Villa View Issue 12 – 27 July 2023

Dear Parents,

The last fortnight was a flurry of activity as we started the term with academics, QDU Debating finals, the launch of Rugby League, Basketball and Tennis seasons and culminated with Saturday’s wonderful Carnival.   While so many people are working with great commitment and industry for the boys and the community of Villanova, I must thank the work of our Parents and Friends president Mr Peter Roberts, Carnival Convenor Mrs Emma Jane Harrison and the army of stall convenors for the months of organisation, work and effort that went into hosting such a successful event. The evening was a great display of community spirit and strength. As always, the committee will convene in the not too distant future to evaluate the event and share both commendations and improvements. If you would like to provide feedback on the Carnival you are welcome to contact the College and/or attend our P&F meetings as we look to build further on the Carnival.

Academic Awards Semester 1
Congratulations to all of our academic excellence award winners who will be acknowledged on assembly this Friday. Their diligence to their studies and commitment to achieving their best possible result is to be commended. I thank all our teachers for their work in shaping, encouraging and challenging of our boys to reach their best each semester.

Semester 1 Parent Feedback survey
Yesterday I sent an email regarding an opportunity for some mid-year feedback to the College.

As shared in the email, Interiority is one of the important values of our Augustinian tradition, the notion of taking time to take stock, look inside oneself to discover and challenge our strengths and weaknesses; to encourage us toward renewal “One Heart One Mind on the way toward God”.

The survey is not designed to be anonymous as we want to be able to engage with the feedback should we want to know more or need to collaboratively make response. The survey is confidential however and returns, in their raw state, only come to me as Principal.

Later this year there will be further opportunity through both survey and focus group opportunities to deliver feedback that will inform and shape the creation of our next Strategic Plan.

SET Plan Process
This week our Year 10 students and parents began their SET Plan Interviews. The Year 10’s have been engaging at a school based level since last term and we now meet with the parents of every Year 10 boy to make sure that they are thinking carefully about the next steps in their educational journey and are doing so with strong information and guidance. IF you are not the parent of a Year 10 boy but would like to know more about our Career education and preparation program you are most welcome to reach out to Mr John Christie our Dean of Learning and Teaching or Mrs Julie Duffy our Head of Careers and Pathways.

QCMF preparations
One of our longest standing commitments to the Queensland Catholic Education community is again on our doorstep. The Queensland Colleges Music Festival (QCMF) is such a wonderful opportunity for the musicians and music programs of our Catholic schools to showcase the children’s skills, talents and growth. Prior to my time here as Principal of Villanova I often attended with my children and felt such a deep sense of gratitude to the Villanova community for the investment made through facilitating the QCMF Event.

Over coming weeks I know that students, parents, old boys and community members will be asked to assist through volunteering their time to act as hosts and other related tasks. I do hope you can offer your time and talent should you be in a position to.

Vertical House Progression
In this next week we move into the announcement of our new Houses for the beginning of the 2023 Vertical pastoral care system. The House names encourage and engage with the past and ensure that the Augustinian heritage and story is respected and strengthened. I thank Mr Steve Bremner and the Pastoral steering committee for the tremendous work done in shaping and guiding the first two phases of the programme.

Catholic Education Week
Our congratulations to Mr Jason Lane, our Ministry Team and the You Are Not Alone Team who were all nominated for the state-wide Spirit of Catholic Education Award this year.  More than 240 nominees were recognised around the state – a rich reminder of the calibre of people who make an exceptional contribution in our Catholic school communities every day.  The nominations showed an outstanding level of commitment and embodiment of the values and ethos of Catholic education.

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.

Our Focus of the Week in the Junior School from Monday will be “Respect Me, Include Me”.  Why?  Well, in recent days, conversations indicate that some of our Junior School students appear to be pushing boundaries with manners, respect and courtesy towards staff and other students.  What’s quick and easy?  Lecture and give consequences.  What changes attitudes and behaviour long term?  Thought, reflection, research, and proactive measures.  This is taken from the work the Junior School Teachers have done with Developmental Relationships Framework | Search Institute (search-institute.org).  It’s been a source of support for staff in the Junior School for some time, and well worth returning to on a regular basis. 

The Focus of the Week is based on a Social and Emotional Learning Framework.  Students have a National Curriculum, yet the person, the individual, needs to learn so many things about themselves.  Relationships are crucial to living a best life.  Knowing ourselves and knowing how to work/play with others is integral to happiness.  That happiness helps bring harmony into a class, and consequently into a cohort.  Long gone are the days where assumptions are made that children know “their place”.  Today’s world is more unpredictable than ever, so our relationships must be positive, inclusive, stable and a source of comfort.  Always. 

So what’s involved next week?  We prioritise.   

“Respect Me”.  Students need to hear, see, know and feel that we take them seriously and treat them fairly.  The power is balanced because respect works both ways.  Give a little, take a little.  Build trust.  Prove that turn taking is real.  We do this by: 

• Listening and learning from students.  We don’t know everything despite our age, experience and we must remember that pressures such as time mean that rushing our work can sometimes look to younger people that we are not really present, available or value their input.  We must encourage conversations, knowing that every valuable minute given means students have a genuine sense of belonging.  Choices must be available at some point – making decisions together shows we respect their current situation, head space and this is the prime opportunity to express care.  Being cared for is amazing – any adult knows this is true. 

“Include Me”.  Students need to reflect on previous learning before being thrust into today’s tasks.  What went well yesterday?  What could have been better?  In a 24-hour period, boys can be the perfect reality check on just what they remember that they learnt, recall how they felt and can give you the most honest “next time” ideas you have ever heard.  How often do we ask, “how did I do?”.  We certainly give feedback in all kinds of ways, all day, every day.  It’s time we gave the students uncontested time, without retribution, the chance to reciprocate.  Be brave enough to listen and consider how we can make changes that can impact learning exponentially.  We do this by: 

• Planning for feedback from students – in a safe space, with no judgement and with a great sense of humour.  Be a real person, acknowledging faults and short comings as an adult, admit that the profession can bring pressure or stresses that sometimes mean reactions are less than ideal.  Flaws can be fabulous for bringing about equilibrium.  Relationships can flourish when people are real, down to earth and humility is in the picture.  Keep the big picture at the forefront – we are managing life together, 5 days a week for 10 weeks at a time.  Let’s do better.  Help me, help you.  Ok that’s Jerry Maguire – I couldn’t help myself. 

I’ll be the first to put up my hand and announce I’m far from perfect.  But I love my job.  I breathe in the energy and vitality from these young men.  I’m not too proud to go back to the essence of relationships and find strength in regrouping our approach to the most important part of our future – the 10 and 11 year olds that today might need a helping hand, but tomorrow will help us just as much. 

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Week 3 of Term! Already????  I suppose that, as much as anything, it is a sign of just how busy life has become. Certainly that’s the story with the Middle School and the time has just been flying out the door.

The Villa Carnival on Saturday night was a tremendous success and the atmosphere around the campus was electric. I would like to single out the Yr 7 families in particular for their contribution to the Lob-a-Choc stall. Over the last few weeks, I have seen the donations of chocolate flowing through the Middle School Student Services from our Yr 7 Pastorals. It contributed to a very popular stall and a lot of very happy young people who walked away with a very big lot of chocolate.

The Middle School MasterChef program has begun again in Term 3 with our first round beginning next week. I thank all those students who have nominated to show off their culinary skills. It is a great way of continually highlighting the different strengths of students in our College and giving them a chance to shine. As for me, my culinary skill might not be right up with the elite, but I am certainly looking forward to tasting the results of the expertise that gets displayed at this hard-fought competition!

The Yr 9 Day of Reflection is on Monday next week. On this day we will send our Yr 9’s off campus in order to help them continue to focus on relationship building, leadership and the future. Facilitated by Michael Fitzpatrick, it is a wonderful day and one that the boys have in the past gained a lot from.

Yet another big focus of the Middle School over the last week has been the setting of their Semester 2 Academic Goals. This process is done online through their Student Café Portal and they have to analyse their Semester 1 results, identify the positives they see in their learning style [as well as the challenges] and then set specific goals for their subjects. Next week will see them begin working with their Pastoral Care teachers to start the process of approval. Once approved, the information will be disseminated to their teachers so that they can see what goals their students have set in their subjects. I ask all parents to have their sons show them the form, and their answers, so that you too can be a part of the process and know and encourage your sons’ goals for the remainder of the year.

Have another great week in the Middle School!

Mr Sean O’Neill, Head of Middle School

I read a thought-provoking article recently in The Australian by Ellie Halliwell entitled ‘Ancient Road Map to Modern Contentment- Do the Roman and Greek Philosophers hold the key to modern life?’. The writer begins’ ‘it’s interesting to imagine what the great philosophers of Rome and Greece would think of today’s world of instant gratification and selfies.’ Halliwell goes on to explore the tenets of stoic philosophy and the work of one of my favourite modern philosophers Ryan Holiday. His Daily Stoic email, which I have shared with my students, provides easily digestible interpretations of the teachings from the great stoics Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus about the virtues of temperance, justice, courage and wisdom that I have written previously about in my newsletter columns. One of the great misnomers about Stoicism is that is connected with ideas of being unemotional and unattached. According to Halliwell, ‘as human beings we all feel emotion- both positive and negative- but Stoicism allows us through the dichotomy of control to be not overwhelmed by these emotions and place emphasis on a more controlled response’. You can read more about what Stoicism can teach us at https://dailystoic.com/

Road Safety Education
As a College community, we continue to stand in solidarity and compassion for the members of the Marist College Ashgrove community following the tragic loss of one of their Year 12 students last week after a road accident. As a College, we invest in the importance of road safety education across the Senior School to empower our students to make safer, well-informed choices both as a driver and passenger.

Last Wednesday, our Year 11 cohort attended a special Docudrama incursion facilitated by RACQ which illuminated the ‘Fatal Five’- the five largest contributing factors causing motor vehicle accidents on our roads. Year 11 student Joseph Grigson wrote the following report on the experience:

“The presentation offered a number of valuable lessons, equipping us with new tips and tricks that can significantly contribute to our overall safety while taking on the roads. It highlighted the significance of being a conscientious and supportive mate when taking on the role of a passenger during group journeys, which I personally believe is a very important factor in young teenage boys’ road safety journey. Another focus of the workshop was around the concept of the “Fatal 5” – five critical factors responsible for a substantial number of accidents and severe injuries on the road. These “fatal 5” are speeding, failure to wear seat belts, mobile phone usage while driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and general inattentiveness leading to distractions. The presentation employed an appealing and impactful approach, featuring real-life examples and impactful videos, highlighting the terrible consequences of reckless behaviour. In conclusion, the RACQ presentation left a profound impact on our cohort, extending our understanding of road safety and teaching a sense of responsibility towards ourselves and others while on the road. We will forever be grateful.”

Student Voice on Mental Health
Earlier this term at our College Assembly, the theme of Growth from our GREATS Model of the Villanovan Graduate was explored. In a poignant student leader address, College Captain Mitchell Rieck powerfully unpacked the idea of personal growth through the lenses of mental health and constructions of masculinity. Mitch stated, “it’s part of our masculine ideals to be self-sufficient, to always be in control. But gents, I want to challenge this right now. Because life can get tough. And sometimes, in order to overcome these challenges, in order to grow, you need more than yourself. Lads we are a part of a demographic whose leading cause of death is suicide, and yet young males remain the least likely group to seek help. This must change. We must grow.”

At the conclusion of his speech, Mitch shared an exciting vision for a legacy project of the 2023 Student Leadership Team to continue the important work in the student mental health and wellbeing space:

“Villanova has seen the challenge of youth mental health. And as a College, we are growing to meet it. But there is more to be done. I am pleased to introduce for the first time, a new project of the 2023 SLT, in conjunction with the leaders from St Laurence’s College: the Men’s Shed – a space for young men to have open, honest, and vulnerable conversations. During breaks, you will have an opportunity to meet with myself and other Seniors, to discuss whatever is on your mind. Whether it’s something stressing you out, just a yarn or you simply want an escape from the chaos of the playground. In an increasingly divided and digitalised society, the value of real interpersonal interactions cannot go unnoticed, and we hope that the Men’s Shed provides a haven for these values. Gents if you think you are too big for this concept, just know that your entire Senior cohort experienced this firsthand at our Senior Retreat, and I can personally stand by the value of this exercise. So let’s continue to grow together, embrace our shared vulnerability and change the culture around mental health at Villanova.”

I congratulate Mitch and the Wellbeing Committee led by Ashton Taylor and Caden Griffiths for investing in this project.

“Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”- Brene Brown

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Celebrating communities of Faith, Hope and Love – Catholic Education Week 2023

This week we join with Catholic schools across Queensland to celebrate Catholic Education.  Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.  This year the focus is on celebrating communities of Faith, Hope and Love.  I’d like to highlight some of the ways that we have been living this at Villanova over recent weeks.

A Community of Faith – zooming to South America to learn about Liberation Theology and Small Christian Communities
Our Year 12 students in Study of Religion have just submitted their last school-based assessment before their final external exam that explored the connection between faith and our lives, through an exploration of the interactions between the Catholic Church and El Salvador during the time Oscar Romero led as Archbishop.    Students have found it to be a fantastic unit to study because it asked students to consider how we apply the core values from our faith in our lives.  Oscar Romero was the Archbishop in El Salvador who was killed for standing up against injustices that were happening in his country.  He was a voice for those who were poor and did not have a voice;  he spoke truth to power.  He lived out this value of respect in his life and put it into action.  Base Christian Communities flourished during this period of time in El Salvador and many Latin American countries during this time.

Last week we were joined on zoom by Sr Marg Kehoe who is a Presentation Sister, originally from Queensland, who has lived and worked in Chile and Peru for over 30 years.  She has a great connection to Villanova, as her nephews attended school here.  Sr Marg shared about the power of the Small Christian Communities as a way of forming community in a time of real oppression and injustice of those who were poor.  She reflected upon the passionate engagement of young people in the process of change that was fuelled through reading the scripture and forming community to share and understand what was happening and to plan responses.  She also invited our senior students to think about those who experience injustice today and to work out how we can respond to this.  It was an invitation to being a community of faith, moving to action.

Sr Marg zooming in with Year 12 students from Lima, Peru

A Community of Hope – Caring for our Common home
As part of the celebrations of Catholic Education Week, nine senior students from our Green Team attended a Social Justice Forum hosted by Lourdes Hill College focused on Caring for our Common Home on Monday 24 July!  There were over 70 students gathered from Lourdes Hill, Loreto, St Rita’s, Iona, All Hallows, Brigidine, Canon Hill Anglican College and Villanova College.  All shared a passion for caring for our environment, for the home that we all share.

Two keynotes were given to simulate the conversation.  The first from Bishop Tim Norton who provided insight into Pope Francis’ messages for our urgent need to respond to the injustices that are currently happening to our wider earth community and the way we are all interconnected and affected by this in both indirect and direct ways.  He also spoke about the Laudato si Action Platform were school communities and parishes are being invited to share their commitments to action in caring for our common home.   The second speaker, was a dynamic teacher from Lourdes Hill, Ms Kristy Robberts, who is a passionate biologist and zoologist and also a former student at Lourdes Hill who started their Environment group as a student nearly 30 years ago.  She had great stories and two key messages:

1. You can make a difference!
2. All the opportunities that you respond to now, shape who you are and who you become!

Following the keynotes students shared the current projects in different colleges and then brainstormed potential actions for their school.  Our Green team will be sharing their plans in the coming weeks.  It was indeed a very inspiring and hopefilled gathering of young people!

A Community of Love – Lend a Voice to Reconciliation


On the last day of our staff week, we had all staff from the College together for a staff Spirituality Day focusing on Lending a Voice to Reconciliation.  We were so pleased to have with us, and leading us, a great team of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People including: Aunty Evelyn Parkin, Marlon Riley, Toni Janke, Stephen Mam, Kelsey Doyle and Grace Sarra.  The day was a mix of ritual, talks, workshops and yarning circles.  It was an opportunity for our staff to listen and to learn more about Aboriginal spirituality, culture, traditions and knowing.  This day is part of our Reconciliation Action Plan at Villanova College as we recognise our role and responsibility as an educational setting to be working towards reconciliation.

This is particularly timely this year with the Referendum that will be held in the coming months about changes within Australia’s constitution considering an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to Parliament.

As we more widely consider what it means to have a voice and to be heard I wanted to share a very powerful blog from Br Damien Price about the longing we all have to be heard.  He is a brilliant storyteller and his Encounters of the Heart always strike a chord for me.

He writes:

Voice: Part 1
In October I will be voting ‘Yes!’
I suppose over forty years of teaching I have learnt something about people. I have certainly learned about my own fragility and feet of clay – my many faults and failings. But if there is one thing I have learnt, especially working with young people, is that people have a voice, and they want it to be heard…. To read more  We all long to be heard – Encounter The Heart

Please join me in praying the prayer students used at the end of their gathering at Lourdes Hill on Monday night:

Loving God,
You provoke us to confront the challenges of our time.
Inspire each of us to know the urgency of your call to address the many needs that surround us.
Amen

Date Claimers for Term 3
75^th Anniversary Mass
On the Feast of Saint Augustine this year we are celebrating our 75^th Year as a College.  Our Archbishop Mark Coleridge will be with us for this occasion and we will also be joined by a large number of the Augustinians.  We extend a invitation to families, past students indeed all connected with our community to join us via live stream on the day.  Please mark it in your diary – 9.30am Friday 25 August.  The link is:

https://youtube.com/live/t2QpOnOJjlQ?feature=share

Pastoral Masses
There is an old saying: A Community that prays together, stays together! At Villanova we are extraordinarily fortunate to have Fr Pete and Fr Saldie as Chaplains who are able to lead us in Eucharist together.  Alongside our full College masses these masses for our Pastorals and Co-curricular teams is an opportunity to celebrate and deepen our connection as a community. Parents are welcome to attend when their sons mass is on, and we love it when grandparents come to.  Masses are held in our chapel and start at 8am and are finished by 8.30am.

Please ensure that your son is present when his pastoral or team is gathering.

Term 3

Social Justice Forums
All Hallows have invited senior students to join them in Justice forums being held in their College next week on stopping Human Trafficking.  Please see the attached flyer and register your interest with Ms Garrone or Ms Jervis if you are keen to attend.

Villanova will also be hosting a Justice forum at the newly opened Holocaust Museum in Brisbane near our Catholic Cathedral that will be focused on ‘Courage to Care’.  More details will be available soon about this event.

Mrs Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

Start of Semester
The start of a new semester is a genuine opportunity for students to reflect on their achievements of Semester 1 and to then look ahead to the new semester. I would hope that every student has something to celebrate whilst I would be surprised if any student didn’t have something that they could improve on. In terms of the later, goalsetting is still the best way for a student to develop their skills, knowledge and comprehension of an area. At the beginning of every semester at Villanova, our students are challenged by their teachers to set challenging goals that may help them to improve on their previous achievements. Over the next few weeks, students will have the opportunity to set goals and then engage in conversations with teachers around how best they can .

Assessment Calendars
Our students are regularly reminded of the importance of planning and being organised. We are all aware of how busy they can get, with academics, co-curricular activities and other activities outside of school all contributing to a full calendar. To assist with planning, all students in Year 7 to 12 and parents/carers have access to their assessment calendars for the remainder of the year via Student Café and Parent Lounge. Year 5 and 6 calendars are available from the students’ classroom teachers.

Examination Timetables
Each term’s examination timetables are released some weeks before the examinations commencing. Student Café and Parent Lounge are again the locations for these. Year 7 to 11 timetables will be updated over the coming weeks.

Year 12 Cohort
We wish our Year 12 students the very best with the last of their IA3 assessment being completed over the coming weeks. Once these are completed, the students will turn their attention to mock examinations being held in Week 8 and 9 of this term, and then external examinations starting in Week 4 of Term 4.

The Year 12 External Examination timetable has been available since last term and our students should be well aware of their commitments in October and November. The timetable can be found at: QCAA external assessment timetable 2023

Subject Selection
Two weeks ago, students and parents/carers of Year 10 attended the Year 11 Subject Selection Evening as part of their Senior Education and Training (SET) Planning for 2024. Interviews with senior staff have been occurring this week as part of this process and continue across the next three weeks. The conversations so far have been a great opportunity to reinforce the great work of our Year 10 students and to encourage them in the future academic endeavours as they look towards Year 11 and 12, and beyond.

Next Wednesday evening (2^nd August), Year 9 students and parents/carers are invited to the College at 6.00pm to be involved in the Year 10 Subject Selection Evening. There will be a general presentation in Hanrahan Theatre to commence the evening after which students and parents are invited to visit classrooms in the Veritas building to view presentations and ask questions of the Heads of Faculty and other staff. Subject selections are then due the following Friday (11^th August) via the online subject selection platform. Parents/carers and students have been emailed this week with details.

Once the Year 10 and 11 subject selection processes are completed, we will turn our focus to the Year 9 Subject Selection evening. Year 8 students and parents/carers will be contacted in the coming weeks with details.

National Asessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
This year saw a change to NAPLAN across the country. The first was that NAPLAN testing occurred earlier in the year; rather than completion in May, testing was completed in March. This has allowed for results to be released earlier.  The second change was the reporting of achievement levels. NAPLAN results are now scored based on four levels of achievement – “exceeding”, “strong”, “developing” and “needs additional support”. A student that tests at “strong” or “exceeding” is considered to be at or above the expected standard for their age. A student that tests at “developing” or “needs additional support” does not yet meet the expected standard for their age.

NAPLAN reports have now been released to schools. Over the coming week, reports will be made available to parents in Parent Lounge.

Semester 1 Academic Awards Assembly
Tomorrow we hold our Academic Awards Assembly to acknowledge high achieving students in Years 5 to 11 based on their Semester 1 results. We look forward to celebrating with these students in Hanrahan Theatre, with the assembly commencing at 9.40am. We will be livestreaming the event for parents/carers to view. The livestream link is below.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

QCMF 2023
We are now 3 weeks away from QCMF 2023.  It is going to be another incredible event with over 14,500 students coming to share their music with us from 17-20 August.

Performance times for all Villa ensembles have been sent to participant students.  Please contact the Music Office should you require clarification.  Information regarding logistics for the Festival performers will be sent over the coming fortnight.

We encourage everyone to pre-purchase tickets this year via our website – www.qcmf.com.au.  Festival and day passes are on offer and will be sold at a discounted rate prior to the festival.

To host all our visitors, we will require your assistance at this year’s event.  Information regarding volunteering has been distributed to all musician families; however, we encourage all community members to register and roster for roles across QCMF 2023 – www.qcmfvolunteering.com.au.  Volunteers will receive a free festival pass affording them access to all four days of the event.

I sincerely hope you will come and join us in this great celebration of music in Catholic Schools.

Villanova Ensemble Performance Times
Please see below the arrival and performance times for all Villanova College ensembles across QCMF.

Cross River Clash
This Sunday afternoon, we have Villa’s own RB2 and The Shamps mixing it with two rock sensations from Mt Maria College at Backdock Arts in Fortitude Valley for the inaugural Cross River Clash.  Tickets are available at the door and via the QR code on the attached poster.  This will be an All Ages gig commencing at 4:30pm – a great afternoon of music for the pundits.

Key Dates for Term 3
As we look ahead across the coming months, please ensure we pencil the following dates into your diary:

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/BBQ/etc. this Summer! (flyer attached).

Villanova Branded Camp Chairs – $35; Wildcat Coolers – $30
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 go to the Music Support Group.

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

Mr Michael Jones,

Director of Sport Address
Round 1 of competition versus Marist College Ashgrove commenced last weekend with fifty-four matches across Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis.

Congratulations to our Year 5 boys who represented the College for the first time in their respective sports. I hope this is the start of a very positive journey throughout your senior schooling years.

The College theme this week from the GREATS framework is that of Respect. Perfect timing for our Term 3 sporting communities to reflect on the real reasons we enjoy playing sport.

Results are part of sport but should not be the driving factor in why we participate. Instead if we are here to learn, grow, compete and reflect, the outcomes become less important than the actual journey. Once the result is not the primary motivation, we can focus more on ourselves and the things we can control, such as the way in which we respect our peers, coaches, parents and officials.

I wish all students well in their sporting endeavours versus St Patrick’s College in Round 2.

Term 3 Results

Basketball – Round 1

Rugby League – Round 1

Tennis – Round 1

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.

Team Photos
Team photos are being taken this Saturday 29^th July at Villanova Park for our Year 5 Rugby League teams. Students are asked to arrive 10 minutes prior to their photo time in full playing uniform including boots/playing shoes. Photos will be taken underneath the Andrew Slack scoreboard. Year 6 teams will be rescheduled for a school day later in the year.

Training Schedules
Please see below the Term 3 training schedule for Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis. This schedule has been updated so please check this document carefully.

Term 3 Training Schedule

Basketball
It was a great start to the AIC season for our Basketball teams this past weekend, our College posted some great results and it was fantastic to see how far some of the students have come in the short time since trials. I also commend all our teams in the way in which they joined Marist College Ashgrove in signs of respect.

First V Coach, Mr Jordan Mullan, had this to say after the Villanova First V team locked in their first win of the season.

“Round 1 always presents a level of uncertainty, nerves and excitement bottled up as anticipation leading into an AIC season. For this year’s Villanova First V preparations have been in full swing for several months now and whilst the group has only been able to come together in recent weeks the men came out with purpose and intent to establish an early first quarter lead. Captain of basketball Mason Honeyman was able to play a key role facilitating for others and drawing multiple double teams, whilst Jack Rouhliadeff came in with his no nonsense work rate picking up offensive and defensive rebounds creating second and third offensive possessions and transitions for his teammates. Recently announced Australian schoolboy rugby representative Jackson Moloney looked like he had not missed a beat after weeks on the fields away from the hardwood. New faces in McDowell-White and Ikitau brought an injection of energy and finesse to the wildcats and helped prove too much for a resilient Ashgrove team who never stopped fighting and made the game a close affair 66-55.

Next week sees the Wildcats travel up the coast to Shorncliffe, where a red-hot fast finishing St Pat’s will bring speed and another level of excitement where our boys will need to be locked in defensively, execute on offense and more connected as the season continues to build.”

I thank all of our coaches for their work on the weekend, and families for always ensuring our teams are well supported.
I wish everyone the best of luck this week v SPC, and encourage all families to check the weekly fixture information.

Mr Todd Kropp, Basketball Coordinator

Rugby League
Round 3 against Marist Ashgrove was anticipated to be a tough round, and indeed, several games showcased their strength as formidable opponents. The weekend’s outcome saw us secure 2 wins and 6 losses. A big congratulations to our 6A and Year 7 teams for clinching the first wins of the season. The day began with some entertaining games as both teams displayed their skill and enthusiasm, scoring some impressive tries.

However, the 1stXIII experienced their first loss of the AIC season. While they showed glimpses of being the superior side during parts of the second half, they were unable to capitalize on rare opportunities in the opposition half. Ashgrove took advantage of some tired defenders around the ruck to open up the scoring, and they further extended their lead by capitalizing on a few simple errors. No doubt, they’ll be eager to redeem themselves for Round 2 this weekend.

Looking ahead, we’re facing St Patrick’s College for Round 2. Additionally, this week marks the start of split rounds for the Junior and Senior teams. Our Year 5 and Year 6 teams will play at Villanova Park, while our Year 7 to Open teams will compete at Marist College Ashgrove. To know your team’s allocated time and field, please check the draw posted on the website. Ensure you arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time, unless your coach has advised you otherwise.

I would like to remind all parents that they are not to approach a coach, referee, QRL representative or any member of the opposing school. If there are any issues or concerns that parents may have regarding rugby league, they should be directed to the Rugby League Coordinator or Director of Sport.

I wish all teams the best of luck for this weekend. Play within the spirit of the game and as always, chase the win.

Mr Blake McLauchlan, Rugby League Coordinator

Tennis First IV
Taking a such a young team into this season meant that this year was always going to be a steep learning curve for our First IV. Our first round against Ashgrove didn’t disappoint with a solid performance from our boys whilst still having plenty to improve on. Our significant work in the preseason on our doubles paid off, winning two of the four rubbers whilst losing the other two in a tie break and 7-5 respectively.

However, on the singles court, Ashgrove showed their class winning three of the four singles rubbers, all in straight sets. Special mention to Reuben Wagels winning his singles rubber convincing in straight sets and to Marcel Colette on his superb double’s performance in both rubbers. Whilst the 5-3 loss was disappointing, there is plenty to improve on as we work through the season.

We will continue to work hard on the court in preparation for our next challenge at St Patrick’s this weekend.

Mr Justin Musumeci, First IV Manager

Tennis
Last Saturday saw the start of the AIC Tennis season with matches against Marist Ashgrove, we knew that this was going to be a tough challenge as Ashgrove traditionally have had a strong Tennis program. Although the overall results show that our opponent’s had more wins than us, I took great satisfaction in the way of which our players conducted themselves and showed great fight to not give up easily. We had several close matches that could have gone either way and it was a great learning curve for all players.

It was most pleasing to see many new players attending who did not play last year, especially across the older age groups who had never played before, illustrating that there is always time to become involved, support the College, have fun, and learn new skills. I would like to give a special mention to two year 12 students Patrick Lightfoot and Callum Trembath who agreed to play on very short notice in the mighty 3rds, your help and support is applauded by the sports office, but more importantly your teammates were very appreciative.

I would like to give a special mention to Ms Maria Mascadri who manages our year 5 and 6 teams. Her commitment to making sure that our junior players not only get great valuable weekly training sessions, but also in making sure that everything runs smoothly on match days with a strong focus on positivity and participation, gives me great confidence that our junior players are setting a great base for the overall Tennis program to grow in the coming years.

Competition for places in some teams is particularly fierce. I challenge all players to attend their weekly scheduled training sessions and always look to improve your skills. I also strongly encourage all players who unfortunately have not been successful in making Round 1 teams to stay in contact with their team managers; we would like to see boys be available for selection throughout the season and for weeks when there are absences.

Parents and Students. Can I please remind you that the uniform for Tennis players consists of the Villanova squad shirt, green Physical Education shorts, team socks (PE socks) and the Villanova sports cap. All of these are available for purchase at the Uniform Shop. Can I please use this as a final reminder that all boys will need to be in full tennis uniform for Round 2 this Saturday. The weekly draw will be posted in the “locker room” section of the website, please make sure that you double check the venue and starting times weekly, as these may change throughout the season depending on the opposition.

Good luck to all Villanova sporting teams for round 2.

Mr Nathan Dufty, Tennis Coordinator

Track & Field
Track & Field training commences next week – Week 4, Term 3.

Boys attending must report to the Sports Office on Friday or Monday to register their attendance for sprints and/or throws next week, so we can accurately predict the number of students going on the bus to Villa Park and the number returning back to the College. 

Monday and Wednesday – Middle Distance- 6.45-8:00am Meet at Goold Hall.
Wednesday – Jumps, Sprints and Hurdles 3.45pm-5pm at Villanova Park. Boys will be bussed to Villa Park after school and a return bus will arrive back at the College around 5.30pm.
Thursday – Throws 3.45pm-5pm at Villanova Park. Boys will be bussed to Villa Park after school and a return bus will arrive back at the College around 5.30pm.

Please note this is the program for the next two weeks. In week three there will be NO training due to the public Holiday and The Villanova Interhouse Track and Field Carnival on Thursday the 17^th. The schedule will then change from the 21^st August.
Please follow the schedule below.

The AIC Track & Field Season Schedule is now available here and on the website Locker Room and Track & Field pages.

Training will commence according to the schedule below from Monday 31^st July. Middle distance runners will train at Little Langlands on Monday and Wednesday mornings and all other disciplines will train at Villanova Park on either Tuesday, Wednesday and/or Thursday afternoons. Boys training in the afternoons, will be bussed to Villa Park after school and a bus will be provided to bring them back to the College, arriving at Villa at approximately 5.45pm. Parents can pick up their sons at Villanova Park at the conclusion of training. If they are not collected by 5.10pm they will be put on the return bus back to the College.

Sprints/ hurdles
When – Wednesday and Thursday afternoons
Where – Villanova Park
Time – Bus departs Villanova at 3.10pm and returns at 5.45pm

Throws (Javelin, shot and discus)
When – Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
Where – Villanova Park
Time – Bus departs Villanova at 3.10pm and returns at 5.45pm

Jumps (high jump, long jump and triple jump)
When – Wednesday and Thursday afternoons
Where – Villanova Park
Time – Bus departs Villanova at 3.10pm and returns at 5.45pm

Middle distance
When- Monday and Wednesday mornings 6.45 – 8.00 am.
Where- Please meet in front of Goold Hall at 6.45am. Coaches – Mr. Brian Pascoe and Miss Amy Roberts
Time- 6.45am

We do understand that many of our athletes will have other co-curricular commitments including AIC Rugby League, AIC Tennis or AIC Basketball. The Sports Office at Villanova College is keen to negotiate an individual training schedule with these students for them to participate and represent the College in Track and Field. This is important to our program as it ensures our best athletes are representing Villanova on the day of the Championships.

AIC TRACK & FIELD TRAINING DATES & VENUES – 2023

Mr Chris Everding, Track & Field Coordinator

Lytton District (U10-12) Track & Field
Day 2 of the Lytton Track and Field will be on next Monday 31^st July at The University of Queensland track facility. Students competing in the semi finals of the 100m and 200m and the finals of the 800m will attend, along with boys competing in Day 2 field events.

Composite District Track & Field
Paperwork for the 13-19 Years Track & Field is available from the Sports Office.

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.

Strength & Conditioning
For the Term 3 schedule and sign on links, please visit The Locker Room.

Mr Marco Mastrorocco, S&C Coordinator

Zone Cricket Parent Representatives needed.
Zone cricket registrations will become available next week. Some clubs will begin their registration process soon, but we encourage our students to sign on for Villanova and play with their friends. There are different levels available for players who wish to challenge their cricket skills and ideally, we would like to keep our term one teams together to prepare for AIC next year.

As Villanova is a club in the local competition, parents are needed to be delegates. Over the last eight years we have been fortunate enough to have had Ross Whitby, Jeff Ilka and Phil Horton run all aspects of club cricket, from representative selections to registrations and logistics. The journey through Villanova for three gentlemen has now concluded and we need parents to take on the delegates role to secure Villanova’s future in the district associations.  If you would be keen to take on a role and help run the Zone competition, could you please contact Mr Nathan Dufty in the Sports Office.

Our Term 4 Zone Cricket program includes.

• Morning training sessions based at LL nets which is convenient for parent drop off.
• A professional skill based weekly “coaching program” for all players.
• Opportunity for “higher divisions” to play weekly matches on turf.
• Fun end of season cricket presentation day at Villa Park.
• A chance to meet new mates whilst having plenty of fun.

External Achievements
Congratulations to Will Rasmussen (Year 10) who competed for the Under 15 Metropolitan East Rugby Union Team at the recent State Championships in Cairns. Will was awarded Man on the Match in the bronze medal playoff game, with Met East finishing 3^rd. Well done Will and thank you to Mr Bart Ritchie (Year 5 teacher, pictured below) who was coaching the team.