SSP NEWS

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NEWS:

FREE Parent-Carer Information Session: Fuelling for sport and school performance (nutrition)

We are pleased to announce that we are running our Term 3 parent-carer event. 

Renowned Sports Dietician Sam Coppinger will be the lead presenter on the evening. Sam is an Accredited Practising Dietitian & Sports Dietitian, currently working as the sports dietitian for the Western Bulldogs Football Club & the Melbourne United Basketball Club. Sam has experience working with athletes at both the elite and recreational levels in numerous sports, including netball, AFL, soccer, horse racing, athletics, endurance/ultra events and many more. Sam privately consults clients from everyday active individuals to elite athletes. Sam is currently the WHC SSP sports dietitian consultant, delivering nutrition education to our student athletes. 

Please see the details below and register via the event flyer (attached) QR code.

Date: Tuesday 9th September

Time: 5.45pm-7.15pm 

Location: PAF, Western Heights College

Topic: Fuelling for sport and school performance (nutrition)

Cost: Free of Charge

Topics covered: 

• Fuelling for sport and school performance 
• Lessons from professional sports, what can we learn and utilise at the youth athletic development level 
• The student-athlete’s training week – how to plan & prepare nutrition for high performance  
• How to fuel yourself on a budget
• Supplementation - what works, what doesn't, when is it appropriate and at what age level 

We hope to see you all there to support this wonderful event!

Travel to and from SSP Training Venues Friendly Reminder:

Every child, regardless of their postcode is expected to travel with their class to and from practice venues, as a part of our Duty of Care. Students are not to arrive late or leave early from venues. In 2025, there will be no permanent ‘late’ arrivals or ‘early’ departures issued. It is expected that choosing WHC and the SSP, means you are committed to our 9am-3pm school hours – every day of the week. 

If, your child is required to leave early or arrive late (on the odd occasion), due to an appointment, please contact Anthe Petrovics our Attendance Officer via email to arrange this, so that it is visible on compass (for all staff). This is not to be arranged via Sport Coaches or Teachers.

Anthe Petrovics: Anthe.Petrovics@education.vic.gov.au

Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation in the Adolescent Athlete

Please see the attached link for the Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation in the Adolescent Athlete Presentation and PDF: 

Other information

Drawstring Bags and SSP:

We are requesting that all student-athletes continue to bring their drawstring bags to SSP for all of time tabled sessions. No WHC backpacks should enter into the green building – ever! Back packs are to be stored in student lockers. Drawstring bags and boot/shoe bags are permitted for training in the green building. Please remind your child of this process.

SSP - Competition and Team Selection Friendly Reminder:

It is an exciting time for our program with over 600 students across the four pillar sports: AFL, Basketball, Netball and Soccer. However, this also creates complexities around team selection for tournaments and competitions. It is simply not possible for all student-athletes to be selected.

Please understand that although student-athletes are a part of the SSP, this does not guarantee automatic entry to any WHC interschool or representative team. Head coaches are responsible for team selection and many factors contribute to this process, including; skill, ability, team dynamics, effort, behaviour and attendance across the entire College.

We know that non-selection can be difficult for parent-carers, but we thank you for your understanding and support of our program and all student-athletes, whilst we move in to a heavy phase of competition over the next three terms.

If you or your child has any concerns about selection or non-selection, we would encourage all of our student-athletes to have direct conversations with their coaches regarding feedback for improvement.

We thank you for your continued support. We love that your child is a part of our program, and please endeavour to remember the program was established for our student-athletes to reach both their academic and athletic potentials. It is about growth in both learning and sporting pursuits, not who is or isn’t selected for a team.

Key Contacts for the Specialist Sports Program

Renee Lane – SSP Leader Renee.Lane@education.vic.gov.au

Cate Johnson – Operations Manager Cate.Johnson@education.vic.gov.au

Nick Richardson High Performance Manager Nicholas.Richardson2@education.vic.gov.au

Please contact the appropriate staff / coaches at each of the Year Levels below if you have any concerns regarding your child’s athletic performance;

AFL Program:

Thomas Hunter (Yr 7-9): Thomas.Hunter@education.vic.gov.au

Will Sexton (Yr 10-12): William.Sexton@education.vic.gov.au

Basketball Program:

Ashley Arnott (Yr 7 - 8): Ashley.Arnott@education.vic.gov.au

Kaleb Sclater (Yr 9-10): Kaleb.Sclater@education.vic.gov.au

Kris Blicavs (Yr 11-12): Kris.Blicavs@education.vic.gov.au

Netball Program:

Ainsley Corrigan (Yr 7-8): Ainsley.Corrigan@education.vic.gov.au

Stacey Dodds (Yr 9-10): Stacey.Dodds@education.vic.gov.au

Susan Meaney (Yr 11-12): Susan.Meaney@education.vic.gov.au

Seth Tomlinson: Seth.Tomlinson@education.vic.gov.au

Soccer Program:

Joseph Didulica: Joseph.Didulica@education.vic.gov.au

Sean Mahon: Sean.Mahon@education.vic.gov.au

Please note: Any mainstream concerns are via the relevant Sub-School Leader or Learning Community Leader through Compass

Soccer: 

A huge congratulations is in order for Year 8 soccer student Evie Stosic, who has been selected to represent the Croatian U/16 National Team!

Evie’s outstanding performances in the Victorian soccer leagues have caught international attention, with Croatia—ranked 10th in the world—selecting her for their upcoming U/16 training camp. This incredible opportunity will see Evie travel to Croatia from August 12th to August 24th.

We are all extremely proud of Evie. She is not only a talented athlete but also an exceptional ambassador for both our Soccer Program and the College as a whole.

We wish her all the very best for this exciting journey and can’t wait to hear all about it when she returns!

Joey Didulica

Netball: 

Important dates: 

**Netball Victoria Schools Championships State Finals TBH if qualify**

It’s been a successful fortnight in the Netball Program as all our Girls Teams of YR 7,8, Intermediate and Senior clean swept the Divisional Competitions held in week 2 and last term. A very dominant performance by all levels seeing them progress to the Western Metropolitan Finals. 

The YR 7,8, and Intermediate Girls were successful this week becoming WMR Champions and now progressing to the State Finals in September as one of the top 8 schools in the state in their year levels a great achievement. Our Senior Girls just fell short by a goal in the rounds to progress to the finals but performed well.

Over the coming weeks we will head into skills testing and preparation for the Netball Victoria School Championships Events being held in both Geelong and Melbourne for both girls and boy’s programs.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS 

We congratulate Hayley Evans (17&U) and Lexie Whatley (19&U) who has successful been selected for the Netball Victoria Top 50 players in their respective age groups from the recent Screening Days which combined with Talent Academy Inter-Academy Tournament Day form the State Squad Selection process. We wish Hayley and Lexie all the best as they trials for the 17&U Victoria State Squad of 25. 

Jack TePaa had a successful week at the Australian Schools Championships as part of the Gold Medal winning Team Vic 15 Boys Netball Team. This is a great achievement for the team and Jack who is a bottom age player. Congratulations Jack on the fantastic result!! Go Vics!!

Congratulations to Ebony Donatucci for receiving an Academic Excellence Award, Ebony should be acknowledged for her outstanding commitment for both her education and netball. Well done Ebs!!

Susan Meaney 

Head of Netball

Specialist Sports Program

Basketball: 

Our Senior Boys and Girls Basketball teams have made the entire school community proud with their outstanding performances in this year’s School Sport Victoria (SSV) competitions! 

Both teams started their campaigns in dominant fashion, taking out the Barwon Division Championships, showcasing excellent teamwork, discipline, and skill on the court.

Led by coach Ash Arnott, the Senior Boys team went on to claim the Western Metropolitan Championship with a 1 point win over Maribyrnong Sports Academy. They played hard and played together, earning a place in the SSV State Championships, where they will represent the Western Metro region against the best teams in Victoria. 

Our Senior Girls, guided by coach Kris Blicavs, also delivered a fantastic campaign. After their Barwon Division success, they advanced to the Western Metropolitan Finals, where they finished as runners-up after going down by 7 points to Maribyrnong. The team played with heart and represented the school with pride every step of the way.

We are also thrilled to celebrate the recent achievements of several talented students who proudly represented Victoria at the U/16 National Championships in Bendigo (July 5–16) and the Basketball Victoria Country Metro Challenge (July 17–19). These students have committed themselves to long development pathways and high-level competition—and their efforts paid off in a big way.

U/16 National Championships – Bendigo (July 5–16)

• Deng Yak: A bottom-age member of this year’s Championship-winning Victoria Metro team. Deng and his teammates went undefeated throughout the tournament, culminating in a dominant gold medal performance against a strong South Australia Metro team. A phenomenal effort from a rising star!

   

• Hendrix Van Den Ham & Elijah Whiteford: Represented Victoria Country, finishing an impressive 5th place with 7 wins from 9 games. Their Nationals appearance was the final stage of a 9-month journey that included SDP trials, Country Cup, selection camps, and elite training. Both boys enjoyed a fantastic week and demonstrated outstanding development and commitment.

   

• Jade Chow: Also representing Victoria Country, Jade helped her team finish in 6th place at this year’s Championships. A strong effort at the national level and a valuable experience on her development pathway.

Basketball Victoria – Country Metro Challenge (Top-age U/14, July 17–19)

This annual high-performance event brings together promising U/14 athletes identified through Basketball Victoria’s Future Development Program. Players participate in advanced skills training, game play, and learn from elite-level coaches.

Congratulations to the following students who were selected to participate in this year’s challenge:

• Gabriel Sailor
• Teddy Whiteford

Both players embraced the opportunity to learn, compete, and grow their game against some of the best young basketball talent in the state.

A huge congratulations to all students involved. Your dedication to training, growth, and performance at such a high level is truly inspiring. We look forward to following your continued success both on and off the court!

Kris Blicavs

Athlete Development and Performance

Engagement and Wellbeing 

Specialist Sports Program

AFL:

Over the past fortnight, each year level at Western Heights has been involved in match simulation during training sessions. This has provided students with a great opportunity to apply their skills in game-like scenarios, helping to develop their understanding of match tactics and team play.

Our Year 8 boys recently competed in the Western Metro Final against Maribyrnong Sports College. While they didn’t come away with the win, it was a valuable experience, and the team took away important lessons from the game. Meanwhile, our Intermediate Boys had a fantastic result in their Western Metro Final, recording a strong win over Gisborne Secondary College. 

In addition to on-field practice, students have also been reviewing game footage to deepen their understanding of how AFL teams implement tactical strategies. It’s been an exciting and educational period for all involved in the program.

Thanks,

Ryan & Charlie