WHEN you win one major school sporting championship you say well done, when you win two you have a major party and when you win all three you get the keys to the city.
And that’s how it was for Ipswich State High last Friday night with Mayor Teresa Harding handing them the ultimate city honour.
The school’s first 13 rugby league team ran through the season undefeated and along the way won the top three trophies in the land.
Mayor Harding said handing the school the keys to the city was a fitting way to acknowledge their historic triple-title sporting achievement.
“Ipswich State High School has a long and proud history as a nursery for future rugby league stars and it’s clear the next generation of stars will continue to come from Ipswich,” she said.
“Ipswich High took its sporting achievements to another level by winning the Allan Langer Cup, Phil Hall Cup and National Schoolboys Cup in the same year.
“On behalf of the City of Ipswich I congratulate the school and their supporters for continuing Ipswich’s legacy of producing the best of the best.”
Cr Andrew Fechner said it was wonderful to see the community turn out to celebrate these young people.
“As we head to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, moments like Friday night remind us why sport is so important,” he said.
“The Keys to the City ceremony bought the community together in a shared goal of celebrating the outstanding achievements of a special group of young people and teachers, who climbed to the top and took the city along with them.”
Principal of Ipswich State High School Michelle Campbell accepted the keys on behalf of the school.
“All squad members and coaching staff received a medallion to mark the occasion and the Keys to the City have been given pride of place in the centre of our rugby league trophies,” Ms Campbell said.
“I want to thank the City of Ipswich for this honour and our success this year was the result of a decade of hard work and dedication built from our Boys Rugby League Program of Excellence.
“The program provides an elite pathway for rugby league players to develop.
However, the core of the program is education and personal growth for these young men. These are the values we are most proud of.”
Ipswich State High School rugby league captain Josiah Pahulu thanked the city for supporting them.
“Getting the keys was outstanding not just for us but for the whole of Ipswich State High School,” Mr Pahulu said.
“This award shows how much support we have in the community.
“We want to always be students of learning and continue to grow and build leaders and seeing what we have achieved this year makes me excited about the coming years.”
