A new era for sports high schools will start in 2025 with James Kozlowski taking over the reins as President of the NSW Sports High Schools Association.

The baton was passed to Mr Kozlowski, Principal at Endeavour Sports High School, at a recent function to celebrate a decade of the association.

Outgoing president and association founder, Roger Davis, is set to retire at the end of the year.

The association was founded in 2014 and is instrumental in ensuring sports high schools get a voice within the school system and externally, with burgeoning interest in the many talented athletes they produce.

More than 170 students have represented their country at senior national level from NSW public sports schools, with a bevy of NRL, AFL, basketball, golf and surfing stars also educated through the system.

Next year will see the formal introduction of an eighth sports high school, with Eagle Vale Sports High School starting its Talented Sports Program in rugby league, basketball and cricket.

“We want to position ourselves as the pre-eminent junior sporting talent development pathway in the country. No other organisation, pathway, sporting academy sees their athletes for five days per week, 40 weeks of the year for six years,” Mr Kozlowski said.

“We develop the whole person – their academics, wellbeing, leadership and sporting talent. We are committed to them for the entire high school journey, regardless of where they are on the rollercoaster of the teenage years.”

With the 2032 Brisbane Olympics on the horizon, Mr Kozlowski said the association would look to continue building relationships with the Australian Olympic Committee, Office of Sport, NSW Institute of Sport, state sporting bodies and professional clubs.

Mr Davis, a former principal of Westfields Sports High, was recognised at the recent function for his unbridled passion and ability to get things done.

NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar described him as an inspiration.

“I’ve loved working with Roger,” he said.

“There are very few people in my career that I’ve come across that I find it hard to say no to. He’s so passionate about the kids and the staff and the opportunities that he’s hard to knock back.”

The evening concluded with a question and answer session involving recent and past talent from sports high schools.

Current Wests Tigers NRL star Lachie Galvin, who graduated from Westfields Sports High School in 2023, former Cronulla, NSW and Australia forward Wade Graham (Hills Sports High School), and triple NBL Premiership winner BJ Carter from the Sydney Kings, spoke in glowing terms about the opportunities that sports schools give to young athletes.