Girls' Sport 

Nadia Masulans, Year 12, Ridgeway Campus 

Firsts Basketball girls had a great season this year, with the girls making it all the way to the first ever girls’ basketball grand final that APS/AGSV hosted. This is a significant step for improving the girls’ school sport experience, and it was an excellent opportunity to be able to participate. 

Although going into this season our team was going through a developmental year with a very young team, all the girls showed great determination and teamwork with the help of our coaches Bree, Manny, and Ella. Winning our first game at La Trobe allowed us to start the season off with a win, and despite losing the next 2 games, the girls continued to keep their heads high. 

By putting in the work, we were able to win the rest of our games in the season, beating Yarra Valley Grammar when they were sitting at the top of the ladder, as well as Caulfield Grammar, the reigning premiers. A highlight of this season was beating Mentone Grammar 70-68 where Sophie Richardson won us the game with a score from almost half court in the last 0.8 seconds of the game!  

Other key highlights of the season included getting our team hoodies at the start of the season and having the opportunity to ask Opals player Stephanie Reid about her professional career and experiences during our final training session. 

A final highlight of the season was making it to the grand final against Caulfield Grammar. After being an underdog team the whole season, making it this far was an achievement worthy of celebration. Even with this game not going our way, we enjoyed the experience and recognised our accomplishment of making it to the grand final. It was an amazing privilege to be able to play in this game, as this was a huge milestone for our girls and our school. 

Harriet Brown, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus 

Led by Captains Eliza Chivers and Sadie Cleary, and coached by Ms Bernardi, the Girls' Firsts Football team saw a great season that welcomed so many new players. Despite some key players getting injured early in the season, the team came together and created an incredibly welcoming atmosphere that made all of the early morning trainings and long bus trips moments to be enjoyed and cherished by everyone. 

Round 2 saw our first home ground win against Geelong College, a great milestone and particularly special day as it was the first win for many of the season’s debutants. We continued to work hard as a team throughout the season putting up significant wins against Assumption and Peninsula. Despite not taking home the wins, we had many close games including a 2-point loss to Haileybury, 9 points to Mentone, and 10 points to PEGS. Though disappointing, these games taught us the importance of resilience and comradery as they seemed to bring us closer as a group, lifting our intensity for future games and trainings. 

We had some great coaching alumni throughout the season such as Nic Graham, Chiara Scuderi, and last year’s captain Ava Vincent. As a team this coaching group taught us so much; not just about footy, but about how to be a good teammate and have fun with the game. The season ended on a high note, with a fun training session to finish off the year. We all dressed up as our idols, with every member of the team coincidentally dressing as our coach Nic Graham! Ultimately, this season was filled with many highs and lows, but it taught all of us the value of a supportive group of teammates with similar goals. Though we will miss the Year 12s, we are very excited for an eventful (and hopefully very successful) season next year!

Elise Devlin, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus 

Being a leader in the Girls’ Firsts Soccer team this season has been such an incredible experience, one that I’ll always look back on with pride and gratitude. At the start of the season, we faced a few hurdles — adjusting to new team dynamics, injuries, or simply getting used to playing together — but as the weeks went on, we really came together as a team. 

What stood out the most for me was the spirit and determination of the group. Every match, no matter the result, the girls showed up with energy, commitment and a genuine love for the game. It’s been inspiring to help lead a team that’s so resilient and supportive of one another both on and off the pitch. 

There were definitely some standout moments — from the team’s first win against Geelong Collage (3-1) to the last game of the season winning against Wesley (9-2). These highlights weren’t just about goals or wins, but about how we played together and supported each other through it all. Even though we didn’t always walk away with the result we wanted, the effort and growth I witnessed from every player made this season a huge success in my eyes. 

Being part of this team means so much to me. The friendships, the laughs, the hard-fought games — they’ve all made this season of sport so memorable. Our team only have one Year 12 student, meaning that we had lots of younger players step in. The girls showed up consistently, proving that they deserved to be in the team and I’m so proud of how far they have come since the start of the season. I’m incredibly excited to see what the future holds for the Girls’ Firsts Soccer team.