Sports Bulletin: Issue 02/22

Villanova Sport

Time flies, and last weekend marked the halfway point of the AFL, cricket and volleyball season. Our swimmers are making their final preparations for the up-coming AIC Swimming Championships, and we are already looking ahead to next term’s sporting program which includes rugby, football, cross country and chess. There are certainly plenty of opportunities for our students to become involved. By now all students and families should be aware of the online sports sign-on process. This has been advertised in the last two sports newsletter editions.

The due date for those wishing to participate in AIC rugby, football, chess and cross country was Monday of this week,  28 February. The Sports Office will extend the closing date of the sign-on to next Monday. The process is simple, simply click on the sign-on link provided and complete your choices. The information collated from these forms is used to plan and prepare the season ahead. Further information regarding the Trimester 2 Sign-on process as well as the link is found below.

As always, we are in need of parents and Old Boys to assist the College by coaching and refereeing teams/games for both rugby and football in 2022. Your son needs your help. If you are able to assist, please make contact with Mr Chris Everding (rugby) – ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au or Mr Anthony Kemp (football) – akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au from the Sports Office. We wish to finalise all coaches/referees for up-coming AIC rugby and football season as soon as possible.

Information pertaining to the cross country and chess seasons is found below as well.

To assist families with their forward planning, please find on the College’s website via the ‘Locker Room’ the proposed Term 2 AIC sports training schedule for rugby and football. All Year 7-12 teams training at Villanova Park will be transported to the venue by bus. Parents will be required to collect their son/s promptly after training.

Our wish as a College is to use Villanova Park as much as possible. The training schedule is designed so that all rugby and football teams from Years 7 – 12 have enough space to train adequately and are at the same location at the same time for our skills coaches in both rugby and football to monitor/assist coaches and player development.

On behalf of the College, I wish all the AIC swimmers the very best in their preparations for the up-coming AIC Swim Championships next Tuesday at Chandler. It is pleasing to see that student spectators are permissible this year. Given this is the case, we will send the entire Year 11 cohort to Chandler next Tuesday to support our swim team. The Year 11 students are asked to wear their full academic uniform on the day. Buses will transport all spectators to and from Chandler. Boys will depart after Pastoral and will return to the College for the normal 3.00pm dismissal time.

It was unfortunate that the entire round of AIC sport was cancelled last weekend. Given the circumstances it is fair to say it was a sensible decision. At this early stage, AFL and cricket are not looking likely for this weekend. In discussions with my counterparts from other AIC Colleges, it seems we are all in the same boat. The grounds at Villanova Park on the bottom fields were at least 30cm under water at the shallowest point. The ground is super soggy, the water table is saturated and with the expectation of more showers later this week, things aren’t looking good.

Our training facility at Little Langlands was still underwater as of Tuesday this week. Apart from volleyball, swimming and the rugby, our training programs have been hampered this week. I suppose the reality is that we are hoping for a normal return to training next week but this still maybe wishful thinking.

As per normal, we will post the relevant cancellations to our training and game-day schedule via the College App but until advised otherwise, all fixtures this weekend will go ahead until that official message is given.

Be aware that volleyball photos will occur this weekend for all Year 7 – 9 teams playing at Goold Hall. Please see a full schedule below and ensure that your son attends his shoot well ahead of time wearing the correct uniform.

Again, on behalf of the College we wish all our swimmers the very best for next week’s AIC Swim Championships. I know our boys are looking forward to putting on the green and gold this weekend as we take on St Laurence’s College in the local derby in AFL, cricket and volleyball. As always, we ask every Villanova boy to stand up and be counted this weekend to ensure we perform at our best. I’m backing the boys in green and gold all the way, good luck to all and please enjoy!

Round 5 Fixtures – Friday 4 and Saturday 5 March, AIC Cricket and Volleyball v St Laurence’s College (in the main draw), AIC AFL v St Laurence’s/St Patrick’s College

Please refer to the College’s website to view all times and venues for this weekend’s fixtures. Simply scroll down on the College’s home page to the ‘Latest News’ section and click the ‘Weekly Fixtures’ section.

Volleyball and Swimming Team Photo – Saturday 5 March and Tuesday 8 March

Swimming Photo – Tuesday 8 March Quadrangle (near Langlands)

Volleyball Photos – Saturday 5 March – Villanova College (Tuckshop undercroft)

AIC Cricket – Mr Chris Everding, AIC Co-ordinator
Relentless rain and flooding saw the cancellation of all AIC fixtures against St. Patrick’s College last weekend. The current conditions of many ovals may also see a majority of games cancelled this week also unless the predicted rain for Thursday and Friday stays away and the sun is out to dry up the fields. Please keep up to date with messages on the College App regarding fixtures this Saturday. Langlands Park nets spent four days under water and conditions are not safe or hygienic for training until we have had the facility cleared of debris and hosed out, as well as having the outfield inspected and mowed. Villanova Park also suffered significant flooding and the groundsmen will be working tirelessly to get it back up to a safe standard for community use.

We are still being impacted by covid cases across the College and boys could be asked to play up as late as one hour prior to match start times. Either the coaches or the Sports Office will advise students of changes to team lists and we ask that all players be ready for a call up. Unfortunately, with low numbers due to illness or isolation, some teams may have to forfeit. This is a last resort but sending four or five players to a match and hoping the opposition will help out is not a good option for our players or our carers.

If matches go ahead this weekend, we are up against traditional rivals, St. Laurence’s College. The Firsts will be playing away at Runcorn with the other Open sides as well as the Year 10s and Year 6s, while the Year 5, Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 teams will have home games.

AIC Cricket Results v St. Patrick’s College

 Zone Cricket
Villanova is looking for parents to get involved with the running of the Villa Cricket Club, which runs the Term 4 Zone cricket. We have had a few parents run the organisation of Club Cricket for a number of years and unfortunately, Ross Whitby, Jeff Ilka and Phil Horton will be moving on as their son’s play their last year at Villanova. The administration side of cricket is run by the College, but team make up, registrations, selections, meeting attendance, assigning coaches and general coordination is all run by Villanova parents.

If you are able to join a group of keen cricketing parents to coordinate cricket in Term 4, could you please contact the Sports Office to discuss what is involved and the structure of the season.

AIC Volleyball – Mr Todd Kropp, AIC Volleyball Co-ordinator
It was certainly not to be for Round 4 of AIC Sport. Whilst it was disappointing for our teams to not see the court, it is of upmost importance that the Villanova community remain safe. I know our boys are looking forward to getting on the court once more.

The next round of volleyball doesn’t get any easier with us taking on local rivals St Laurence’s. It is certainly not a round to get comfortable after many of our sides enjoyed a win during Round 3, as SLC are always up for the challenge. This week will see our senior (10-Opens) teams on the road to St Laurence’s and our junior (7 – 9) teams playing at home. With our 7 – 9 teams being at home, we will also have court duty responsibilities for some students. Please remember that duty is not optional, if your son is unavailable for their rostered duty, it is on them to find a replacement. It is unlikely that each student will be allocated more than one duty for the season. Please check the weekly fixtures for game times, venue and the court duty roster.

Additionally, this weekend will see our teams playing at home (7 – 9) have their team photo taken. Please check the schedule (College website and Parent Lounge) to know when your team photo is being taken. All boys will be required to be at the team photo 10 minutes before the photograph is taken in full playing attire. Any latecomers will unfortunately miss out.

With matches, court duty and team photos it will certainly be a busy time for our Year 7 – Year 9 teams, so please ensure the boys understand their requirements for Saturday. If court duty clashes with team photos, the students allocated to duty are asked to leave for their photo and return as quickly as possible.

Please note that all players are asked to be in the correct uniform for their games of volleyball on Saturday – no rugby or basketball shorts and no black socks.  Please check the College website for more information.

AIC Volleyball Results v St Patrick’s College

AIC Swimming – Mrs Juanita Jacobs, AIC Swim Coordinator
By now all swimmers and their families should be aware of the arrangements put in place for the AIC Swimming Championships which are to be held next Tuesday 8 March.

All carnival details are posted on the web under the AIC Swimming section. The list of all swimmers and their nominated events will be posted in the respective Parent Lounge and Student Café portals by midday tomorrow.

Well done to all swimmers for a great pre-season and best wishes for the championship held next week.

Friday 4 March

• The final swim training session for the season at Langlands Pool
• The Villanova Swim Team list will be published on the website by 12.00pm
• St Peter’s Lutheran College swim meet – cancelled

Tuesday 8 March – AIC Swim Championships at Chandler Pool

• The swim squad meets in the Middle School quadrangle at 6.25am for a team brief and photo
• The senior team and squad captains will be acknowledged
• Bus departs the College for Chandler at 7.00am
• Arrive at Chandler 7.30am, warm up 8.00am-8.30am, first event at 8.45am
• Presentations are between 1.15pm-1.30pm
• Bus departs Chandler at 1.45pm and returns to the College
• Parents may collect their son from Chandler at the conclusion of presentations or back at the College at 3.00pm

AIC AFL – Mr Adam Fry, AIC AFL Co-ordinator
Unfortunately, the weather caused all games to be cancelled last weekend, which is a real shame for the momentum of Villanova AFL. With a lot of flooding and predicted rain still around, please keep an eye on the College website and App for training and game changes. Hopefully we can get out and have a game.   Continue to stay in touch with your coaches for any information and good luck to any teams that do manage to get out this weekend.

Trimester 2 Sport Sign-Ons – Rugby, Football, Chess and Cross Country – OVERDUE!!!
All students who are interested in representing Villa in AIC Rugby, Football, Cross Country and Chess in Term 2 from Years 5-12 must complete an online registration form – https://form.jotform.com/VillanovaSport/aic-term-2-sport-sign-on

Please be aware that the sign-ons were due on Monday of this week. Based on the numbers, it seems that some families have not signed on yet. May we please ask families to complete this sign-on form by Monday of next week please.

Please go to the AIC Rugby and AIC Football sections on the website to view all information regarding the up-coming footy seasons, including commencement dates and training/trial times.

Rugby and Football – Coaches/Referees
If you have an interest in refereeing or coaching, please contact:

Year 5-12 Football – Anthony Kemp email: akemp@vnc.qld.edu.au

Year 5-12 Rugby – Chris Everding email: ceverding@vnc.qld.edu.au

AIC Chess – Mrs Sally England, AIC Chess Coordinator
AIC chess is under way for 2022. Boys should have entered their name on the Sports sign-up to be included. The chess competition is conducted in Term 2 on a Friday night and practice takes place during morning tea to gain a place in the teams. There are four levels of teams – Opens, Seniors, Intermediates and Junior. The actual timetable for practice and trials is not yet set but will be for next week’s newsletter.

Meetings have been and will be conducted over last week and this week to determine days for this to happen. The Junior boys will have a meeting Thursday for Year 5 and Friday for Year 6. They will be alerted by email and on morning notices. It is imperative that boys who have signed up attend that meeting so that practice and trials can get started. The Junior teacher to contact if there are any queries is Mr Conlan – mconlan@vnc.qld.edu.au. For intermediate or senior, contact is Mrs England  sengland@vnc.qld.edu.au. Mr Lamb and Mr Verity can also be contacted for any level  – jlamb@vnc.qld.edu.au   or   nverity@vnc.qld.edu.au

If your sons forgot to sign up but would like to play for the team or just for fun, please contact the relevant teacher for their level and we will add them to the list. Preferred contact with students is morning notices and via email so they must start checking for information with those two sources. There is a trial game on Friday 25 March so permission will be coming home soon to attend that game at St Laurence’s. We all look forward to another year of AIC chess.

AIC Cross Country
The Cross-Country program is split into two squads – The Year 5 and Year 6 squad and the Year 7-Opens squad. Both squads will be trained separately by different coaches and managers. The AIC Cross Country Championships will take place on Wednesday 1 June, that is, Term 2 Week 7.

We are aware that many boys will have lots of different activities going on. We encourage our best runners to represent Villa on the day of the championships. It may be the case that a student may not be able to attend all training sessions due to other commitments. If this is the case, we simply need students to communicate this to the coaches and managers involved. We are open to negotiating alternative training schedules with those who have lots on.

Year 5 and Year 6 Squad
Year 5 and Year 6 training squad will officially begin on Monday 28 March, that is, the tenth week of Term 1. Training will be held each Monday and Wednesday afternoon from 3.15pm – 4.30pm. Boys are to meet Miss Roberts outside Goold Hall after school and she will walk the boys down to training at Little Langlands. Boys who cannot train both afternoons are encouraged to attend the non-compulsory training session on Sunday afternoons.

Mr Lonergan (coach) will offer “holiday training” sessions at Whites Hill for any/all boys who would like to attend. The training will take place from 8.30 – 10 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for both holiday weeks and the Monday holiday at the start of term 2.

Year 7-12 Squad
The Year 7-12 training squad will officially begin on Monday 21 March, that is, the ninth week of Term 1. Training will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6.45am. All students are to meet at the front of Goold Hall and leave at 6.45am sharp (not at Little Langlands). Late comers must stay at the College.

IMPORTANT:  All Cross-Country runners should be participating in two – three training sessions per week, unless they are involved in another sport, in which case they should be completing at least one cross country session per week to be sufficiently prepared for the AIC Championship.

Composite Sport

Please find below a list of composite trial and nomination dates. Paperwork for these trials is now available in the Sport Office.

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport