Sports Bulletin – Issue 16, 9 November 2023

Although Villanova College strives to offer sporting opportunities for all of its students, the truth is, that is not always possible. Some AIC Sports are limited with regards to external factors, such as restrictions on team nominations across all AIC schools, and internal factors, such as the facilities available to us on site.

Across the school year, we have participation sports where all boys who nominate are able to train and compete for the College. These sports are:

• Term 1 – Cricket and Swimming
• Term 2 – Cross-Country, Football and Rugby Union
• Term 3/4 – Track & Field and Touch Football

Note in our Championship Sports, Swimming, Cross-Country and Track & Field, a student can train and compete in AIC pre meets throughout the season. Although a student may not be selected to compete on the day of the AIC Championships, all participants have had an opportunity to experience and compete in that sport and are included in the AIC team as reserves.

The result is that we have a number of sports throughout the year where we are not able to include “all;” especially in Term 3. Although there is no quick fix or silver bullet to resolve this issue in the short term, I want to acknowledge that the College and Sports Office are aware of this concern, and that we are implementing planning and steps to offer alternative opportunities and activities for our students to engage in sport and physical activity.

I understand the frustration that comes from students missing out on playing the sport they love, and I acknowledge the confusion that exists within our community regarding this. It is my strong intention to ensure, within our means, that we are providing an inclusive and well-rounded experience for all Villanovan students.

Draw – Trials vs Iona College – Friday 10 and Saturday 11 November

AFL, Cricket and Volleyball trials 10-11 Nov

Team lists will be posted to Parent Lounge and Student Café. New Students will receive team lists via the enrolments office.

Important dates – Term 4
Term 1 Sport registrations have now closed for AFL, Cricket and Volleyball. Please visit the The Locker Room Overview page for information regarding trials, training schedules and pre-season games.

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

Sport Contact List
If you are requiring information about a specific Sport, in the first instance, visit the website Locker Room page. If you need further clarification, please contact the relevant coordinator below.

Director of Sport – Shaun McLean, smclean@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC AFL Coordinator – Matt Conlan, mconlan@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Cricket Coordinator – Chris Everding, ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Swimming Coordinator – Juanita Jacobs, jjacobs@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Volleyball Coordinator – Todd Kropp, tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Cross-Country Coordinator – Brian Pascoe – bpascoe@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Chess Coordinator – Kath Underhill, kunderhill@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Football Coordinator – Nathan Dufty, ndufty@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Rugby Union Coordinator – Chris Everding, ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Golf Coordinator – Todd Kropp, tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Basketball Coordinator – TBC – contact the Director of Sport
AIC Rugby League Coordinator – Alex Russell, arussell@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Tennis Coordinator – Nathan Dufty, ndufty@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Track & Field Coordinator – Anthony Kemp, akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au
AIC Water Polo Coordinator – Juanita Jacobs, jjacobs@vnc.qld.edu.au
Composite District Sport – Todd Kropp, tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au
Lytton District Sport – Chris Everding, ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au

AIC Draft Draw 2024
Please find attached the “draft” AIC Draw for 2024. Please note this is only a draft version and changes may occur prior to the commencement of Term 1, 2024.

AIC Draw 2024 (draft only)

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

Villa Sport – Term 4, 2023 – Training Schedule, Weeks 5-7

Only Firsts Squads and Strength & Conditioning sessions will continue in Week 8, Term 4. All other sessions, including Speed & Agility sessions, will cease at the end of Week 7.

Mr Shaun McLean, Director of Sport

AFL trials continue this Friday 10 and Saturday 11 November with pre-season games versus Iona College. All students trialling for AIC teams are invited to play in the games this weekend. Current students are asked to wear their HPE/Sport uniform for trials. New students in 2024 can wear casual sport clothes and will be provided with a trial singlet on the day.

2024 AIC teams will then be posted to Parent Lounge and Student Café by 5pm Sunday 12 November.

All selected students will train in Week 7, with only the Open, Year 9 and Year 8 (2024) teams playing pre-season games versus St Laurence’s College on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November.

Only the Open Firsts Squad will continue training in Week 8.

Matt Conlan, AFL Coordinator

Cricket Coaches Needed
Unfortunately, we have found it difficult to find coaches to cover some of our teams. If there are parents who could volunteer to take on a coaching role for any of the following teams, it would be greatly appreciated. Please contact ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au if you can help: 9B, 8C & 8D.

Cricket Skills Clincs for A and B teams
Just a reminder that skills clinics will continue in Week 7 at Little Langlands for the A and B selected players in Years 6, 7, 8 and 9 (2024). Year 8 and 9 will have their sessions on a Monday afternoon. Year 6 and 7 will have their session on Wednesday afternoons. The sessions run from 3.20pm to 5pm. Parents please be at the nets to collect your son prior to 5pm.  The safest place to collect them is in the Easts Rugby League carpark, with entry via Panitya Street just past the entrance to Langlands Pool. Players are asked to bring their own kits to school for these sessions. The sessions conclude for the year at the end of Week 7.

Chris Everding, Cricket Coordinator

AIC Swimming training continues on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at Langlands Pool. There have been approximately 80 students in the water already this season which is fantastic to see.

A reminder that the Swimming Information Pack is on the Locker Room Overview page, with details on dates, times, payments and flipper packs.

AIC Swimming training continues through until Friday 22 December 2023 and commences again from Tuesday 9 January 2024.

Juanita Jacobs, Swimming Coordinator

Volleyball – Trial Matches v Iona College – 11 November
AIC Volleyball skill clinics continued this week for all AIC teams, ahead of the Iona trial match to be played on Saturday 11 November. The schedule for Saturday’s games can be found on the Locker Room page of the College website. Can I please remind the families of our Year 7-9 players that court duty will be required from each team this Saturday (and all remaining matches played at Villanova) and is a requirement of playing AIC Volleyball.

All students who have registered for Volleyball will be included in a team for the Iona match. If your son has been omitted from a team, please contact tkropp@vnc.qld.edu.au

Uniform: Green Villanova shorts, sport socks and either VNC squad shirt or House polo.
Final Selections: In some year levels, we will be required to reduce the number of students participating, any student not selected in a Volleyball team is welcome to join an AIC Cricket team and can do this by contacting the Sports Office. Final teams will be published early next week after the final trial match against Iona.

Week 7 Arrangements (week commencing 13 November):
Due to a number of factors including exam block and facility availability, there will be no AIC Volleyball training during Week 7 but the teams selected after Saturday’s trial v Iona will play St Laurence’s College on Saturday 18 November.

Todd Kropp, Volleyball Coordinator

Nomination paperwork is available from the Sports Office for the following Sports.

Opportunities for Villa athletes to join external training groups for “Sprints & Hurdles” and “Middle Distance/Cross-Country Training.”

Matt Scott was a Sprints Coach for Villanova Track & Field this season and is running our Years 5-6 Speed & Agility programme in Term 4, 2023. Matt will also be running our Speed & Agility programme for Years 5-8 in 2024.