Sport

Hockey - U16 Academy

Huge congratulations to Tom Templeton (Year 8) who was announced in the 2024 Hockey Victoria U16 Academy Squad this week.

Tom was selected after two highly skilled Draft Camp's over the two weekends, and he will be training throughout the summer holidays.

Congratulations Tom - the College team sees your hard work and commitment, and we are thrilled to celebrate your hockey success.

Karate in Japan

 In November, Marianna Novikov in Year 8 travelled to Japan to compete in karate.  

Marrianna has provided an update on her incredible global experience: 

It was the greatest highlight of my life yet to represent Australia in Japan for the 16th World Shotokan Karate Championships! 

Arriving on 7 November in Osaka, we had a few days of sightseeing in Kyoto and Nara for to help me ‘acclimatise’ to Japan.   First, the karate seminar was held in Yokohama from 13-15 November with 300+ international participants. The championships at Tokyo Budokan marked my first-ever tournament, competing in U14’s Girls Kata.  

Nervously I went into the first draw, my opponent, a black belt, how exciting and scary, facing a seriously high-level opponent. I’m a purple (Murasaki) belt – that is a bit lower than black. ‘Luck of the draw’ they say.  My opponent went on to win the gold medal for that event and a couple of others. My prize was the experience. The Australian WSKF team was welcoming. Although meeting most of them for the first time, after 12 days of training, comp, and shared experience, we were like family.   

Intensive training with so many high-level sensei allowed me to learn more effectively than six years of weekly training. I left with many happy memories and improved karate practice, having made some international friends and mentors with invitations to train interstate and internationally.   

The trip was full of highlights:

• facing THE crossing with thousands in Shibuya
• visiting an Owl café in Akihabara
• wandering through the quiet Buddhist temple sect of Koyasan
• the Peace Park in Hiroshima 
• the food was amazing! My favourite, Takoyaki!

To describe the feeling of walking 2km, in the early morning, through an ancient cedar forest, home to the cemetery, Oku-no-in, where the founder of the Shingon Buddhism, Kobo Daishi, entered eternal meditation is beyond me.

I’m looking forward to future karate adventures and travels in Japan. I am so grateful for this experience and to those who enabled and supported me. It was awesome being able to use the Japanese that I have been studying at school, and I’m now setting my sights on reaching the native speaker level ASAP!