Tasmanian statewide high schools athletics carnival returns after 40 years

It seems that the last time a statewide high schools athletics carnival was staged was on November 28, 1981.

So, 40 years on - minus two days - it's going to be given another crack.

The whereabouts of the Amateur Athletic Association Shield and the Colgate Palmolive Trophy last presented on the day to the victorious Northern team are unknown along with the list of record holders - but there is emerging enthusiasm for the revival.

The first iteration was in 1978 and despite being held in Hobart saw a victory for the Northern team which dominated the contest including winning five of the eight relays.

A year later, again in Hobart, the competing teams had to contend with bad weather in the form of gale-force winds and driving rain, but this did not prevent the leading performance in 21 of the events being equal to or better than the inaugural year.

It having been decided that for an even contest there should be two southern teams, on the occasion of this second edition, one of them, from the south-east region, prevailed overall and in the boys' scoring.

North again won the girls' division. Organisers noted their disappointment that the North-West was represented by only three athletes.

The enthusiastic and highly efficient Alan McCreary organised his third carnival in 1980 and pleasingly it was noted that the representation from the North-West lifted considerably.

Reports suggest the Northern side was particularly well-coached, especially in relays, enabling it to regain the overall trophy.

But this time the tables were turned completely with South-East the top girls' team.

There was by then considerable hope for the concept for the future, even contemplation that within a few years it might "rival the standard evidenced in the independent schools sports".

But alas the next edition appears to have been the last to date, even though 29 of the winners produced performances that were the best yet.

The official report noted after another Northern victory by 165 points that "some of the Southern high schools need to look very closely at their representation".

North-West was acknowledged for a "very much improved performance" but 12 months later was blamed for the demise of the competition citing lack of enthusiasm and a willing organiser on the Coast.

Fortunately, four decades on that could not be further from the truth with the region's team ready, willing and eager, despite not as yet having staged their inter-school carnival in 2021.

The three teams have faced different organisational challenges. The South has already moved its carnivals to the beginning of the year, so have had to select their side on a competition held eight months earlier.

By contrast, the Northern High Schools Sports Association finds itself with less then seven days to select and organise its squad with their three regional carnivals having only been completed on Thursday.

But if the athletes respond favourably that should find Team North in a happy place as there was a pleasing rise in performances across all three divisional carnivals on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Maybe it's that the pandemic provided Tasmania's teenage athletes with the opportunity to keep an eye on that which was going on in Tokyo earlier this year, but six weeks into the state's regular track and field season both the numbers and quality of performance are up.

If this revived state high schools carnival does emerge with some promising vibes, then it could provide a valuable cog in the wheel of growing opportunities for youth athletics in Tasmania.

With the state's independent schools once again considering the wise option of moving their athletic programs to terms one and two, there is the opportunity for the North and North-West high schools to follow what their southern counterparts, and Primary School Sport Tasmania, have already done.

It makes sense for a whole swag of reasons but particularly more reliable weather and lack of conflict with examinations and other school commitments at year's end.