SSP NEWS

Free Parent-Carer Workshop: Sleep and Recovery

We are pleased to announce that we are running our free Term 4 parent-carer event for members of the WHC community. The theme for this workshop will be sleep and recovery, with out guest presenter: Alex Bauer from the VIS.

Alex is a Sports Physiologist and Performance Scientist at the Victorian Institute of Sport, specialising in athlete testing, monitoring, training and recovery. With experience across AFL programs, including the Geelong Falcons, Alex is also completing a PhD in Exercise and Sport Science. She is passionate about helping athletes optimise performance through practical, evidence-based strategies.

Outside of work, Alex enjoys tennis and supporting the Geelong Cats. Please see the attached flyer to register (QR Code) and event details below:

Date: Wednesday 4th November

Time: 5.45-7.15pm 

Location: Green Building (Specialist Sport Program building), Western Heights College

** Please note if you have attended our previous workshops, this will be a new venue.

Please enter and park in the Waymouth street car park.

Topic: Sleep, Fatigue and Recovery

Cost: Free of Charge

Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided on the evening.

We hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Specialist Sports Program: 2027 SSP Trials

Western Heights College is pleased to announce that trials for the Specialist Sports Program 2027 intake will be held in Weeks 6 & 7 (November 13–20).

Families are encouraged to review the flyers below for each program and register their child using the QR code or links provided. Please note the strict registration deadline; late applications will not be accepted.

Students must be playing at club level or above to be eligible.

Register for trials:

• AFL: https://compasstix.com/e/oh4s04vtxe 
• Basketball:https://compasstix.com/e/zo7lu54i9o
• Netball:https://compasstix.com/e/cenf4nry8j
• Soccer:https://compasstix.com/e/58wn68zrkk 

Once your child has completed the expression of interest, we will review their Compass profile: 

• Attendance (above 85%) 
• Learning behaviours (above 3.0) 
• Positive behaviour (<3 yellow or red chronicles per term)

If they do not meet the required standards, we will not add them to the Compass event, and they will not be invited to attend the trial. 

Parent/guardian consent is required for travel to and from trial venues and participation in trials. Students without consent will not be permitted to participate. All trial participants will travel with current program students, and the session will appear on their Compass schedule.

Selection Criteria

Selection into the Specialist Sports Program is based on:

• Program numbers and available positions

• Attendance (above 85%) 

• Learning behaviours (above 3.0) 

• Positive behaviour (<3 yellow or red chronicles per term)

• Demonstrated athletic skill and ability (playing at a minimum Club level)

Aspiring Athlete Program

The Aspiring Athlete Program is currently at capacity. As a result, we are unable to invite any Year 7 & 8 students who are not selected for a Specialist Sports Program to trial for the Aspiring Athlete Program. If places become available in 2027, we will offer this opportunity at our May trials.

For any enquiries, please contact Cate Johnson at Cate.Johnson@education.vic.gov.au

WHC Athletes Shine at Western Metro Region Carnival

Congratulations to all students who represented Western Heights College at the Western Metro Region Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 7 October. It was a wonderful day, with skilful athletes on display across the track and field events. Our students should be proud of their efforts and the way they represented our school.

A special congratulations to our medal recipients:

• Ollie Shouten-Durham: Gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m and Javelin, an outstanding four-event performance!

• Macy Brdar: Gold in the Triple jump and silver in the 200m.

• Ethan Young: Gold in Triple Jump and bronze in both the 100m and 200m.

• Tahnee Hutchison: Gold in Long Jump and silver in the 100m.

• Zahlie Snijders: Gold in the 800m.

• Raina Snijders: Silver in both the 800m and 1500m.

• Aria Lockwood: Silver in the 3000m.

• Matthew Campbell: Bronze in Discus.

• Arhlia Cvetkovski: Bronze in Javelin.

• Taya Delaney: Bronze in the 1500m.

Our 16-year-old boys’ 4 × 100m relay team also claimed silver. Well done to Ethan Young, Jarmayne Rowan-Seuvlialii, Gabriel Saunders and Jack Thies on a fantastic team effort.

We are delighted that seven WHC athletes have qualified for the State Athletics Championships on Friday 16 October:

• Ollie Shouten-Durham: 100m, 200m, 400m and Javelin

• Ethan Young: Triple Jump

• Tahnee Hutchison: Long Jump

• Macy Brdar: Triple Jump

• Zahlie Snijders: 800m

• Raina Snijders: 1500m

• Aria Lockwood: 3000m

Qualifying for State competition is a terrific achievement, and we wish these students every success as they take on the best school athletes from across Victoria.

Congratulations to our entire squad. Whether you earned a medal, qualified for State or gave your best against strong competition, you have made WHC proud! 💙🧡

Cate Johnson & Michael Dundon

WHC Sports Coordinators

Netball News

It has been a busy yet rewarding start to the term for the Netball SSP Program. Our student-athletes have been actively developing their knowledge and skills both on and off the court through the Coaching Accreditation Course delivered by Netball Victoria and WHC. They are currently working towards achieving their Foundation Level accreditation, with opportunities to pursue higher levels of accreditation as they progress. As part of their initial assessment, students are working collaboratively in small groups to select a netball skill, design a structured coaching session, and deliver it to a larger group. This task encourages them to develop their communication, leadership and teamwork skills while building confidence in their ability to plan and deliver effective coaching sessions.  

Congratulations:

Congratulations to Jack Te Paa on being selected for the Victorian Men’s 17&U Netball Team! Jack has had a fantastic year on court, and we’re incredibly proud of his achievement. We wish him all the very best as he prepares to represent Victoria at the National Championships in Sydney in March 2027. 

Reminders of upcoming events:

High Performance Day: Monday 26th October for Year 7&8

This experience day will provide the Junior Specialist Netball Program students with the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a Melbourne Vixens player. Students will be exposed to the State Netball Centre, the Melbourne Vixens High Performance training environment, and Victorian Pathways Programs to develop familiarity with the facilities and standards expected within elite netball pathways. The day will also provide students with valuable insight into the wide range of career opportunities within the sporting industry, with Netball Victoria staff sharing their roles, career journeys, and experiences working in elite sport. Consent is required on Compass for this event as soon as possible. Transport will be via public transport, with specific timings listed on the event. 

High Performance Day: Friday 27th November for Year 8&9

This experience day will provide an opportunity for our 2027 Intermediate Specialist Netball Program students to train and play together, whilst utilising the State Netball Centre, the Melbourne Vixens High Performance training environment. Consent is required on Compass for this event. Transport will be via public transport, with specific timings listed on the event.

Bendigo Friendly: Tuesday 27th October for Years 8-10 at Corio Leisuretime Sports Precinct. 

This year marks our third annual friendly netball day with Bendigo Southeast Secondary College. Our netball student athletes will spend the day practising team structures and playing friendly, competitive matches that support their current learning tasks. The day provides a valuable opportunity to extend students’ match-play experience into Term 4 and continue building connections with students from another school. Please see the event on compass for specific timings. Consent is required as soon as possible and parents are welcome to attend.  

Constellation Cup: 

Western Heights College Specialist Netball Program is pleased to offer students the opportunity to attend Game 4 of the Constellation Cup at John Cain Arena and watch elite international netball. There are only a couple of tickets remaining (as at time of newsletter completion) and are available on a first-in, first-served basis, through compasstix. Transport and supervision must be arranged by families and will not be provided by the school. 

Representative Trials: 

Please see Representative Trial dates below. GFL registrations have now closed. If you are not within the Geelong area, you will need to source when and where your local association trials are.

Upcoming Information SSP Netball Program Information Night:

Please keep an eye out for correspondence regarding discussing our 2027 Experiences. This will include our New Zealand Netball Tour (June) & Queensland Netball Tour (TBC Aug). At this stage we are looking at Thursday 22nd October 5:30pm Green Building or online but this time/date/location is still to be confirmed.

Have a great rest of the week!

Specialist Netball Crew