The Interschools Diaries by Georgia Brose

By Georgia Brose (Tamborine Mountain State High School, QLD)

I started competing in Interschools when I was seven years old, in 2011, and have been competing in them for nine years. I only participated in the skiing events until I was nine, when I competed in my first snowboard event.

I remember that on the first day of me learning how to snowboard, my dad was joking about it and told me he had entered me into the Interschools event that was happening in two days’ time (little did I know it was not a joke). So on my third day of learning to snowboard I found myself at the top of the Front Valley course. I managed to get down the course without falling and I finished the two runs with a combined time of about 300 seconds (5 minutes). I was the only female snowboarder in division 5 that day, so I placed first.

From there, every year I have competed in most disciplines: Alpine, Skier X, Boarder X and Board GS. My favourite disciplines are Boarder X and Board GS.

I have always loved the Interschools events as they were a lot of fun and having the opportunity to be on a race course was great, but I started to get really competitive when I reached division 3 at 13. Rod Bailey was my first race coach and he taught me some very valuable skills. He gave me ‘race’ confidence in myself that cut my times by 10 seconds a run. Coming from Queensland, we didn’t get much training on snow, so we built a trampoline park in our backyard and would train most afternoons after school. Dad made us rubber skis and boards and we would bounce around and have a ball. Usually when we got to the snow we were ready to go, as much of the skills, fitness and balance were similar to being on the snow.

One of my favorite memories of Interschools dates back to when the States were still competing together. My dad made a bet with me that if I made the top-3 he would buy me a new snowboard and boots. This was my first year in division 3 and, like I said earlier, I had started to get more competitive that year. By 7pm that night I had a new snowboard and boots (and a big smile) because I had placed third.

I really missed the competition this year, the adrenaline of racing and just the fun of being on the snow. This is the first year I haven’t been to Perisher since I was four months old. In 2019 I started hardbooting on my board for GS and achieved a top-10 at National. I was hoping to improve on that this year, particularly as the Nationals were at my home resort (yes, Perisher is my home resort even though it is a 17 hour drive away).

I am still annoyed at myself for losing that edge on the last corner in the BX final at the Buller nationals last year! I had worked so hard to qualify 8th for the final and was so close to finishing. That was the last time I had my board on, and it is the last memory of my racing. Now I am stuck with that memory for another year…..NOT HAPPY COVID!!! I started year 11 this year, so I have been focusing on school. Getting my learner driver licence at the start of the year and trying to complete my 100 hours has been the biggest change this year.

I know what I will not miss though...I will not miss Mr Cooper pronouncing my name in three different ways over the microphone (usually all wrong) and then giving up (thank you Mrs Baker for helping him, I know he genuinely tries). And my dad, yelling out “Queenslander” at the top of his voice every time I get to the start gates!

While I know there is so much going on in the world and things could be so much worse, I quietly have my little ‘first world’ whinge and to my friends and family that I really miss the snow and the Interschools. One of the saddest things is that I only have one more year of Interschools, so everything is crossed, wishing that we all get back to normal soon. Special thanks to everyone involved in organising them each year as they have been the reason that I have so many great memories and have had so much fun!