguls and just completely exploded and was an absolute yard sale. That was a bit of fun.  

“The cross country guys I raced against are here now and I remember I was the same age as Anton Grimus and not long after that he was going to the Olympics in ski cross. I also came up with Britt (Cox)... so I saw a lot of talent through Interschools. 

“My advice to kids is to get involved! Enter as many events as you can, it’s one of the funnest events you can be involved in as a young skier so just embrace it as much as you can,” he said. 

Bellingham’s words were echoed by Beijing Olympic debutant Matt Cox, who represented Kororo PS and Coffs Harbour High School.

Cox tried his hand at as many snowboard disciplines as he could and now aged 23 years old will line up at his first Olympics in snowboard slopestyle and Big Air. 

“Interschools is a key part of Australian snow sports… you learn so much from it, and get so many friends from it. I’ve made friends with people from Interschools that I still talk to now,” he said. 

Good luck to all Olympians including the graduates of the Snow Australia Interschools program:

Beijing 2022 Olympic Debutants:

Gabi Ash (Aerials) - Korowa Anglican Girls' School
Sophie Ash (Moguls) - Korowa Anglican Girls' School
Josie Baff (Snowboard Cross) – Jindabyne Central School
Matty Cox (Snowboard Slopestyle) – Kororo PS and Coffs Harbour HS
Seve de Campo (Cross Country) – Melbourne Grammar
Adam Dickson (Snowboard Cross) – Snowy Mountains Grammar School
Valentino Guseli (Snowboard Halfpipe) - Red Hill PS ACT, Narooma PS, Narooma HS
Abi Harrigan (Freeski Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Big Air) – Jindabyne Central School
Hugo Hinckfuss (Cross Country) – The Scots College
Madison Hoffman (Alpine) – Newport PS
Louis Muhlen-Schulte (Alpine) – Harrietville Primary, Auburn Primary, Melbourne Grammar
Katie Parker (Alpine) – Wesley College
Cooper Woods (Moguls) - Pambula PS, Lumen Christi Catholic College, Jindabyne Central School
Tess Coady (Snowboard Slopestyle) - St Michaels Grammar

Beijing 2022 Team memebers who have attended a previous Games:

Jakara Anthony - Christian College Geelong
Emily Arthur - St John Bosco
Phil Bellingham - Mt Beauty Secondary College
Cameron Bolton - Melbourne Grammar
Belle Brockhoff - Peninsula Grammar
Britt Cox - The Scots School Albury 
Matt Graham - Central Coast Grammar
Jarryd Hughes - International Grammar, The Scots College, Redlands
Scotty James - Southwood BGS
Sami Kennedy-Sim - Balgowlah Heights PS, Mosman HS, Snowy Mountains Grammar
Adam Lambert - Jindabyne Central School
James Matheson - The Scots College
Taylah O'Neill - Meridian
Laura Peel - Narrabundah College, Merici, Telopea Park
Greta Small - Albury Primary School
Brodie Summers - St Michaels Grammar
Casey Wright - Mount Lilydale Mercy College