Sport News

Last weekend saw Marist face Villanova with senior teams away and juniors at home. Villa has proved a significant challenge for us in recent years and, although we got the chocolates overall, it proved again to be a true test of our character, ability and teamwork. The 1st XVIII kicked us off on Friday night where we got the jump on Villa early and maintained a comfortable lead throughout. Our 2nd XVIII played the first ever AIC seconds AFL match and was very impressive in a good win. Saturday saw tough conditions again with Brisbane putting on one of those hot, humid summer days. The 1st VI started strongly against a quality Villanova team and won the first set but were eventually outgunned in four tight sets. The 1st XI were put in on a challenging deck and were in trouble at 4 for 50 before a strong middle/lower order fightback led by Joey Laner and Louis Morris amongst others, gave us a competitive total of 217. It always looked enough, with high-quality bowling, efficient, effective fielding and a strong team spirit saw us defend the total comfortably by bowling Villa out for 115. 

This weekend our seniors are on the road again, coming up against local rival Padua. We look forward to going head to head again for the (Charlie) Cameron – (Harris) Andrews Cup on Friday night against a strong Padua 1st XVIII. 

We are hosting an AIC lead-up swim meet this Friday with Padua and St Edmunds travelling to Ashgrove to go head-to-head against our best.

Good luck to all teams wearing the blue and gold this weekend.

Media

AIC Results

I am highlighting the AIC website has had a refresh and a new emphasis on the timely delivery of results will see all sports results and tables updated on the same day so you can follow our teams performances each week across the sports by going to https://aicsport.com.au/ and clicking on the relevant sport page.

AIC TV

A recently new initiative started last year is the live streaming of many of the AIC competition sports each weekend. In Term 1 they are showing AFL and volleyball matches, Term 2 will be football and rugby and Term 3 will see rugby league and basketball matches streamed live. Go to https://aictv.com.au/ to watch our first teams taking on the best of the AIC each week.

Social Media

Marist Sport is on Instagram. Follow our highlights and successes at @marist_ashgrove_sports and @marist_ashgrove_rugby. You can also follow the AIC competition on Facebook (search AIC) and Instagram at @AIC_sport.

News

The Courier Mail has taken a keen interest in AIC sport in recent years as well so stories on results, key athletes across the AIC and great performances are often featured.

Student Achievements

We also like to highlight our students achievements in sport, both school sport and club sport in the College Newsletter each week. Simply email sports@marash.qld.edu.au or  lennond@marash.qld.edu.au with details (student name, sport, tournament/activity, some information about the achievement, and a photo or two if possible).

Representative Sport Pathway 2024

We are pleased to invite boys to complete an expression of interest in nominating for secondary school representative sport opportunities. Met North have changed the process this year to an online paperwork system. This, combined with condensing the paperwork, should streamline the process and make it easier for everyone.

The entire year of district trials are listed. Nominations can be entered at any stage until the Marist noms date. This is a Microsoft Form, it will not let you know if you have missed the deadline so make sure you give yourself time. No late nominations will be considered. This is a Met North policy.

Who can Nominate

Met North is tightening the numbers of nominations per school. It is limited to the number of players in a team so for sports we play in AIC, nominations are restricted to A team players, preference will be given to boys at the older end of the age bracket, though special consideration will be given in some circumstances. For non-AIC sports, players would be expected to be competing at representative or elite club level already.

Championship Sports:

Swimming, Cross Country and Track and Field are different and will be managed through the relevant Marist Sport Coordinators (Swimming- Mr Boyce, Cross Country- Mr Reid, Track and Field- Mr Graham).

Process

Step 1

Check the district and regional trial program.

Step 2

Complete the Marist expression of interest form by the “Noms Due to Marist” due date at: https://forms.office.com/r/3Dzu9i8fWp

Step 3

Marist Sport will send parents/guardians a QR code to nominate for the district trial.

Step 4

The District School Sport Officer will forward the electronic form to complete to register to attend the trial. This needs to be completed by the “Paperwork Due to Convenor” date.

Step 5

Marist Sport will complete the Principal Permission form and send it directly to the Convenor.

Step 6

Marist Sport will notify Student Absentees of the date/s students will be absent from school at district or regional trial day/s.

Step 7

Parent/guardian is on the day to confirm student absence from school as per normal college absence processes in Parent Lounge- reason: school sport trial (sport).

Step 8

Students successful at the trial and make the Met North team are to notify Marist Sport sports@marash.qld.edu.au.

District and Regional Nomination Calendar

AFL

Mr Corey Robinson (AFL Coordinator)

The past weekend saw a mixture of results against our rivals, Villanova. A big thank you to all the parents who turned up to support the start of Round 1, the staff, coaches and also to the boys who were just as keen to start Round 1.

The First and Second XVIII kicked things off perfectly on Friday afternoon with convincing wins. The Seconds (playing for the first time in the AIC competition), made a tremendous start allowing only one goal through the entire match and coming out convincing winners. The Firsts also came out victorious thanks to a great 4 goal to 1 first quarter which proved to be the difference in a very physical and exhausting match. A positive start to the year for the boys and credit to all coaches involved as a very good preseason last year looks to have Marist in a great way moving forward.

Saturday saw the start of the year 5-9 competitions. Unfortunately, we were winless in all grades from Years 5-8, however, the 9A/B teams were able to finish the morning off for Marist well, including a nail-biting 1-point win in the 9As. Despite the losses, there was not one team who gave up and the Marist spirit was shown across the board for the entire day with several positive mentions about our boys from other parents, umpires and officials. 

As a reminder, please make sure all boys are in the correct Marist training apparel and that the uniform shop has AFL jumpers there to purchase for those still without one.

Cricket

Mr Derek Lennon (Cricket Coordinator)

There has been a slight change to how we are managing the cricket program for the rest of this season. I will be taking a hands-on role with administration, coaching and communication and Mr Ben Lee will be focusing on being a support for coaches at training and on ground operations on Saturdays at our home venue. Work has already commenced on identifying solutions to the challenges we, and many of our AIC and GPS brother schools, face, particularly in cricket, but also across many of our sports. 

With some changes to the coaching staff this week please check the College app closely for some training time changes. These are not ideal but necessary to provide the best quality coaching and development we can for all our boys across the entire program.

Thank you to the community members who stepped up and helped out with some coaching last weekend. It was great to see such a spirit of community support and spirit in action.

We travelled south of the river to take on Villanova last Saturday on what was another hot, humid day. Villa are one of our tougher competitors, which was proven with Villa taking out the 10A, 8A and 6A matches, however, Marist dominated the day with 19 wins from 25 matches for a 76% win record. The 1st XI put on a strong, clinical performance to secure a good first-up win on a challenging wicket on what is a small field. Well done to all our teams who played across the day.

This weekend we have the local derby against Padua. This will prove to be another challenging set of fixtures as Padua traditionally rise to the challenge of facing us so all teams are reminded to be well prepared and ready to go.

1st XI Report by James Brandon

We started our cricket season with a game against Villanova College. Four boys made their debuts with Oliver Hayes, Will Easter, Jack Watson and Archie Murray donning their baggy blues as a day of anticipation awaited. Will Nickelson lost the toss, and we were sent into bat on a bowler’s wicket. The innings started rough with two quick wickets up the top before Will Nickelson consolidated to 2/60 at drinks. Two quick wickets after drinks had the boys in strife until Jack Watson and Joey Laner consolidated. Watson’s 38, Laner’s 64 and Louis Morris’ quick-fire 47 off 27 got the boys to a respectable 217 for the innings. 

After a good feed put on by the Villa parents, the boys had a job to do, and we were going to win or go down fighting. After a “jaffa” by Joe Laner removed one of Villa’s openers the energy was high. And after Frank Piper’s astonishing run out to remove the Villa captain the boys could feel the momentum in the air and the Villa collapse started. Sam Lewis bowled superbly with four very well-deserved wickets and Louis Morris’ tight bowling finished with figures of 2/13 off 8. Will Nickelson produced a magical stumping down leg off pace bowler Flynn Cleary to cap off an amazing start to the season for the boys. Villa were bowled out for 115 giving Marist and 102 run lead.

Volleyball

Mr Patrick Denkes (Volleyball Coordinator)

Round 1 kicked off with a strong showing from Marist teams across the board against Villanova College. Our junior games at home saw us record 9 wins and 3 losses and the senior matches at Villa saw us with 7 wins and 3 losses. For the A teams level we finished with 3 wins and 3 losses.

This weekend we are travelling up the road to Padua to take on our closest rivals which will be a good test for us.

A reminder to all players to be wearing the Marist training shirt for all training sessions. 

Internal Competition

We are excited to offer the internal volleyball competition to all boys in Years 7, 8 and 9, who missed out on a spot in an AIC place this term. We are looking to ramp up the Colours Cup competition and give the boys an opportunity to represent the College as we play in a three-way round-robin with Villanova and St Laurences College in the last few weeks. Teams will be assigned on the first week with round-robin matches taking place to see who is the Coloured Cup winners for 2024. All players will be required to play in their full HPE uniform. 

A number of boys have signed up already but it is not too late to join. Just email Mr Lennon at lennond@marash.qld.edu.au with your name and year level. 

The competition will be played on Friday afternoons in the Champagnat Centre with lunch time skills sessions during the week to develop the boys dig, set, spike skills.  

1st VIReport by Owen Dodwell

On the 3rd of February, the anticipation was high as the boys embarked on a journey to Coorparoo for the inaugural round of the 2024 season. The noon start heightened the challenge in the humid gym, setting the stage for an intense rematch of the Queensland volleyball senior schools grand final.

The initial set showcased Marist's dominance, marked by consistent serving and a robust service reception, securing a 25-20 victory. The second set proved a slow start, with the boys trailing behind a formidable Villa side. Despite being behind, a resilient service run and crucial errors from the opposition allowed Marist to narrow the gap to just one point. Despite a valiant effort, Villa claimed the set 25-23.

Villanova demonstrated their prowess in the third set, executing a one-sided performance that concluded with a resounding 25-14 scoreline. The fourth set was the last opportunity for the Marist boys to showcase their skills. The battle remained intense; with both teams going point for point. Ultimately, Villa emerged victorious in the fourth set, securing the match.

Post-match, the boys held their heads high, acknowledging mistakes while appreciating the display of skill on both sides. Despite the scoreline, the team is eager for the upcoming six games, using the opening round as a testament to their potential. The next challenge awaits them in the second round against Padua at Kedron, and they anticipate the support of family and friends in the grandstand.

Football

Mr Derek Lennon (Football Coordinator)

It won’t be long until it’s football season, and that means preparations start now for the 2024 firsts, aggregate honours and divisional success. Marist has a proud history in AIC football winning just under half of the aggregate premierships since the competition’s inception in 1999, and we aim to build on that success in 2024.

Our 1st XI squad have been hard at work since early Term 4 with gruelling fitness and gym sessions, tactical training sessions and now have a series of tough upcoming preseason matches to get themselves ready.

Starting next week it is the turn of our senior school A teams to get started. Our 8A, 9A, 10A and 2nds squads will commence once-a-week training sessions. Please see the selection policy on the College app to see who is eligible to attend those training sessions. The 5A, 6A and 7A squads will commence along with the rest of the program with the internal trials. Details are available on the College app where the calendar is available.

All boys who want to play football in Term 2 must be registered. For instructions see the football page on the College app. The cut-off for registration is the last day of Term 1.

A’s Training Details

A’s training will commence from Monday 12 February.

Track and Field

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Mr Rob Martin – Head Coach, Track and Field

Track and Field

Over the weekend a number of athletes were competing at the QLD Athletics pathway shield meet with some excellent results noted including:

(i) School Record: Zac Milligan- The performance of the meet was Zac Milligan who again set another school record this time in the 16 years 1500m event. Leading many of the fastest runners in QLD up to Open ages, Zac closed well finishing with a 4m01.85. It will be fantastic to see what times Zac can achieve in 2024. The previous record was held by Asher Parkin in 4m03.3.  Congratulations to both runners who have worked to bring this record down considerably in the last few years.

(ii) Hayden Lockhart - In his first run at 100m hurdles, Hayden ran a fast 15.99s, meeting the National qualifier where he will be able to compete at this event for QLD in April 2024. Also a very solid speedy 100m time later in the day.

(iii) Isaac Ting - Another athlete who after his first run at the 110m hurdles surpassed the national qualifier by almost 1 full second. Isaac will continue to develop with more runs over this distance.

(iv) Isaiah Burgess - With 4 throws all over 14m and 2 new personal bests including a 14.78m put, Isaiah again surpassed the National qualifier for under 18 years and continued his good form after continuing his training through the holiday break after a 4th at All Schools Nationals. Great form.

(v) Joe Jackson - Joe coming back for his first run over the 110m hurdles had a great race and was just 0.1s off his personal best. Again achieving another National qualifying time to round off a great meet for Marist athletes.

(vi) Shea Caminiti - A 15.90s 90m hurdles time start to the season. Will continue to develop and drop time throughout season.

Met North Region (Little Athletics Pathway) - A number of athletes competed in the Little Athletics Regional championships at Arana Hills over the weekend. We will look to acknowledge those athletes as we search through the final results being released. If you were in attendance please advise Mr John Lambourne (Junior Track and Field) and Mr Rob Martin (Senior Track and Field)

Marist Track and Field – Sunday Sessions

For all students wanting to train, Mr Rob Martin will run his usual Sunday session. 

INCLUDED: Running – sprints and jumps / Throws – early pre-season fitness and cross training, along with throwing.

WHEN: Sunday afternoons

WHERE: Hayden Oval

TIME: 3:15pm-4:45pm 

DRESS: Marist sport shirt, Marist sports shorts, white or blue socks.

Marist Track and Field – Social Media 

@marist_ashgrove_sports

Marist College has continued to showcase incredible moments in Track and Field again this year, from Year 5 victories to exceptional feats by our Year 12 students, all vividly captured on our social media pages.

Follow us and stay up-to-date with Marist Track and Field on Instagram - @marist_ashgrove_sports.

Rugby Union

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Marist Rugby Union | Sign On

Please go to the Marist app and see information regarding sign on. All students who wish to play Term 2 sports are asked to sign up via the student café. Once your son/s have signed up all parents or caregivers MUST approve the signup and edit or update any medical details. 

This assists the College in organising the appropriate number of coaching staff and to deliver the necessary resources.

Marist Rugby Connection | Year 5 

This is an open invitation to ALL Year 5 students.

The Marist Rugby Union program is committed to a strong and genuine connection from the 1st XV down to our newest bumblebees in Year 5. Next Friday 16 February, the Year 5 students are invited to train with the Open Blue squad. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect the students in a safe and friendly environment, and to align some of our key rugby language and philosophies.

DATE: Friday 16 February

TIME: 6:45pm-7:45am

WHERE: Hayden Oval

DRESS: Blue Marist training gear and Marist white or blue socks.

More information will follow in the Marist app.

Rugby Ready Program | Year 5-12

Starting in Week 5 (Monday 19 February), Marist College is delivering a 4-week Rugby Ready Program across all age groups leading into the rugby union trials. The Rugby Ready Program involves a host of measures such as physical preparation, skill development, correct and safe techniques preparing the players for contact, enforcement of game laws, and management of safety issues such as the Scrum Passport and the “MAYDAY” call.  

NOTE – you are not required to sign on for the Rugby Ready Program. Whilst there are a number of reasons for providing such a program, a key driver is wanting to deliver to all students a safe, challenging and enjoyable rugby union program. In order to develop the Marist College rugby players, we must give them the skills to approach the game with confidence and minimise the chance of injury.  Please see documents on the Marist app for all information including the program content, schedule and dress code. 

You will note the Opens have been allocated two options each week, however, they only need to attend one. 

Marist Rugby Preseason | Year 11 and 12

Please see the information for Week 3 and 4, Term 1 preseason rugby union training in the Marist app.

Year 10 students will be offered an opportunity to begin preseason training in the Week 3 and 4 schedule will be released on Wednesday. 

The dress code for ALL sessions is Blue MCA shirt, Marist blue sports shorts, and white / blue / Marist rugby socks (see @marist_ashgrove_rugby on Instagram).

NOTE – if you have a commitment to a Term 1 sport, that is your priority.

Marist Rugby Union – Social Media 

@marist_ashgrove_rugby

In 2023 the College delivered some wonderful rugby memories through our social media pages. From the smallest bumblebees in Year 5 through to the biggest bumblebees in Year 12, all of it was captured in wonderful colour.

To stay connected with Marist Rugby and with all the program’s achievements, please follow our Instagram page @marist_ashgrove_rugby.

Tennis

Mr Andrew Ward - Director of Tennis

Greetings Tennis Community,

As we delve into the current week, our programs are in full swing, and it brings me immense joy to witness several individuals evolving into astute and assertive players, particularly showcasing their prowess in point play during match sessions.

The squad coaching sessions are experiencing heightened activity this term. For those availing themselves of the exclusive offer to partake in private coaching as club members, we trust that navigating the booking system has been seamless. Should you encounter any difficulties, do not hesitate to reach out to Jade, who will guide you through the process.

Allow me to shed light on the upcoming fixtures for Term 1 and 2. We offer match play opportunities on Wednesdays from 5-7 pm for Division 1 and Fridays for Division 2 & 3 players. These fixtures are complimentary for all squad players and Marist Tennis Club members.

A noteworthy development this season is the introduction of a prize for the overall winner who accumulates the highest score across both terms of fixtures.

The coveted prize includes a Head 12 racquet bag, 2 Head radical racquets, two tins of AO Dunlop Balls, and 6 over grips. Points will be allocated for attendance, as well as victories and defeats in matches. It is imperative to note that players will not accrue any points if they fail to attend their scheduled fixtures.

The Super League commenced last Saturday, subjecting players to challenging conditions that tested both their physical fitness and mental resilience. Amidst the intense matches, I must commend Roy Power and Charlie Kelly for their unwavering determination against older opponents. Despite being down 2 sets, their perseverance shone through, particularly in the doubles match where they triumphed, then Roy playing years above himself to win in straight sets and ultimately securing a division 7 victory.

Special recognition goes to Sam Martin and Cormac Gannon (Year 6) in Division 11, who faced Year 12 opponents with remarkable tenacity. Their opponents, initially underestimating them, were met with fierce opposition, and the sweat on their brows attested to the hard-fought battle waged by these young players.

Congratulations are in order for all teams this week, and I will be reaching out to certain players regarding potential division changes for next week as we progress.

For those keen on participating in the Super League as reserves, your interest is most welcome – kindly reach out to us and register your name.

Friday mornings usher in our AIC Open Hit out Sessions, tailored for those aspiring to join the open team. These sessions, leading into our First X Squad for Term 2, are open to all interested individuals and selected year-level players.

As always, if you need to contact myself or Jade, please feel free to do so via

MCATennis@marash.qld.edu.au

Or call 0437 449 523 to contact Andrew.

3011 1272 to contact Jade.

In closing, I extend wishes for your well-being and anticipate the pleasure of seeing you grace the courts soon.

Swimming

James Boyce - Director of Swimming

Last week marked a significant milestone as 130 athletes from our team participated in the second prep meet of the year at St Peter’s Lutheran College. These preparation meets play a pivotal role in our journey leading up to the highly anticipated AIC Swimming Championships. St. Peter’s, renowned for their consistent dominance, once again presented a formidable challenge, affording us a valuable opportunity to gauge where our team is at against a team that has clinched victory in the past eight AIC Swimming Championships.

Throughout the past week, I have drawn inspiration from Craig Bellamy, who says: "Consistent Preparation leads to Consistent Performance." As we embark on the final 28 days of preparation, it’s important to remember that consistently training and practising good habits will allow everyone to get the best performance when the time comes to compete. 

This week is yet another opportunity for our athletes to demonstrate their skills as we host Ambrose Treacy College, Padua College, and St Edmunds College. Such occasions not only afford our boys the chance to test their abilities against a diverse array of athletes but also promote an environment of healthy competition and personal growth.

Furthermore, this year marks a significant milestone as we extend a warm welcome to all our local primary schools for Northwest districts on Thursday. We extend our well-wishes to the following Marist boys who will represent our college at this event: Flynn Barrett, Finn Beaver, Joseph Cairns, Riley Freer, Clancy Heenan, Edward Heenan, Harry Kirkman, Sam Mellifont, Ross Murie, Lucas Nightingale, Jimmy Ryan, Daniel Sadimenko, and Will Weight.

If you have any questions regarding the AIC Swimming Team and or the training Schedule, please refer to the college app or email swim@marash.qld.edu.au.

Round 1 Results

AFL

Cricket

Volleyball

Round 2 Draws

AFL

Cricket

Volleyball