Sports Bulletin – Issue 14, 12 October 2023

Congratulations to all members of our Track & Field team for their performances at the AIC Championships last week. Although the overall result was not ideal, we had many outstanding individual and team highlights. Mr Everding, our T&F Coordinator, will address these achievements in his report below. Thank you to all our staff and external coaches who have helped out during the season.

A special mention must go to our Track & Field Captain Hugo Harrison, who defended his Open 100m and 200m titles, and added a win in the Open 4 x 100m relay with teammates Cameron Bukowski, Lachlan Ebrington and Liam Gyetvay. These amazing results helped our Open team in being crowned AIC Champions in 2023.

Across the next two weeks, we offer our final selection of sports and activities for 2023, with Touch Football and Esports on Saturday 21 October and Water Polo on Sunday 22 October. Information on how to register can be found below and on our website Locker Room page.

Term 1 Sport registrations have now closed as we approach selection trials in AFL, Cricket and Volleyball. Please see important dates below for Term 4:

• From Week 2 – AIC Swimming training has commenced on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at Langlands Pool
• 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

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.

Term 4 Sport Registrations – Touch Football and Water Polo

Touch Football
The AIC Touch Football Invitational Carnival is on Saturday 21 October 2023 at St Laurence’s College playing fields at Runcorn. Villa will be nominating Year 7, Year 8/9 and Year 10/11 teams. Please note this invitation is for students with Touch Football playing experience and/or players from higher level Rugby and/or Rugby League teams. It is a competitive carnival, not a ‘learn to play’ type event. Please click on the link provided below to register for Touch Football 2023.
Registrations close midday Friday 13 October.

Water Polo
The AIC Water Polo Invitational Carnival is on Sunday 22 October 2023 at Marist College Ashgrove. Villa will be nominating Year 7, Year 8/9 and Year 10/11 teams. Please note this invitation is for students members of the Villanova College Swimming team and/or students with Water Polo playing experience. Similar to Touch Football, this is a competitive carnival, not a ‘learn to play’ type event. Please click on the link provided below to register for Water Polo 2023.
Registrations close midday Friday 13 October.

For those students keen to be involved in Esports on Saturday 21 October 2023 please contact Mr Jason Lane at jlane@vnc.qld.edu.au.

2023 Sport Photos – Basketball First V and Representative Photos
The following photos are scheduled for Tuesday 17 October 2023 at Villanova College.

• First V Basketball team 2023 – students must bring their full playing uniform for the photo – 8am in Goold Hall.
• Representative Sport photo – any students from Years 5-12 who have represented their region in school sport (Metropolitan East), State in either school sport or club (Queensland) or Nation in either school sport or club (Australia). Students must bring their full representative playing uniform for the photo (boots not required). Only boys in full region/state/national attire will be in the photograph – photo time will be between Periods 5 and 6, 1:55pm – 2:30pm.

Return of Basketball and Rugby League Hire Jerseys
All students who played Basketball and Rugby League in Term 3, 2023 are now required to return their hire jersey to the Uniform Shop. This is required by Monday 16 October. Failure to return jerseys incurs a fee of $110.

Term 1 Sport Registrations
Term 1 Sport registrations are now closed. Students are encouraged to visit the Sports Office if there are any changes to what was submitted online.

Training Schedules
Please see link below with the Term 4, 2023 training schedule. This schedule commences from Week 2, Term 4 (from Monday 9 October). This training schedule is only for Weeks 2-4, Term 4.

Villa Sport – Term 4, 2023 – Training schedule

Following Cricket selection trials in Week 4 and AFL/Volleyball selection trials in Week 5, an updated training schedule will then be posted from Weeks 5-8.

For all updated information regarding training and selection trials schedules, please visit the Locker Room page of the Villanova College website.

Mr Shaun McLean, Director of Sport

The College Community is extremely proud of all the boys who participated in the 2023 Track & Field program over the season and to those who were privileged to represent our college at the annual AIC Championships held on Thursday and Friday of last week.

A new team of specialist coaches were sourced early in the year to build up the Track & Field programme and add some fresh new ideas. Yevgeniy Tkachenko- Triple Jump, Marian O’Neill- Long Jump, Neil Janse- Javelin, Old Boy Michael Criticos- Discus, Max Volau- Shot Put, Andrea Kruck- High Jump, Sharon Dale- Sprints and Matt Scott- Sprints, all jumped into the program and are keen to see Villanova improve into the future. We are hoping that students who possess a talent for track and field, and did not participate this year, buy into the programme themselves and use their gifts to represent the College in the future. We will endeavour to begin training a lot earlier in 2024 and offer sessions to students who are keen to begin training earlier.

The early message given to our squad this year was to compete and give their best at every training session to improve. The coaches challenged the boys to challenge each other and to raise the bar for each other. Put simply, we wanted there to be a strong sense of competition within our team where the boys had to compete against each other to make the team. Once the team was selected the clear message to all athletes was to aim to break your personal best on the day.

As with all sports within the College there was excitement and eagerness from our athletes as they prepared to challenge themselves in a number of different disciplines. It was evident from the four warm up meets that we have some exceptionally talented athletes that would push themselves and perform very well at the Championships. Well done to all the boys for their efforts throughout the season attending training sessions, holiday sessions and warm up meets in preparation for the AIC Championships. In particular, our younger athletes from Years 5-7 led the way with attendance and enthusiasm at training and meets and hopefully this continues for many years to come.

Open Squad claims first place!
The Year 12s continued their successful year by winning the Open championship age group by the barest of margins- one point, over our closest rival St. Laurence’s College. The performances by the Open team, reflects the efforts of the boys at training. Hugo Harrison, captain of the Track and Field Team, attended every session along with Liam Gyetvay, Cameron Bukowski arrived early to put in sessions before heading off to league training. Kyan Simpson, Joaquin Wieczorek and Mitchell Rieck all trained hard outside of the middle-distance training times, and this showed in their determination to finish off their races. These boys along with the other members of the Open team, set the standard for the other age groups and hopefully our younger athletes will see that the rewards come when you make the effort to commit to the program. Well done to all Open athletes.

• Hugo Harrison claiming back-to-back 100m and 200m AIC wins in the Div 1
• Liam Gyetvay 1st Div 2 Long Jump, 2nd 100m Div 2 and 3rd 400m Div 1
• Mitch Reick 2nd 1500m Div 1 and 3rd in the Div 1, 800m
• Cameron Bukowski 1st in Div 2 Javelin, 2nd in the 100m Div 4 and 2nd in Div 1 Shot Put
• Lachlan Brown 3rd Div 1 Javelin
• Lachlan Ebrington 3rd Div 3 100m
• Callum Lamb 2nd Div 2 Discus
• Joaquin Wieczorek 2nd Div 2 1500m
• 1st Open 4 x 100m relay- Cameron Bukowski, Hugo Harrison, Lachlan Ebrington and Liam Gyetvay

Overall, Villanova was placed in 8th position in the 12yrs – Opens and 5th position in the Year 5 and Year 6 Aggregates. Unfortunately, we were plagued with a number of injuries and illness from some of our top athletes leading up to the championship, which meant several boys had to fill the places. Although we finished in the same position as last year in the U12-Open age group, we did drop one place from 4th to 5th in the Juniors, which was a little disappointing, as we were keen to build on last year’s performance. However, we were not disappointed in the boys who competed, as we know they gave their best on the day, and we thank them for being great competitors and representatives of the College. The Year 6 team finished 2nd in the age group points, which is a great result but just missed going back-to-back after winning the Year 5 age group last year.

Year 5 – 6 Aggregate = 5th (Year 5 5th; Year 6 – 2nd)
Year 7 – 12 Aggregate = 8th (U12 – 4th; U13 – 6th; U14 – 8th; U15 – 7th; U16 – 5th; Open – 1st)

In some ways it is easier to be involved in a program when things are going well. It shows a tremendous amount of courage and conviction from both student athletes and coaches to stick to a program, to work hard and to find a way to dig themselves off the bottom when the going is tough. Our boys did that this year. They worked hard, attended training, concentrated on their own efforts to improve and were keen to beat their fellow schoolmates to make the team. They then backed themselves on the day to produce in most cases a personal best but certainly the best they could muster on the day. We are immensely proud of all the boys and coaches. It is about giving of yourself, having guts and showing pride – well done boys.

Track & Field is a sport which Villanova seems to struggle with the most. Given we have a jam-packed Sports program in place, it seems the interest with most students lies in other areas, therefore we never have been confident that Villanova has ever had its absolute best team perform on the day. We have much admiration for those who did compete and train and ultimately were prepared to represent Villa at the annual championship. They then become Villanova’s best and the College thanks them and their parents for supporting the program when asked. You did us proud!

There were many notable performances by Villanova athletes throughout the Championships, with our athletes achieving 24 first places, 17 second places and 19 third places which equates to Villanova placing in more than 25% of the events which is a fantastic achievement by our athletes. Special mention goes to the following Villanova athletes who achieved first place in their events:

FIRST PLACE-GETTERS

Year 5:
Eli Alexander Long Jump; Div 1; 4.35m
Harry Kallis- High Jump; Div 1; 1.38m

Year 6:
Fraser Barrie- Shot Put; Div 2; 9.24m
Lachlan Ison- Hurdles; Div 3; 10.69s
Darcy Dickinson- Hurdles; Div 1; 10.23s
Jonah Frare- Hurdles; Div 2; 10.98s
Will Koo- 200m; Div 5; 29.38s
Will Koo- 100m; Div 7; 14.73s
Austin Harrison- 200m; Div 6; 29.78s
Austin Harrison- 100m; Div 6; 14.56s
Ashton Lewis- 800m; Div 2; 2:35.25s
Harvey Thearle- Long Jump; Div 2; 4.48m
Hugo Turley- 200m; Div 8; 30.89s

U/12:
Aarav Gill- Shot Put; Div 1; 9.93m
Aarav Gill- 100m; Div 4; 13.86s

U/13:
Matthew Colbert- Javelin; Div 2; 27.28m

U/14:
Joshua Noronha- Discus; Div 1; 42.88m
Tyler Schafer- Shot Put; Div 2; 10.65m

U/16:
Max Jones- Javelin; Div 1; 56.35m

Open:
Hugo Harrison- 100m; Div 1; 11.40s
Hugo Harrison- 200m; Div 1; 22.26s
Hugo Harrison, Liam Gyetvay, Lachlan Ebrington and Cameron Bukowski, Open Relay 43.48s
Cameron Bukowski Javelin; Div 2; 47.29m
Liam Gyetvay- Long Jump; Div 2; 6.25m

Finally, special acknowledgement and thanks goes to staff members Miss Roberts, Mrs Dillon, Miss James, Mr Pascoe, Mr Rolls, Mr Kemp, Mr Valentine and Mr Garske. There were some long days had with teaching classes and then coaching out at SAF until 8pm assisting our athletes fine tune their disciplines.

For their encouragement to get boys to join the Track & Field team and enthusiasm throughout the season to each and every athlete that attended sessions and meets, we are very grateful.

Mr Chris Everding, T&F Coordinator

At Villanova College, we are proud to have passionate educators and inspiring students who go above and beyond for a great cause. Meet Brian Pascoe, a dedicated teacher, and Charlie, a talented Year 12 student. Both members of the Villanova’s Leaping Wildcats 1st XVIII AFL team, they will join a group of extraordinary men who are taking on a thrilling challenge to raise funds for the White Cloud Foundation! On October 12, Brian and Charlie will be abseiling down Kangaroo Point cliffs to support those battling depression and anxiety.

The White Cloud Foundation provides essential support and treatment to Queenslanders facing depression and anxiety. Their telehealth service offers easy and free access to help, while Meals for Mums supports new mothers dealing with perinatal depression.

Let’s rally behind Brian and Charlie as they support their great cause!

Please consider making a donation to their fundraising page: Leaping Lads 2023 (White Cloud Foundation) | Brian Pascoe and Charlie Corrigan (gofundraise.com.au)

Mr Brian Pascoe, AFL Head Coach and Charlie

All team lists will be available by Thursday afternoon on Parent Lounge and Student Cafe portals. Simply log in as normal to these portals. Select the ‘Links’ tab from the top tool bar. From the drop-down menu, select the ‘Team Lists & Weekly Schedule’ tab to view the documents. If you have not been in contact with your team manager, could you please do so to provide your contact details and to set up rosters for umpiring and scoring. The draws for all teams are available on either the EDJCA for U11 and U12 or BEARS cricket websites.

In case of bad weather, parents are to contact their Team Manager directly. Notices for Zone Cricket will not be placed on the College App.
Training times for Zone Cricket from Weeks 2-9 at Little Langlands are below.

Mr Nathan Dufty, Zone Cricket Coordinator

Training from October until the Christmas break lays the foundation for success. It’s not just about honing physical skills; it’s about forging a “group mindset” that can propel a team to achieve positive results and, above all, have great time together.

The Power of a Unified Mindset
In sports, as in life, unity is strength. Studies show that when athletes train together, they form a group mindset that fosters camaraderie, trust, and a shared sense of purpose. This collective mindset becomes a powerful driving force. In his research, sports psychologist Dr. Daniel Gould highlights that teams with a strong group mindset consistently outperform those lacking it. Pre-season training offers the perfect stage to cultivate this mindset.

Athletes embarking on the pre-season journey together share common goals, challenges, and victories. This sense of togetherness fosters resilience, adaptability, and the ability to thrive under pressure. Dr. Angela Duckworth, a prominent psychologist, emphasizes the importance of grit – the passion and perseverance to achieve long-term goals.

Pre-season training instils this quality as athletes confront obstacles head-on, building character that go beyond the playing field.

Physical Resilience: The Gift of Pre-Season Training
Pre-season training isn’t just about preparing for the season ahead; it’s about becoming physically resilient. The hours you will spend in the gym will provide you with the conditioning to fortify you against injuries, enhance your stamina, and optimize your performance. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that athletes who undergo rigorous pre-season training exhibit reduced injury rates and superior endurance compared to those who don’t.

Knowing you put the time in, you showed up to be ready, will empower your confidence.

So, embrace the challenge, foster that group mindset, and enjoy the fruit of your labour. We may lose games, but you will always leave the field as solid competitors.

Mr Marco Mastrorocco, S&C Coordinator

External Achievements
In the U15 Century Cricket Brisbane Premier League, Alex Borger (Year 9) and Fraser Smith (Year 8) represented the Coastal Marlins team and clinched the top spot, securing the champions’ title for the 2023 season. Well done boys!

Harrison Rizio (Year 7) was recently selected in the AFL Brisbane Lions U15 Academy. Harrison played in a three-day carnival in Maroochydore during the September school holidays. Congratulations Harrison!