Sport News
For those of you who have been following the Wilson sisters over the course of the year, both girls are off to Nationals in 2022 and we wish them luck! They have been training hard during lockdown and are a real testament that if you want something bad enough, nothing can get in your way! Well done Eva and Freya!
Some more staff interviews....
Stacey Konstantopoulos
What is your preferred sport/s?
Netball…I love it!
How long have you been playing?
My netball journey spans approximately 25 years. I was a versatile player in my youth, however I mostly played in the positions of WA/WD. My preference is playing as a defender.
Who do you play for (or coach)?
I have played in a number of domestic teams in the Plenty Valley Netball Association.
Wii Not Fit was the name of the last team I played in and we were awesome, unlike the name suggests.
What is your greatest achievement(s) in these?
A couple of Grand Final wins and the award of Most Valuable Player.
What's your favourite sporting moment in history? Why?
Cathy Freeman’s 400m gold medal win at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 - an amazing moment as she crossed the finish line. Cathy’s victory lap of honour holding both the Australian and Aboriginal flags was breathtaking.
Do you have any athletes who inspire you?
Cathy Freeman – truly inspirational and the perfect role model. A leader who displays positivity and optimism. Having a positive influence on family, friends, colleagues and students is important to me.
Do you have any advice to motivate/inspire young athletes today?
Set achievable goals and strive for improvement to help you grow and gain skills.
Be the best you can be, welcome feedback and love the game you play.
Playing sport competitively or socially is a great way to stay active, make new friends, engage in teamwork, develop confidence and resilience AND have fun at the same time.
Mark Eagling
What is your preferred sport/s?
Running
How long have you been playing?
I ran at school as a 100m sprinter.
Now a middle distance runner for the last 10 years.
What is your greatest achievement(s) in these?
Run 17m 30 for a 5k park run before the lock own which I was happy with.
I am training for the Melbourne Marathon in under 20 days time.
I am looking forward to racing again and enjoying the teamwork that goes into running a marathon.
Do you have any athletes who inspire you?
Eliud Kipchoge running under 2 hours for the marathon in Vienna.
Do you have any advice to motivate/inspire young athletes today?
Find something that you like doing and exercising a little bit every day is the best way to train.
Belinda Pontes
What is your preferred sport/s?
I grew up playing soccer and softball.
How long have you been playing?
I don't play currently but I played soccer throughout both primary and high school and I'm still a huge fan of the sport.
What is your greatest achievement(s) in these?
I don't think my soccer team ever made any finals but one achievement was just being a part of the senior soccer team in high school and being able to play in a team with my friends. It was definitely a highlight!
What's your favourite sporting moment in history? Why?
Portugal winning the 2016 Euro Finals. My family is Portuguese and I'm a big soccer fan and I remember being so excited to watch all of the Portuguese matches during that tournament. The final was amazing to watch. Our star player, Ronaldo, had to be stretched off during the match and many thought this meant we just couldn't win. That did not stop him from being a star team player from the sidelines though and it was almost as entertaining watching him from the sidelines as the action on the field. The non-scoring match went into extra time and finally Eder scored a winning goal. It was the first major win for the national team and it was a massive national event. There were celebrations here in Australia within many of the Portuguese communities and it had non-stop coverage on Portuguese national TV. It was an amazing time to be able to celebrate that win within the community.
Do you have any athletes who inspire you?
Cristiano Ronaldo is definitely someone that I admire.
Cristiano grew up on the same small island my family come from and he had to endure many hardships to get to where he is today. He's gone on to not only be an amazing sports person who is extremely dedicated to being the very best he can be, but an amazing human who goes above and beyond to give back to his family, the community and those who need help. I've been fortunate to travel back to the island and visit his museum and see the many trophies he's accumulated over his career, which is pretty astounding, but what is just as impressive is hearing about all the different ways he has continued to help others during his career.
Do you have any advice to motivate/inspire young athletes today?
Take the opportunity to learn from others - whether it's a coach, a training partner or your teammates.
What I loved most about playing a sport with others was learning new techniques during training sessions or games.
It made me a better player and in turn a better team mate.
Congratulations Mark Eagling
Viewbank Staff member Mark Eagling is being recognised by School Sport Victoria for an award - 10 years service as Sports Coordinator at Viewbank College!
The ceremony will take place on Wednesday December 8 and will be online, and is a real testament to what Mark has achieved at Viewbank.
In his time as Head of Sport, Mark witnessed...
- Viewbank were the undefeated district swim champions, as well as the Northern Zone champions
- 7 years as district athletics champions
- Multiple teams through to state across a range of sports
Congratulations Mark! And we wish you all the best for the upcoming Melbourne Marathon, along with fellow staff member Nina Kafka running her first half marathon!
Ross Purcell & Luke Gazzola