Welcome to the new school, welcome back to returning students and families and a warm welcome to our new families and students to the College.

Associated Independent Colleges (AIC)

At Marist, we offer a broad and diverse range of opportunities for boys through sport, primarily through our affiliation with the AIC (Associated Independent Colleges). This is an association of like schools who come together weekly throughout the year to take part in 15 different sports.

AIC MOTTO

Learning and growth through sport and competition.

VISION

To develop good and healthy young people of character through sport and competition within a Christian context.

MISSION

The AIC will provide well-organised competitions in sport and other activities that foster participant engagement and pride in communities in a holistic Christian context. Our students, staff and families (both past and present) will nurture spiritual, moral, emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development through respectful and compassionate relationships in a safe environment.

The member schools are:

Iona College

Padua College

St Edmund’s College

St Laurence’s College

Villanova College

St Patrick’s College

St Peters Lutheran College

Marist College Ashgrove

*Ambrose Treacey College is a guest member, participating in championship sports and byes in weekly competitions as suitable.

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3 / 4
Cricket	Rugby	Basketball
AFL	Football	Rugby League
Volleyball	Cross Country	Tennis
Swimming	Chess	Track & Field
	Golf	E-sports
		Touch
		Water Polo
		Hockey*

*non-AIC

Communication in Sport

As a part of the change to TASS Orbit app for communication in sport we are making some changes to the way we communicate.

It is vital that all boys wishing to play a sport are registered to play. This is how we will communicate key information.

As a transition, as well as placing information in TASS Orbit app for parents through notifications, we will be emailing information to all registered participants as well as an interim measure to assist with the transition to Orbit to ensure information is received. We will endeavour to reduce the flow of email as much as we can.

Draws each week will be released as a notification in TASS Orbit app and Parent Lounge on a Tuesday each week (this week will be Wednesday due to the complexity of Week 1 and the public holiday). In addition to this draws will also be emailed to parents and students registered to the sport at the same time.

Team lists will be released as a notification in TASS Orbit app and Parent Lounge on a Friday each week. In addition to this team lists will also be emailed to parents and students registered to the sport at the same time.

Cancellations to training sessions and other incidental communications will be done through a notification to parents on TASS Orbit and an email to registered parents and students.

We thank you for your support of this transition to the TASS Orbit app. Your ongoing feedback is always encouraged and can be sent to Derek Lennon at lennond@marash.qld.edu.au.

Key Performance Indicators

We will have three key performance indicators that we will use to assess how we are going as a program. Please note these are separate from the Marist Sports Values, something that is being developed behind the scenes and will be shared with the community. All three KPIs are equally important as the others, while competitive success is important it is only equal to the other two indicators.

Performance

We set out every year to win every match and every competition we play in. That will never change, but what is moveable is the level of performance we expect from our programs relative to where we are as a college. These will be changeable over time and are based on current performance, and are aspirational and achievable for us. It is our aim within our AIC sport and activities competitions that every 1st team will finish in the top 3 every year, and will win a premiership or championship at least once every three years. It is our goal to finish in the top two of every aggregate competition in every sport and activity, and it is our aim to be the number one AIC school each year.

Life Long Love of Sport

Co-curricular activities are just that, co-, working alongside. They are not compulsory and are optional for boys. It is the stated aim of each of our activities that we want to build a genuine love of the activity within all the boys who participate in that sport or activity. Now not every boy is going to love every sport, but if a boy chooses to play a sport it is within our decision-making and thinking that the activity should be challenging, rewarding, engaging and beneficial for him. Our aim is that boys will graduate with a love of their sport, fostered by Marist College Ashgrove, that they take into their lives as men. That may be continuing to play, to coach or referee, or just to stay engaged and interested with that activity. One of the best measures of the success of this is the number of boys who return to coach or officiate the activity once they graduate.

Life Skills

We are in the education business. Sport and co-curricular life in general plays a vital part in the holistic education of boys. While the core business is the academic life of the college, it is vital that boys are developing into men of good character, able to make positive contributions to society as well-adjusted young men, with healthy relationships, a strong appreciation of the value of exercise and wellbeing. Through sport and activities boys are exposed to opportunities to develop as young men, and although this is far from the extensive list, here are some of the ways the co-curricular life can benefit boys. We set goals for ourselves, we work towards achieving them, sometimes we do, sometimes we do not, lessons here are also in how we accept the outcome, and how respectful we are in victory and defeat. We select teams, the boys do not. This exposes us to groups (teams) where we may not get along with everyone. The greater good, the success of the team, provides an opportunity for boys to grow in their acceptance of others and tolerance of those they may disagree with. In sport, like in life, we deal with adversity. In sport, it could be being benched, dropped from a team, receiving a perceived poor officiating decision or having to make a choice that we do not want to make like committing to training on a cold wet morning. The growth here is how we accept these decisions and maintain our discipline and composure, as we will need to do in life.

As I mentioned, these three KPIs are equally weighted and each is just as important as the others. We value success, growth as young men and enjoyment in what we are doing. Those are our core principles, guiding us in our decision-making as a staff, and will work alongside the Marist Sport Values to underpin the decisions we make and the program we offer as a college.

Standards - Uniform

I am starting the new year by listing the expectations for the boys so we are clear and all on the same page. This message will also be relayed to all coaches and I will speak to this at the College assembly next week. This week’s focus is uniform. I have tried to explain the rationale behind the tightening of our expectations but if anyone would like further clarity please contact me or your relevant sport co-ordinators.

All boys are to wear Marist gear to training

All boys are required to wear the MCA training shirt for training sessions. Sub-consciously it builds a sense of belonging and identity for the boys at the College.

It builds team spirit and togetherness to the group.
It assists coaches with organising opposed drills and training games.
It puts everyone on an equal footing, building confidence and trust in each other and within oneself (boys who make rep teams love to wear the gear to training, it is not deliberately designed for any purpose but it does promote a status symbol that we want to avoid).
It looks professional, disciplined and committed and if we look professional, disciplined and committed we are more likely to act professional, disciplined and committed.

In the first instance where boys are in the wrong item coaches will remind the boy about this expectation. The second time it happens he will not be able to train with the team.

For matches all boys are required to wear the correct playing uniform

All boys must be in the correct uniform to play. By and large, we get this right but there is the odd slip-up. Our reputation and your image are on show on game day. Opposition, visitors and spectators are judging us all by our appearance.

This includes travelling to and from the venue. The new MCA tracksuit is able to be worn over the playing kit in colder or wet weather. No one should be seen in non-MCA gear on match days.

Boys must be in covered footwear at all times. We do not allow thongs, slides or Birkenstocks to be worn at any time. This is both a safety and appearance issue.

If you are staying to watch the 1sts after your match you must bring your school uniform and change after your match. No one should be walking around the fields or courts in random gear.

1st Teams - use of Marigold jersey and playing jersey

Being selected in a 1st team is very special. It is the culmination of years of dedication, hard work, skill, insight, passion and commitment. It rightly should be celebrated and appreciated. The wearing of a 1sts jersey should be reserved for the premier competition that teams play in- in most cases the AIC. The day a boy gets to pull on the marigold shirt, put on the baggy cap, et cetera, is special and it should be the first time he wears the item as a signifier that he has made it.

The marigold training singlet is unique to Marist Ashgrove and again has a significant position in our College culture. Similar to the jersey, it is easy to diminish its value. Therefore, the following conditions apply to wearing it:

Extended 1st squads are to wear the blue MCA training shirt for the pre-season phase. Once the final 1st team squad has been chosen boys will be able to purchase and wear the marigold 1ts training shirt to training as directed by the coaches.

If you made the 1st team the year before or in another sport and already have a marigold shirt you are not to wear it to training until the final squad has been chosen and all players wear the marigold.

If I were to sum this up - when you have earned it you can wear it.

As a parent myself, I appreciate that there is some cost involved. That is why there has been a two-year transition to this new expectation across our training uniforms. I hope boys and parents can appreciate the reasoning behind the changes and support us.

Staffing Update

Mr Andrew Catton, Sports Administrator- Cricket and Football, tendered his resignation over the holidays. Unfortunately, he received a job offer in professional football that was too good to turn down. While he was only with us for a short while, the impact he had on the cricket program was significant and we wish him well in his future endeavours.

The College is actively seeking a replacement for Andrew and will update further in due course. Cricket matters should be directed to the relevant Year Coordinator or Head of Sport, Mr Derek Lennon in the interim.

Holiday Activity

Cricket

The 1st XI competed in the Marist Cricket Carnival at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill in December. The Marist Carnival is the coming together of the cricket teams from the different Marist schools from across the country.

This was the 50th carnival and for the first time was tiered so all the best schools were at the one venue. Our young side acquitted themselves well throughout the week and were competitive in all matches with glimpses of the potential shining through at times. A victory against St Greg’s Campbelltown in a close result on the final day was a fitting reward for the boys’ hard work and perseverance throughout the week.

A huge thank you is extended to Mr Michael Abbott and Mr Tom Gibson for their leadership and coaching of the team and to Mr Andrew Catton for his team management and organisation.

Marist is the host in 2025 so we look forward to welcoming our brother Marist schools to Ashgrove in December.

AIC T20 Carnival

Much must have been learnt in Sydney as we went undefeated through the AIC T20 competition, culminating in a very tense run chase against Villanova that saw us win the final, getting the runs with four balls to spare. Well done to the team and staff involved.

Marist Cricket Week

We had our first Marist Cricket Week last week. This involved two T20 competitions, some masterclasses, a day camp and a set of trial fixtures. Thank you to Mr Andrew Catton and Mr Matt Millward for organising these activities. I am sure they will put our boys in good stead for the season ahead.

Unfortunately, we were only able to go ahead with the spin bowling masterclasses with Mr Brett Henschell. This was four quality hours spent in a small group with an outstanding spin bowling coach.

Marist hosted the Year 10 T20 competition last Wednesday and Thursday. Six AIC schools competed in hot conditions across the two days. Congratulations to St Laurence’s College, who won a tense final against Villanova. The Marist boys competed hard throughout the two days and will take the experience forward into the AIC season.

The 1st XI, as well as winning the T20 competition, played 50 over matches against Toowoomba Grammar and Iona College last week. A strong start against TGS and a quality run chase saw us go down in a tight contest. Against Iona, the defending AIC premiers, we were never in the contest, unfortunately, but again, this young side learnt some valuable lessons.

Our first cricket camp occurred on Thursday and Friday with 52 boys working hard on developing their cricket skills under the expert tutelage of Mr Brett Henschell and coaches. It was great to see so many young and enthusiastic cricketers working hard in preparation for the AIC season.

Our 7A, 8A, 9A and 10A sides had matches at Iona last Friday that will no doubt prove significant in our organisation for the season ahead.

A huge thank you to all involved in the Marist Cricket Week activities. It was not only a big week but an important one that will prove dividends for all over the coming months.

Volleyball

Some of our teams had pre-season fixtures against Toowoomba Grammar late in November. These fixtures were very valuable in developing our squads for the season ahead.

Our Opens squad participated in the Australian School Volleyball Cup on the Gold Coast in early December. The boys acquitted themselves very well in preparation for the 2025 AIC season. Thank you to Mr Adam Green (Head Coach) and Mr Patrick Denkes (Coordinator) for your guidance and support of the team.

We were able to get quality court time last week for our A and B teams in a trial round against Iona College. Thank you to Iona for hosting us in a series of matches that will pay dividends as we prepare for the season ahead.

Swimming

Mr James Boyce, Mr Damian Bromley and the swim staff led a camp for both senior and primary school swimmers and many of the boys have been putting in the K’s all through the summer break. Thank you to all staff involved in the preparation for our swimmers. The camp was a great success and kick starts our assault on the AIC championship for 2025.

Track and Field

The 2024 National Schools Challenge Track and Field Titles in Brisbane showcased the abilities of Marist track and field athletes. This is a high-quality event, with the best athletics schools from across the country competing through qualification at state level.

Thank you to Mr Robin Martin (Head Coach) and Mr Bill Prole (Coach) for your guidance and support of our athletes.

Student Achievements

Cricket

Joshua Pope (Year 9) has been selected to represent Brisbane North in the QJC Queensland U15 State Championships In Mackay from Thursday 16 December to Monday 20 December.

Hamish Pope, Charlie Barnett and Jack Easter (all Year 7) have all been selected to represent Brisbane North U13s in Development carnivals in Ipswich/Northern NSW over the Christmas break.

Joshua Pope (Year 10) has been selected in the Queensland Under-16 Indoor Cricket Team for the Australian Junior National Championships to be held in Perth, Western Australia from Tuesday 5 July to Tuesday 12 July this year.

Charlie Barnett and Hamish Pope (Year 8) were part of the Brisbane North U13 Blue team that won the Les Kinnane Memorial Shield in the week-long representative development carnival in Ipswich in January. Charlie was also honoured with the role of captain for the week-long competition. The team performed exceptionally well, finishing at the top of the ladder during the preliminary matches and securing a dominant 120-run victory over Metro South West in the 50-over Grand Final.

Baseball

2025 Year 11 boys Leo McKenna and Lachlan Pawsey represented the QLD U16 Baseball Team at the Australian Youth Championships in Sydney from Sunday 7 January to Saturday 13 January. QLD finished fifth overall with both boys performing strongly. Lachlan led the team in hits and runs batted in at the clean-up spot and was outstanding as the team’s No. 1 catcher, while Leo was strong at the key short-stop position while also performing well on the mound as a pitcher, conceding no earned runs and hitting solidly as a lead-off hitter.

Rugby Union

Sam Head Year 11) played in the HSBC Rugby Festival and Tournament in Dubai UAE, for the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club Under 18s Div 1 team.

They won all their pool games and semi but unfortunately lost in the Grand Final.

There were over 300 teams, 3000 players, 17 age groups, over 2 days.

Rugby Union

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Welcome to 2025

Welcome to the new school year! I hope everyone enjoyed a restful break and is excited for the opportunities that lie ahead at the College.

Although the AIC rugby union competition kicks off in Term 2, a significant amount of preparation takes place throughout Term 1. Rugby remains one of the most popular sports at the College, with an impressive 35 teams competing each weekend during the Term 2 season in 2024.

Please stay updated by reading the College newsletter and checking the Marist app for key information. The Key Dates Calendar on the app will provide details on training and fixture schedules. Two important dates to mark early in Term 1 are:

Rugby Ready Program – A mandatory four session program for all students who wish to play rugby union in 2025. (Monday 24 February)
Referee Ready Program – Open to students and family members interested in becoming referees. (Friday 28 February)

Looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!

Marist Rugby Preseason | Years 10, 11 and 12

Please see the information for Week 1, 2 and 3, Term 1 preseason rugby union training in the Marist Parent Orbit App.

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).

All sessions will take place on Des Connor Park, Field 5.

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

Rugby Ready Program | Years 5-12

Starting in Week 5 (Monday 24 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.

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.

The program involves four stages (1 session per week) and all players will be required to complete in order to play rugby this season. Please see below the schedule starting in Week 5. You will note the Opens have been allocated two options each week, however, they only need attend one.

Boys are required to come dressed in their blue MCA training shirt / Marist bumblebee jersey, Marist sport shorts and Marist rugby / white or blue sports socks. Boys will also require boots, a mouthguard and a water bottle for each session. Each session will run for 60-70 minutes.

Marist Rugby Union – Social Media

@marist_ashgrove_rugby

In 2024 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.

Track and Field

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Mr Rob Martin – Head Coach, Track and Field

Marist at All Schools Track and Field at National Titles

Marist College had three athletes at the Australian All Schools Titles representing Queensland (Secondary students) in Brisbane on Thursday 6 December to Saturday 8 December with the following excellent results:

Isaiah Burgess – Silver Medal U18 Shot Put – second in Australia after representing PNG earlier in the year at the Oceania Championships, Isaiah took the lessons learnt from his excellent performances overseas and sent his shot over 16.22m to claim silver as second best thrower in his age in Australia. A fantastic effort for his hard work continuing since December 2023 when he competed at the same meet in Perth.
Connor Campbell – 4th Place U16 200m Hurdles – Connor had a massive personal best of 25.57s which was over 0.5s better than his previous best. Finishing 4th in a field where the top two both broke the Australian record was a fantastic effort. Connor competed in the 400m, 200m and Medley relay only two days later for Marist in the National Schools Challenge. Always committed to the team outcome showing great leadership.
Harry Prole – 6th in the U16 1500m final. Harry was in 2nd place for much of the race trying to keep tabs with the eventual National champion. Harry left nothing in the tank and chased to the finish in a close 6th place in a close pack. Then backed up 24 hours later to run for the Marist team at the National Schools Challenge breaking two minutes in the 800m. Another brave effort.

More information in next week’s newsletter as we hear the Christmas holiday news and results from our students.

Sunday Sessions

For all students wanting to begin their Track and Field training, Mr Rob Martin will continue to run his usual Sunday sessions. Please see below details:

WHEN: Sunday afternoons

WHERE: Hayden Oval

TIME: 3:15-4:45pm

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

Swimming

Mr James Boyce - Director of Swimming

Our swimmers hit the pool over the holidays, delivering outstanding performances at the Queensland State Swimming Championships. A huge congratulations to all our boys who placed in the top ten.

Championship Highlights

A huge congratulations to our swimmers for their outstanding performances at the Queensland State Swimming Championships. Special recognition goes to:

Thomas Bedggood – 3rd in Boys 14 Years 200m Freestyle, 9th in Boys 14 Years 100m Freestyle
Josh Mason – 4th in Boys 16 Years 50m Breaststroke, 8th in 100m Breaststroke
Archer Mellifont – 2nd in Boys 16 Years 50m Backstroke, 4th in 200m Backstroke and 400m Freestyle
Noah Magoffin – 2nd in Boys 16 Years 200m Freestyle and crowned Queensland Champion in Boys 16 Years 400m Freestyle
Sam Mapledoram – 8th in Boys 14 Years 50m Freestyle
Nick Osborn – 9th in Boys 14 Years 100m Butterfly

A special mention also goes to all our MCA swimmers who competed throughout the week, many of whom achieved personal best times. Well, done, boys!

Term 1 Training Schedule

Training is in full swing for Term 1. Here’s the schedule for this week:

Year 5 Squad

PM Training: Wednesday, 3:30pm–4:15pm

Year 6 Squad

AM Training: Thursday, 7:15am–8:00am

Years 7–12 Training Squad

AM Training: Wednesday and Friday, 7:15am–8:00am
PM Training: Friday Prep Meet

Friday Night Prep Meet

Event: Prep Meet 1 vs Gregory Terrace

Location: Centenary Pool

Details: Following the Inaugural Mass, staff will supervise students as they walk from the Showgrounds to the pool.

New students who would like to swim can now sign up via the Parent Portal.

Bus Transport: If you require a bus back to the college, please complete the Bus Transport Form.

Important Reminder: Attendance at all AIC Prep Meets is mandatory for boys aiming for team selection unless prior arrangements are made with the coaching staff.

For questions or more details, reach out to swim@marash.qld.edu.au.

Looking forward to another strong season ahead. Keep up the great work!

Blue & Gold Events

Year 7 and 8 Parent Function - Save The Date