Villa View: Issue 07/22

Tomorrow, we will celebrate our first College Mass in commemoration of the feast of St Rita of Cascia, an Augustinian nun, who was devoted to the plight of women and families. Her life saw her engage in activities, the solution to which were seen as impossible, such as the war and violence between families in her city. Yet, through her courage and effort she achieved the impossible in ending violence and bringing her community to peace. It is through Saints such as Rita that we find for ourselves the lived example of Christian life to follow, to know that by following the actions of her courage, effort, commitment and faith we have an antidote to the notion of something being ‘impossible.’

YOU ARE NOT ALONE INITIATIVE

Late last year many of you will have seen the viral video created by Tom Price, in  collaboration with other Villanova students and students from schools across Brisbane in support of adolescent mental health. The message was simple, “You’re Not Alone.” This was clearly successful in raising awareness and having people understand that our mental health is important and reliant upon an understanding that accessing the community around us is a vital protective measure in keeping us safe, grounded and finding happiness.

A few weeks ago, Tom and Griffin Wilson approached me with a brand new and exciting plan! To move from an awareness of community connections to physically creating them by hosting a fun run/walk at Southbank where young Senior students could make connections and involve themselves in an activity that would promote connections to ensure that student “are not alone.’ To say I was excited at the enterprising spirit, creativity and care for others is an understatement and the ‘You’re not alone’ fun run is happening. This is an event created by young people, for young people’s health – we are supporting and guiding them through the process, but all the accolades belong to the boys, the Senior cohort, and the young leaders of our ‘friendship schools.’ Watch this space, and maybe even the television for more on this wonderful initiative.

Vale Mrs Jocelyn Bourne
It is important to note the passing of a member of the Villanova community, Mrs Jocelyn Bourne. Mrs Bourne is the mother of our long serving staff member and Curriculum Area Leader – Science Mrs Juanita Jacobs. Additionally, the Bourne/Murphy family have a history dating back to the beginning of our College. Jocelyn’s brother’s Thomas and John Murphy are past Villanovan’s as were her sons Greg, (84), Andrew (86) and David (88) Bourne and great-grandson Oliver Jacobs currently in Year 9. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family on their loss as Jocelyn passes to eternal life.

Mr Paul Begg, Principal

In keeping with the spirit of Reconciliation, Villanova College acknowledges the Yuggera and Turrbal peoples, as the Traditional Custodians of this land on which we stand.  We pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging.  This has always been, and always will be, a place of teaching and learning connected to country, culture and community. 

Playing team sports is simply one of the best ways to get to know ourselves and others.  Games require a combination of natural talent, timing, luck and determination.  It is a risk to walk onto a field or court.  We wear our House shirts – Crane, Goold, Heavey or Murray – or we proudly wear the gold and green Villanova College sports uniform, and we throw, pass, kick and shoot our way to a win, draw or loss.  As parents, it can be a nerve-wracking, thrilling and exhausting emotional experience on the sidelines.  As coaches, we can be pleasantly surprised at how the boys perform – whether the score is in our favour or not.  Ultimately, it is the young men who have to make their best decisions, quickly and collaboratively, and show as much coordination and spirit as they can muster, under pressure.  It is no easy feat, but it is also an incredibly rich experience for a number of reasons.

Social interactions help us to build confidence in the way we handle ourselves.  Training means there are routines – organising uniforms, gear, following a warmup routine, listening to instructions, following rules in drills and learning to be proud when we succeed, as well as knowing what we need to keep working on to be our best.  An organised team sport means there are regular opportunities to be active which then lends the chance for our boys to get to know each other in a different environment, away from the books and screens.  They must rely on each other and build trust within their unit.  They must try to be that source of strength to help out in a game situation.  Sharing the experiences – changing before/after school, training, travelling to games, facing opposition (quite often with a few old school mates in those teams) and then continuing to work on improving each week brings an incredible amount of growth as a person over a couple of months.  Boys begin to branch out in break times to those friendships that form in teams.  Connections are fostered and the experiences they have had together are precious.

An individual’s character takes a lot of shaping in team sports.  There is the art of organising the sports kit bag – packing all that is needed can be an interesting experience for some.  There are few boys who can say they have never had to call home for help, borrow a spare set of socks or a tie from the Junior School Office, or simply wear their trainers for the day because the black leather shoes are under their beds at home.  Resilience comes from this responsibility, as does the art of problem solving and prioritising what we can do as plan b, c or d.  Life goes on whether we are dressed at our best or otherwise.  Setting an alarm and being on time for training and games also can take a little practice, especially when winter sports are on.

The cold weather, the shift in daylight and the timing of breakfast or dinners can mean the boys must dig deep and soldier on.  It is also an exponential shift to go from the safe spaces of training with familiar faces and spaces to the games at Villanova Park or other AIC Colleges.  It takes courage to know the ball is coming at you and it is time to show the team and spectators what you can do.  Hit or miss, our boys then need to keep their chin up and follow through that play and every other until the whistle blows.  They must manage substitutions (some love a break and others never want to come off the field/court) and stay enthusiastic on the sidelines.  Winning is always uplifting and reassuring that we are doing well.  Mustering the good nature and team spirit to acknowledge another team’s victory can be tough – but it is also essential as life is exactly that – win some, lose some.  It should not necessarily be that we were not “good enough” but rather that others can simply be better on a given day.

Our community is all the better when our Junior School boys commit to team sports.  I know that when our Seniors are there to support their young ‘Villa Brothers’ that those moments matter.  There are eight precious years to make memories that last a lifetime.  We watch as boys move up the levels over time, as they work on speed, endurance, and skills.  Bodies change, mindsets strengthen and the impossible becomes a reality.  I wish all our boys the very best for the last two weeks of sport – just know that the absolute best one, basketball, is next and this is when life just can’t get any better!

­­­Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

Wellbeing Check In
As part of our strategic intentions as a College to explicitly promote and cultivate habits of wellbeing, we continue to partner with Learning Curve as the supplier of our student diary. The diary serves not only as an organisational toolkit for students, but also educates our young men on positive habits that maximise and sustain their mental health and wellbeing. At the end of each week, students are encouraged to undertake the ‘Big 5’ check in- rating their score on a scale of one to five with respect to the following:

1. Feeling Positive
2. Exercising Daily
3. Eating Healthily
4. Drinking Water
5. Sleeping Deeply

These ‘Big 5’ provide an opportunity for our students to be intentional in their monitoring of what they need to do and be aware of to stay healthy- both physically, mentally and emotionally.

You Are Not Alone Project
In Term Four of last year, Student Council President Tom Price and the Student Leadership Team launched the ‘You Are Not Alone’ Project, with a video which included a plethora of celebrities, media personalities and sports stars all promoting powerful messages on the importance of positive mental health and encouraging those struggling to reach out and seek support. The video was also designed to start conversation about how we can continue to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness, especially amongst young people in our schools. Villanova partnered with a number of schools in our area as a sign of solidarity in collectively addressing this significant issue.

Last Friday afternoon, the Student Leadership Team hosted student leaders from nine other Brisbane colleges to continue the conversation about mental health education in schools and to launch the next ambitious activity for the project- a 5km fun run through Brisbane’s Botanical Gardens and Southbank on Saturday 25^th June. More details will follow regarding how you can support this event.

I would like to congratulate Student Council President Tom Price and Year 12 student Wilson Griffin for their outstanding facilitation of the student forum. It was truly inspiring to witness our young leaders articulate themselves and outline their vision for positive mental health and wellbeing.

Senior School Socials

Another important strategic goal for the Senior School Pastoral Care team this year was cultivating further opportunities for our young men to engage with local girls’ schools. Following on from the first event in the annual Villanova- Loreto Cup for our Year 12 students, last week, we launched the inaugural Year 10 Triva afternoon with Lourdes Hill College. It was a great success with a positive tone and our Year 10 students are to be congratulated for being wonderful hosts. Next Friday, our Year 11 students will host Loreto in an afternoon of games including Badminton and Table Tennis in Goold Hall. I would like to thank our Senior School Pastoral Area Leaders, Mr Rolls, Mr McLauchlan and Mr O’Neill for their organisation and leadership of these important initiatives to support the social and emotional development of our students.

‘Politeness is the chief sign of culture.’ – Baltasar Gracian

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Ongoing conversion – the call of the risen Christ!
There has been plenty happening in Identity and Mission at Villanova College in the last couple of weeks, with the humble beginnings of Global VILLAge, a Year 12 Retreat for those who missed out, students attending Emmanuel City Mission and Rosies and a whole College Mass at last for 2022!

Global VILLAge
As an Augustinian school, Villanova is part of a wonderful and rich educational tradition that is found in many countries around the world.  Connecting into this wider network and story has always been a priority for us and we have sought ways to partner with, visit and engage with other Augustinian schools and Ministries in the Philippines, the United States and Italy.  We have enjoyed an especially rich connection with the Philippines which has spanned nearly thirty years of our students and staff engaging in immersing ourselves in the culture and making friends and connections.  We have needed to find new ways to do this with the reality of the pandemic making travel unsafe.  Thus a new concept has been born – our Global VILLAge.  We are going to use the platforms of TEAMS and Zoom to assist us in connecting with our partnering schools.  Fr Saldie did much groundwork to assist in this earlier this year whilst he was in the Philippines, ensuring our partnering school, Divino Amore Academy, had access to the technology needed.  Our AFAS students have been preparing over recent weeks for a TEAMS call that linked our students and staff with 17 scholars and their teachers at Divino Amore.

The following reflections capture the students’ experience from both sides about this first encounter.  They are delightful to read! One that we plan to repeat throughout the term.  Many thanks to all staff and students in both communities who participated in this inaugural event.  Also thanks to all who support AFAS.  You can see the quality of the young people we have support at Divino Amore.

The AFAS Global VILLAge event where we did a video conference to the Philippines was such an enjoyable experience to be a part of. Given that COVID continues to be a challenge for the AFAS group in terms of maintaining important connections we have with the Philippines, it is ever so important to find new ways to strengthen our connections with Augustinian Filipino Communities. AFAS was able to overcome these challenges by video conferencing a few students in the Divino Amore academy. It was really enlightening to talk to students over there and discover more about their lifestyles and take note of our cultural differences. Learning about the challenges they face as students over there was eye-opening, and it was quite wholesome to just be able to see how much they were interested in our own schooling life and the similarities we have with the students over there who have similar interests and aspirations in life. Their joyous and humble personalities were inspiring, and I look forward to more opportunities to strengthen the connections we have with communities in the Philippines.
Jose Sibi

Overall the virtual VILLAge was amazing. Although it is always great to try something new, this really reached my heart and really showed me meaning of gratitude for what I have.
Patrick McIlwain

AFAS Global VILLAge was a great way to continue our relationship with the Philippines and especially our scholars. When you conversate with them, you realise they are exactly like us. The only difference would be our culture, perhaps beliefs and sometimes the significance of things that we take for granted. The team’s meeting call was sometimes faulty, but this did not stop Global VILLAge from being an excellent experience and overall, a success.
Mark Byerley

Larence Serillano – Year 9 Divino Amore Academy, Talisay City, Cebu, Philippines

Despite this pandemic that we fought, we find a way to talk with them and we know a lot of things about our life. We introduce ourselves to them. During the zoom, I felt so nervous because it was hard for me to speak English, and it was hard for us to understand what they were saying because of the volume of the gadget that we used. I am so glad that we talk about our culture. They ask a lot about our favourite things, movies, and foods. I learned a lot of things about them, they also shared their life as a student and what they do every day. I am so happy that we talked about our own culture. I am happy to know that they also like some Filipino foods like adobo. They are so friendly to talk to. I hope that there is more chances to talk with them because there are a lot of things that I wanted to know about them. I am so happy because they are willing to know about our culture and our goal in life. I want to see them in person, especially the AFAS sponsor who continuously supports us in our studies. I want to thank them for the help that they have given to us. I hope that we will see each other soon.
Althea dela Victoria, (alumni-2019 graduate of Divino Amore Academy, Talisay City, Cebu)

Building bridges towards other people, especially to those with a different culture and lifestyle, can be difficult. One small action and one single word can either strengthen the bridge or set it aflame. For some people, building a connection with strangers is a piece of cake while for others it could be a struggle. The AFAS Global Community program helped us, AFAS scholars, build a connection with the people in Australia who helped us in our journey in life.

At first, I was scared that the Villanova boys might not understand the things that we were going to share with them, so I was genuinely surprised to see so many reactions to simple words such as ‘Math’ and ‘Life.’ Even though the conversation that we had with the Villanova boys was more of them asking questions and us answering them, we were able to know each other slowly. We found out about the interests we have in common and our differences, what plans we have for the future, and what challenges we encountered during sa COVID pandemic. Although we were born and raised in different continents, the love we have for music and God is what made it easier for us to connect with each other. This experience made me realize that the teens in the Philippines and in Australia are pretty much the same, and that sharing the same interests makes it easier for a person to build a connection with others.

Mass of St Rita the Reconciler
This week marks our first Mass as a full college community for 2022. We are so looking forward to being together.

We are celebrating St Rita an Augustinian whose life and example is still so relevant as a point of inspiration for us today. Rita was born in 1381, lived during a pandemic, in the town of Cascia and married into the Mancini family who were deeply involved in a rivalry that eventually led to her husband’s death. Both her sons died in the pandemic, what parallels to our context!

There are many amazing things about the life she led, but as we head into Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week next week in Australia, it is her commitment to reconciliation that most impresses me about her life. She was a peacebuilder and kept naming truth in a space that was divided and filled with hatred. She got involved when and where women were not meant to! She publicly forgave those who murdered her husband to try and end conflict and retaliation. She showed incredibly bravery and stood up to make change.

Our Junior School were involved with creating a fantastic icon to St Rita over recent weeks. Please enjoy these photos of its progression and development.

Ms Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

Excursions
Over the past term and a half, a number of classes have been fortunate enough to attend incursions and excursions to support the curriculum being covered in their courses.

• The Year 12 Biology classes went to Stradbroke Island for the Biology camp to gather important data to be used for their internal assessment due over the coming months
• Year 10 and 11 Geography to Hastings Point to also gather field data for assessment
• Just this week, all of the Year 5 classes experienced the ‘Gold Rush experience’ supporting incursions and excursions are an important part of the learning experience as they provide context to what students are learning in the classroom through hands on and practical applications. Linking the ‘theory’ and the ‘practical’ are keyways to develop students’ confidence by allowing them to explore and understand the real world.

Year 11, 2023 Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans
Whilst we are only halfway through Term 2, the College has commenced the SET planning process with our Year 10 cohort. Choosing the right subjects for Year 11 and Year 12 is a key ingredient in a student’s success across his Senior years at Villanova and allows students to also consider their pathway after school. Earlier this year, Year 10 students undertook career profile testing as the first step to the SET planning process. Mrs Julie Duffy (Head of Careers and Pathways) will be meeting all Year 10 students at some time over the coming weeks to discuss the report each student received as a result of this testing.

Over the last two weeks, I have had the opportunity to speak with our Year 10 cohort in order to introduce the SET planning process. This has involved explaining important elements of the Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance system such as the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), Australian Tertiary Entrance Rank (ATAR) and the variety of courses and pathways the College offers across Years 11 and 12.

Over the coming three weeks, Year 10 students will be given the opportunity in Form meeting to hear from Curriculum Area Leaders about the subjects that will be offered in Year 11 and Year 12.

Finally, a reminder that the Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo (Brisbane Careers & Employment Expo (careersemploymentexpo.com.au)) is on tomorrow and Saturday at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Whilst I know our Year 10 students will be busy with sport on Saturday, I would encourage all students to attend if possible. Opening hours on Saturday are from 9.00am to 4.00pm and it is free entry.

An email will be sent today to all students (and parents) with the information that has been presented over the last two weeks and upcoming dates for SET planning.

Year 8 to 10, 2023 Subject Selection
Starting at the beginning of next term, subject selection for students currently in Years 7 to 9 will occur. Students will be given opportunities to hear from Curriculum Area Leaders about the elective subjects on offer for 2023 early in Term 3. There will be more information to come over the next three to four weeks.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

(Members of our First IV tennis squad vs Marist College Ashgrove)

When your season is only eight weeks long it’s a shame when elements outside of our control take away one of those rounds. The weather forced the cancellation of training last week, as well as the Round 3 clash against Marist College Ashgrove. Unfortunately, we cannot reschedule this round and ultimately this cancellation will be the difference between winning and losing a potential premiership for some Colleges in their respective divisions.

Even though the weather has been kinder to us this week, the state of fields around the Greater Brisbane area is still poor and we have been working with other Colleges to find the best solution to getting the boys on the paddock this weekend. Curlew Park at Shorncliffe will struggle to allow any decent football to be played and unfortunately the football fields at Villanova Park are no better. A decision will be made tomorrow regarding the games and whether they can proceed.

We hope that our students have had the opportunity to keep fit and are looking forward to the challenge that awaits us at St. Patrick’s College playing fields this Saturday. St. Patrick’s are hosting all our teams that match up with their sides and there will be a few supplementary games which will be played back at Villanova Park to complete the round.

Next Friday 27 May, the Villa Sports Club will conduct the annual Sports Luncheon at The Greek Club. We’re looking forward to a great afternoon with special guests; Andrew Merhtens (Former All Black and TV presenter), Lee Carseldine (cricketer and TV presenter), Stephanie Rice (Olympic champion) and Greg Ritchie (former Australian Cricketer and comedian) with the event hosted by Victoria Carthew (journalist and TV presenter). The Sports Luncheon is a great opportunity for our community to get together, have a few laughs and enjoy lunch with friends. All proceeds of this event are directed towards major projects that help all sporting areas across the College. With this event now sold out, thanks to all those who have supported the luncheon, I am sure you will have a great time! And a special thanks goes to our organizing committee for the hours put in to get this function up and running.

At present, ticket sales in the annual mega-raffle are coming along very well. This is another annual Sports Club fundraiser and only 200 tickets will be sold with a chance to win $10 000. Buy a ticket individually or form a syndicate, perhaps with your son’s football or rugby team and then cross your fingers for the draw. Tickets are available for purchase at the Villanova Park canteen on the weekend and if all tickets are sold by the Sports Lunch we will draw the lucky winner then, otherwise it will be drawn at a later date once all tickets have been sold.

There is absolutely no room for any player in our first teams (football, rugby and chess) to doubt themselves and their abilities nor their ambition to go all the way this season (or to finish off the season well). If a small doubt exists, the belief and dream will fade away. Belief and work ethic at training and during the game is crucial. I’m already looking forward to seeing our boys play entertaining football/rugby/chess again this weekend. Best wishes team!

Villanova is fortunate to have many coaches on board who are willing and eager to see our boys participate, develop and enjoy their rugby and football. The College has in place many initiatives ranging from development squads, strength and conditioning programs, rugby and football coaching and skills director, many highly qualified coaches as well as a bi-annual New Zealand Rugby Tour and a Japan Football Tour (which could possibly take off again next year, if we are given the green light to tour). Opportunities exist in our program for boys to be equipped with the necessary skills and conditioning to do well. The boys must now take these opportunities and play with the necessary grit and determination each week. We only ask the boys to try their best during training and on game day with a strong sense of pride and commitment. Our Ben Mowen and Andrew Slack squads target the 1st, 2nd and 10A’s. The football development squads do the same.

Again, I thank all involved in the sports program. Your passion to see the boys do well and improve, is not lost on anyone in the community. The College is supportive of those who are prepared to assist our students by taking on various coaching, managerial and official roles within the sports program. Due care and concern for our students is shown in all areas to ensure we do our best to produce good Christian men with integrity and values in all that we do including our efforts on the sports field.

I must commend all coaches (and parents) who have insisted that their team chants the school war cry and ensures that their team is able to stay around after the game to form a run-on tunnel for the next Villanova team to take the field. School spirit and pride is so important for a variety of different reasons. Please support and encourage your son to be involved in activities such as these.

There will be many boys who will stay behind this weekend to watch the first teams, and you are reminded that you must change into your academic uniform after your game. There were several Open rugby players from the 3rds and 4ths who stayed in their rugby gear and did not bother getting changed. These boys set the standard for the College to follow, and we expect you to set a good example for our students to follow. We need parental support of the College’s expectations to make this happen.

Please be reminded that the Trimester 3 online sign-ons are due next Monday 23 May. Information regarding each of the sports as well as the online link is found below. This weekend will see our College play against St Patrick’s College. Do not take them lightly. I ask all boys to stand up and give their best. Get out there and have fun boys!

Due to the small number of teams at Villanova Park this Saturday, there will be NO canteen operating.

1st Rugby and Football Games v St Laurence’s – Rescheduled
As SLC have three members of their 1st XV squad in the Met East rugby team, we can have the 1st XV game rescheduled for that weekend to a mutual agreeable time. Please note the 1st XV game has been rescheduled as per details below.

1st XV – Villa v SLC, David Wilson Field, Easts Rugby Club on 24 May, 5:00pm kick off.
All students and their families are invited to attend and support the boys in their round 5 clash. SLC will have many students present and it would be great to have as many people as possible from our community be there to support the boys. Training that afternoon will be cancelled to allow as many members of our community to attend as possible. There will be food trucks open selling hot food and drinks and there will be an ‘Old Boys’ gathering place for those who can make it in the club house.

Pack Your Bag – (An article from Dwayne Nestor – Mindset Coach, Rugby Coach)

As an athlete, one of the simplest strategies to ensure we are ready to perform, is to pack our bag. The simple act of making sure our kit and equipment is in our bag, ready to go to training or a match, is a great way to help our performance.

Every disorganised, untidy athlete is scoffing at these comments, because they have been able to function in their messy existence. BUT, have they actually thought, that by being better organised they may help their performance? Does this really make a difference? To be honest, it would be quite difficult to argue that everyone would improve performance if they packed their bag every night, ready for the next day’s performance. Why? Because it is an individual thing. But it’s not really about the kit in our bag, it’s about the discipline to make sure we prepare as best we can every single day. This consistent preparation isn’t just on field, with warmups, drills or match play. Our preparation in other areas of our lives, which have an impact on our ability to ensure we are mentally and physically ready to perform, are also key to our success.

Some people call them ‘one percenters, others, ‘marginal gains’. Whatever we want to call them, they are all the same, they are the little things that add up when we are looking for improved performance.

These rituals create confidence and develop constructive comfort. They allow us to direct energy to other areas of our preparation because we know that our kit and equipment is ready to go. We are confident that part of our preparation is sorted. We have no anxiety or undue stress related to that area of our preparation, so we can feel comfortable we will have all our equipment ready to go. Our energy can then be directed into areas of preparation such as our focus points or game plan.

So, if you really want to take your preparation to the next level, Pack Your Bag!

Another key factor here is to make sure you place everything in your bag, so when you have finished training you can take EVERYTHING home with you. There have been many items of lost property left behind at Villanova Park and Langlands – some large items like blazers and laptops. Be organised and keep everything together, that way you’ll have it when you need it, and mum and dad don’t have to drive back to Villanova Park in the dark looking for your gear!

Term 2 is a busy very busy term, probably the busiest of them all. Being prepared and planned will be very important to having a happy and successful term at school. It is also vitally important if you are juggling various commitments. The same can be said for students who forget to pack their HPE clothes when they are due to have a class.

Round 4 AIC Chess, Rugby and Football Fixtures, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 May – Times and Venues
All times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures against St Patrick’s College are available on the College’s website.

AIC Cross-Country Meet – 26 May at SPC Playing Fields
On Thursday 26 May, The Villanova cross-country runners will compete at the AIC meet held at Curlew Park, Shorncliffe. The College will offer a bus to and from the venue for all runners. The bus will leave the College at 2.30pm for all runners and return to the College after the last race. The bus will be expected back approximately 6.00pm. Please see the website for Meet times. This will unfortunately be the only opportunity for the boys to state their case for selection in the team as it will be announced to the College on assembly next Friday 27 May in readiness for the AIC Cross Country Championships on June 2.

Programme: 

 AIC Rugby – Mr. Adam Fry, AIC Rugby Co-ordinator
Unfortunately, due to the week of rain all AIC fixtures for Round 3 against Marist College were cancelled. The rain did however come at a good time, with a number of sicknesses and injuries starting to mount up, hopefully the week off has freshened everyone up, ready to go for the second half of the season.

This weekend we are up against St Patrick’s College. St Pat’s will be hosting most rugby games from Year 5 – Open, so please be aware of your game time this weekend. Due to our large number of teams, some teams will be playing against other Colleges around the place, so be sure to check the fixture as soon as it has been released.
It would be fantastic to see as many teams as possible stay and support the games after them this weekend.

All the best to all teams this weekend!

Rugby Results v Marist College Ashgrove

AIC Football – Mr. Anthony Kemp, AIC Football Co-ordinator
The run of poor weather continued last weekend with the entire round being cancelled due to the poor conditions of the playing surfaces. It is definitely a shame to be missing games as the season is only short to begin with. We are certainly hoping for a break in the weather to allow the sporting grounds around Brisbane time to recover, we will keep our fingers crossed. Not only has the weather affected the Saturday fixtures but our training sessions have also been heavily impacted, limiting the time our teams have had to build camaraderie and momentum as a group. Hopefully, with this break from training boys have had time to rest any niggling injuries and are ready and raring to go when needed.

This weekend we are scheduled to play St Patrick’s in Round 4 of AIC Football. The majority of Years 5-12 football games will be hosted out at Curlew Park, Shorncliffe. Please continue to check the schedule carefully as there are a few teams who are playing at various venues this week.

Football Results v Marist College Ashgrove

AIC Chess – Mr Nick Verity and Mr Jack Lamb, AIC Chess Co-ordinators
With the unfortunate cancellation of our Round 3 games vs Ashgrove, the players have been hard at work during our early morning training sessions, practising and studying for Friday. Now that training is underway, coach Alex would like to remind all players to create an account on lichess.org. It is free to do so and has many resources for studying such as tactics training and archived games. Chess is a sport where one mistake can easily cost you the game, so it is vital that players are not only playing frequently, but also that they are replaying their games via lichess or in person OTB (over the board) with a teammate and being critical of each move.

Training is now Monday morning (Junior/Intermediate) and Tuesday morning (Senior/Intermediate) from 7:15 am in the Middle School STEM Lab under the Tolle Lege Library. These sessions will be with coach Alex so please come prepared with any questions you have from Friday’s games or from your practise games in general.

A reminder that breaktime practice is still available from Tuesday to Friday at first break in T10 for Intermediate and Senior players and on Wednesday and Thursday in V13 at second break for Junior players. We do not expect players to attend every breaktime practice session, but they should be making themselves available for at least one of these breaktimes as time OTB is worth more than just playing online.

 AIC Cross Country – Mr Brian Pascoe
Unfortunately, the current weather event caused the postponement of the Cross-Country trial at St Patrick’s playing fields at Curlew Park, Shorncliffe.  It has been rescheduled for next Thursday, May 26, which will be an invaluable chance for a trial run over the course where the AIC Cross-Country Championships will occur the following week. All runners in Year 5 and Year 6 as well as age group 12 and 13 years will be dismissed at 2.30 pm and are to meet you all at the front of the College to board the bus. The rest of the squad will board a bus at 3 pm. The buses will return to Villanova following the completion of the 3 km race and the second bus following the finish of the 6 km event.

One of the nuances of cross-country running is that very few of the squad just undertake cross-country, with most competing in at least one other AIC sport. I would like to commend those boys who may be asked and make the commitment to the Villanova cross-country squad to assist at the AIC Championships. The lessons from the cross-country assist in the other sports undertaken.

The following boys have produced some very good times at the recent 2 km time trial rewarding their application at training.  We challenge our boys to try and run at four min p/km pace.

U12s
Ethan Haywood – 8.28

U13s
Steve Woodgate – 8.13
Nate Lobegeiger – 8.28

U14s
Bailey Horvath – 7.50
Dan Phillips – 7.50
Jack Fidge – 8.10

U15s
Mitch Millard – 8.20fidge
Chris Anderson – 7.56
Jake Brogan – 8.10

U16s
Sam Rigby – 7.48

Opens
Michael Anderson – 7.25
Cohen Stewart – 7.20
Luke Schaumburg – 7.21

Year 5 and Year 6 Cross Country Report – Mr Tom Lonergan
Training Update
Finally, a break from the rain allowed a trial run at Whites Hill Reserve on Sunday afternoon. The turnout was a bit disappointing with only 16 boys availing themselves of the opportunity to have a decent competitive run.

Due to the fact that the trial on Wednesday 18 was cancelled as well as the trial scheduled for Wednesday 25; I have decided to repeat the VRC Trial on Sunday 22 May at the scheduled Villa Runners Club. (see below)

A spreadsheet of the boys running performances, thus far this season, is attached to this email. There is limited information, and this is what we will have to go on when choosing the team for the AIC Competition. Note: There will be 12 boys chosen from Year 5 and 12 boys from Year 6 to compete at AIC so the more data we have the easier it will be to pick the team.

Villa Runners Club (non-compulsory)
Sundays 4 – 5pm at Whites Hill Reserve, Boundary Rd. Camp Hill. (meet at the Cricket Ovals) This week, 22 May, the session will again be a warmup and trial three km run through the bush. Times for this run will be considered as relevant data when choosing the Cross Country team. Should older Villanova College athletes, siblings or friends want to have a run they are most welcome to join in.

Strategy for running a Cross Country Race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cvEYi3VBYo

Start of Race: Get away fast, sprint for 5 -7 seconds; slow your pace to that of those around you and run relaxed. Your first 500 metres should be the fastest segment of your race.

Managing the course: Curlew is a fairly flat course; there are a few downslopes and short sharp rises. Pacing is KEY you need to find one or two athletes running at your pace, be prepared to make short surges passing others then staying with one or two running at their pace. This tactic will help you build confidence as you continue to pass people with the surges. Surging: Surge hard, recover, and then surge again. A good strategy is to surge over the top of the hill while your rivals relax and slow. It’s also a great idea to surge at the bottom of every hill carrying the downhill momentum onto the flat. This takes your competitors by surprise and gives you an advantage and moves you up the field.

Kick to Finish line: Know when to kick. Kicking is something that people do at different times, best to kick for the last 200 of the race. Build your pace, then, as you turn onto the final straight, you must sprint all the way to the finish line. Never let a runner pass you in that final sprint.

 AIC Basketball Trials – Year 5 and Year 6
Year 5 and 6 students will begin their five-week trials this Friday during sport. All students who wish to trial must have signed on using the jotform link below and should have done so by now. The boys will have trials during class sport time each Friday and as there will be large numbers trialling, this is the best time to look at them and five sessions should be adequate particularly if students are carrying injuries or are sick.

Only 36 boys will be selected to represent Villanova in the Term 3 basketball competition.  Eight boys will be selected in each of the A and B teams, while the C and D teams will carry 10 players each. For parents new to Year 5 and 6 AIC basketball, the competition will be played on Friday afternoons and games are played at either 4.00pm or 4.45pm. Boys still playing club football or rugby generally make it back in time for training, but they may be a little late for a 6pm start if they play in the second game.

For away games parents are asked to transport the boys to the venue. There are many that would still be working at 3pm, so carpooling needs to be organised to get the boys to games. Students are to be collected by their own parents at the conclusion of their match.

Managers needed
Managers for basketball teams are very important for the smooth running of the season. Organising carpooling is the highest priority, making sure each player has a lift to the away games. There are other small roles also required, and these will be explained if your son is selected in a basketball team. Please contact the Sports Office if you can take on a role.

All successful students will be required to purchase the basketball shorts by the end of the term. All singlets will be distributed on a hire basis and handed out prior to the June holidays.

Trimester 3 Sign-Ons – Rugby League, Tennis, Basketball and Track & Field
Trimester 3 Sign-Ons are now open – For those wishing to play AIC Rugby League, AIC Tennis, AIC Basketball and AIC Track & Field please register your interest via the online sign-on form. The link will close next Friday 27 May –

https://villanova.jotform.com/tkropp/term-3-sport-sign-on—2022

A copy of this sign-on link is found on the College’s website in the ‘Locker Room’ section.
Please Note:

Basketball

• Year 5 and Year 6 Basketball is played on Friday afternoons.
• Year 7 – 12 students will play Basketball on Saturday and cannot play Tennis or Rugby League as they are played at the same time.
• There will be approx. four teams per year level

Tennis

• Year 5 – 12 students will play tennis Saturday mornings.
• There will be two teams per year level

Rugby League

• Students can only play AIC Rugby League if they have played AIC Rugby Union or AIC Football. Rugby League coaches will view a number of Rugby Union games to commence the trial process. This will not determine the teams as some may be playing AIC Football but will give the coaches a guide as to the quality of players we have as the majority will be playing Rugby.
• There will only be one team per year level in Rugby League. The teams will be – Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, 1st Rugby League (combined Year 11 and Year 12 team), probably around 20 players per age group

Track & Field

• Students can participate in any other sport as well as Track & Field. Track & Field training will commence halfway through Term 3.

Mr Chris Everding, Acting Director of Sport

Rehearsals and Lessons
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of our musicians for their effort and application over Term 2.  We continue to encourage our students to maintain a high level of preparation for lessons and rehearsals as we move through assessment and concert preparation at this time of the year.  Please ensure our musicians are prepared with instrument, music, pencil, and accessories as required for all of their musical activities.

Lessons and rehearsals maintain a regular routine through until the end of term now that we have passed the excitement of four-day weeks and NAPLAN testing.  If you have queries or concerns regarding your son’s music tuition or rehearsal schedule, please do not hesitate to contact the Music Office.

Lunch-time Concerts Recommence
Due to the inclement weather last Wednesday, we missed the opportunity of having our Percussion Ensemble perform in the Veritas undercroft.  Excitedly, we are now able to have two ensembles perform this Wednesday – our Wind Ensemble will be playing first break in the Middle School quadrangle, and our Percussion ensemble will play in the Veritas undercroft second break.  It will be a great day of music – we are looking forward to our students sharing their gifts with the broader community

Open Day
Thursday 26 May has been gazetted our Villanova College Open Day.  Our music program has been invited to provide music across this day to demonstrate the contribution music makes to our community.  Information regarding student involvement has been emailed home.  We have been in communication with the Sports Office regarding students participating in music on this afternoon.  If you have any concerns, please contact the Music Office on 3394 5691.

Year 5 Debut Concert
Tuesday 31 May will be our Debut Concert for all students who attend rehearsal on Tuesday mornings.  Information regarding this concert has been sent to families of students involved in these groups only.  The evening will commence at 6:30pm with our Music Support Group providing a barbecue dinner and refreshments from 5:30pm on the Middle School Terraces.  There is no need to pre-order – purchase on the evening using cash or card.

The evening will comprise performances from our Year 5 Band and String Orchestra, along with Symphonic Band and Sinfonia String Orchestra.  Students in Year 5 will only need to wear their grey formal academic uniform (including tie).  Mrs Petherick will be in contact with our beginner musician families to clarify details.

Winter Concert Series
Our schedule for the Winter Concert Series is being finalised this week.  Students and families will be notified of their performance evening via email – gig sheets will be distributed shortly.  These concerts fall on 7 and 9 June with students required for a 6pm start.  Performance uniform will be required for these concerts.

Further information to come via email.

Music Uniform Requirements
We are now approximately four – five weeks away from our Winter Concert series.  Due to the proximity of this event, we recommend that students pull out their music uniform to check fit and quality well before these concerts.  Please remember that all students are to have plain black socks worn under trousers.

A copy of our music uniform requirements list has been included with this fortnight’s Villa View.  Please use this time wisely to check your uniform and ensure you are prepared well in advance of our upcoming concert season.

Key Dates Term 2
As we look ahead across the term, please ensure we pencil the following dates into your diary:

Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers
Our fantastic Music Support Group have organised an innovative fundraiser for Villanova College.  You may have heard the buzz about our Villanova Camp Chairs and Wildcat Coolers…  the MUST HAVE items for the beach/cricket/park/fishing/barbecue/etc.
Villanova Branded Camp Chairs – $35; Wildcat Coolers – $30
All items can be purchased via Trybooking through the following link:  https://www.trybooking.com/BMEML
Purchases can be collected from the Music Office and all profits will go to the Music Support Group.

Esport updates
Entertainment memberships are one of the Music Support Groups main fund-raisers.  Just click on the link to purchase a membership and obtain ongoing special deals throughout the year.

Thank you all for your ongoing support of Music at Villanova College.

Mr. Michael Jones, Director of Music

Esports updates
Last week our Year 7 – Year 8 Esports team competed online in the FUSE Cup Brisbane High School finals for the Just Dance 2022. Our representative team of Zach Henderson, Elijah La Porte, Hamish O’Toole and Harry Woodward were joined by reserves Lewis Nunn and Isaac Hyam for a short, sharp three-song competition against three finalist Brisbane schools.

Unfortunately, our Villanova team was beaten on the day. Forest Lake SHS took home the trophy with a combined highest score close to perfection and mastery in the game. However, our team posted their highest ever scores as a group. Fittingly, this indicated their tremendous growth, commitment to lunchtime training and continuous improvements throughout the delayed and interrupted esports competition.

Special mention goes to our two highest scorers on the day – Elijah La Porte and Harry Woodward – who achieved consistently high scores and personal bests throughout the finals session. Further, Harry Woodward worked his way from reserve to representative, and showed exemplary sportsmanship, support and good gaming conduct throughout the tournament.

Currently, boys in Years 7-10 are time trialling and competing in seeded brackets to qualify for the Term 2 esports FUSE Cup competition in Mario Kart 8 on the Nintendo Switch platform. Everyone loves Mario Kart, and we have some exceptional competitors in the school! The difference between some of our students’ race times is measured in hundredths and thousandths of a second! We are continuing to sort and decide our three teams for the Brisbane esports competition in mid-June. If your son has not been at school and is keenly interested in participating in the qualifying and selection process, encourage him to contact myself via email as soon as possible. We are qualifying and racing most lunch recesses at the very top of Good Counsel in our esports space located in GC1.

Jason Lane, Esports Coordinator

VR in the Curriculum
Since the commencement of Term 2, a number of classes in the Junior and Middle School have used VR technology to engage with curriculum in immersive experiences. The College has invested in two ClassVR headset kits that allow students to be immersed in 360 videos/photos, explorable three-dimensional scenes and rotating models based on curriculum-aligned and subject-specific content.

Year 8 classes were immersed in 360 footage, soundscapes, VR animations and explorable scenes based on WW1. These experiences were used to develop empathy and personal insights as writing prompts for a war poetry unit.

Year 5 and 6 Digital Technologies students working with Mr Rozen also had the opportunity to literally “walk through” two centuries of technology. This explorable scene was used to highlight the rapid development and evolution of technology over time. By walking through a long corridor filled with animated gadgets, students can appreciate how technology has become more efficient and takes us much less space over time. In the same session, students were also “shrunk” down to the size of an ant as they walked inside a computer to identify its peripherals, components and integrated features! This immersive experience will continue to be an interactive feature in our Junior School Digital Technologies classrooms.

Jason Lane, E-learning Pedagogy Leader

EVENTS

Villa Park Canteen Volunteering
We are currently seeking volunteers to help with canteen and barista duties at Villanova Park. Volunteering for half an hour before your son’s game enables the canteen to operate and raise funds for sport at Villanova College.

Please register your interest to volunteer here: https://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/our-college/volunteer/

Any inquiries please contact: Sarah Patterson: spatterson@vnc.qld.edu.au

Open Day
The Villanova College Open Day will be held on Thursday 26 May 2022. For information and to register a visit: Join Us for Our Open Day » Villanova College (vnc.qld.edu.au)

Villa Community Carnival Save the Date

Grab a buddy and volunteer at the Villanova Community Carnival – 23 July 2022
The Villanova Community Carnival needs volunteers to fill key roles at our 2022 Carnival:

✔️ Equipment Logistics – set up and pull down

✔️ Sponsorship and Donations

✔️ Marketing and Communications

✔️ Procurement

✔️ Volunteer Roster co-ordinator

✔️ Stall Convenors

✔️ Ride Tickets

✔️ Cakes/sweets

✔️ Soft Drinks

✔️ Lob-a-Choc

✔️ Tombola

✔️ Security

✔️ Rubbish management

If you are interested in volunteering for any of these roles, please email peter@kingco.com.au or ejmconsulting@bigpond.com.  Alternatively, please attend the first Carnival Committee meeting  on Monday 23 May in the Tolle Lege Library, commencing at 6.30pm.

ALINTA UNIFORM SHOP
For notices and the latest information on Alinta Uniform Shop stock levels visit the Alinta website: Homepage | Alinta Apparel

FINANCE
As FACTS Management has now been introduced, school fee payments through BPay will no longer be an available payment option.  Please log into https://factsmgt.com.au/ or phone FACTS on 1300 322 871 to arrange the payment of school fees.

TUCKSHOP
Can parents please remind all students to bring their student card or cash to make Tuckshop purchases. Student numbers WILL NOT be accepted.

View the 2022 Tuckshop menu and price list here: Menu-and-Prices2022-1.pdf (vnc.qld.edu.au)

VILLANOVA COLLEGE BUSINESS DIRECTORY 
Calling current parents, Old Boys and past parents — promote your business or service to members of the Villa community for free with the Villanova College Business Directory. List your business today for free via the link: https://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/our-college/villanova-business-directory/

Questions can be directed to foundation@vnc.qld.edu.au

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY TRAVEL REBATE SEMESTER 1 2022
Does your child have a verified disability that requires transport assistance to and from school?

Has your school’s learning support teacher assessed your child’s travel capability rating as ‘semi-independent’ or more dependent? Visit our website to see if you qualify for financial assistance to help with the cost of transport and apply at www.schooltransport.com.au by May 31 2022. Late applications cannot be accepted after 31 May 2022. Students with Disability Travel Rebate (Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme) Semester 1 2022 (2