Sport News

As I write this column it is hard to believe that it is the first week back after vacation and we are on the ‘run home’ to Christmas. With only 8 weeks remaining in the term, there is no doubt that it will be a busy term ahead. 

Our swim program continues this week with the addition of the new 2022 students who have been invited and welcomed into our program.

For our remaining Term 4 sports, track and field has entered the pointy end of the season with the championships occurring this Friday and Saturday!

It has been incredible to witness the level of dedication by our Track and Field athletes through Term 3. With such huge interest in the program it has been a difficult process selecting our final AIC team to compete at the championships. All boys who have been successful in selection would have been notified by email by now. I would like to thank Rob Martin (Head Coach) and Jon Fitzgerald (Coordinator) for the extraordinary amount of work and leadership provided for our Track and Field squad. On top of this I would also like to acknowledge the work done by our coaches over the holidays. This commenced with our Track and Field camp at Runaway Bay on the first weekend of holidays and continued with training and AIC invitational meets over the break. Thanks to all our coaches who committed to holiday training, they are, Brett Leavy, Harry Hunter, John Lambourne, Simon Price, Des Davis, Eric Brown, Andrew Fogarty, Josh Mulligan, Paul Kearney, Laurie Boustead, Maddie Spann, Shane Ward, Ellie Kenny, Calum Mackay, Jon Fitzgerald and Rob Martin. The levels of enthusiasm and attendance are largely due to the amazing work done by this group of coaches. 

2022 Term 1 Sport Sign-on: Cricket, AFL, Volleyball 

Sign-on for all students is open. Please ensure you have signed on by the end of Week 2. Secondary students, please note you can only choose one team sport from the list below to play in Term 1, 2022. 

If you plan on playing one of these sports in 2022, then please follow the links below and complete the online form: 

CRICKET - https://forms.office.com/r/Xb9fnq5tv4

AFL - https://forms.office.com/r/5gW3UbK54s

VOLLEYBALL - https://forms.office.com/r/XPeJ88s83L

Please note:

• All Cricket, AFL and Volleyball teams will be selected in year levels in 2022 not in age groups. Therefore, boys in Year 8 will play in the 8A-D teams (not the 13A-D teams)
• Students must attend all trials. Failure to attend trials will affect team positioning
• Cricket is open to all students in Year 5-12
• AFL is open to all students in Year 5-12
• Volleyball is open to students in Year 7-12 (2022) only

As always, we encourage all students to get involved in the sports program and to enjoy the experience along the way.

AIC Water Polo – Mr Ryan Apps 

Marist College Ashgrove will enter the maximum number of 3 teams in the AIC Water Polo competition in Term 4. The divisions will be:

• Years 7-8
• Years 9-10
• Year 11

The 7-8 and 9-10 games will be played in the morning and the opens in the afternoon. There will be modified playing times and no use of possession shot clocks. Water polo QLD will be assisting on the day.

Trials will begin this Friday morning (8 October) at 7:00am at the College pool.

If you wish to trial for the AIC water polo competition please register your interest via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/XXEAXQ7MBR

AIC Touch Football Tournament

This year Marist College Ashgrove will enter teams into an AIC invitational Touch tournament which will be played on Saturday 23 October at SLC Playing Fields, Runcorn. 

We wouldn’t be able to start preparation until after the AIC Track and Field Championships on Saturday 9 October. 

We will enter one team across the following age groups:

• Primary
• Year 7
• Year 8/9
• Year 10/11

Unfortunately, Year 12s are not permitted to play. 

It will involve the following commitments (if successful with selection after trials on Tuesday 12 October): 

• Tuesday 12 October – 3:30pm – 5:00pm (trials)
• Thursday 14October – 3:30pm – 4:45pm (teams selected and training)
• Tuesday 19 October – 3:30pm – 4:45pm (training)
• Thursday 21 October – 3:30pm – 4:45pm (training)

Training and trails will occur on the Flats. It is a one-day tournament on Saturday 23 October and boys can simply wear the new Marist training shirt rather than having to purchase a numbered touch singlet. Numbered playing shirts aren’t required for this tournament. 

If you wish to register your interest for the touch football trials, please complete the form via this link: https://forms.office.com/r/H8i4yJWCWm

Individual Achievements – Rugby Union

Congratulations to Tom Howard who was selected in the Qld U15 Rugby Union Team after the recent Reds Academy Cup fixtures played over the holidays. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 Tom won’t get an opportunity to play NSW but should be extremely proud of his selection in the U15 Reds Academy Team. https://reds.rugby/news/brisbane-grey-claim-inaugural-emerging-reds-cup-queensland-u15-merit-side-named-2021927

Congratulations to Old Boy, Floyd Aubrey (2021) who gained a Qld Reds Elite Developing Squad contract.  Details attached via link: Reds reward Queensland pathway products

Volleyball – Mr Adam Knight

Volleyball trials begin for all 2022 teams this term on the following dates:

Term 4 2021

Week 1 

• Wednesday 6 October – Year 11/Open 2nd and 3rd trials (3:30pm)

Week 2 

• Monday 11 October – Year 8 trials (3:30pm)
• Tuesday 12 October – Year 9 trials (3:30pm)
• Wednesday 13 October – Year 10 trials (3:30pm)

Week 3

• Full training schedule commences (from Monday 18 October) – schedule to be published
• Thursday 21 October – Year 7 development afternoon (3.30pm)

Week 4 

• Thursday 28 October– Year 7 trials (3.30pm)

Week 7

• Saturday 20  November – Full trial round v ACGS for ALL A to D teams

Swimming – Mr James Boyce

Official AIC Swimming training will commence on Tuesday 5 October from 3:20pm - 4:30pm. There will be training for swimmers every day and swimmers can attend as many sessions as they would like. (Please see below for the Term 4 training timetable.) 

Squad training sessions are open to all boys, boys wishing to qualify for the AIC swimming team, and boys attending for fitness training; there is no obligation to attend AIC meets in Term 1 2022. 

AIC Swimming trials will be in Term 1; meets are run as time trials, and these meets are open to all students who wish to qualify for the AIC Swimming Team held on Tuesday 8 March. 

Swimmers attending these squad sessions have the opportunity to be a part of the MCA swimming fraternity to make friends and prepare for the College’s main swimming event - the AIC Swimming Championships. 

Boys who commit to squad training in Term 4 2021 may be invited to attend the senior swim camp in January 2022. 

If your son wishes to attend these training sessions, he will need to bring the following equipment: goggles, kickboard, pull buoy, short flippers and mesh bag.

Year 7 - 12 Squad Training Timetable Term 4

Swimming Individual Achievements

Over the School holidays MCA Swimming Club competed in Queensland State Swimming Championships. The program had some great individual achievements with the following swimmers finishing inside the top 10. 

James Leigh: 1st in the 400m Freestyle, 2nd in the 200m Freestyle

2nd in the 100m Freestyle, 4th in the 50m Freestyle, 6th in the 50m Butterfly, 6th in the 100m Backstroke, 4th in the 50m Butterfly, 8th in the 200m IM

Angus Bathe: 6th in the 200m Backstroke, 2nd in the 1500m Freestyle, 5th in the 400m Freestyle

Archie Bathe: 10th in the 100m Butterfly, 10th in the 400m Freestyle, 5th in the 200m IM

Isaac Farrelly: 7th in the 50m Freestyle, 8th in the 50m Backstroke, 7th in the 100m Freestyle

Jack Goyen: 4th in the 50m Freestyle, 7th in the 200m Freestyle, 3rd in the 100m Freestyle, 9th in the 100m Butterfly

Thomas Hicks: 9th in the 50m Freestyle, 6th in the 100m Backstroke, 9th in the 50m Breaststroke

Joshua Mason: 10th in the 100m Breaststroke, 5th in the 50m Breaststroke

Archer Mellifont: 3rd in the 100m Backstroke, 3rd in the 50m Freestyle, 2nd in the 50m Backstroke, 3rd in the 100m Freestyle, 5th in the 100m Butterfly

Ryan O’Toole: 9th in the 50m Freestyle

Darcey Salter: 10th in the 200m Backstroke, 8th in the 100m Backstroke, 6th in the 50m Backstroke

Lachie Vink: 6th in the 100m IM, 7th in the 50m Freestyle, 6th in the 100m Breaststroke, 10th in the 50m Butterfly, 8th in the 100m Freestyle

Ed Wild: 7th in the 200m Backstroke

Matthew Magnussen: 3rd in the 100m IM, 2nd in the 200m Backstroke, 2nd in the 100m Backstroke

Ryley Leeper: 8th in the 100m IM, 8th in the 100m Breaststroke, 10th in the 50m Butterfly, 6th in the 50m Backstroke, 6th in the 50m Breaststroke

We also had two swimmers selected in the Queensland Team in Matthew Magnussen and Hannah Casey and eight swimmers selected in the Brisbane team in Archer Mellifont, Lachie Vink, Darcey Salter, James Leigh, Talia Bellette, Lily Tomlinson, Jack Goyen and Angus Bathe. We congratulate these athletes on their performances over the holidays. 

Basketball – James Lidstone - 1st V Basketball Head Coach 

The 1sts basketball program for 2022 began during the final two days of Term 3 and over the first weekend of holidays as the boys competed in the Champion Basketball Schools Queensland tournament on the Gold Coast. The College uses this tournament as a development opportunity for some of our younger players. The team consists of returning Year 11 players and other basketballers who are invited off the back of their successful AIC seasons.

Many schools at this tournament have been preparing all year for this event and it is a great experience for our boys to see the standard of basketball from all around Queensland. We were in a very tough pool with some very talented players in it. The boys had mixed results over the weekend, some tough lessons against good schools, some close games going down to the wire and a couple of good team wins as the tournament came to an end. 

As the tournament progressed, we started to understand and deliver the level of concentration, effort and intensity that is needed to compete at such tournaments. A lot of valuable lessons were learnt as our basketball program took its first tentative steps towards the 2022 season. 

A big thank you once again to Mr Connolly and Mr Lambourne who worked with the boys at the tournament and special thanks to the parents who assisted with transport and support in the stands over the four days of the competition.

AIC Track and Field – Mr Rob Martin (Head Coach) and Mr Jon Fitzgerald (T&F Coordinator)

3 days to go before the AIC Champs!!!!

This year the level of competition for spots has been incredible and so selection in the team has been highly sort after and those successful should take it as a great honour to be selected in 2021 Track and Field Team.

This culture of athletic excellence is one earnt over the last 6 years and if all goes to plan we are in good shape to compete for a 7th AIC Championship Title, a feat never achieved by any school in the history of AIC/TAS Track and field since the competition began in the 1950s.

The holiday meets have shown the value of continued training and many spots have been decided based on those who have worked hard in training and performed at recent meets. As an example, the 800m 16/Open race at UQ last Thursday was a great race deciding final positions in the team. Many throwers and jumpers also had 1m+ PB's on Thursday!

The last week of training and preparation will go fast so it is important that athletes attend all days they can leading into the AIC Championships. The program for the AIC Championships is below:

The program for Week 1 of Term 4 is as follows:

Tuesday 5 October

Morning - Team Meeting and Training out at QSAC Track

For all those in Brisbane, we have a Senior Team training session for Years 7-12 going to QSAC to familiarise with the track. It is important that all attend. The Senior Team is all going together by bus meeting at the Marist Bus Shelter on Tuesday morning. Relay runners need to turn up as this is a good chance to practice changes.

Time – Meet @Bus stop - 8:00am leaving 8:15am to go to QSAC track for training. Returning 12:00pm.

Wednesday 6 October

Afternoon - Light training/Team announcements - at McMahon Oval 3:15pm-4:30pm (Compulsory session for all athletes to attend - relay/taper session)

Thursday 7 October

Readiness for AIC. Ensure you have your competition uniform plus shoes/spikes/snacks/lunch/etc ready for Day 1 of competition.

Friday 8 October

AIC Championships Day 1 

The entire squad will meet at 11:30am in the Gym. Before leaving on a bus at 11:50am. Leaving QSAC 5:30pm - Return to school by 6:00pm.

Saturday 9 October

AIC Championships Day 2

The entire squad meets at MCA bus stop (McMahon)

TIME - Meet @ 7:00am leaving at 7:20am.       

Departing QSAC 2:20pm after presentations.

Saturday 9 October

MCA End of Championships Team Celebration - 3:00pm-4:00pm (MCA Pool).

We would like to thank all athletes for your hard work and training and ask that you support this week as best you can to help your team. Thanks also to the parents who have assisted in keeping the boys on track with their training and preparation. The coaches appreciate your support.

Rugby Academy - Position Specific Skill Sessions

Session Dates and Times

Sundays - 10 and 17 October at Ballymore

U12-14 - 8:00am - 9:45am

U15+ - 10:00am - 11:45am

More Information