Sport News

Mr Derek Lennon, Head of Sport

Term 3 is racing by with only a couple of rounds left. Last weekend was a busy one with much to celebrate. Congratulations to our open hockey team who lost the final of the Brisbane Schoolboys Hockey Cup on Friday afternoon at Comslie against St Edmund’s College. Yes I said congratulations, and yes they lost 3-1, for there is much to celebrate in the achievements of the team. Congratulations on making the final of the competition; congratulations on such a spirited and determined effort; congratulations on digging deep and fighting back from 3-0 down after 10 minutes to take the game to your opponent and never give in; congratulations on representing the College so well through your sportsmanship, respect for the game, your opponents and the competition; and congratulations to the Year 12s who played your final game for the College. Thank you so much also to Ms Kathryn Badini for your passion and leadership of our hockey program. We are in good hands and look forward to continued success in the coming years.

On Saturday we travelled to face St Patrick’s College at Shorncliffe in tennis and basketball, and out to Ipswich for the gala day at St Edmunds. We were strong winners in all three firsts matches with some real excitement in the basketball in a tight tussle where we were able to hold our opponents at arm’s length without really getting comfortable. The boys have played better and lost this year but getting the win was well deserved in the end. Tennis had a comfortable 6-2 win, with the added complexity of playing on multiple surfaces throughout, and the rugby league firsts winning 36-10 in a strong team performance. Across the board it was a successful day for Marist with all three sports dominating.

This weekend we are playing against St Laurence’s College which will be a big challenge for all of our teams, something we are looking forward to. A large support in the Champagnat Centre for our 1st V at 12:15 would help the team out, and why not come along earlier and cheer on our tennis team as they strive for a top-two finish.

Integrity and Fair Play in School Sport

Sportsmanship, an essential aspect of competitive sports, encapsulates the spirit of fairness, respect, and integrity in athletic endeavours. It is the glue that holds the values of sports together, ensuring that competition remains a positive and enriching experience for athletes, spectators, and society at large. This article delves into the significance of sportsmanship, its core principles, and its impact on athletes and communities.

At its core, sportsmanship embodies the ideals of ethical behaviour, respect for opponents, adherence to rules, and graciousness in victory or defeat. It's more than just playing by the rules; it's about maintaining an attitude of respect, empathy, and humility throughout the sporting journey. True sportsmanship extends beyond the field of play, influencing personal growth, social interactions, and the larger sports culture.

Core Principles

1. Respect for Opponents: Sportsmanship emphasizes the recognition of the efforts and skills of opponents. Treating opponents with respect fosters an environment of healthy competition and camaraderie.

2. Fair Play: Adhering to the rules and regulations of the game is vital. Displaying honesty and integrity, even when it might lead to personal disadvantage, demonstrates the true essence of sportsmanship.

3. Humility: Whether celebrating victory or dealing with defeat, humility is a central tenet of sportsmanship. Acknowledging the role of hard work, practice, and teamwork over individual achievement contributes to a well-rounded sports experience.

4. Grace in victory and defeat: How athletes handle success and failure speaks volumes about their sportsmanship. Celebrating wins with modesty and accepting losses graciously highlights a deep understanding of the transient nature of sports.

Sportsmanship has a profound impact on athletes' personal development. It instils values that extend beyond the playing field, including empathy, resilience, and discipline. When athletes prioritize respect and fair play, they contribute to a positive sports culture that encourages inclusivity and sportsmanship among peers.

Moreover, embodying sportsmanship can enhance an athlete's mental resilience. The ability to stay composed under pressure, accept defeat with grace, and persevere through challenges is a testament to an athlete's character and sportsmanship.

Promoting sportsmanship requires a collective effort from athletes, coaches, parents, and staff. We all have a part to play in making sure the boys develop their capacity to be the best people that we can be.

Sportsmanship is the lifeblood of sports, infusing the playing field with integrity, respect, and fairness. Its principles enrich athletes' personal development and foster positive communities centred around shared values. By actively promoting and nurturing sportsmanship, we contribute to a sports culture that thrives on the ideals of mutual respect, healthy competition, and the pursuit of excellence.

Hockey

Ms Kathryn Badini - Hockey Coordinator

I know that it’s cliché to write after losing a Grand Final that the scoreline didn’t reflect the quality of the game – but that cliché does apply to the Marist 3-1 loss to St Edmund’s College on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Eddie’s boys came on strong, scoring the hat trick in an 8-minute period in the first half. From there however, our boys found their combinations leading to Oliver Shinkel (11) scoring off a short corner. Unfortunately, despite many great shots at goal, we couldn’t get another one through their goalie. I suppose that is the beauty and cruelty of a Grand Final.

As I have been reminded about many times through the week leading up to it, it is such an achievement for the boys to make it to the Grand Final, and we put on a better show than the last time we faced them.

A special congratulations should be extended to our Year 12 students for their final time in the blue and gold – especially to our captains Nick Keir and Cooper Lunn. I think it says a lot about how gracious there are that after their defeat they spoke about how great the team will be next year. As a single-team sport, Hockey is unique because we have boys from Years 7 – 12, as well as many brothers and Old Boy coaches which means that you can literally connect boys back to the beginning of the Schoolboys Hockey Competition. The legacy of the team does run deep therefore, and the 2023 team has definitely added to that.

A thank you to the staff and students who can out to cheer us on – always lovely to see a great crowd at Hockey. Also, a thank you to the Sports Department and the Media team for their continued support this season. I would also like to acknowledge our coaches Jordan Cabot and Sam Keir, who the boys have learnt so much from, and our parents as well, who are always so kind to me.

We will be back in 2024!

Basketball

Round 5 vs St Patrick’s College

1st V - Marist 80 – St Patrick’s 75

1st V Coach’s Report

James Lidstone – Coach

The MCA 1st V travelled out to Shorncliffe for Round 5. After a spirited display against SPLC prior to the EKKA break and the return of injured point guard Matt Gibson, the team were ready to go out and get our season back on track. The game started out slowly as each team tried to find their rhythm. The effort was there from the boys, but our execution was found lacking and we got dragged down into a scrappy affair.We traded baskets with Pat’s and after a tight first we held a 2-point lead.

The second quarter was much the same as the first, with both teams struggling to break away. After an ordinary half of basketball, we found ourselves down 39-35 at the main break. St Pat’s came out of the blocks fast in the third quarter with some excellent perimeter shooting and as we continued to struggle to finish around the rim and play through the physicality, we found ourselves in a 13-point hole midway through the 3rd quarter. A time out and a reminder to do the basics well, great perimeter defence, strong attack on the rim and some crisp ball movement saw us go on a 17-2 run over the space of three minutes and took control of the game. As we started to pull away, Jack Forrester injured his foot after a fast break dunk and couldn’t return.

The boys needed to dig-in and stay together with one of our stars missing. Matt Gibson got into a zone and had an exceptional third quarter leading us to a 63-55 lead at three quarter time. St Pat’s never gave up and continued to chip away at the lead. The boys responded to the challenge, a big three from Declan Tunny and a circus shot and-1 from Will Ford kept Pat’s at bay, we held our nerve to escape with a hard fought 4-point win. Spencer Mahoney, Kurt Roberts and Sean Russell-Ahern toiled away inside, and a lot of their work won’t appear on stats sheets, but they battled hard.

It wasn’t a pretty game of hoops, but the boys can be proud of their resilience, togetherness, and determination. We wish Forrey all the best with his recovery and hope to see a few supporters out at our last home game this weekend against St Laurence’s.

1st V Basketball Captain’s Report

Declan Tunny

Round 5 against St Pat’s was set to be a big game to determine whether we would let the season slip away or dig our heels and finish on a high. After a week off for the EKKA break, we were back to a full-strength team that would be extremely necessary for an evenly matched St Pat’s side.

The team got off to an average start in the first quarter, allowing the opponent to score too easily through the middle. After a few turnovers from us, St Pat’s got out to a 10-point lead early on. However, with the tightening of a few loose screws we were able to pull ourselves together on both offence and defence for the remainder of the game allowing us to sneak away with a win with the final score of 80-75.

After key player Jack Forrester went down in the 3rd quarter, the rest of the team knew they would have to step up in his absence. This started with Matt Gibson finding his rhythm from all spots on the court and finding the bottom of the net with ease. Will Ford followed this, racking up quick buckets off the fast break and Cal McLean performed exceptionally well on both offence and defence with some big minutes. Overall, the team played a nice game, with great energy on and off the court.

I look forward to our final home match against St Laurence’s this Saturday. It would be great to see as many of you there for what will be the seniors last ever home match for Marist.

R5 vs SPC - Match Reports From the Courts.pdf

Track and Field

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Mr Rob Martin – Head Coach, Track and Field

AIC Practice Meet #2 - QSAC

Following the fantastic turnout of over 80 students in our first meet, we head back to the Queensland State Athletics Centre (QSAC) on Wednesday for the second of four AIC Practice Meets.

For your convenience, the schedule of events has been uploaded to the Marist app, ensuring that all students and families are well-informed about the list of events and timings.

Please also take the time to note the bus timetable.

With a series of four AIC practice meets scheduled at QSAC this term, opportunities remain open for students to further develop and excel throughout the season. As our students continue to train and improve, spots for the AIC Championship will continue to remain open. We encourage all students to participate in the AIC practice meets and contribute to the team's success on a broader stage.

The AIC practice meets are listed in the Key Dates Calendar on the Marist app.

Met North Track and Field Regional Trials

The Marist track and field team competed over 2 days at last week’s Met North carnival with 44 medals won from 86 athletes from Year 5 through to Year 12.

There were many excellent performances and many 4th-8th final places also where athletes just missed out on a medal. Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the team performance was the spirit of competition exhibited by all athletes and the excellent results resulting from the hard work many of these athletes have committed to in track and field training over recent months.

Medals won were as follows -

13 Years Javelin - Declan Blundell 1st place

13 Years triple Jump – Theo Calder 1st place

10 Years Tetrathlon – Nathan Wright 1st place

14 Years 400m – Connor Campbell 1st place, 14 years Hurdles Connor Campbell – 3rd place

16 Years 200m – Ted Clarke 1st place, 16 Years 100m – Ted Clarke – 3rd place

16 Years Javelin – Jonah Miles 1st place

17 Years 110m Hurdles – Joel Drew 1st place

18 Years Shot Put – Gino Gagliardi 1st place

16 Years Hurdles – Joe Jackson 1st place

15 Years Shot Put – Jonathan Kirk 1st place

16 Years 1500m – Asher Parkin 1st place

13 Years Long Jump - Hayden Lockhart 1st place, 13 Years triple jump Hayden Lockhart 2nd place

17 Years 800m – James Prole 1st place, 17 years 1500m James Prole 2nd place

18 Years 110m Hurdles – Charlie Weaver 1st place, 18 Years long jump 2nd place, 18 Years Triple Jump 2nd place

17 Years Shot Put – Lee Martin 1st place, 17 Years Discus 1st place, 17 Years javelin 2nd place

13 Years 400m - Sania Elisala 3rd place, 13 Years long jump – Sania Elisala 3rd place

17 Years 100m – Xavier Simms 3rd place, 17 Years 200m – Xavier Simms 2nd place

15 Years 100m Hurdles – Isaac Ting 2nd place

10 Years Tetrathlon – Lucas Crowley 2nd Place

18 Years 400m – George Daly – 2nd place

13 Years Hurdles – Charlie Campion 2nd Place

14 years Javelin – Aiden O’Reilly Javelin 2nd place

17 Years High Jump – Ben Caughley 2rd place

16 Years Shot Put – Isaiah Burgess 2nd Place

16 Years Long Jump - Ben Player 2nd place

16 Years Discus – Josh Dempsey 2nd place

15 Years Javelin – Giacomo Calabrese 3rd place

13 Years 1500m – Harry Prole 3rd place

15 Years Javein – Owen Hair – 3rd place

10 Years High Jump – Hugo Lockhart 3rd place

16 Years High Jump – Lyndon Maynard 3rd place

16 Years Shot Put – Jai Jarro – 3rd place

16 Years Triple Jump - Ollie Betts 3rd place

16 Years 400m – James Wintzloff 3rd place

State Titles: We are awaiting the final list of those athletes who will qualify for State Titles in October but we expect the list to be long. Well done to all athletes who competed across the 2 days and it serves as a great test in preparation for AIC in Week 1 of Term 4.

Some Met North highlights included -

Jacob Keogh and Tom Grinham jumping back up off the track after a fall early to record strong times in the 1500m showing true Marist spirit and determination in the 17 years 1500m. Great job!!
Ted Clarke, Aidan Warbrooke and Ash Kani all making the 16 years 100m final with Personal bests in the heat and then again in the final.
Declan Blundell winning the 13 years javelin on his last throw going past his opponent by 4 metres
All of the hurdlers reaching finals with 3 gold, 2 silver and a bronze across 13-Open age groups. The 110mh hurdlers had a unique finish with 3 age groups competing in the 1 race where Marist won 16 years, 17 Years and 18 years in the one final (including Joe Jackson, Joel Drew, Charlie Weaver).
Sania Elisala winning dual bronze medals in the 400m and long jump after a short preparation discovering talents in new events
Our dual medallists including Connor Campbell (14 years), Hayde Lockhart (13 Years), Ted Clarke (16 years), Xavier Simms(17 years), James Prole(17 years). Great efforts in backing up to win 2 medals each
Charlie Weaver with 3 medals in 18 years hurdles(gold), Long and triple jump (Silvers)
Lee Martin did well to win 3 medals including 2 gold from the 3 throws Shot, Discus, Javelin

AIC PRACTICE MEET #1 – REVIEW

The momentum from Met North followed through AIC Meet 1 where again many athletes took the opportunity to show their capability and put their name forward for AIC positions. It was pleasing to see many of the athletes who attended Met North also come to at least support their team mates even if they needed a break from actual competition. Some of the notable performances from this meet included-

Perry Croft – A very fast 800m in 14 years despite running in a cast from a recent injury

Parker Lovering with a speedy hand time in the open 100m race

James Wintzloff backing up for another fast 400m time after Met North the day before

Darcy Frazier – a fast 400m after backing up from running middle distance events at Met North

Brayden Creek continuing with good javelin throws in 14 years helping with team depth

Harry Ecclestone in shot put and Aedan O’Reilly in discus setting new PB’s in their events

The team is building nicely and it is great to see the support each of the athletes are offering each other from junior years to senior as we progress through the competition stages of the season.

Track and Field Uniform

A reminder that the DRESS CODE for all T&F training sessions is as per the 2023 Track and Field Handbook. MCA sports shirts / Marist T&F singlet, Marist sports shorts, and white or blue socks.For competitive events including Internal Mini Meets, the DRESS CODE is as per the 2023 Track and Field Handbook. Marist T&F singlet, Marist sports shorts, and white or blue socks.It is important we get this right now as we have a mini meet this Friday afternoon here at the College, and we will be competing in the AIC Championship AS A TEAM wearing this uniform.

Track and Field Key Dates Calendar

Could I please ask parents and students to look over the Key Dates Calendar in the Marist app? Important to note some of the AIC practice meets and Met North carnival coming up in August, the by invitation Track and Field camp at the start of the September holidays, and the September holiday meets.

More information will be posted on the Marist app at a time closer to each event.

Track and Field Handbook

Please see the Marist app for the 2023 Track and Field Handbook.

The Handbook includes the relevant Track and Field information for students and parents/guardians. If you have any further questions, please contact Mr Richard Graham.

Rugby Union

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Congratulations

Congratulations to Will Bagnell (Year 9) for his selection in the Brisbane Grey U15 team competing in the Buildcorp Emerging Reds Cup in mid-September 2023. The tournament is the first official step in the Queensland Rugby pathway, with a Queensland U15s team selected following the three days of competition.

We wish both boys all the best.

Rugby League

Mr Ryan Apps - Rugby League Coordinator

Last Saturday saw us take on a very enthusiastic St Patrick's College at St Edmunds Ipswich. It was a beautiful day to play Rugby League and the players did not let us down.

After a rocky start and 2 drawn games in the Year 5 and 6 matches and a loss in the Year 7 team it was smooth sailing as MCA won every game after that.

This week we travel to St Patrick's home fields in Shorncliffe to take on St Laurence's in what will be a great day of football.

Best of luck to all teams playing this weekend and a big thank you to all of our coaching staff and supporters for all they do.

Cross Country

Mr Mitch Reid - Cross Country Coordinator

Over the weekend Asher Parkin, Zac Milligan, and Harry Prole travelled to Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra for the 2023 Australian Cross Country Championships. It was a fantastic day of racing with all boys doing extremely well running against the best of the best, in a large field of runners from across Australia and New Zealand. Asher Parkin competed in the U17/18 years finishing 14th in the U17, whilst Zac Milligan and Harry Prole competed in the U15/16 years, the largest field of the day of 130 competitors with Zac finishing 17th in U16 years and Harry 38th in the U15 years. We congratulate the boys on their efforts.

Tennis

Mr Andrew Ward - Director of Tennis

As we come closer to the end of the season for the AIC competition, I would like to remind all the boys about finishing these last two rounds with passion and the will to do our best for the team, the same way as we started the season.

While most of our teams have had great seasons so far, there are teams that are asking themselves what could have been with some just losing by the smallest of margins.

Sport and especially tennis is a game where players are tested not only physically but mentally. You do not have a large team around who can pick you up when you are not playing well. You are at times, when on court playing all alone with only yourself to turn to for advice and cheering teammates from the sideline. It is a sport where your mental capacity will be tested at every point of the match. No coaches helping you during your match.

I am glad to say, that I have had the privilege to see our young generation of players get on with playing for the school, regardless of where they are picked in teams or which team they make as they know the importance of being in the team and what that represents. We are building each year and improving the depth and quality of our players in our tennis program, teaching this to the boys and have this learnt will make a huge difference to the results each week. Playing for your team and not wanting to let them down is the respect that your teammates will give you as you continually give your all.

I know we are still going with this season, but it is great to see some year levels really showing this. Special mention to two of our year levels, Year 6 and Year 8 teams. You have shown this all season and credit to you all.

Term 4 Coaching

Term 4 coaching is almost ready for bookings and all bookings can be done through our online booking system as well as private coaching included in the squad coaching. All this information of how to book online will be out very shortly.

Squad Coaching

This term we will be offering 3 time slots or more for squad sessions where students can book into 2 of these that will suit to giving you more options and not miss any sessions due to other activities hopefully.

All squads for Term 4, 2023 will have capped numbers and once full we will not be able to take any more students due to the availability of courts and the hours it takes to deliver these lessons.

Group Coaching

This will be run only on a Monday afternoon from 3:30pm-4:30pm.

Friday Fixtures

Friday Fixtures will also be back this term on a Friday afternoon for all divisions.

We are looking at Div 2 and 3 from 3:30pm-5:30pm and Div 1 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Again, this will be free for all squad students to play but you must be committed to play each week if signing up to be in the running for any prizes awarded at the end of finals night.

For all queries or concerns please contact us by email: MCATennis@marash.qld.edu.au or ph: 0437 449 523.

Round 5 Wrap Up v St Patrick’s College

We had a mixed bag of results with our teams this weekend with many of our teams taking on the newly improving Pats teams. Out of the 15 matches played, Marist was able to come away with 9 wins with many close matches in our losses which went down to the last set in a lot of matches.

Teams to get wins this week were our 1st and 2nd IV teams plus our year 9A, 8A, 8B, 6A, 6B, 5A, 5B.

We were very close in our year 10 teams and our Year 7 teams but not getting the results this week, unfortunately. Our 9B team was close also but fell to a very determined opposing team.

1st IV report

Our boys knew that this week’s match was going to be a test of their make-up with the Pats team yet to record a win this season.

Knowing this our boys tried to make sure that they did not lose focus of what they needed to do to make sure they were to get a win against them. The boys won in style with all 4 doubles matches and 3 out of 4 singles matches. Losing the only singles in a 3rd set tie break which was a little unlucky and we will be ready for Laurie’s next week, who also beat Iona on games like we did, so the scene is set with two evenly matched teams that could be decided by a few games.

On a brighter note, we saw the successful return of Louis Morris and the run will no doubt give him some confidence going into this week’s match. Well done boys and now let’s bring it on Saturday.

This Saturday is the last home game for the season so lets get behind the boys and support the hard work these boys put in on the court each week and let them captivate you with the standard of tennis that we are privileged to watch each week.