Rowing on the small creek in second hand dugouts, running races through the mangrove swamps, sailing on the Nerang River in makeshift boats, bowling a ball on a patch of dirt, lobbing a ball over a crude net or tackling on the sandy ground was the starting place for most of the boys of the Southport School. The House System introduced in 1907 brought the fierce competitiveness out in boys not only amongst themselves, but against other schools.
As the school grew, the need for facilities also increased with proper tennis courts, a cricket pitch, a football field and a rowing shed were prepared around the grounds.
When the GPS Association was first formed in 1918, TSS willingly sent eager teams and athletes to all of the various GPS sports. This gave the boys a chance to band together in teams and compete not just against each other.
Shooting, Wrestling, kayaking and Clay Pigeon shooting were just some of the sports the boys enjoyed competing in that are not part of the sporting program today.
The primitive conditions back in the 1900’s saw the boys walking miles to compete against other schools in the area and travelling to compete in the GPS competitions, catching the old “Rattler” train from Nerang to Brisbane, a jaunty two and three quarter hour long trip one way.
Excelling at Rowing and winning the first inter school challenge in 1908 and scoring 11 wins since the first official GPS Head of the River Regatta in 1918, Rowing is still an integral part of the school today.
TSS boys played AFL, soccer then Rugby League until the GPS introduced Rugby Union in 1928.
Some critics still regard the undefeated Rugby premieres of 1933 as the best team to have represented TSS with six in the GPS firsts XV and had their lines crossed only four times in the whole season.
Producing over 17 Wallaby and countless National and International representatives, TSS is proud of their Rugby program
GPS Athletics have produced a few standout athletes for TSS with Ron Yates who won 9 GPS races with some records and Yates record set in 1930 of 220 yards in 22 seconds stayed unbeaten for years.
Cricket at TSS is always a formidable strength and dominated the 1920’s with GPS premierships won in all years except for 1922, 1924 and 1925. Many a TSS cricketer has gone on to great things such as Billy Stanlake who is currently bowling in the Australian team of 2018.
TSS has only ever pulled out of the GPS competitions in 1919, due to a world outbreak of the deadly Spanish Flu and the Two World Wars when student numbers were at an all- time low.
TSS is a committed member of the music and cultural GPS programs and actively promotes the spirit of fellowship. Although a relatively small school compared to some of the other GPS schools, TSS has been successful in most of the GPS sports throughout the years, with a fine reputation and a never say die attitude makes this Band of Brothers a formidable competitor and a respected rival.
