Sport News

Marist enjoyed a successful Round 1 of the winter codes last weekend. We kicked off with the chess on Friday night and our boys got a very strong win 11-5, with a clean sweep of the senior matches to Marist. Thanks to Mr Humphry and Mr Manson for your leadership of our chess program. On Saturday we dominated the football with 21 wins and 3 draws from 27 matches with the 1st XI winning 3-nil in a reversal of the score last year. Well done to the team and Coaches Whitlock and Baines in their debut match as coaches. Rugby had a very strong day as well across the board with an 82 percent win record. The 1st XV continued that dominance with a 48-10 win, leading 34-0 at half time, congratulations boys and Mr Graham and Mr Daykin for such an impressive performance. 

Congratulations to all boys who debuted for the 1sts in your chosen sport on the weekend. That will be something you will look back on with pride in the years to come, I am sure.

Well done to all teams on a successful start to the AIC season. It really was a great start to the season. This weekend sees us hosting our local rivals in Padua College in what will be sure to be a stern test for all of our teams, which we will need to prepare well for this week. This is a full home round, with most matches being played here at Marist, where we can accommodate. Please check the draw carefully as some year levels and matches will be played at the away venue. 

It was disappointing to see a number of our teams were missing some players on Saturday. Just a reminder that once a boy makes a commitment to play a sport for the College that becomes the priority for the term. Not only does it let the team down in the short term, a part of the reason we play sport is to teach the boys some life skills, one of those being that once we make a commitment, we honour it. 

Student Achievements

Swimming

The following students have been selected in the QSSS Queensland swimming team:

Tommy Fitzpatrick, Noah Magoffin, Sam Mapledoram, Joshua Mason, Nicholas Osborn, Daniel Sadimenko

Congratulations to all these boys on such a fine achievement. You head to nationals with our full support and best wishes. Thank you to Mr James Boyce and our swimming staff who do a wonderful job in coaching and developing our swimmers to such fine results.

Volleyball

Well done to Finley Nicholson who recently competed at the QSSS volleyball state titles as a part of the Met North team. The team finished second overall with Finley contributing greatly to the team success.

Hockey

Oliver Shinkel (Div 1) and Isaac Pratt (Div 2 – Captain) were selected in the Hockey U18 Brisbane squads which played at the State Championships in Rockhampton last weekend. Congratulations to both Oliver and Isaac. 

Football

Mr Derek Lennon - Football Coordinator

Last Saturday saw the commencement of the 2024 AIC football season. Marist had one of the best days, certainly in my time at the college, with a 74 percent win ratio against Villanova. It was certainly a confidence boost for our players and a positive reinforcement for our coaches and staff that we are progressing in the right direction. 

Team of the week is shared by a few teams this week: 

Our 9A boys won 10-0 and the 9B team won 11-1 in a very impressive showing across that cohort. Our 5 White team defeated ATC 5C team 8-0 in the best result in primary, and the 7ths won 10-1 against ATC 4ths in a fine showing.

The 1st XI were dominant from the start of the match. An early red card to Villanova affected their performance somewhat but to be honest the Marist team dominated so strongly that it was not a factor in the result. In fact, less than clinical finishing from us and a fine performance from the Villa goalkeeper kept the score down considerably. This was a strong showing of free-flowing, positive, possession-based football from the Marist team that was great to watch for the fans and gave the team confidence for the challenges ahead.  

This weekend sees Marist host Padua. Please note that younger years matches will be played at Padua this week so check the draw carefully. 

Football Program Objectives

Every team to be Top 3 in their division and the program to be 1st or 2nd in the aggregate. All First teams to be competitive, aiming for a premiership at least every 3 years.

Every boy develops a love of the sport through their experience at Marist. That we provide opportunities for boys to develop skills, represent the College and play with their friends.

Every boy develops life skills through playing sport. These include being a member of a team (with boys they may not be friends with), setting goals, dealing with adversity (including being dropped, disagreeing with a referee decision), learning how to win with grace and lose with dignity and respect, and challenge ourselves to get out of their comfort zone.

Values

Through sport we want to teach the boys good habits to ensure they become good men. These include the values of commitment, hard work, loyalty, discipline, sacrifice and honesty. More detail about what these look like in the football program is available in the football handbook.

Playing Style

We are developing a coaching curriculum for football that will see continuity of coaching, development as our focus and a playing style that should be identifiable as Marist.

As an overview, these are the principles that we are developing in our program:

To play the ball on the ground as much as possible, this requires both supporting play and good technique.

To play an intelligent passing game; this requires all players to support each other in attack and defence. Keep the ball and play football; do things that make sense.

To play longer balls in response to a movement by a teammate, not in the hope of one; then to move and support the ball after the pass.

Players are encouraged with freedom of expression to develop as creative football players, and to try skills without fear of failure.

The object of football is to keep the ball and to score goals through breaking down a defence with pass and skill, not booting it forward and hoping for a mistake.

This will certainly see time to develop as we support our coaches to implement this across our teams and year levels, and it will take longer for our boys to adapt, develop and get confident playing this way but over the coming years we will see hopefully a positive, attack minded, possession based, front foot approach to all of our teams.

Marist Rugby Union

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Save the date! Super Saturday – June 1st

Saturday 1 June is this year’s biggest sporting event. 

Marist College vs St Laurence’s College in 30+ games of rugby union. 

Old Boys’ Milestone Reunion Day!

Old Boys' Reunion Day!

Boarder's Family Day!

Celebrations, prizes, giveaways, supporter’s bar ... ... all together creates Super Saturday!!

Round 1 vs Villanova College

A gorgeous Autumn day greeted the students as they arrived for Round 1 at Marist College / Villanova College for Round 1 of AIC rugby. 

In what turned out to be a hugely successful and enjoyable day, the College hosted Year 9-12 matches whilst Year 5-8 fixtures were played at Villanova’s playing fields.

After the completion of the Rugby Ready Program, training and trials, the students were ready to begin competitive games. The College played Villanova in the majority of matches, whilst Iona, Padua, St Laurence’s College, and Canterbury College were also scheduled to ensure every student played rugby on the weekend.

Whilst we celebrate sporting success by wins and losses, there are so many other qualities and lessons we take from sport. Resilience, teamwork, discipline, integrity and mateship are just a few. Congratulations to the students for the wins they had on the weekend, but more importantly for the manner in which they played their games. 

Whether watching games on McMahon Oval, Hayden Oval or out at Tingalpa, it was obvious to see the “Marist Way” come through strongly in the skill areas of each team. The ball movement (“Marist catch pass”), the breakdown capabilities and the tackling skills were aligned across the College. As a parent watching or a spectator supporting, you could easily identify the skills, the effort, the competing, and the physical attacking rugby the College is renowned for. The challenge now is to continue improving those skills under pressure as we play more games and face different challenges.

Congratulations to the Opens cohort who made it a clean sweep for the day. Games against Villanova from the 1st XV to the 5th XV, Padua’s 5th XV and 6th XV vs Marist 6th XV and 7th XV, and Iona 7th XV vs Marist 8th XV. It was a memorable day for the students as they played some fantastic running rugby and importantly enjoyed it at the same time.

Year 10 faced some stiff competition from Villanova. The 10A and 10B team went down in very competitive matches whilst the 10C-E teams won and played some exceptional rugby.

The Year 9 cohort also had a successful day with the 9A-D teams winning. The mighty 9E’s battled on Hayden Oval with genuine courage against a bigger and older Canterbury College Year 9/10 team. Whilst they ended up going down, the boys were united as they tackled away for long periods.

The Year 8 cohort had a successful day winning all of their games. Well done to all the teams for transferring training to games and ultimately for their improved performances. 

After a tough trial period last week, the Year 7 group had a successful day out at Tingalpa. Congratulations to all the students for their efforts and the manner they approached their games. Some wonderful rugby wrapped inside a willingness to compete, go effort on effort, and play physical attacking rugby. Well done!

Congratulations to the Year 5 and 6 groups for some strong team performances against a very competitive Villanova primary school. 

Thanks to our outstanding coordinators and coaching staff for preparing the boys well for AIC Round 1. It was a rushed four-day week, however, our coaches did a superb job and the students will take a lot of confidence into this week’s games. 

Livestream

Follow all the 1st XV action on the livestream through the Rugby Xplorer App. Games can also be accessed via https://aictv.com.au or https://www.rugby.com.au/videos .

Marist Rugby vs Padua College 

AIC Round 2 is again hosted by Marist College this Saturday.

It is an enormous day of rugby here with games kicking off at 8:00am and the 1st XV starting at 3:15pm. The Year 7-12 levels will be here at Ashgrove whilst the Year 5-6 cohorts will play away at Padua College. Please make sure you check the Marist app for this weekend’s schedule. 

Thanks to Mr Matt Millward in the Sports Admin Department and Mr Eddie Wallace, Executive Officer from AIC, for their work in ensuring every student plays a game this weekend.

Please note that all students are to arrive at least 45 minutes before their games unless instructed otherwise by your coach. Arrive in Marist rugby playing gear (no thongs or Birkenstocks).

Teams for this weekend will be announced Friday morning.

Rugby Union Training – Term 2

Please ensure you check the Marist app for the year-level training sessions scheduled in Term 2. 

Note, that the current schedule remains consistent for Weeks 3-8.

Additionally, refer to the Rugby Union Key Dates Calendar and AIC Draw in the Marist app for information on all games throughout the season.

Thank you to the GPS Rugby Union club for generously allowing our Year 10 cohort to train on their grounds. This has provided us with more field space, enhancing the overall training experience for our students. We are grateful for our strong connection with Jeeps and appreciate the opportunity to be part of the wider rugby community.

Student Unavailability – Commitment and Communication

I want to remind each of the students about the significance of the commitments you've made to your teammates and coaches. Attending all training sessions and games is not a suggestion, it's a commitment. Whilst I understand that genuine reasons that prevent you from attending may arise, in such cases, it's crucial that you communicate promptly.

It is your responsibility to email your respective year-level coordinator. You can find their contact details listed on the Marist app. Failing to communicate effectively disrupts the coach's planning and compromises the quality of team training.

If you have any questions, email Mr Richard Graham - Director of Rugby / Track and Field or see him in the Sports Office behind Room 108.

Marist Rugby Union – Social Media 

@marist_ashgrove_rugby

In 2024, the College continues to deliver 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 is 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

Marist Track and Field

Mr Richard Graham – Director of Rugby / Track and Field

Mr Rob Martin – Head Coach, Track and Field

Update - Marist Track and Field Athletes at Australian Junior Track and Field Championships 2024 (Adelaide)

In Week 1 of term 2, 11 Marist athletes finished competing in Adelaide at the Australian National Track and Field titles representing QLD. All athletes represented QLD and Marist with distinction with the following results including a medal, multiple Top 5s and finals and several athletes going on to higher honours.

Asher Parkin – had perhaps the meet of his athletics career after only recently taking up steeplechasing, Asher ran a perfectly timed race to fly past the pacesetters into a strong second placing and silver medal in U18 division of the 2K steeplechase. This placing has setup the opportunity for Asher to compete for the Australian U18 team for the Oceania Championships in June 2024. Following on a day later in the 3000m, Asher ran a controlled race sneaking home for 4th place in the second fastest time by a Marist athlete ever in 8m34.3s. A great meet.

Isaiah Burgess – Made the shot put final and Top 8 in a very strong U18 competition after also competing in rugby trials throughout the week. Isaiah had some excellent throws and similarly is in line to represent at an International level meet at the Oceania Championships for PNG in June. Isaiah has continued to work through since AIC season 2023 to create this opportunity.

Zac Milligan – Has had a spectacular season winning multiple state gold medals and decided to run up an age group in U18 after bettering the State U17 3000m record earlier in the season. Running in second to third place for much of the race, Zac closed out with a time that would be Top 3 ever run by a Marist athlete in 8m44.98 but finished just outside Top 10 in this competitive race. Backed up to run Top 8 in the U17 1500m on the last day of Nationals.

Lyndon Maynard – Lyndon was new to National level competition after making the State team by qualifying with a bronze at the recent QLD State Titles. A series of consistent jumps meant he did not miss any until his final height at 1.84 and Lyndon ended up 7th in a deep competition which was an excellent result for his first National Titles. Well done.

Hayden Lockhart – Had a great National championship after starting well in the long jump making the Top 10. He followed up in the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles finishing strongly in 15th position overall. The highlight for Hayden was definitely in the triple jump where Hayden managed to finish Top 5 after being in Top 3 for the first few rounds. These efforts continue his good form after medals at National All Schools in Dec 2023.

Joe Jackson – New to this level of competition but ran well for Marist at AIC and at All Schools State titles to qualify. Joe was in top form in his semi representing QLD for the first time amongst the top 4 but just hit a hurdle late in the race to miss out on the Final. It was an excellent effort for Joe to be in the team after an injury in March where he had to miss several weeks of competition and training. Great effort to come back.

Charlie Campion – competed in both the 100m hurdles and 200m hurdles recording fast times in both events close to his personal bests in the semi-finals ending up in the Top 16. The times run were close to the qualifying times for 2025 so some additional training and development this year should see Charlie able to qualify in both these events for 2025.

Connor Campbell – After Bettering his QLD State Titles time, in the u16 400m, Connor continued to perform well, just missing the final of the 100m hurdles and 200m hurdles. He recorded his season-best time in the 100m hurdles and was a small margin off making the 200m hurdles final. Is preparing well to compete in the 300m hurdles event at the Little Athletics Nationals in Adelaide this weekend.

Sania Elisala – Competing for QLD for the first time, Sania lifted to record a season best time for his 400m in the U15 age group. Sania showed few nerves and finished strongly in a fast heat where four athletes made the final (17th overall nationally). Sania put himself forward to improve his running to make State Titles and ended up at Nationals representing QLD. Well done.

Xavier Simms – Competed in semifinals in U20, 100m and 200m. Competing against the National junior 100m/200m champion Gout Gout and a host of 19-year-old athletes, Xavier ended up Top 12 in his 18 Years age group nationally. Has made the QLD team each year for the last 3-4 years in the tough sprints events.

Isaac Ting – Competing in 400m hurdles at first inter-state Nationals after winning bronze at the state championships, Isaac did well finishing 16th overall in his age group having also been through Firsts Football preparation during the early part of the holidays.

We congratulate these athletes on excellent results and look forward to seeing many of them compete for Marist in the 2024 All Schools and AIC season.

Late News

Following on in the Little Athletics Pathway, Connor Campbell (Year 9) represented QLD, running in the 300m hurdles event at the Little Athletics National Championships, returning to Adelaide a week after competing at the Australian Athletics Titles.

Connor ran a fast race winning bronze in a close race with his fellow QLD teammate. Well done Connor on this achievement to close out the Little Athletics season.

Swimming

Mr James Boyce - Director of Swimming

Welcome back to all our swimmers for Term 2!

It's been an exciting time for our swimming community with plenty of action-packed competitions over the past month. We're thrilled to share some remarkable achievements and commend our outstanding athletes for their hard work and dedication.

At the Queensland School State Championships, we proudly watched 15 of our swimmers represent Met North, with an impressive 6 boys being selected to represent Queensland for School Nationals. A huge congratulations to Daniel Sadimenko, Noah Magoffin, Josh Mason, Nick Osborn, Tomas Fitzpatrick, and Sam Mapledoram for this remarkable achievement! As they prepare for the School Nationals in July, we extend our best wishes for a successful and rewarding journey ahead.

During the second week of the holidays, 23 swimmers from the MCA Swimming Club dove into the biggest Age Group competition in Australia. It's with great pride that we acknowledge all our athletes who competed, with special recognition for those who excelled and finished in the top 20.

Emily Draper

• 10th Girls 17 Years 50 Freestyle
• 17th Girls 17 Years 100 Freestyle
• 18th Girls 17 Years 50 Butterfly

James Leigh

• 4th Boys 17 Years 800 Freestyle
• 9th Boys 17 Years 200 Freestyle
• 12th Boys 17 Years 400 Freestyle
• 16th Boys 17 Years 200 Butterfly

Noah Magoffin

• 6th Boys 16 Years 400 Freestyle
• 11th Boys 16 Years 200 IM
• 16th Boys 16 Years 200 Freestyle

Sam Mapledoram

• 19th Boys 14 Years 50 Butterfly

Josh Mason

• 12th Boys 15 Years 100 Breaststroke
• 20th Boys 15 Years 50 Breaststroke

Phelix Meehan

• 7th Boys 14 Years 50 Backstroke
• 18th Boys 14 Years 50 Freestyle

Archer Mellifont

• 12th Boys 15 Years 50 Freestyle
• 16th Boys 15 Years 100 Freestyle
• 16th Boys 15 Years 50 Backstroke
• 18th Boys 15 Years 400 Freestyle

Abby Wild

• 14th Girls 15 Years 50 Butterfly

Relay Results

• 4th Boys 14-15 Years 200 Freestyle (Phelix Meehan, Archer Mellifont, Sam Mapledoram, Josh Mason)
• 8th Boys 16-17 Years 200 Freestyle (Bailey Skinner, James Leigh, Luca Martinuzzi, Noah Coco)
• 11th Boys 14-15 Years 200 Medley (Archer Mellifont, Josh Mason, Phelix Meehan, Sam Mapledoram)
• 12th Girls 13-17 Years 200 Freestyle (Emily Draper, Molly Flood, Abby Wild, Makenzie Sharpe)

As we move into Term 2, I'm thrilled to announce that our squad programs will continue year-round. This provides an invaluable opportunity for our swimmers to further develop their skills and techniques, setting the stage for continued growth and success. History has shown that those who persevere through the winter months often emerge with remarkable improvements.

Once again, congratulations to all our swimmers on their outstanding performances, and let's keep the momentum going as we dive into another exciting term of swimming. 

If you have any questions or would like to book lessons, please feel free to email swim@marash.qld.edu.au.

Marist Track and Field – Sunday Sessions

This year, Marist College with be looking to win its’ 10th successive AIC Track and Field Championship. To be successful, a lot of planning, commitment and effort goes into the program across the calendar year.

For all students wanting to train, Mr Rob Martin will continue to run his usual Sunday sessions. Please see below details - 

INCLUDED: Running – sprints and jumps / Throws – early pre-season fitness and cross training, along with throwing.

WHEN: Sunday afternoons

WHERE: Hayden Oval

TIME: 3:15pm-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

Tennis

Mr Andrew Ward - Director of Tennis

As we edge closer to the finish line of our resurfacing project, I want to give a huge shoutout to everyone for sticking with us through the rollercoaster of weather predictions and the risky game of "Will it rain or won't it?" Turns out, it's like playing poker with the weather gods, and if you lose, it's a costly lesson in the art of precipitation.

Now, onto more cheerful matters! Our Open AIC training is in full swing, and if you're gunning for a spot on this year's dream teams, mark your calendars for Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. If life throws you a curveball and you can't make it, no worries, just shoot me a message with your excuse. Creative reasons earn bonus points!

Ah, the return of Brisbane and Super League fixtures! The weather was as cooperative as a dog waiting for a treat, serving up a mixed bag of results. Personally, I had the pleasure of enjoying some riveting tennis action from the comfort of my own couch, and let me tell you, our boys did us proud. They were swinging those rackets like they were born with them!

Heads up, AIC Year trials are fast approaching, set to kick off in Week 6 of this term. Stay tuned for a handy-dandy schedule of trial days for each year level. It's your chance to shine, so don't miss out! And remember, selected players will need to hit the courts twice a week in Term 3.

Oh, and did I mention the rule change? We're upping the ante with five players now allowed in all our B teams across every year level. That's right, we're rolling out the red carpet for nine lucky players per year level, giving more students a taste of AIC tennis glory. It's like Oprah, but with tennis racquets!

Term 3 brings more free coaching for all you AIC enthusiasts, because who doesn't love a good freebie? And for those seeking a more personalized touch, we're offering private coaching at a steal of a deal: $275 for a half-hour and $550 for a full hour. It's a bargain, really!

Lastly, if you need anything tennis-related, don't be shy! Just drop us a line at MCATennis@marash.qld.edu.au, and Jade and I will be like two tennis genies granting your wishes. Well, within reason. We can't make you the next Serena Williams overnight, but we'll do our best!