Villa View: Issue 03/22

It is with a great sense of appreciation I have today spent time assisting our students share the Villanova community’s generosity with the people of Gympie and the students of the Flexible Learning Centre.  It was a wonderful experience for the students who had the opportunity to visit Gympie and contribute by visiting families and sharing conversation.

It was an opportunity for transformation and to shape their concept of our 2022 theme of ongoing conversion – to be transformative in the world we live and to transform our thinking and the way we view and participate in the world as a result of our experiences and interactions. Finding opportunities for service learning, and in that service an ability to give boys tangible opportunities to walk in solidarity and develop empathy and understanding — vital elements to a truly excellent education.  As a College we remain committed to this and dedicated to uncovering as many of these opportunities as we can across your son’s time here.

This week we have also had to face from a distance the sad reality of war, loss and the senseless of violence as we bear witness to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. To see people fleeing as refugees, women and children caught in the crossfire of and unjust conflict has been almost unbearable. It is with great hope that we stand in solidarity with the people of the Ukraine, open our hearts to their plight and in time our country to those refugees displaced.

We congratulate our AIC swimmers on the way they represented themselves and the College at the AIC Swimming Carnival on Tuesday. Our Year 5’s in particular were fantastic in winning their age group. Fourth overall was an excellent result for the College and a credit to all participants and their coaches.

Finally, I would like to thank all of our parents for their cooperation and patience across Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week as we responded to advice and direction form government regarding school responses to possibly serious weather events. While thankfully things were far better than expected it was still frustrating for all.

Mr Paul Begg, Principal

In keeping with the spirit of Reconciliation, Villanova College acknowledges the Yuggera and Turrbal peoples, as the Traditional Custodians of this land on which we stand.  We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging.  This has always been, and always will be, a place of teaching and learning connected to country, culture and community. 

March Madness is one of my favourite times of the year – and for anyone who does not know, it is all about NCAA Basketball in America, where Colleges compete in single elimination games and the ultimate winner can be any team given the right circumstances. There are always the favourites and when they fall, the underdogs rise up and have the ultimate shot at winning the title. It’s a thrilling competition and the uncertainty of which team will make it is like no other competition I know.  Considering what is happening locally and globally at the moment, I am grateful for something to be pumped about – and to share conversations about these teams with any student or staff member who shares this next month’s journey of ‘throw downs’ and ‘buzzer beaters.’

This past weekend, I made a special effort to watch Coach K’s last home game for Duke University – and after 42 years, one of my mentors is about to move on from being a Head Coach. It’s been one of the highlights in my life to see a man, with deep Catholic faith, surrounded by a wife and three daughters, work towards bringing “The Brotherhood” of players past and present to such an incredible standard.  His parting words were about the significance of strong women, working honestly and with great integrity, so that his dreams and ambitions, as well as their own, could be woven into the success story as a family. There was not a dry eye in the stadium.

This week our AIC Swimmers met at Chandler to show their very best after six months of training, meets and goal setting for personal times.  I always think of swimmers as “next level” of being dedicated – it is a squad, however following those black lines in the water is a solitary act, lap after lap after lap. An individual sporting performance brings some pressure, and the clock is relentless but honest. It takes a lot of good fortune to peak at the right time, health wise and mentally, making sure the entry and finish are timed to perfection. Our Year 5 Swim Squad have set the bar high achieving first place – and our Year 6s a strong sixth. Overall, Villanova College was placed fourth at the AIC Swim Champs – we wholeheartedly cheer this result. Gentlemen, we are so proud of you!

Thank you to Mr Everding for his assistance with today’s success, and to Mrs Liddy for her management in this years’ squad development. This is a credit to all of you – including the parents who had the early starts, late finishes and were able to make sure a good breakfast was had on the walk up to the College each morning.

Tuesday was International Women’s Day, and it is very important to recognise the significant contribution of all female individuals in our world.  Break the Bias, three powerful words. In all kinds of professions, working at multiple levels, with or without family responsibilities – women bring an incredible number of valuable contributions every single day.  Taking the time to acknowledge this is important.  Change is important.  Why?  Historically and socially, women are not always represented equally, and the circumstances behind this can appear simple or complicated but every small action would lead to a revolution that means inclusion and respect.  To work towards better listening, the use of appropriate language and to prioritise making available the opportunities that allow women to achieve their goals is crucial for our young men to see.  Working together, men and women can build partnerships that provide the best care for our communities towards a sustainable future with relationships, economy, and the environment.

This weekend sees the return of some AIC sporting fixtures with the recent sunshine drying out some grounds just enough to have some young bodies playing on them.  Whilst it is an absolute shame we have missed a couple of rounds of AFL and Cricket, we will no doubt appreciate the games we have left. A friendly reminder that Term 2 sports – Football (Soccer), Rugby Union, Cross Country and Chess sign-ons are currently being accepted. Winter sports are a great excuse to get to Villanova Park for the infamous bacon and egg wraps from the canteen – the breakfast of champions!

With only three weeks remaining in Term 1, it is time for all students to pay careful attention to their Assessment Calendar. Staff are very mindful of boys with recent absences and adjustments will be made to ensure students have the balanced platform to perform to their potential. We may see an increase in some homework and revision during the week and on weekends – I encourage every parent to ask their son to show them the Class OneNote.

Every resource, checklist and helping hand you need is very likely to be found in a subject folder, using the week/day or topic heading.  The students are truly blessed to have this resource – as my once favourite line “oops I left my books at school” no longer cuts it as a means to avoiding doing work at home. Our work ethic has every chance to shine with problem solving just taking a few clicks of the keyboard.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

As with previous conflicts around the globe, our news feeds are hit with the heartbreaking images of the humanitarian toll of war. Seeing Ukrainian mothers writing their children’s blood type on their son’s and daughter’s arms, seeing families separated at train stations, and watching thousands of people make the dangerous trek by foot to safer places, leaving behind their homes and livelihoods, it is difficult not to feel an extreme sense of helplessness.

Where developmentally appropriate, it is important that our young people learn about war. In the conversations I have had over the last few weeks about the Ukrainian conflict, more questions than answers emerge. Despite our prayer intentions, and the ‘call to action’ emotional response that such events invoke, so little can be done at this stage to make a significant difference.

A similar ‘call to action’ filled our hearts and minds recently as we enlisted the help of the Villanova community to raise urgent resources to send to local and regional communities affected by flooding. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I spent most of the day with a little band of staff and students to sort through the overwhelming response of our community to our appeal. Countless toothbrushes, toothpaste, cleaning products, deodorants, shampoos, pads and tampons, hand soaps, food, snacks and pet food poured into our offices. In addition to this, there were piles and piles of gift vouchers.

The sheer volume of our community’s generosity is incredible and will undoubtedly make a huge difference to the immediate livelihood of people who desperately need it. This, coupled with the stories of students, parents and staff, volunteering their time to support their family, friends, neighbours or strangers in responding to the recent flood damage, is a true testimony of this amazing Villanova community.

All the while, the conversations around the dinner table about world news, local news, and the plight of people who live in the margins of our society and abroad, and the accompanying ‘call to action’ assist the ongoing development of that sense of agency and purpose in our young men. These are values we all want for our kids. We want, and need, this generation of young people to know the importance of outreach and service, and the true power of making a difference in the lives of someone else, if for no other reason than they need it. 

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

It is extraordinary the events that have transpired over the last fortnight which have gripped our attention and pricked our consciousness. The devastation of the recent flooding has impacted members of our community and has witnessed a great sense of solidarity across this week. The generous response of our young men in their fundraising and support has been humbling to witness. Today, a contingent of Senior School students rolled up their sleeves and helped a school community in Gympie severely impacted by the floods in a wonderful expression of service- the bedrock of our leadership philosophy at the College.

We must also consider the bravery and courage of the people of Ukraine in their hour of need. As a free and democratic Western country, we must stand with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. As one commentator aptly stated, “freedom crushed somewhere is freedom diminished everywhere.” I encourage all of our Senior School students to continue to donate generously to our Caritas Appeal in order to make a humanitarian contribution to those impacted by the war.

Vale Shane Warne
In the prophetic words of Jack London, ‘the proper function of man is to live, not to exist.” The tragic death of Shane Keith Warne has certainly captured the imagination of the nation, such was the impact the greatest leg spin bowler of all time had on the nation’s sporting and cultural landscape. And it was largely because he lived life, in all its abundance. Yes, a flawed man but one who was refreshingly honest and was not afraid to stand by the courage of his own convictions and speak his truth. If there is one thing that our young men can take away from the Shane Warne story is that life can be so cruelly cut short at any time, so we need to embrace each day as a gift to fulfil our potential, be positive and giving members to our community and to treasure our relationships with family and friends. RIP Warnie.

AIC Swimming
On Tuesday, the AIC Swimming Championships took place at the Sleeman Sports Complex, Chandler. Congratulations to Swimming Captain Caden Clelland and his squad who competed so admirably across the day, securing fourth place. The day presented an opportunity for our Year 11 cohort to attend as spectators. I would like to commend the work of the Year 11 House Vice Captains and Cor Unum Spirit Committee Representatives who ably led the support of our swimmers across the day.

“You can’t afford to live your life with regrets.”- Shane Warne

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Ongoing Conversion – A commitment to grow and change through lent!
Lent began in the midst of a crazy week with floods, school closures, the release of an intergovernmental panel’s report on climate change and the beginning of war in the Ukraine.  Never in my lifetime has there been a greater need to look at where we are going and make some changes both individually and collectively!

On Wednesday morning our students engaged in a Liturgy in their Pastorals with an opportunity to consider what they might commit to changing over the coming weeks leading up to Easter.  Fr Francis, who is an Augustinian priest in the St James parish and who lives here at Villanova, preached on the topic of Ongoing Conversion as Lent begins across the Brisbane Archdiocese.  Listening to his message is a great way to begin exploring what Lent in 2022 might invite you into.  He shares his own experience of what it has meant to let go of the clutter in his life.

First Sunday of Lent – Two-Minute Homily: Fr Francis Belcina OSA – YouTube

Across Lent students will be encouraged to engage with the Augustinian Examen which helps us learn the practice of reflecting on what is happening in our life, where God is present and active.  In all classrooms there is the poster below and Pastoral classes at the beginning of the day are encouraged to use it.  These questions are a great way to end the day or to build in moments of reflection in amongst all that is constantly happening.

Learning the habit and finding ways to build in prayer and reflection is part of the challenge and invitation of Lent.  You could ask your son one of these questions in that moment of saying goodnight, or when in the car together coming or going from one of their activities around , or as a conversation around the dinner table.

How did I change and become more whole today?

How was I invited to change my opinion or behaviour?

When today did I know that I am a good person?

What or who enriched my life today?

When have I done something to make a positive contribution to others?

Villanova Flood Relief
We have had an absolutely amazing response from the Villanova community to the call of assistance to prepare care packages for people affected by our recent floods.  It reflects our desire as a community to reach out to others who have suffered so much, so suddenly in the last couple of weeks.  Our Middle School students assisted to pack 50 care packages including toiletries, soap, sanitizer, sunscreen, cleaning products, gloves, delicious treats and vouchers.  Our Hospitality students have prepared meals and today, a group of students have partnered with the Gympie Flexible Learning Centre to go out with students from their community to deliver a hot meal, care package and heaps of encouragement.  There will be more information on social media, on assembly on Friday and in the next Villa View.

Zooming in Sister Helen Prejean from Dead Man Walking
On Thursday 24 February, our Year 12 students had the privilege of joining Sr Helen Prejean on Zoom to assist with the preparation for our Study of Religion Ethics unit where our students have been studying social issues such as capital punishment.  Sr Helen’s work became more widely known through the film ‘Dead Man Walking’ and she has been an incredible advocate for the abolishment of capital punishment having accompanied people on death row along with victims’ families.

It was an extraordinary privilege to have the capacity to Zoom with a Catholic nun from across the world who has been so involved with this work and understands how our faith can be a voice for both justice and compassion in the most difficult situations.

Her talk was both engaging and inspiring for our students.  If you are seeking a good read over Easter, I would highly recommend her new book River of Fire – On Becoming an Activist.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter: A weekend experience for married couples, priests and religious, away from the distractions of everyday living.  Take time out of your busy schedule, to invest in your most precious asset and revitalise your Sacrament.  This is a unique opportunity to reconnect, rekindle and refresh your relationship.  It gives you the opportunity to grow in your relationship with your spouse or your community.

Our COVID-SAFE live-in weekends will be held from Friday evening 13 May to Sunday afternoon 15 May and Friday evening 14 October to Sunday afternoon 16 October (including Mass) at Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre, Ormiston.  Our live-out weekend will be held at Siena College, Sippy Downs from 1 to 3 July  – going home on the Friday and Saturday evenings.

For bookings/details contact Maria and David Murphy: 0481 307 821 qldbookings@wwme.org.au

Watch Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s support video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o_Wp6qGB44
Information website:  www.wwme.org.au

Ms Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

Well done to the Villanova Swim Team!

I must commend the entire AIC swim squad on their impressive performance at the annual AIC Swim Championships on Tuesday. Well done to our Year 5 team who took out the ‘Year 5 Championship’. A special mention to our 12 years and 13 years age groups for taking out second place and the 14 years who took out third place.

No longer are we just another school ‘participating’, we are now ‘competing’ and we are doing it at a high level and have done so for several years now. In such a fierce competition where many swimmers are known to be the very best in our state and some the very best in our nation, it is not easy to win races.

As the Courier Mail stated, Ashgrove (ASH) and St Peters (SPLC) didn’t have it their own way on the day, Villanova challenged. From the data collected, I have a few interesting notes below.

• Total events at the AIC Swim Championships – 123
• Total Events won by ASH/SPLC – 89 (leaves 34 event remaining for all other Colleges)
• Total Events won by Villanova – 20
• Total Events won by the remaining six Colleges including Iona/SLC etc (who had some very good swimmers) – 14
• Total Podium places won by Villanova – 69 from 123 events (20 x first, 49 x second/third places). Over half the events we are placing in the top three when most of the time ASH and SPLC take two of these spots.

Age Results

Year 5 – First

Year 6 – Sixth

12 Years – Second

13 Years – Second

14 Years – Third

15 Years – Ninth

16 Years – Fourth

Opens – Fifth

Aggregate Results

Year 5 and Year 6 – Second Overall

12 Years – Opens – Fourth Overall

A huge thanks is given to all the coaches – Kerry Holland, Felipe Barraza and Nic Elsey, and to our swim managers – Theresa Henry, Terri Dillon and Melissa Liddy and our Swim Coordinator – Mrs Juanita Jacobs, for their efforts over the entire season to get our team ready for this event. Our team looked and performed like seasoned swimmers, and they did us proud. Well done boys!  A more detailed swim report is found below.

Term 2 Sign-On forms for Rugby, Football, Cross Country and Chess were due last Monday. We will publish the entire Year 5 – 12 sign-on lists within the respective Parent Lounge and Student Café portals by midday tomorrow. We ask parents to check these lists to ensure your son’s name appears. If your son’s name does not appear it means that he has not  completed and submitted the online sign on registration yet.

By our estimation it seems that some online forms have not yet been completed by families. If students are keen to represent Villanova in these sports and activities, I ask that they access the online registration link and register their interest as soon as possible. Although the registrations were due last Monday, we will keep the link open until midday tomorrow. Coaching allocations are currently being finalised based on team numbers. Details are found below.

It was good to see that training returned to normal for the AFL, volleyball and rugby groups this week. Unfortunately, the wet grounds have hampered a return to training for our cricket and senior football players. I am very reluctant to call training off, I assure you if these nets/fields were safe and ready, our boys would be on them as ‘quick as a flash’. We are hoping by Monday we can resume training across the entire College for cricket.

Given the poor field conditions we have had to hold off on posting the weekly schedule. We are holding out to see how some of our venues have recovered. We are hoping the predicted storms later this week will not adversely affect the condition of the grounds for this weekend. Again, it will be a ‘wait and see’ scenario.

Please note some cricket photos will be taken again this weekend at Villanova Park, Yeronga and at the volleyball home games at Goold Hall. Please consult the schedules found below and on the web, and ensure your son is dressed in the correct uniform. It is essential that players attend the photos at least 10 minutes before their allocated time.

As we enter the back end of the AFL, cricket and volleyball season, I ask all to keep up the efforts both at training and on game day. It is common for teams to lose focus around this stage of the season, particular as many training sessions and games have been lost. We have two rounds remaining, the boys are going well, let us keep up the good work until the end.  Best wishes to all involved and enjoy!

Round 6 Fixtures – Friday 11 and Saturday 12 March, AIC Cricket and Volleyball v St Edmund’s College (in the main draw), AIC AFL v Padua/ATC/ASH and SEC

Please refer to the College’s website to view all times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures. Simply scroll down on the College’s home page to the ‘Latest News’ section and click the ‘Weekly Fixtures’ section.

Cricket, Volleyball and AFL Photo Schedule – Saturday 12 March 2022

The following team photos will be taken this weekend for AFL, Cricket and Volleyball. The boys will need to be at the photos 10 minutes before their scheduled time, dressed in their full sports attire. Any latecomers will miss out on being in the photo. NOTE – teams playing at Kianawah Park must go to their photo at Villanova Park first before their game.

Volleyball Photos – Saturday 12 March – Villanova College (Undercroft at Tuckshop)

Cricket Photos – Saturday 5 March – Villanova Park (Under Andrew Slack Scoreboard)

AFL Photos – Saturday 12 March – AFLQ Yeronga

AIC Swimming Report – Mrs Juanita Jacobs, AIC Swim Coordinator

Once again, the AIC Championships have come and gone.  The season of early morning starts, and late and often wet Friday evenings have ended for 2022.  We could not be prouder of our swimmers this year and the efforts that they made in the pool.

The Courier Mail, reported on the meet and commented on how the top two schools, Marist and St Peter’s, may have won the day, but they did not win easy.  Villanova was competitive in all races and challenged the other teams to break records to beat us.

Ben Landers in the 12 Years age group broke the AIC record for his individual events 50m Free and 50m Fly but still came second.  The other swimmers had to break a record in each event to beat him.  Finally in the 12 years A Freestyle relay, Ben got his record.  He finished a magnificent fourth leg to defeat the opposition on the wall in a nail-biting finish.  However, this was brilliantly set up by Ethan Haywood, in the third leg of the race, to bring the team to second on the turn.  Harry Pregnell and Caleb Johnston each played their part and ensured that Ethan and Ben were in position to be able to take advantage of the turns and bring it home for Villanova.  To the spectators and parents who were there to watch the race it was one of the highlights of the competition.

The 13 years relay team were touched out on the finish, again magnificently swum final leg by Tyler Schafer who held his form and stayed strong on the wall.  Initially the score board had Villanova winning, but it was reversed.  I think the team deserved the win!  To Darcy Kerr, Luis Stagg, Tyler Schafer and Isaac Bowen, congratulations for the tremendous efforts in the pool, and your calm, grace and sportsmanship in accepting second.

To each and every swimmer, thank you.  I know that you gave your best and that we had over 70 personal best performances on the day in 99 individual events.  We are so proud of the way that you responded to the task on the day, and your sportsmanship and teamwork.  The smiles on your faces at the end of a race, which you have been preparing for since September last year, makes the day worthwhile.

In particular, congratulations to our Year 5 swimmers, to those who joined Villanova for this year and have already made their mark on the AIC competitions.   This age group was led in the pool by Ashton Lewis.  Ashton swam A division events for all form strokes, winning his breaststroke event, two second places, and a fourth with a personal best time in Butterfly.  He had a heavy workload on the day, also swimming the A division medley and Freestyle relays.  In the spirit of Villanova swimming, Ashton brought home the final leg of the Freestyle relay in style.  The SPLC team looked to have an unassailable lead, but Ashton challenged to the final touch on the wall.  While we may have missed the final win, it was certainly an exciting swim.  Well done to the whole Year 5 swim team for digging deep on the day and bringing home the age group aggregate.

To the open swimmers, thank you for all your devotion to Villanova swimming in your time at the College.  The last carnival is always bittersweet.  I have appreciated everything that you have done to assist us at school, at training, walking the younger boys up the hill, marshalling, supporting, cheering and giving your 100% absolute best in the pool.  We have been graced this year with a wonderful senior squad, who have been led by the genuine, patient and kind support of Luke Exley and Caden Clelland.  Caden in particular has been a fine leader of the squad.  He has led by example always giving 150% in the pool.  He comes to coach in the mornings and spends time working with the younger boys in the pool helping them improve.  I trust that the younger swimmers will be inspired to continue training and learn from Caden’s example. They can have no better role model.

I would like to thank our coaches and managers for their continued support of the team.  Kerry Holland continues to develop our younger swimmers.  We are seeing the results of this moving through the swimming ranks, with her pupils now reaching the senior levels.  The commitment she shows to our swimmers, and the efforts she goes to, to ensure that the boys are well prepared, and have every opportunity to succeed has resulted in a team of swimmers, who have challenged St Peter’s and Marist for podium places in every race.  Felipe Rojas has also worked with the senior squad this year for the first time.  We thank him for continuing to develop the swimmers and build their techniques and skills.  Nic Elsey continues to work with us and support the program.  As a former swim captain, he understands the AIC Competition, and helps the boys to be race ready, and does so in his usual calm, graceful and kind way.  Thank you to each of our coaches, you are so very much appreciated.

The age group managers have worked with the team for the season, helping to pick up lost property, responding to emails, chasing attendance, and monitoring road crossings and carrying bags up the hill.  To Melissa Liddy, Terri Dillon and Theresa Henry, thank you for your continued support and patience during the season.  We needed a sense of humour on many evenings waiting for buses and entertaining the boys, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the work that you do and the teamwork we share.

Finally, to the Sports Office staff, Craig Stariha, Chris Everding, Anthony Kemp and Todd Kropp, again thank you for your support and assistance, and all the behind-the-scenes operations that is required in managing a squad of over 120 swimmers each year.  I appreciate your patience and generosity for the squad, and I know that the boys also appreciate the work that you do.  We look forward to a well-earned rest, and reflection on the season, before starting it all again in Term 3.

 AIC Cricket v St Laurence’s College

 Very wet and unsafe fields caused the cancellation of the Round 5 fixtures against St. Laurence’s College last Saturday. It has been a frustrating season with many teams having only played two games in the last six weeks and the likelihood of matches being cancelled again due to fields not drying up is a strong possibility. Many sides will be playing against Ambrose Treacy College this week as they fill in team’s spaces left vacant by St. Edmund’s College. They are a strong cricket school, and we need to be at our best even though we haven’t been able to train for the last two weeks. Hopefully the boys have been trying to keep their skills up by finding spaces dry enough to practise their cricket.

Photos are scheduled to be taken this Saturday for teams playing at Villanova Park and at Kianawah Park. The photos will be taken at Villanova Park near the Andrew Slack Scoreboard on the main oval. Boys playing at Kianawah Park will need to have their photo taken at Villanova Park before moving off to play their match. A schedule is located above. Unfortunately, if the boys are late for the photo, it will not be taken again. Make sure your son is dressed in the appropriate cricket gear for the photo. No hats will be required. The teams playing at home next week will have their photos. Any team who misses out on the photos over the next two weeks will have them taken at a later date.

AIC Volleyball – Mr Todd Kropp, AIC Volleyball Co-ordinator

Round 5 certainly had a déjà vu feeling! Whilst it was disappointing for our teams to not see the court, it is of upmost importance that the Villanova community remain safe, and the decision was made to cancel AIC fixtures once again. Our teams will be hard at work preparing for the weekend ahead and I know our boys are looking forward to getting on the court for matches again.

With only a few rounds of the AIC Competition to go, it will be easy for us to take our ‘foot off the pedal’. It is crucial our teams prepare well for this weekend for our round against St Edmund’s. SEC are always a fierce competitor in the volleyball world and always travel with large amounts of support. This weekend presents a great opportunity for us to continue the winning streak of many of our teams and finish the season on a high. I encourage players to continue to value every point by fighting each rally to the end. We have encountered several close finishes throughout the season through deciding sets or close scores, during these times it is imperative that we continue the same process that got us to this point of the match and that we are not intimidated by the opponent, the surroundings, or the point of the match.

A reminder that Year 7 – 9 volleyball teams will have their team photos taken this Saturday at Villanova. Please check the schedule carefully as photos will be outside of match times.

I look forward to observing the matches at SEC this weekend where our Senior teams will do battle. A reminder that our Year 7 – 9 teams are responsible for court duty and this roster will be available via Student Café and Parent Lounge.

AIC AFL – Mr Adam Fry, AIC AFL Co-ordinator

Unfortunately, once again the rain was our biggest enemy with all teams having their fixtures cancelled for a second consecutive week. Looking at the forecast, hopefully this weekend we should be back out representing Villanova on the footy field.

Make sure when the opportunity presents this week, you take it with both hands. With only a couple of weekends remaining it is vital we are chalking up as many victories as possible. Our Firsts remain as the team to beat and with two difficult opponents remaining the bigger the crowd at these games, the better.

Continue to stay in touch with your coaches for any information and good luck to all teams this weekend.

Trimester 2 Sport Sign-Ons – Rugby, Football, Chess and Cross Country – OVERDUE!

All students who are interested in representing Villanova in AIC rugby, football, cross country and chess in Term 2 from Year 5 – 12 must complete an online registration form: https://form.jotform.com/VillanovaSport/aic-term-2-sport-sign-on

Please be aware that the sign-ons were due last Monday. Based on the numbers, it seems that some families have not sign-on yet.  If this form is not completed by tomorrow, the link will be closed.

Note – a full list of students who have nominated for rugby, football, chess and cross country will be published in the respective Parent Lounge and Student Café portals by tomorrow midday. We ask parents to check the list tomorrow to confirm that their son has signed on. Those who have not signed on must contact the Sports Office directly to sign their son/s on.

Please refer to the AIC rugby and AIC football sections on the website to view all information regarding the up-coming footy seasons, including commencement dates and training/trial times.

Rugby and Football Coaches and Referees needed

The Sports Office relies heavily on the goodwill of parents and Old Boys to assist with the coaching of our teams. This year it looks like we will have 30 teams in football and 32 teams in rugby but unfortunately, we don’t have nearly enough coaches to get all of the boys onto the field. The Sports Office is calling for coaches for the following teams:

Football- 3^rd XI, 9A, 9D, 7D, 7E, 6D, 6E

Rugby- 10D, 9C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 7E, 6D, 5D, 5E

Training for the Year 7 – Open teams is at Villanova Park on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3.45pm to 5pm. The Year 5 and Year 6 boys train on Tuesday and Thursday either before school or in the afternoon at Little Langlands.

If anyone in our community can assist and take on these teams, then the College and students will be very grateful. Please contact the relevant coordinators below

Year 5-12 Football – Anthony Kemp email: akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au

Year 5-12 Rugby – Chris Everding email: ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au

NEW 2022 Villanova Rugby and Football Uniforms

ALL students from Year 5 – 12 in both rugby and football must purchase the Villanova rugby and football uniform in readiness for the up-coming season. This includes shorts, jersey and socks. The Villanova College Uniform Shop will have all rugby and football gear available for purchase.

Note – we have a NEW line of rugby and football jerseys and shorts this year. We are asking all families to purchase the NEW uniforms as listed below EXCEPT the Year 6 cohort who must still wear their old-style Canterbury rugby and football jerseys (as these were only purchased last year).  We ask the Year 6 cohort not to buy the new gear as we would like all boys in Year 6 to wear the same gear for the games and team photos.

The new and old jerseys are very different.

IMPORTANT – all boys who sign up for rugby and football WILL make a team, therefore, parents can purchase these items of clothing now. We are expecting players to have their uniforms ready to wear on Saturday 26 March, trial day.

Villanova Rugby Uniform

• New 2022 Villanova rugby jersey (to be worn by all year levels excluding the Year 6 cohort who must wear the old-style Canterbury jersey)
• Villanova rugby shorts (the new and old style are the same, that is plain green, both are acceptable)
• NEW 2022 Villanova rugby/football socks (for all boys from Year 5 – 12, the old socks are not acceptable)
• Mouthguards compulsory (not stocked in the Uniform Shop)
• Head gear optional (not stocked in the Uniform Shop)

Villanova Football Uniform

• NEW 2022 Villanova football jersey (to be worn by all year levels excluding the Year 6 cohort who must wear the old-style Canterbury jersey)
• Villanova football shorts (the football shorts are the same as the PE shorts, which is plain green. The Year 6 cohort may wear the plain green PE shorts too or the old-style Canterbury football shorts which match the old-style football jersey)
• NEW 2022 Villanova rugby/football socks (all boys from Year 5 – 12, the old socks are not acceptable)
• Shin-guards compulsory (not stocked in the Uniform Shop)

Please Note

• What to wear at training? – It is acceptable for both the rugby and football players to wear any coloured/club or other old clothes to training. Boys are not encouraged to wear their Villanova playing uniform to training but may do so if they wish. We certainly would not recommend rugby players wear their PE uniform or any shirt that may get torn. Perhaps all players could now wear their old-styled jerseys to training as these are not permitted to be worn on game day except for the Year 6 cohort.

AIC Chess

Students who are interested in playing chess should join the groups and training sessions below. These sessions commence this week and will run until the end of term.

Juniors (Year 5 and Year 6) – Wednesday and Thursday at second break in V13. Available for those who want to make an AIC Chess team and for those who simply want to play for fun. Contact  – Mr Matthew Conlan – mconlan@vnc.qld.edu.au , Mr Jack Lamb – jlamb@vnc.qld.edu.au or Mr Nicholas Verity nverity@vnc.qld.edu.au

Middle (Year 7 – 9) and Seniors (Year 10 – 12) – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning tea in T10. Contact Mrs Sally England SEngland@vnc.qld.edu.au or Leah Belson lbelson@vnc.qld.edu.au 

AIC Cross Country

The Cross-Country program is split into two squads – the Year 5 and Year 6 squad and the Year 7 – Opens squad. Both squads will be trained separately by different coaches and managers. The AIC Cross Country Championships will take place on Wednesday 1 June, that is, Term 2 Week 7.

We are aware that many boys will have lots of different activities going on. We encourage our best runners to represent Villanova on the day of the championships. It may be the case that a student may not be able to attend all training sessions due to other commitments. If this is the case, we simply need students to communicate this to the coaches and managers involved. We are open to negotiating alternative training schedules with those who have lots on.

Year 5 and Year 6 Squad

The Year 5 and Year 6 training squad will officially begin on Monday 28 March, that is, the tenth week of Term 1. Training will be held each Monday and Wednesday afternoon from 3.15pm – 4.30pm. Boys are to meet Miss Roberts outside the 5 Black and White classrooms after school and she will walk the boys down to training at Little Langlands. Boys who cannot train both afternoons are encouraged to attend the non-compulsory training session on Sunday afternoons.

Mr Tom Lonergan (coach) will offer “holiday training” sessions at Whites Hill for any/all boys who would like to attend. The training will take place from 8.30 – 10 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for both holiday weeks and the Monday holiday at the start of Term 2.

Year 7 – 12 Squad

The Year 7 – 12 training squad will officially begin on Monday 21 March, that is, the ninth week of Term 1. Training will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6.45am. All students are to meet at the front of Goold Hall and leave at 6.45am sharp (not at Little Langlands). Late comers must remain at the College.

IMPORTANT! – All Cross-Country runners should be participating in two – three training sessions per week, unless they are involved in another sport, in which case they should be completing at least one cross country session per week to be prepared sufficiently for the AIC Championship.

Junior School Cross Country Run 25 March

The Junior School will have a cross country trial run around Langlands Park on 25 March from 1:45pm to 2.50pm. This run is to identify any boys who may be potential cross-country runners for our squad and will double as a trial for Lytton District selection. All boys are welcome to come along and train in the cross-country squad. It is great fitness for many sports but most importantly each boy’s general health. Lytton nominations will occur after the holidays will be selected by our cross-country coaches, Tom Lonergan and Amy Roberts early next term depending on training attendance, commitment to the Villanova cross country team and ability.

Composite Sport

Please find below a list of composite trial and nomination dates. Paperwork for these trials is now available in the Sport Office.

Representative Sport

Well done to Mitch Rieck who competed at the Qld Track and Field Championships last weekend and won silver in the U18 2000m steeplechase and finished fourth in 800m. Mitch also made the Qld Track and Field team for 2000m steeplechase and 800m and will compete at the Australian Championships in Sydney at the end of this month. A superb effort, well done and best wishes Mitch!

Please note – we thank the parents who have advised the Villanova College Sports Office of the recent Met East selections across a number of different sports. As a matter of course the Sports Office will await the formal correspondence from the Met East Sport Office before we publish the significant efforts of our Villanova sportsmen.

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Musical Congratulations!
The adulation from across the College has been incredible for all students involved in this year’s production of High School Musical.  I would like to add my voice to this chorus!  As a Musical Director of the production, I – along with all staff involved, were blown away by the manner in which these students faced and overcame adversity to produce such a fine show.  Their grit and determination ensured the production was a great success.

Thanks to the everyone involved, it was a joy to be a part of and quite an amazing production – well done!

Loan Agreements
We have a number of Year 5 student loan agreements outstanding.  If you could please take a moment to check your son’s bag and remind him to drop it to his classroom teacher, that would be appreciated.  The Music Office will be making contact with families regarding the return of these documents over the coming week.  If you have any concerns or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact the Music Office on 3394 5691.

Debut Concert Series
Our debut concert series is upon us, scheduled for the 22 and 24 March.  Information regarding the items for these events, along with ticketing, will be distributed shortly.  Please check your inboxes later this week for further information.

Senior Musician and Leaders Presentation
At our last full-College assembly on 26 February, we had the opportunity to celebrate our Senior Musicians and Music Leaders for 2022.  It was a great privilege to present these fine young men to our community, commending them for the grit and determination they have shown over two years of interruption and pandemic.  Congratulations must also go to Blake Waugh, our 2022 Music Captain, for his speech and communicating a clear vision for music at Villanova this year.

I am sincerely looking forward to working with these young men as they build their legacy for music in this place across the year.

Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers
Our fantastic Music Support Group have organised an innovative fundraiser for Villanova College.  You may have heard the buzz about our Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers…  the MUST HAVE items for the beach/cricket/park/fishing/barbecue/etc. Click here for more information.

Villanova Branded Camp Chairs – $35; Wildcat Coolers – $30

Entertainment Publications Memberships
Entertainment memberships are one of the Music Support Groups main fund-raisers.  Just click on the link below to purchase a membership and obtain ongoing special deals throughout the year: www.entbook.com.au/22002q9

All items can be purchased via Trybooking through the following link:  https://www.trybooking.com/BMEML

Purchases can be collected from the Music Office and all profits will go to the Music Support Group.

Thank you all for your ongoing support of Music at Villanova College.

Mr. Michael Jones, Director of Music

Musical Wrap-Up

To the cast, crew, orchestra and staff involved in Disney’s High School Musical, as a community, we give you all a standing ovation. Congratulations on an amazing week of productions to sold out, supportive, amazed and inspired audiences. You should all feel incredibly proud of your achievements.

The journey to the stage began mid 2021 with a team of Villanova staff mulling over what show to perform and wondering if we could even hold such an event with COVID looming around.  We then played the waiting game to see if our choice would be approved.

From those early meetings to the final product that many of you witnessed has seen a group of over one hundred staff and students ride the highs and lows of theatre. As a team they have spent hours learning intricate harmonies in their songs, learnt countless lines and cues from their scripts, perfected choreography, which is no mean feat when you add in a basketball, learnt an entire show of music in the orchestra, and perfected precise scene changes in the crew. This team has become a family and developed new friendships that we know will last a lifetime. The adaptability of all involved is one I have never witnessed before and something that we know is a skill that will transfer into their everyday lives. Even on closing night, we never once had the entire cast together thanks to COVID illnesses and isolations, however, those who were still able to perform just stepped in, filled holes and the show most certainly went on despite all of these challenges.

To the students, I can not thank you enough for your attitude, persistence, drive and above all talent that you have shared with us all. It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with you all and watch you grow as young men and women. Every single one of you involved in the show has been a true asset to your school, yourself, and your families. We thank you for stepping outside your comfort zones and we hope that this journey will provide lifelong memories that you will look back on with fondness.

To the staff involved, words cannot express the absolute honour and privilege it has been to collaborate with you all. Our students are so lucky to have had each and every single one of you guiding, pushing and energising them to reach levels that matched with professional shows.

Whilst there are many staff to thank, I would like to make special mention to Mrs Sophie Kenny, Mr Michael Jones, Ms Sallyanne Freney, Mr Matt Levander and our team of vocal coaches, Mr Neil Roche-Kelly, Mr David Campbell and Mr Morgan Chalmers. You all gave so much to this show and your efforts, professional attitude and absolute talent and love of the arts is why we had the show we did.

To Ms Kath Underhill, thank you for the hours of work you have put in to sort out the complexity of ticketing during COVID and the juggling act to get tickets transferred, reallocated and resold. I know that there are about 1500 people who are very thankful to you for your work.

And as the curtain closes on what was an exceptional run of Disney’s High School Musical, we say that it is now time to put the costumes away, however, please remember that we truly are “all in this together” and we will never forget the memories that have been made. You certainly all bopped to the top and definitely did everything you could to “climb the ladder of success.”

Go Wildcats.

Ms. Justine Silk, Musical Producer

EVENTS

Sports Lunch
The 8th Annual Villanova Sports Lunch is here and will be raising funds to support all sports at Villanova College. Fun, food and laughter all the way with your MC – Victoria Carthew. Ticket price includes special guest comedian Greg Ritchie and sensational guest panellists including Andrew Mehrtens, and other special guests to be announced. Also included is a two-course meal and a four hour drinks package (beer, wine, sparkling and soft drinks). Very limited tickets. Get yours now here: https://www.trybooking.com/BXOLD

UNIFORM SHOP
Uniform shop opening hours are available here:  https://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/our-community/uniform-shop/

FINANCE
As FACTS Management has now been introduced, school fee payments through BPay will no longer be an available payment option.  Please log into https://factsmgt.com.au/ or phone FACTS on 1300 322 871 to arrange the payment of school fees.

TUCKSHOP
It would be greatly appreciated if students could bring their 2021 student cards or cash to make Tuckshop purchases, until new student cards are issued. This aids an efficient service for the boys. Boys without student cards are asked to bring cash until the 2022 ID cards have been distributed. Inputting student numbers is greatly slowing down service time. Thank you for you cooperation.

View the 2022 Tuckshop menu and price list here: Menu-and-Prices2022-1.pdf (vnc.qld.edu.au)

VILLANOVA COLLEGE BUSINESS DIRECTORY 
Calling current parents, Old Boys and past parents — promote your business or service to members of the Villa community for free with the Villanova College Business Directory. List your business today for free via the link: https://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/our-college/villanova-business-directory/

Questions can be directed to foundation@vnc.qld.edu.au

STUDENT RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS AND OTHER INFORMATION COLLECTION NOTICE
The Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection is an annual data collection performed by the Australian Government.  Approved authorities are required under the Australian Education Regulation to complete this collection.

To ensure Villanova College provides accurate details, parents are requested to login to Parent Lounge to ensure that their details are correct. Further information about the Collection can be found here.