Canons Sport
Specialised Football Update
Term 1 – Futsal Carnivals (Cockburn ARC)
Term 1 was a busy and exciting start to the year, with our Senior Boys, Senior Girls and Intermediate (Year 9/10) Boys competing in the SSWA Futsal Carnivals held at Cockburn ARC. We entered two teams in each competition, with three teams representing the College in the Senior Boys division.
Senior Boys
The Senior Boys were first to compete. Our A and B teams both finished 3rd in their respective groups, facing strong opposition and recording a few narrow losses against quality sides.
Our C team, made up of Year 10 students, had an outstanding tournament. They topped their group to progress to the semi-finals, where they defeated a strong Mt Lawley Year 12 side. This result saw them advance to the South Regional Final, where they unfortunately went down on penalties to South Coast after a hard-fought match.
Their efforts earned them qualification for the State Championships, where they faced Swan Christian. After a slow start, the team showed great resilience and began to play some nice futsal. Despite this, the early deficit proved difficult to overcome, with the team going down 6–4. Swan Christian went on to win the overall title.
Senior Girls
The Senior Girls teams also performed strongly across the carnival. The A team finished 2nd in their group, narrowly missing out on a semi-final position due to points differential. The B team had a similar experience, finishing 3rd in their group, with a few close and competitive matches that could have gone either way.
Intermediate Boys
The Intermediate Boys teams also competed strongly throughout the carnival. The A team finished 2nd in their group, however, did not gain enough points to progress as the best performing second-placed team. The B team also put in a strong performance, recording narrow defeats against two very strong sides.
Overall, it was a fantastic display of effort and growth from all teams, with many students stepping up and representing the College with pride.
Term 2 – Outdoor Season
SSWA Senior Boys Champion Schools
The boys have been placed in a tough group, featuring three of the four schools who reached the semi-final stage last year. This competition is being used as preparation for the Term 3 ACC Senior Football Championships Division 1.
We have had two games so far, going down to John Curtin and Lynwood. There have been many positives to take from both performances, however we will need to be more consistent over longer periods moving forward.
SSWA Senior Boys National Cup
This year saw the introduction of a new competition, the SSWA Senior Boys National Cup, allowing students in Year 11 and below to represent the program in a FA Cup-style knockout format.
The boys were drawn against Dianella in the Round of 16 and produced a very disciplined performance to secure a 3–0 victory. Scoring early goals, allowed us to adjust out normal playing style and be hard to break down.
In the Quarter Final, we faced a strong Carine SHS side. In a tightly contested match, we went down 1–0, conceding with just five minutes remaining. The boys continued to push for an equaliser but were unable to find a breakthrough, bringing our cup campaign to an end.
Despite the result, it was a positive experience and a valuable step forward for the group.
SSWA Senior Girls National Cup
In the Round of 16, the girls faced Safety Bay. The team produced a strong performance and played some excellent football throughout the match. However, they were unable to create enough clear scoring opportunities and were ultimately knocked out of the competition.
Both Rama and I were very impressed with the way the girls played, particularly in comparison to last year’s fixture against the same opposition, showing clear improvement and confidence.
The girls will now begin their SSWA Champion Schools campaign later this term.
Looking Forward
Plenty of football is still to come, with SSWA Champion Schools competitions underway for the Senior Boys, Senior Girls, Intermediate Boys, Junior Boys and Junior Girls. Team selection is always difficult, continue to work and train hard and put your best foot forward.
Student Spotlight - Levi S (Year 10)
Congratulations to Year 10 student Levi S on his selection in the U/18 State School Boys team for Football (Soccer).
As a member of the Specialised Football Program, he has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and a willingness to challenge himself. Throughout his time in the program, Levi has continually pushed himself by earning selection in older age group teams at the College, highlighting his ability to perform at a higher level.
A previous recipient of the Specialised Football Program Gold Medal, Levi’s efforts and attitude have set a strong example within the program. The entire St Norbert College community is extremely proud and will be supporting Levi as he represents Western Australia.
Mr J Aquino
Canons Football Co-ordinator | Teacher