Profile - Wayland Gock

What are your strongest memories of NSBHS?

Probably not the fondest memory, but the first one that comes to mind is my pencil case continually being set on fire in Chemistry class by Jim or Owen and the contents of my pencil case being tossed out of the class room in English/Maths (the 2^nd level of B quad). I have always remembered an image of Adrian Buddle being hit in the head with a softball bat by some mystery person, Adrian leaning over and then when he got up that he had blood streaming down his face like the cover of the horror movie “Carrie”. The mystery was solved when I read John Chambers’ blog. The cheap iron-on falcon that was our official uniform. Awful school coloured tie – maroon, pink and yellow…for a boys school, what were they thinking. The lunchtime rush to get to the canteen and that English teacher (Mrs McLean?) who would let someone go early to buy her lunch to avoid the rush, there were always plenty of volunteers. Handball in C quad. A big build up to a fight between George Kostas and David Filmer, can’t remember what actually happened. The Asian connection/invasion – Ming Woo, Ben Teh, Tak Young, Percy Yeoh. Discussions about wrestlers like King Kong Bundy and Andre the Giant with the likes of Ming, Ben and Anthony “Blob” Robinson. End of year activities with NSGHS such as golf and watching movies, I remember we thought that “The Shining” was a really scary movie. The NSBHS rugby team and Ming Woo continually getting some degree of concussion each game. The squeeze to get onto the 254 bus to go home, switching to a private bus at Lane Cove shops and buying hot chips or scallops while we waited. Learning the 2^nd verse of the Australian national anthem. Teachers – Lynch, Weiss, Jackson, Whittaker, Hilditch, Williams, Causer.

Summarise briefly your life since school

Straight after year 12 I went to UTS and did a bachelor of Information Technology, although I was briefly enrolled in electrical engineering. Graduated in 1990, started work with a software consultancy company Logica in 1991. Worked there for 3 years before joining Westpac institutional bank in the IT department in 1994. I am still at Westpac now with 12 years under my belt, but the benefit of being in a big company is that you can change work without changing companies. I have continued in the IT field, but have changed roles within Westpac almost 10 times and am currently working as an implementation manager for an upgrade to the online banking system. Started going out with Amy (a long time friend from church ) whilst we were both in uni and we got married in 1994. We started our family in 1998 with Megan (8 yo), then Stuart (6 yo) and finally Peter (4 yo). I have kept in touch mostly with Ben Teh and less frequently with Ming Woo and Tak Young. In fact, Ben has been taking our family photos for us for quite a few years now, even before he turned professional, and the one attached is one he took back in Nov 2005. You can even see our kids on his website www.benteh.com (a bit of free advertising for you Ben). We were involved with a church plant in Concord from 1994 and then joined a local Anglican church in 2003. We have also had community involvement in our local preschool and primary school in Concord where we now live. I have had various active interests since school including squash, volleyball and rock climbing, but most recently I have been playing touch football in a local competition for about 8-9 years. This was obviously a safer choice for me than playing rugby where with my size I would have been snapped in half when tackled. I have also taken up running so that my football is more enjoyable, and ran in my 4th City to Surf this year.

Who are the most important people in your life today?

My life would be incomplete without my wife Amy and our 3 bundles of joy / laughter / frustration in Megan, Stuart and Peter.