Sports 

Sports Update: Stellar Performances Across the Board

Welcome back to Term 2!  It’s been a spectacular start to the Term, and I’m thrilled to share the outstanding achievements of our student athletes who have recently participated in various prestigious competitions.

Equestrian Excellence: Congratulations to our exceptional equestrian team members who competed in theInterschools Equestrian Competition over the holidays. Representing us were Olivia Cleave (Year 7), Sienna Cleave (Year 2), and Evie Isherwood (Year 6), each demonstrating remarkable skill and dedication. Olivia Cleave made us proud by competing in three challenging events. She secured 6th place in Intermediate Novice Dressage (Years 7-9), 12th in the 80cm Combined Training forsecondary students, and impressively won the championship for Working Show Hunter Intermediate. This fantastic result has qualified Olivia to compete at the Nationals later this year in Tamworth - a phenomenal achievement! Sienna Cleave shone brightly in her two events, placing 7th in the barrel race and clinching victories in both her dressage tests. Her outstanding performance won her the Dressage Preparatory Championship, a testament to her hard work and skill. Evie Isherwood excelled in the barrel race and bending race, placing second in both andearning her the title of overall champion for Sporting Horse. Her agility and precision were asight to behold.

Swimming Success: At the State Swimming Championships held at MSAC in the first week of school, ourstudents continued to make waves. We fielded two dynamic relay teams: our 12/13 Primary Girls (Isabel Gordon, Ava Gordon, Charlotte Lynch, and Grace Ellies) and our 12/13 SecondaryBoys (Finn Melville, Lachlan Kingston, Levi Brown, and Conrad Brown). Additionally, JackLomax, Marcus Kingston, and Oliver Kingston competed in individual events, all performing exceptionally well. Their achievements were celebrated at the recent school assembly where they received their state jumpers.

Upcoming Sports Events: Looking ahead, we have exciting events lined up this term. The College Cross Country event is set for Tuesday 7th May at the picturesque Seymour Golf Course. We invite parents and guardians to assist as course markers - your involvement would be greatly appreciated. Our littlest athletes in F-2 will soon have their annual cross country event, held on the college grounds. Details will follow, so stay tuned!

The Secondary Round Robin for Term 2 will take place on Tuesday 14th May. Students should ensure their selections are entered by Monday 3rd May. Check the sports board afterth is date for details on locations, teams, and other pertinent information.

Auskick Comes to Our School! AFL Victoria has reached out to us with an exciting opportunity for our students to engage directly in Australian football through the Auskick program. 

On Thursday, 2nd May, Auskick coaches hosted a Lunchtime Session in our primary area. This session is designed to introduce the fundamentals of AFL to our students and to promote participation in our local Auskick. We encourage all interested students to takepart in what promises to be a fun and active lunchtime! 

For parents and students wishing to register for Auskick, please use the following link: [Auskick Registration] (https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/91c4db). This program is a fantastic way for children to learn new skills, make friends, and stay active.

Jump Rope for Heart 2024

Jump Rope for Heart kicks off this term at St. Mary’s College! Jump Rope for Heart is the Heart Foundation’s primary school skipping challenge that helps kids move more, have fun, and raise funds for life-saving research and programs. This year we’ve got an audacious goal to see our student Heart Heroes at St. Mary’s College to log 40 hours of skipping throughout the program! Register your child online, so they can receive the full benefits of the program and participate in online fundraising, simply follow the link below to get started www.jumprope.org.au/parents. Students will be skipping throughout the term in PE lessons, during lunch breaks, during this time you can share their online fundraising page with family and friends to help raise money for this great cause. We will hold our school Jump Off Day on 28 th June, this will mark the end of the program and is a chance for everyone to come together to skip and show off their newly learned skills. Thank you for supporting the Jump Rope for Heart program!

AFL Achievements: A special shoutout to Sonny Taylor (Year 6), who attended the School Victoria Under12s AFL tryouts in Benalla. Competing in three games as part of the selection process, Sonny’s fantastic performance has propelled him to the next stage. Well done, Sonny!

Exciting Debut at the Rocky Trail Mountain Biking Race Event 

Adding to our season of achievements, I’m pleased to highlight a recent Mountain Bikeevent that saw our young athletes Fletcher (Year 10) and Max Christensen (Year 8) make their debut in the thrilling Rocky Trail competition. Fletcher and Max competed against 200 participants from various schools across Victoria. They navigated three different tracks, each varying in difficulty and complexity, showcasing their adaptability and determination. Fletcher showed impressive ability, finishing 26th overall out of 54 competitors in his age group. Not far behind, Max also demonstrated great skill and resilience, securing the 29th position overall with 103 children competing in his category. This event not only provided Fletcher and Max with a platform to showcase their talents but also highlighted the supportive and enriching environment our school extends to its students. These opportunities allow our young athletes to experience competition, develop sportsmanship, and build confidence. Well done, Fletcher and Max! We look forward to seeing you achieve even more in future competitions.

As always, we are immensely proud of all our student athletes. If your child/ren have any sport related achievements to celebrate please contact me on courtney.aldous@smseymour.catholic.edu.au. As I would love to celebrate their success withour College community. All of our students dedication and achievements reflect the spirit and values of our school community. Here’s to another term filled with success and sportsmanship!

Go Team St. Mary’s! Education Teacher

Courtney Aldous

courtney.aldous@smseymour.catholic.edu.au