Sports Bulletin – Issue 14, 29 October 2026

As we move through Term 4, there is plenty to celebrate across Villa Sport. While AFL, Cricket, Swimming and Volleyball continue trials, training and preparation for 2027, our boys are also representing the College proudly through Water Polo, Esports and Touch Football.

This week’s G.R.E.A.T.S. focus is Accountability, a value that sits at the heart of being a good teammate. In sport, accountability means being prepared, communicating, following through on commitments and taking responsibility for the attitude and effort you bring each day.

Trials provide a particularly important opportunity to practise this. There will naturally be excitement, nerves and, at times, disappointment. Selection is one moment in a much longer sporting journey. What matters is how we respond: control what you can control, continue working and support those around you. Those habits develop character well beyond the sporting field.

There has also been plenty to celebrate following another terrific weekend of Villa Sport. Congratulations to our AIC Esports A Team, who were crowned AIC Champions, defeating St Peters Lutheran College in the Grand Final. Impressively, this team also won the competition in 2025 and will now represent Villa at the FUSE Cup National Grand Finals on the Gold Coast in November. A huge thank you to Mr Jason Lane for the work he continues to put into our boys, the Esports program and hosting the AIC competition at Villa.

Our Water Polo teams also represented Villa tremendously at the AIC Carnival, with strong performances across Years 7, 8/9 and 10/11. Thank you to Ms Lauren Robinson and Ms Eleni Greenaway for creating this opportunity and supporting our boys throughout the program.

There was further success at Volleyball Schools Cup, highlighted by bronze for our Year 7 Division 1 team and silver for our Year 7 Division 2 team. Congratulations to all involved. A sincere thank you to Mr Todd Kropp and our wider Volleyball coaching and staff team for the considerable time and energy they continue to invest in our boys.

Our Term 4 opportunities continue through Touch Football. Thank you to Ms Chloe Witt and Mr Wian Joubert for their energy and work in supporting this program and providing another avenue for our boys to participate, compete and enjoy representing Villa.

Across each of these programs, the results are wonderful, but equally important is how our boys represent the Green and Gold. Whether competing, training, trialling or supporting a teammate, every student has an opportunity to demonstrate accountability through his preparation, effort, communication and care for others.

Thank you also to our families, coaches and staff for your patience and flexibility through a busy period of trials, changing venues, weather interruptions and preparation for 2027. So much of what our boys experience in Villa Sport is only possible because people generously give their time and energy to make it happen.

As we move towards the end of the year, our message to the boys is simple:

Turn up. Communicate. Be prepared. Give your best. Support your teammates.

Accountability is doing your part, even when nobody needs to remind you. That is how strong teams, strong programs and strong young men are built.

Go Villa! 💚💛

Mr Matthew Hannan, Director of Sport

Communications
Families should access sports information via the Villanova College website and App. The Locker Room on MyVilla and Villanova College phone application will be relied on to provide key updates between Villa View Newsletter issues. All training and match changes or cancellations will be communicated via the Locker Room and Villanova College phone application.

AIC Code of Conduct
Families are encouraged to review the AIC Code of Conduct – April 2026 ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Parents and spectators are asked to model positive behaviour, respect officials and their decisions, encourage effort and enjoyment and appreciate good play from both teams. Players are expected to compete hard and fairly, accept officials’ decisions, respect teammates and opponents and demonstrate humility in victory and graciousness in defeat.

These expectations apply before, during and after fixtures, including online interactions.

No Dog Policy
A reminder that there is a NO DOG policy at all AIC sporting fixtures. Venue coordinators at and adjacent to Villa Park have reported that some pet owners are ignoring the gate signage. Pet owners who ignore the signs will be asked to remove their pets immediately.

Key Links

Sport Results – Associated Independent Colleges

AIC Sport Contact List
For information about a specific sport, please first visit the Locker Room page on our website. If you require further clarification, please contact the relevant Sport Coordinator, listed below. Until coach contact details become available online, please report training or game absences directly to the relevant Sport Coordinator and coach. Available contact details can be found through The Locker Room.

Term 4 Sports Coordinators
Touch Football Coordinator – Chloe Witt (chloe.witt@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Water Polo Coordinator – Lauren Robinson (lauren.robinson@vnc.qld.edu.au)

Trimester 1 Sports Coordinators
AFL Coordinator – Angus Sullivan (angus.sullivan@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Cricket Coordinator – Wian Joubert (wian.joubert@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Swimming Coordinator – Julie Colbert (jcolbert@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Volleyball Coordinator – Todd Kropp (tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au)

Trimester 2 Sports Coordinators
Chess Coordinator – Kath Underhill (kunderhill@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Cross Country Coordinator – Brian Pascoe (bpascoe@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Football Coordinator – Wian Joubert (wian.joubert@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Rugby Union Coordinator – Chris Everding (ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au)

Trimester 3 Sports Coordinators
Basketball Coordinator – Sharon Casey (sharon.casey@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Golf Coordinator – Todd Kropp (tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Rugby League Coordinator – Wian Joubert (wian.joubert@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Tennis Coordinator – Angus Sullivan (angus.sullivan@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Track & Field Coordinator – Andrew Lund (andrew.lund@vnc.qld.edu.au)

Sport Office Administration
Sports Administrators – Angus Sullivan (angus.sullivan@vnc.qld.edu.au) and Maria Mascadri (3 days per week) (mmascadri@vnc.qld.edu.au)
AIC Sports Leader – Wian Joubert (wian.joubert@vnc.qld.edu.au)
Central Sharks District Sport – Todd Kropp (tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au) and Wian Joubert (wian.joubert@vnc.qld.edu.au)

Touch Football
Congratulations to all students selected to represent Villanova College in Touch Football this year. Their enthusiasm and commitment to training provided valuable opportunities to develop skills and build teamwork.

Unfortunately, wet weather and field conditions prevented us from playing any games. We share the students’ disappointment after their efforts preparing to represent the College.

Thank you to our coaches, Bailey Bourke, Bart Ritchie, Joel Cosgrove, David Witt, Tegan James and Hershelle Classen, for their time and guidance. A special thank you also to Coordinator Chloe Witt for organising teams and training, and keeping students and families informed.

We appreciate our families’ support and understanding throughout the weather disruptions. We look forward to building on our Touch Football program next year and seeing our students take the field.

Ms Chloe Witt and Mr Wian Joubert, Touch Football Coordinators

Water Polo
On Sunday 25 October, Villanova entered three teams in the AIC Water Polo Carnival at Marist College Ashgrove.

The Year 7s drew with St Laurence’s and beat Iona 10–1. The Year 8/9s fought back from tough early games to finish with an 11–2 win over Marist Blue. The Year 10/11s beat Marist 10–4 and went on to play Padua for third place. A special mention goes to the Year 9 students who played up in the open division and held their own against older opponents.

The boys showed great perseverance all day, kept working hard and never gave up.
Congratulations to all players, and thank you to the coaches, staff and families who supported them. We look forward to building on this next year.

Ms Lauren Robinson, Water Polo Coordinator

Year 6 AFL Schools Cup
What a fantastic two days for our Year 6 boys at the AFL Schools Cup! Battling through wet and slippery conditions, the team showed tremendous resilience, teamwork and spirit to finish the event with a perfect 8 wins from 8 games.

The boys should be incredibly proud of the way they represented the school, playing with great determination and sportsmanship in every match. Their effort and enthusiasm were rewarded with an outstanding undefeated performance.

A big thank you to Mr Hanek for his support and guidance throughout the two days. Congratulations to all of the boys on a memorable achievement!

Junior Schools Cup Volleyball – Gold Coast
Our junior volleyball teams represented the school with pride at the recent Junior Schools Cup on the Gold Coast, competing against strong opposition from across the region. Across the tournament, our students demonstrated excellent teamwork, resilience and sportsmanship while continuing to develop their skills and confidence on the court.

The Year 7 Division 2 team enjoyed a fantastic campaign, earning a Silver Medal after a series of impressive performances throughout the competition. The Year 7 Division 1 team also secured a place on the podium, claiming the Bronze Medal and showcasing their determination against a highly competitive field.

The Year 8 Division 1 team performed strongly throughout the tournament, competing hard in every match and finishing with an impressive 6th place overall. The team showed great resilience and growth across the event, gaining valuable experience against some of the strongest school volleyball programs in the state.

Congratulations to all players on their efforts and the positive way they represented the school. These results are a testament to the hard work, commitment and team-first attitude shown by our students both on and off the court.

A big thank you to Ms Edwards, Mr Kropp, Mr Lund, Mr Corby and Mr Sullivan for their work over the weekend.
These results are a testament to the hard work, commitment and team-first attitude shown by our students both on and off the court.

Mr Angus Sullivan, AFL Co-ordinator

Regional Sport
In 2026, there have been some updates made to the School Sport Representative pathway. Villanova College now joins the Central Sharks district (former Composite & Lytton) for 10-19 Years Sport.
Further information can be found on the Locker Room page including a current list of eligible sports. Eligible sports will be communicated via the Sports Bulletin and Morning Notices only.

Central Sharks trial information (formerly Composite/Lytton): Paperwork for the following sports is now available from the Sports Office. Nominations returned after the due date will not be submitted.

The table below lists the sports/activities that are currently available to students wishing to nominate for the district & regional school sport pathway. Students wishing to nominate should have extensive experience in their chosen sport including club or previous representative history.

Mr Todd Kropp, Regional Sport Coordinator

Guidelines regarding communication of External Achievements
The Villanova College Sports Department celebrates individual student sporting achievements through our social media platforms and newsletter. To maintain clarity and consistency, the recognition criteria are outlined below.

Social Media and Sports Bulletin Recognition

• Selection in a Met East, Queensland or Australian team
• Being crowned a state or national champion
• Outstanding individual results at recognised state or national events

Exclusions

• Representation at club or district levels (e.g. Central Sharks) does not meet the criteria for inclusion in social media or newsletter posts, unless to a state or national level.

To have a qualifying achievement featured, please email SportsOffice@vnc.qld.edu.au with the subject “External Sport Achievement”. Please include:

• Student name and year level
• Sport and achievement details
• Level of representation or competition
• Relevant results, selection details or event information
• A photo of the student in their representative uniform, where available