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The NSW All Schools Organising Committee is excited to announce Mr. John Sparks from the Catholic
Education Diocese of Wollongong as the 2025 Chef de Mission (“Head of Mission”) for the second
instalment of the School Sport Australia Games (SSAG02) in July in Moreton Bay, Queensland.
Mr. Sparks was appointed as the inaugural Chef de Mission at the 2024 SSA Games, with his appointment
again in 2025 being a clear demonstration of the esteem in which he is held. Mr. Sparks brings a vast
array of experience to the role, having been involved in the school sport pathway for the last thirty years.
Having commenced as a Wollongong Diocese sport representative in 1995, Mr Sparks was subsequently
appointed as the NSW Catholic Primary Schools (CPS) and Combined Catholic College (CCC) chairperson
in 2000, a role which he held from the next twenty-two years. Mr Sparks has led pathway sport for
twelve Secondary schools and thirty Primary schools including planning, administrative and delivery of
major sporting events, leading K-12 teams of sport coordinators and convenors across the system of
schools. Mr Sparks has also held convening roles across a number of sports, including Swimming,
Basketball, Tennis and Touch Football.
Mr Sparks made his intentions very clear leading into SSAG02, “A key goal during the Games will be to
create a shared vision of sporting excellence for all NSW teams, drawing on the experience,
commitment, and passion of each coach, manager and team official. The student athletes in our care
remain our priority and it is paramount that we provide our students with every opportunity to display
their skill and talent in a trusting and positive team environment”, suggested Mr. Sparks.
“Staff will be working with the most elite student athletes in NSW” Mr Sparks continued, “and the games
will be a wonderful opportunity and reward for not only our athletes but for their parents and supporters
who have invested so much time into their sporting journeys.”
Mr Sparks has a special connection to the school sport pathway as both a player and a parent, having
represented the Australian Schoolboys Rugby League team on a tour of France and England in 1979-80
and having watched his daughters participate in NSW All Schools Basketball teams at various SSA
championships.
The NSW All Schools Organising Committee is excited to announce Mr. John Sparks from the Catholic
Education Diocese of Wollongong as the 2025 Chef de Mission (“Head of Mission”) for the second
instalment of the School Sport Australia Games (SSAG02) in July in Moreton Bay, Queensland.
Visit app.education.nsw.gov.au/sport/nsw-all-schools for more information
About the SSA Games
The second School Sport Australia Games (SSAG02) will see over 1250 participants converge on the City
of Moreton Bay in South East Queensland from July 26-August 2, 2025, to compete across nine sports:
Australian football, basketball, bowls, diving, football, golf, netball, rugby league and swimming.
Press Release: http://www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/FinalisedPress-Release-Launch-of-SSAG02-2025-21224-1.pdf
W: https://www.schoolsportaustralia.edu.au
About the Chef de Mission Role
The Chef de Mission (“head of mission”) is the lead delegate of the NSW All Schools team at the School
Sport Australia Games.
The role of the Chef de Mission is to oversee:
• NSW team culture and events
• NSW delegate at SSA events
• Act as a team leader for all sports’ Managers-in-Charge (MICs)
• Support for NSW All Schools coaches and managers
• Team-building and unity amongst all NSW sports
About NSW All Schools
NSW All Schools provides opportunities for secondary students from the Catholic, Government and
Independent sectors to participate in representative sport at the national level
W: https://app.education.nsw.gov.au/sport/nsw-all-schools
F: https://www.facebook.com/nswallschoolssport