Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne


The Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne are a group of twenty two independent secondary schools in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The schools compete against one another in sporting competitions.

History

The first instance of the Independent Schools in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne coming together is in 1964 as the Eastern Independent Schools Association. Initially the competition was for boys only, and the only sport offered was Australian Rules Football. It developed rapidly to include Athletics, Cross-Country and Swimming carnivals, Cricket, Tennis, and Debating. These competitions were held on Saturdays. The 1966 Swimming carnival was held at Croydon Memorial Pool on 5 March. Tennis, Softball and a Swimming carnival were contested for the first time in the 1971 season. The Boys by this stage had included Soccer, Basketball and Table Tennis into their sporting fixtures.

Cultural Component

Part of the original intention of the EISM was for it to have a cultural component for the boys. This took the form of a Music Festival. Students from all schools would meet at a central venue and give a performance. The girls also had the opportunity to do this and also participate in a Drama festival which was discontinued in 1982 due to lack of interest.

Amalgamation of EISA & EIGSA

In 1978, moves were initiated to combine the boys and girls competitions, with the 2 meeting formally in the middle of Term 2, 1978. After 12 months of joint meetings, the motion That there be an amalgamation of E.I.S.A. with E.I.G.S.A. to form one association was put to the principals' meeting on 8 August 1979. The motion was defeated. An alternative motion was then put which established a committee of principals and sport teachers whose task was to investigate the special needs of schools and also draw up a draft set of rules and regulations. The second draft of this committee had the name of the association as the ESISA, The Eastern Suburban Independent Schools Association. Eventually, the name Association of Eastern Independent Schools was agreed upon in April 1980.

Schools

Current Member Schools

Former Member Schools

SchoolLocationYears Competed
John Paul CollegeFrankston1980-1886
Kingswood CollegeDoncaster1987-1989
Lilydale Adventist AcademyLilydale?-2011
Loyola CollegeWatsonia1991-1997
Mater Christi CollegeBelgrave1977-?
Mazenod CollegeMulgrave1968-1998
Mt Evelyn Christian SchoolMount EvelynAssociate
Our Lady of Sion CollegeBox Hill?-1997
Sacred Heart Girls' CollegeOakleigh1980s-?
Salesian CollegeChadstone1966-67, 1984-1998
St Bede's CollegeMentone1987-1997
St John's Regional CollegeDandenong1983-1986
St Joseph's CollegeFerntree Gully1966 - 2016
St Leonard's CollegeBrighton East?-1997
St Leo's CollegeBox Hill1964-1994
St Michael's Grammar SchoolSt Kilda1980-1997
St Thomas More CollegeForest Hill1966-1979
Wesley CollegeGlen WaverleyAssociate
Whitefriars CollegeDonvale1964-1988
Westbourne Grammar SchoolTruganina?-1997
Yarra Valley Grammar SchoolRingwood1967-68, 1987-1997

Eastern Independent Girls Schools Association (1970-1980)

There was a push for girls to have access to inter-school sport, and after extensive meetings in 1970 the following schools formed the EIGSA:
SchoolYears Competed
Aquinas College1970-1977
Chavoin College1970-1979
Huntingtower School1970-1980
Luther College1970-1980
Kingwood College1978
Mater Christi College1977
Mt Lilydale Mercy College1970-?
Mount Scopus Memorial College1970-?
Our Lady of Sion College1970-?

Carnivals

Swimming - Division 1

Athletics - Division 1

Cross Country

Note that schools are divided into three separate divisions which are determined by student population rather than level of ability.
SchoolDivisionNo. Championships
HuntingtowerCentral15
LutherEastern13
AquinasEastern10
Rudolf SteinerSouthern3
Donvale Christian CollegeCentral3
OxleyCentral2
Mount Lilydale Mercy CollegeCentral2
St Leonard'sEastern2
Alphington Grammar SchoolSouthern1

Presidents of the Association

Sports

Students from Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne participate in a wide range of sporting activities including:
;Weekly Sports
;Carnivals