Alumni Spotlight: Mike Sinagra (Class of 1981)

It was nearly an hour’s bus ride from the town of Wanneroo to Tuart Hill, followed by a long walk up two hills, which at the time we thought we gigantic. Walking past Grenville Oval, we were always a bit anxious about the possibility of meeting some Tuart Hill High kids, particularly after a large brawl the year before.

Of course, our final years were filled with football premierships, a school ball in Wanneroo, a road trip to Melbourne, and teenage boundary-pushing. For some reason, many incidents in my memory seem to revolve around cars – “borrowing” them, crashing them, racing them. Best to leave the details to our memories.

I was a student councillor. I have found memories of the others and of course, our school captains, Paul and Cathy. Some subjects came easily to me, like mathematics, although that didn’t stop me from, for reasons at the time that I didn’t understand, upsetting our mathematics teach. We had some fabulous teachers, and Mr Paige sticks in my mind for the encouragement and support he provided. In the 80s, the teachers were real characters and we had the whole range.

As I write this, many memories keep resurfacing. Remember the cross-country training? The run down to Green street and back. Lucky for us Dick Mammott lived along the way, so we could duck in, get a drink and wait for the group to return. I also remember getting ‘lost’ on the way to St Denis for Mass.

Strangely, I’ve ended up in education. This is my 40th year. I’ve had a varied career, including spending a few years teaching in Japan, and now I’m a high school principal. I’m not sure many of our teachers, or my classmates for that matter, could have believed that would happen – but here I am.

I’ve travelled extensively and will continue to do so. I attribute some of this to the thirst for knowledge instilled by the teachers at Servite. While in Japan, I had a chance meeting with a martial arts legend which profoundly shaped me. Consequently, I also travel a little to provide Aikido seminars across Australia and internationally. I will be in Japan again this year to demonstrate at an international event.

Like all students, I’m sure I complained about my school, but Servite College has made me who I am and left me with a legacy of fantastic friends whom I wish I saw more often. When we do meet, I feel transported straight back to the schoolyard.