ASSOCIATED PUBLIC SCHOOLS (APS) The 'Associated Public Schools' (APS) is a grouping of Private schools primarily for sporting competition within which the Geelong College participates. The group evolved from ad hoc beginnings in the nineteenth century.
By the mid 1870s several Schools including Scotch College, Wesley College, Geelong Grammar and Melbourne Grammar were competing regularly in rowing. In 1877, according to the Scotch College History, several Schools established a committee to formulate a set of rules for interschool competition and in 1891 made a set of binding rules on members. The Football and Cricket Championships are acknowledged from this date. The Challenger Cup competition for Athletics dates from 1905/6.
The Geelong College joined the group in 1908 to form the first stable association of 6 Schools. These were Geelong College; Geelong Grammar School; Melbourne Grammar School; Scotch College, Melbourne; Wesley College and Xavier College. This was further enlarged to 11 participating Schools in 1958.