EXCEL Sport Program
Year 10 EXCEL Chelsea Heights Primary Athletics Day
On Friday, 7 August, our Year 10 EXCEL Sport students had the opportunity to support the Chelsea Heights Primary School Athletics Day. Students took on responsibility for helping run their allocated events by measuring performances and aiding in each event to run smoothly.
The students were encouraging, supportive and positive throughout the day. It was fantastic to see our EXCEL Sport students putting their skills into practice and being positive role models for younger students.
Jessica Welford
Sport Program Assistant
EXCEL Sport Years 8 & 10 Girls Netball
On Thursday 20 August, our EXCEL Sport Girls ranging from Year 7 – 10 competed at the 2026 Netball Victoria School Championships held at Jubilee Park Stadium. Our netball teams showed great effort and sportsmanship throughout the competition, with plenty of competitive games and valuable experience gained.
Junior Pink Team consisted of Rose P, Mackinley L, Izzy M, Sav C, Taylah G, Olive C, Isabella G and Jayla W, Year 8. They had an outstanding competition, finishing with five wins and just one loss. Their strong teamwork and consistent performance were great achievements.
Junior Teal Team showcased Evie O, Scarlett W, Hannah K, Mila M, Year 8, Chloe S, Alice Z, Eliezrah U and Vivian D, Year 7, who recorded one win and five losses, gaining valuable experience as they worked hard and supported each other.
Intermediate Orange consisted of Tara T, Mia J, Nikita J, Mia S, Destinee K, Year 10, Abigail B, Ayla O and Mila M, Year 9, who faced some tough competitions, finishing with five losses, but continued to show a positive attitude a strong team spirit throughout each match.
Intermediate Purple was made up of Renny M, Giaan P, Lucy M, Holly RV, Fern D, Year 10, Lily Z, Marlee C, Eleanor J, Year 9, and finished with two wins and 3 losses, showing great determination and improvement across their games.
Congratulations to all the students who represented the school. Their team and positive attitude throughout the competition were awesome to watch. Thank you to Paxon S and Brooklyn G, Year 10, for scoring all day and supporting your peers and thank you to Ms Allan, Ms Brand and Mr Di Santo for coaching and encouraging all students.
Big Congratulations to the Junior Pink Team for making it to the next round of competition, Goodluck girls and Ms Brand!
Jessica Welford & Ando Allan
Sport Program Assistant & EXCEL Sport Coordinator
EXCEL Boys State Netball Championship
On Thursday 27 August, our EXCEL Sport Intermediate Boys Netball team represented the College at the Boys State Netball Championships, held at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Parkville.
The championship brought together teams from government, independent, Catholic and other non-government schools from across Victoria, making it a truly state wide competition.
The boys were in for a busy day of fast paced netball, with seven 15 minute matches played throughout the day, with only short breaks between games.
The team faced some strong opposition and got off to a challenging start against St Paul's Anglican Grammar School, going down 12-8. They quickly found their rhythm in their second game against Christian College Geelong, fighting out a tight 9-9 draw. From there, the boys continued to build momentum, recording 11-9 victory over St Joseph's College.
Another close contest followed against Aquinas College, with the boys narrowly losing 12-10. They bounced back strongly with a convincing 10-6 win over Western Heights College, followed by their biggest win of the day, a dominant 14-3 victory over Marymede Catholic College.
In their final round robin match against Crusoe College, the boys produced another goal for goal contest. They held their nerve to come away with an impressive 8-7 victory.
With four wins, one draw and two losses, the team finished 4th on the ladder, earning themselves a place in the finals. This meant another meeting with St Paul's Anglican Grammar School, who had finished 1st. Despite being up against a bigger and very strong team, our boys continued to give everything they had.
After a full day of high intensity netball, fatigue was beginning to set in and they eventually went down 13-4.
There were plenty of individual highlights throughout the day. Cuan R, Zayden K and Gus L were outstanding in defence, consistently playing in front, applying pressure and producing some excellent intercepts. Paxon S, Zach T and Noah H worked tirelessly through the midcourt, moving the ball into attack with great speed and agility. In the shooting circle, Taite W, Jack S and Brooklyn G provided excellent accuracy and strong ring work throughout the day.
Overall the boys should be incredibly proud of their efforts. They played their guts out from the first whistle to the last, demonstrated excellent skill and knowledge of netball and represented the College with great sportsmanship.
Congratulations to the entire team on an outstanding day of netball and a fantastic 4th place finish at the State Championships.
Jessie Bound
Physical Education Teacher
Year 10 EXCEL Sport SSV Lacrosse State Finals
On Friday 28 August, the Year 10 EXCEL Sport class competed at the School Sport Victoria State Finals in Parkville. The girl’s lacrosse competition featured 18 teams battling it out across a highly competitive tournament. Both our girls’ teams put together impressive performances throughout the day, showing great teamwork, determination and skill across their games. Patterson River Secondary College Girls 1 was composed of Lily D, Lucy M, Renny M, Giaan P, Holly R and Mia S and had an outstanding tournament, winning all eight of their games and finishing first in their pool before progressing to the Grand Final.
Patterson River Secondary College Girls 2 included Fern D, Nikita J, Mia J, Destinee K and Tara T and they also had a fantastic campaign, resulting in seven wins and finishing second in their pool. The only team Patterson River Secondary College Girls 2 lost to throughout the tournament was the same team Patterson River Secondary College Girls 1 faced in the Grand Final.
Patterson River Secondary College Girls 1 battled hard in the decider but unfortunately fell short, finishing as runners up in the State Lacrosse Competition. Patterson River Secondary College 2 finished the day strong, winning their third place play off. Well done to both teams who were up against strong schools, they should be proud of their performances and the way they represented the school.
Now onto the Boy’s Lacrosse Competition. We had two teams put together solid performances throughout the tournament versing strong lacrosse academies.
Patterson River Secondary College Boys 1 was made up of Liam M, Paxon S, Zach T, Zayden K, Cuan R and Tait W, whilst Patterson River Secondary College Boys 2 consisted of Lachlan C, Brooklyn G, Noah H, Jack K, Levi M and Jack S. Both teams won all four of their pool games and finished on top of their respective pools. However, they were unable to carry that momentum into the semi-finals, where both teams battled hard but were ultimately defeated.
Nevertheless, the boys showed great teamwork and determination battling against strong competition. Well done boys!
Thank you to Ms. Brand and Mr. Di Santo for coaching and encouraging their respected teams.
Jessica Welford & Ando Allan
Sport Program Assistant & EXCEL Sport Coordinator
STK Female Lightening Premiership
On Thursday 3 August, our Girls footy team, made up of Year 9-12 students, had an outstanding day at the STK Lightening Premiership at the Healthy Futures Hub in Seaford. The team started strongly, defeating Mordialloc College and Kambrya College in their opening two games to progress straight into the Grand Final. In the decider, the girls came up against Mordialloc College once again and secured a fantastic win 32-6 to take home the premiership.
Maddy C, Year 12, was named Best on Ground for the team across the day, whilst Grace V, Year 9, was awarded Best on Ground in the Grand Final for her outstanding performance.
All the girls showed great teamwork and determination throughout the day and with the weather throwing absolutely everything at them, four seasons in one day, the team continued to compete with energy and enthusiasm from start to finish.
Congratulations to all the girls on a fantastic performance!
Jessica Welford & Ando Allan
Sport Program Assistant
2026 EXCEL Sport NFL Experience
Our EXCEL Sport students have had an exciting opportunity to experience American Football through two unique NFL events.
On Friday 4 September, 73 of our EXCEL Sport students had the amazing opportunity to attend the San Francisco 49ers Open Day, gaining the behind the scenes look at professional sport. Students watched the 49ers take part in their shakeout training sessions, including warm-ups, stretches and run-throughs, providing an insight into how professional athletes prepare and perform at the highest level.
The NFL experience continued Thursday 10 September, when 30 Year 8 and Year 9 EXCEL Sport students attended the Kick Off NFL Festival at Melbourne Park. Students participated in a skills clinic led by former NFL coaches and San Francisco 49ers personnel, developing their American Football skills through a range of engaging activities.
The day continued with pop-up games, challenges and activities, giving students the chance to put their skills into practice while enjoying the festival atmosphere.
Together, these experiences gave our students the opportunity to step outside their usual sporting environment, try something new and gain an insight into the world of professional American Football.
It was fantastic to see our students getting involved, learning new skills and making the most of these unique experiences,
Go Niners!!
Jessica Welford & Ando Allan
Sport Program Assistant & EXCEL Sport Coordinator
EXCEL Girls Rugby 7's Cattermole Cup
On Friday 4 September, our Year 8, 9 and 10 EXCEL Sport girls hit the field for the Cattermole Cup, Rugby Victoria's annual Rugby 7s competition.
Each team battled through 3 pool matches of two fast-paced 7-minute halves, with the top two sides from each pool earning their spot in the grand final.
The Under 16 team stormed through their pool undefeated, downing Haileybury Gold, Killester College and Haileybury Magenta teams to book their place in the decider.
The grand final rematch against Haileybury Gold was a nail-biter. Patterson River Secondary College came agonisingly close to opening the scoring early, only to be stripped of the ball right on the try line. Haileybury capitalised on the turnover to score what would prove to be the match's only try. From there, both defences locked in and Patterson River Secondary College narrowly finished as runners-up in a hard-fought contest.
The Under 14s, meanwhile, were simply unstoppable. They powered through every pool game with dominant, composed performances before steamrolling their way to a 22–5 grand final victory. With relentless tackling and slick ball movement all day, they thoroughly deserved their title as Under 14 Cattermole Cup Champions!
Congratulations to the following students, who have been selected in the Representative Cattermole Cup teams and will head to Bendigo later in the year to compete at the Rugby 7s championships:
U14: Isabell G, Mila M, Scarlett W, Mackinley L & Taylah G
U16: Lily Z, Matilda O, Ari D, Ayla O & Holly RV.
Every EXCEL Sport student who took part should be incredibly proud of the way they played and represented the college. What a fantastic day of rugby!
A big thank you to Mr McLoughlin and Mr Di Santo for their support and assistance throughout the day.
Ando Allan
EXCEL Sport Coordinator
T.H.I.N.K Gold Girls 49ers Experience
T.H.I.N.K Gold Girls 49ers Experience
On Wednesday 9 September, students had the opportunity to attend the T.H.I.N.K Gold Girls 49ers experience at Kia Arena. The day was filled with sport, fitness, leadership and inspiration. Below, two students share their reflections and highlights from the exciting experience.
We had the amazing opportunity to visit Kia Arena and take part in an exciting day focused on sport, fitness and leadership. We started the day with a fun yoga session with some of the San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders, which was a great way to get moving and prepare for everything ahead.
We then took part in a 49ers clinic where we learnt different drills, skills and routines while having lots of fun, getting involved with everyone around us and meeting new people.
One of the highlights of the day was listening to an inspiring panel featuring Sofy Navarro, Jenna and Mara York, Kodie Fuller and Georgia Sheehan. They shared their experiences, challenges and advice about their journeys in sport, giving us the chance to learn from people who have worked hard to achieve their goals.
To make the day even more exciting, Renny M was lucky enough to win two tickets to the San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams here in Melbourne.
Overall, it was an unforgettable experience that gave us the chance to try something new, learn from inspiring people and enjoy an amazing day at Kia Arena.
Mia S, Year 10
Recently, I was lucky enough to attend this experience with a few other Year 9 and Year 10 students. It was a great a day filled with sport, learning and inspiration.
When we arrived, we were welcomed with free NFL merchandise, which was a great way to start the day. We then took part in a yoga session. It was relaxing and helped us prepare both physically and mentally for the activities ahead. After yoga, we received more free gifts before moving into the practical clinics.
Throughout the day, we completed four different rotations of NFL drills. Each rotation focused on different skills and gave us the opportunity to learn more about the game. The drills were challenging but beneficial and I enjoyed being able to put the skills into practice. We also had a break where we were provided with free food and drinks, which gave everyone a chance to refuel, relax and talk about the activities.
One of my favourite parts of the day was hearing from a group of inspirational women, including Sofy Navarro, Jennie and Mara York, Kodie fuller and Georgia Sheehan. They spoke about their experiences as athletes and shared information about different careers and jobs available to women in the sports industry. Hearing about their journeys helped me realise that there are many different pathways for women in sport, both as athletes and through careers outside of playing.
We also had the opportunity to meet Joe Nedney, a former NFL player, who came along to help us. He shared his experiences as an athlete and talked about his journey through footy.
Overall, the NFL Girls 49ers clinic was an amazing experience. My favourite part was listening to the women speak about their athletic and career experiences. I took a lot of their advice home with me, especially their messages about working hard, believing in yourself and continuing to develop as an athlete.
The day showed me that there are so many opportunities for women in sport now and it inspired me to continue working towards my own sporting goals.
Ayla O, Year 9
Years 8-10 EXCEL Sport Boys Rugby 7's Leota Cup
On Thursday 10 September, the Year 8 - 10 EXCEL Sport Boys competed in the U14 and U16 Rugby 7s Leota Cup at Northern Panthers Rugby Club in Reservoir. Although this event is not for Rugby Academy Schools, the competition was still fierce, with strong sides from Haileybury, Bemin Secondary College, Thornbury High School, Marcellin College and Staughton College all in contention.
The Year 9 & 10 Boys played three games, coming away with one win and two losses, finding the going tough against well-drilled rugby teams. The Year 8 Boys, by contrast, went from strength to strength throughout the day, coming through their pool games undefeated and finishing top of the ladder on percentage.
This set up a grand final against a Haileybury College side that had also gone undefeated all day. The first half was a free-flowing, try-for-try affair. At half-time, the boys adjusted their defensive structure and built a wall Haileybury simply couldn't break down. They kept the scoreboard ticking over from there, closing out a 35–10 win to be crowned U14 Leota Cup Champions.
I couldn't be prouder of the team unity, coachability and camaraderie shown by our Patterson River Secondary College students, going up against sides full of seasoned rugby players. It's a real credit to the ethos of the EXCEL Sport Program. Well done, boys.
Thank you to Mr Hayes for your assistance on the day.
Ando Allan
EXCEL Sport Coordinator
EXCEL Sport Girls Netball Championships
On Thursday 10 September, our junior girls netball team competed in the Girls School Championships Netball Finals Day at the State Netball Centre, taking on some strong schools throughout the day. The team starred Olive C, Taylah G, Savannah C, Mackinley L, Rose P, Jayla W, Hannah K, Year 8, and Eliezrah U, Year 7.
The girls started the competition against Trinity College Colac, going down 10-13 in a closely contested opening match. They bounced back strongly in their second game, defeating Sunbury College 13-9. The team continued to compete hard throughout the day, facing Methodist Ladies College 8-14 and Catholic Ladies College 10-17. In their final match, the girls finished the day on a high with an exciting 14-11 win over Haileybury.
With two wins from five matches, the girls showed great determination, teamwork and competitiveness against some very strong opposition. Well done to all the girls on a brilliant day of netball!
Thank you to Ms Brand for her encouragement and sharing her expertise with the team.
Jessica Welford & Ando Allan
Sport Program Assistant & EXCEL Sport Coordinator
