SCHOOL rivalries are about to heat up once the bell goes to finish the term – and it is the teachers wearing their should colours proud.
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For Caledonian Primary School, the battle will be on the greens at the Victorian Teachers’ Games, which kick off in Ballarat on Sunday.
Caldonian will have two teams contesting social lawn bowls fours and are hoping a few more colleagues will come and cheer loud from the sidelines to really help foster a hometown crowd.
Ballarat is set to host hundreds of teachers from across the state in more than 30 sporting disciplines. Some competitions are taken more seriously than others, from the traditional running and swimming to bubble football and amazing race.
“Our bowls will be pretty social, we chose the social one. It will be a bit of fun, especially catching up with teachers from other schools,” Caledonian’s Chris Procketer said. “It’s a good way to start the school holidays.”
Caledonian’s school mascot is the pelican, representing resilience, which their teachers must channel with about 700 bowlers expected to take to the greens at Webbcona, then under the Sebastopol Superdome, in three days of competition.
Dragon Boat racing will make its Victorian Teachers’ Games debut on Lake Wendouree. About 60 teachers are expected to get paddling in a series of 200-metre races, vying for the lowest aggregate times.
Amazing Race competitor numbers have doubled this year with 300 competitors set to scurry about Ballarat streets for three hours on Sunday afternoon to complete challenges for a coveted medal.
Games organisers have been particularly shocked by such a strong sign-up to croquet, in what they had thought was a sport that would “need attention”.
More than 50 teachers will suit-up at Prince of Wales Park for croquet.
Social night activities also form a big part of Games post-competition action.
Night activities will offer out-of-town teachers a good taste of Ballarat. These will include Blood on the Southern Cross at Sovereign Hill, sold out nightly ghost tours, trivia challenge and Hop Temple music bingo. Teachers can also take part in local brewery and wine tours.
School Sport Victoria chief executive officer Jude Maguire, in announcing the Games venue for this year, said Ballarat had a great mix of sporting facilities and night life.