SSP NEWS

Netball 

A big welcome back to all the Netball SSP athletes and families. We trust that everyone enjoyed a wonderful break and is rested and refreshed ready for a big 2024 in the SSP Netball Program. An extra special welcome to our Year 7’s and new student athletes joining the program. It’s been so impressive witnessing the smooth transition for all our new athletes adjusting to their new school environment and the SSP.  We have kicked off the year with fitness and strength testing conducted by our wonderful strength and conditioning staff. This gives a baseline of where the athletes are at and to track their progress and improvement over time. So far, the results have been extremely pleasing and we are looking forward to completing the testing over the next week and getting stuck into the netball program.  In our education sessions we have been discussing expectations, organisational skills, good habits and outlining the requirements of the program. Several of our athletes have recently trialled and been successful in gaining a position in Representative and State Titles Teams, we congratulate these students and are thrilled to see them progressing through the Netball Victoria pathway. 

Susan Meaney, Stacey Dodds & Ainsley Corrigan, SSP Netball Coaches

Soccer

New school year, new opportunities. The students in the soccer program have really begun with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. All have enjoyed their Christmas break and are all keen to get started and learn as much as possible.

Coaches and teachers alike are super keen to get started and take the students and soccer program to another level.

This year we have decided to add international flavour to our program and bring in specialist coaches. We have Anya, from New Zealand who plays NPL football for the Geelong Galaxy. Anya is also a teacher at the College and will be present at various sessions. Anya is football purist and has a real passion for the game. We are also delighted to welcome Sergio Escudero. Sergio is a Japanese Argentinian who represented Japan at Youth Level. Sergio was born in Argentia but spent the majority of his adult life playing his football in Japan. Sergio has been fortunate enough to have won an Asian Champions League whilst playing in Japan and has had an esteemed footballing career. Sergio has an amazing eye for improving technical details and creates an energy in the sessions like one would see at a professional level. The last International coach the kids will see is Casian Anghel. Casian is from the Eastern European country of Romania. He is a technical specialist who will also brings us a different approach to improve the player. Casian’s philosophy centres around the cognitive ability of the player and improving the ability of the player to make the correct decision quickly in the context of the game.

With all three specialist coaches, we believe all three bring a very unique speciality into our program. Not only will the kids improve, I’m sure we coaches are equally excited to learn new things from them.

We are all looking forward to   ‘ Getting Better Every Day ‘ !

Joey Didulica, Soccer Coach

In 2024, WHC introduced a high-performance program for athletes who were competing in sports other than our four pillar sports at a State and/or National level. The beauty of our education/sporting model is that we can tailor an individual schedule to accommodate students on an Olympic pathway to continue to train and receive a great education. Arlo Shawcross, a Wheelchair Tennis Athlete, in Year 7 is our first student-athlete to qualify for a place in this prestigious program.

Arlo was diagnosed with a rare bone condition called perthes disease just before his 5th birthday. The condition affects the hip joints and is caused by a disruption of blood flow to the femoral head. Arlo unfortunately had the most severe form of the disease which has left him with a hip joint that is fragile and limited in its function. 

Through primary school Arlo used a wheelchair and crutches to get around and manage pain but since a huge reconstructive surgery of his pelvis and femur in 2022 he is back to walking around short distances. While he is back walking, Arlo can not run and is unable to play able bodied sports due to the risk to his hip. 

As you can imagine, going from being an extremely active and sporty 5 year old boy to being in a wheelchair and being in a lot of pain was really tough for Arlo and his family started searching for things he could be involved with to stay active. This led Arlo to discovering the amazing world of wheelchair sports! He started with playing wheelchair basketball but after a ‘come and try’ session at the tennis Center, his real passion was found in wheelchair tennis. 

Arlo plays in the national junior wheelchair tennis team where he trains with an amazing team. Arlo is currently ranked 5th in Australia, number 21 in the world in juniors and recently runners up in the under 15s division of the national championship. In 2024, Arlo is also endorsed and supported in his tennis by Tennis Australia and the Dylan Alcott foundation. 

Arlo will participate in a number of international tennis federation tournaments this year including the Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide Opens. 

Arlo is excited to join the specialist sports program at western heights as an individual athlete and is enjoying working with the coaches at the neighboring tennis Club at Hamlyn park and in the gym at WHC so far.