Sports Bulletin – Issue 12, 1 September 2023

Congratulations to our First XIII Rugby League team for an inspiring victory over premiership favourites Padua College last Saturday 26 August. Led by Captain Cameron Bukowski, our boys dug deep in the closing minutes to score two late tries winning 28-24. This sets the team up for a final round showdown with Iona College in Round 6. A special mention also to our Basketball First V who continued their unbeaten run and our Tennis First IV for a hard fought 6-2 victory.

In recent weeks, Term 1 and Term 2 sporting squads have been selected for pre-season training. It is important to note here that selections for initial Firsts or Development Squads are not final; there can still be movement in and out of the squads at any time. In all cases, in-season sports take priority over pre-season training if there is a clash with schedules. To ensure boys can commit to multiple sports, students are encouraged to meet with Sports Office staff to discuss alternative training arrangements.

Following the conclusion of Basketball, Tennis and Rugby League, our focus shifts wholeheartedly to Track & Field. There will be holiday sessions allocated for interested students and Week 1, Term 4 will be clear of all other sports so that Track & Field training and the AIC Championships on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 October can take priority.

Term 4 dates to remember:

• Week 1, Term 4:
  • 3/10/23 – Track & Field training at Villa Park
  • 4/10/23 – Track & Field training at SAF
  • 5/10/23 & 6/10/23 – AIC Track & Field Championships
• Week 2:
  • Pre-season training for Swimming commences
  • Pre-season training for Firsts Squads and Development squads in AFL, Cricket, Volleyball, Football and Rugby Union commences
• Week 4 – AIC Cricket selection trials commence (all year levels)
• Week 5 – AIC AFL and Volleyball selection trials commence (all year levels)
• Week 6 – Pre-season games vs Iona College
• Week 7 – Pre-season games vs St Laurence’s College

Term 3 Results

Basketball – Round 5 results

Rugby League – Round 5 results

Tennis – Round 5 results

Communications
Families are reminded to access all Sport information via the Villanova College website and the Villanova College App. The Locker Room tab provides updated information regarding training schedules and current AIC/trial draws.

The AIC Draw 2023 can also be accessed here. A note that in some cases, draws may not match the AIC Draw. Families are encouraged to always check The Locker Room for accurate draws. Weekly Team Lists will be posted regularly to the Parent Lounge and Student Cafe Portals.

Sports Club
The Villa Sports Club are looking for volunteers this Saturday 2 September on the Goold Hall canteen. There is no link to register this weekend, just turn up on the day to lend a hand if you are available. Thank you.

Dogs at AIC Sporting Venues
A reminder to all parents that due to Health and Safety requirements, all AIC Sporting venues are dog free venues including Villa Park. Please do not bring your dog/s.

Team Photos – Tennis
Year 7, 8 and 9 Basketball teams will have their team photos taken at Villanova College this Saturday 2 September. This will include teams playing games at St Martin’s Catholic Primary School. See schedule below:

The following teams will have team photos taken on Friday afternoon 8 September. Photos will be scheduled at Villanova College from 2:15pm. Schedule with timings to be released next week.

• Rugby League – 6A and 6B.
• Basketball – Year 5A,B,C,D and Year 6A,B,C,D.

The following teams will have team photos taken on Saturday 9 September at St Martin’s Catholic Primary School. Schedule with timings to be released next week.

• Basketball – Open 3rds, Open 4ths, 11B and 11C.

Training Schedules
Please see below the Term 3 training schedule for Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis.

Term 3 Training Schedule

This training schedule will remain until the end of Term 3. A new schedule will commence from Week 2, Term 4.

Mr Shaun McLean, Director of Sport

It was a great to return to the Basketball court once again after the AIC bye weekend, I know students have been keen to continue with the AIC season. We returned to face a well-drilled Padua College in what would be some tough encounters. It was a great day of results for Villanova Basketball and our teams and coaches should be very proud, but I want to make specific mention and thank those teams who didn’t finish the game as the winner, the behaviour these young men displayed was a great representation of our College.

It was another dominant performance by our First V team, Head Coach Jordan had this to say; “After a couple of weeks off the boys were keen to get back on the floor. A hot start saw us get going early and the friendly rims made for a show for the Villa faithful who had travelled out to Padua. Congrats to Callum McMahon who got his first First V minutes and has been a valued member of the program for a number of years, getting a bucket in the fourth quarter much to the delight of his fellow teammates. Both Josh Rheinberger and Cooper Long also made their debuts for the First V coming off the bench and slotting right into the rotation.”

We have a number of teams in Premiership contention, some remaining undefeated, but with two rounds of the season remaining, I encourage teams to remain focused on the task at hand and the next step in front of them. Focusing on a good process is the key to a good outcome.

Finally, a reminder that team photos will be taken this weekend for our Year 7-9 teams playing at home (Villanova College or St Martin’s). We are asking for the teams playing at St Martin’s to head to Villanova College for their photo prior to their match.

I wish all the best to all teams for this weekend v Iona.

Mr Todd Kropp, Basketball Coordinator

Round 5 of the 2023 AIC Rugby League season has concluded, and it proved to be a challenging and exciting week for Villanova College. With three wins and seven losses across all our teams, it was indeed a tough round that tested the mettle of our players.

Padua College, a consistently formidable opponent, lived up to their reputation, showcasing their strong rugby league culture. Their teams presented stern challenges, pushing our boys to their limits. Despite the overall challenges faced, Round 5 witnessed an extraordinary display of determination and grit from many of our teams. This unwavering commitment to excellence was evident throughout the day.

A special mention goes out to our Year 8 team, who secured the first win of the day. Hugh Stanbury deserves recognition for his remarkable performance, netting an impressive hat trick (three tries) and leading his team to victory.

Additionally, our Year 10 team showcased immense resilience in a closely contested match that came down to the wire. The boys dug deep and displayed exceptional teamwork, setting the stage for a crucial upcoming weekend where a win could potentially secure a premiership or a shared premiership, depending on the outcome of Round 7 matches.

Our First XIII team delivered one of the most memorable performances, leaving our experienced coaching staff in awe. Facing Padua, who had entered Round 5 undefeated, the odds seemed stacked against us when we were reduced to 12 players after a send-off just 15 minutes into the first half.

Despite the adversity, our boys displayed remarkable grit and determination throughout the match. With only a minute remaining and the score tied at 24-24, they exhibited brilliance by executing a well-timed play down the short side that led to a match-winning try. Captain Cameron Bukowski was instrumental in leading the team to victory, contributing with an outstanding hat trick of tries. The Round 5 win now sets the stage for a thrilling premiership clash against Iona College in Round 6.

Looking ahead, Round 6 sees us face off against Iona College in what promises to be another intense showdown. This will be our final round for the 2023 AIC Season, with Villanova on a BYE for Round 7. Our Junior teams will be competing at Iona College, while our Year 7 to Open teams will be battling it out at St Patrick’s College playing fields at Sandgate. We urge everyone to plan their travel accordingly, ensuring they arrive at least 30 minutes before their scheduled kick-off time.

For game times and other important information, please refer to the draw posted on the College website. We wish the best of luck to all our teams for the final round of the 2023 AIC rugby league season. Let’s dig deep, play within the spirit of the game, and wholeheartedly support each other as we aim to finish the season on the highest of notes.

Mr Blake McLauchlan, Rugby League Coordinator

Tennis First IV
Coming off an excellent win against St Edmund’s before the mid-season break, the First IV were ready for a strong challenge from Padua with both teams coming into the tie with the same overall record so far this season. Given this, the team produced by far the best performance of the season, defeating Padua by six matches to two away at Shaw Park.

Our doubles performances were exceptional, winning all four matches convincingly. Stand out performances from our second doubles pair, Ollie Simmons and Marcel Colette, winning both their doubles matches for the first time this year, defeating the number one pair from Padua 6-2 in the process. Their hard work at training on their doubles skills were on show for all to see with significant improvements technically and tactically from the start of the season.

On the singles court, the tie was much closer, splitting the matches overall. A dominant performance from our captain Adam Zanatta on the singles court, winning convincingly 6-0, 6-1. As well as this, the performance of Reuben Wagels was also a standout. In his debut as our number one player, Reuben fought incredibly hard winning in a super tiebreak 6-4, 2-6, 10-4.

This weekend will be another huge challenge for the First IV, travelling to Lindum to take on Iona.

Mr Justin Musumeci, First IV Manager

Tennis
I would like to congratulate all our Villa tennis players from our Round 5 matches against Padua. The program continues to grow, I’m very proud of each player’s attitude as they continue to train hard every week, which is showing in some positive results on the court.

I had the opportunity to watch the Year 5 – 8 matches that were played at our home venue at Morningside. It was very satisfying to see how competitive our players were, and how far they have come from the beginning of the season. It was great to watch our boys compete in tie-break situations with the same determination that they started the match.  It is certainly much easier said than done – but I encourage all our players to value and fight for every opportunity to win a rally, game, or set.

As we draw down to the last two rounds of competition against Iona and SPLC, I ask all players to keep working hard at training and to finish the season strongly.  As always, please check the ‘weekly draw’ for your match venue and match times. Good luck to all sporting teams in your Round 6 matches against Iona.

Mr Nathan Dufty, Tennis Coordinator

Pre-season Meet 3 is on Thursday 7 September at the SAF (State Athletics Facility – Kessels Rd Nathan). Please visit the College website Locker Room page for further details. With just two meets to get times and distances, athletes are urged to attend to allow coaches to start to finalise the team for the AIC Championships in October. The squad will be reduced to allow for final numbers to face off against each other in jostling for the last few spots on the team. Boys attending the Meet next week are to register for the bus outside the Sports Office by Monday.

Numbers are restricted in Field events, and athletes will be told if they are required to compete next week at either training on Tuesday or Wednesday. All sprinters are still encouraged to run both the 100m and 200m events next week.

Junior School students will be bussed at 2pm to SAF and will return at 5pm. Middle and Senior School students will depart at 3pm and a bus will return at the conclusion of the last event and arrive back to the College at approximately 8:15pm. Parents are welcome to attend and take their son/s home when they have finished their events.

AIC TRACK & FIELD TRAINING DATES & VENUES – 2023

Mr Chris Everding, Track & Field Coordinator

STRETCHING – the forgotten X factor!

In sports, where agility and strength dominate the playing fields (and courts), one often overlooked aspect that holds the key to enhanced performance is flexibility.

Especially when it comes to young athletes, progressing through various phases of maturity, the importance of incorporating stretching and flexibility exercises cannot be emphasized enough.

Not only does it complement gym work, but it also offers a range of benefits that directly impact both performance and recovery. Let’s have a look at them:

Youth athletes undergo distinct phases of physical development, from childhood to teenager and young adults. During these periods, muscles, tendons, and ligaments grow and adapt differently. Incorporating regular stretching routines tailored to the specific phase of development can aid in preventing injuries, enhancing flexibility, and promoting overall joint health.

As we know, gym sessions, are essential for building strength and power, but can sometimes lead to muscle tightness and reduced mobility.

Good S&C programs must integrate flexibility and mobility exercises into the training regimen ensures a well-rounded approach to physical fitness. A supple body not only reduces the risk of injuries but also enhances an athlete’s ability to execute precise movements on the field or court.

Beyond injury prevention and recovery, improved flexibility translates to heightened performance. Athletes with increased suppleness can achieve a wider range of motion, enabling them to execute movements more efficiently. Whether it’s a soccer player swiftly changing direction, a basketball player making a quick pivot, or a tennis player lunging for a ball, flexibility is the key to unlocking dynamic athleticism.

In conclusion, stretching and flexibility are integral components of a comprehensive training regimen for youth athletes engaged in field and court sports. By adapting stretching routines to different phases of maturity, athletes can establish a strong foundation for preventing injuries and promoting joint health. Integrating flexibility exercises alongside strength training strikes a balance that contributes to overall physical prowess.

Mr Marco Mastrorocco, S&C Coordinator

Looking to play club cricket in Term 4?
REGISTRATIONS CLOSE WEDNESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER

Zone Cricket Registrations

Term 4 Zone Cricket Club program includes:

• Morning training sessions based at Little Langlands nets which is convenient for parent drop off.
• A professional skill based weekly “coaching program” included in the rego costs.
• Opportunity for “higher divisions” to play weekly matches on turf.
• Saturday morning matches Vs other local cricket clubs.
• Fun end of season cricket presentation day at Villa Park.
• A chance to meet new mates whilst having plenty of fun.

A big congratulations to Hugo Harrison (Year 12) who competed at the Metropolitan East Track & Field Championships this past week.
Hugo competed in the 100m and 200m sprints, placing first in the 100m and second in 200m. Congratulations, Hugo!