Villa View: Issue 09/20

During the Lenten season we have heard many stories of people reaching out in kindness to others. Neighbours checking in on their elderly residents in their streets. People doing shopping for someone who cannot get out. These small acts of kindness remind us in a world where we are now isolating from each other that there is HOPE.

During this Lenten season as we journey towards Easter, we need to be mindful to reach out in whatever way we can to our neighbours and those who are struggling. There will be many moments in the coming days when all of us will be in need of a kind word, a smile and a helping hand. Let us not forget the power of human contact even if it is via the phone, letter or across the internet. In the coming weeks we may have some time to reach out to loved ones and to strangers to offer our support.

During this time of uncertainty, as fear grips our country, let us choose love. During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.

Thank You
I want to thank the many parents who have taken the time to write a message of support to our teachers and support staff working so hard to support our students and families. I have been buoyed by the messages during this very challenging time.

We know that the times ahead will be tough and together we will continue to support each other to stay connected and safe.

Learning@Home
This afternoon I emailed families advising arrangments for the pupil-free week commencing Monday 30th March.

As stated in the correspondence, teachers will be preparing for Learning@Home during this week. There will be no work provided to students by our teachers during next week.

Social Distancing
The government authorities have clearly indicated the need for people to be responsible and practise social distancing to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. I ask parents to PLEASE reiterate with their sons the requirement that they do not gather in groups and wander the streets, attend skate parks or shopping centres. All members of our community play a vital role in reducing the rate of infection at this time.

Importance of Reading
This week I visited Year 5 Black and 5 White classes to speak about the importance of reading and words. I shared with the students a short reading from author Helen Keller. I explained Helen Keller was born blind and deaf and without these two important senses lived a full and productive life.

I shared with the students the power of words to convey stories that evoke strong emotions from the reader. Words have the power to challenge and transform our thinking.

My next visit with the classes will be to read a passage from a novel written by my son. Hopefully I can enthuse these young men to read.

Prayer
We keep the Bouwhuis family in our prayers and thoughts at this time following the recent death of Tyler Bouwhuis (Senior 2017) in a traffic accident. Tyler’s funeral is tentatively scheduled for 10.00am on Monday 30 March. Given current restrictions around numbers at funerals, the funeral will be live-streamed via the Facebook page of the St George Greek Orthodox Church.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithfully departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen

You have made us for yourself O Lord
And our hearts are restless until they rest in You

God bless
Mr Mark Stower, Principal

The educational landscape, not just across Queensland and Australia, but across the globe has changed so quickly in the past month. What was a relatively normal start to the school year, albeit looking from a distance at what was unfolding overseas with the coronavirus, has unfortunately turned into one of uncertainty. Many students and staff have watched on with disbelief at how this virus has had a significant effect on Australian communities and lives. Although the College community has been shaken by a number of events connected to the outbreak, teaching and learning has all given us the opportunity to take our minds off it and concentrate on what motivates and drives us each day. We hope to continue this as a way of providing some normality over the coming months.

Our staff have been working tirelessly over the past few weeks preparing our students to move to a more virtual delivery of the curriculum. The College has tested its capability to move its delivery online and has communicated this to parents and students in a number of communications recently. I am confident that this process, although different to what we are used to, will be successful. It will also evolve with time as we look for alternative ways to continue to engage our students.

Mr Stower emailed correspondence to families this afternoon following the Premier’s announcement today to make Week 10 of the term a pupil free week. It is with regret that we have had to waive examinations to be completed next week. It is understandable that students will be disappointed that they cannot complete examinations to measure their learning over Term One. I would encourage our students, with parent support, to reflect on their learning and improvement in Term One in other ways, and to celebrate this.

Please note :

• Some examinations will be converted to online assessment. Individual teachers will be in contact with students if this is the case.
• Year 10 examinations to be held tomorrow – Specialist Mathematics and Economics – will go ahead.
• Assignments that are due in Week 9 and 10 are still to be submitted electronically. These will be marked and graded.

The QCAA released some general information to schools today around what assessment could look like for the remainder of the year for Year 12s. An excerpt from the memo sent to schools is below :

“After considering a range of scenarios and possible responses, along with feedback from students, parents, teachers and the wider school community, the QCAA Board resolved that an immediate response is required to alleviate the stresses being felt in school communities.

We have decided to remove one internal assessment from the total of four prescribed in each syllabus. This will provide some relief for students as they contend with uncertainty and disruption while working towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) in 2020. It will also support teachers to manage reduced classroom time.”

I will communicate with students and parents in due time with regards to the final decision made by the QCAA in terms of assessment. This should, however, provide a small amount of relief for students in what is an important year for them.

As we now move to a virtual delivery of the curriculum, I encourage all parents to support their sons in accessing the curriculum at home. Villanova College teachers are determined to continue to teach your sons as best they can.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions with regards to teaching and learning at the College, particularly as we move towards Term Two.

Mr John Christie, Dean of Teaching and Learning

Thank you, Junior School families, as we successfully navigate our way through changes.  Prioritising health and families, we continue to best provide teaching and learning experiences in classrooms, but also via online means.  Communication has been critical to sustaining a positive and productive manner in the past seven days.  Every positive word of encouragement and support for our staff is like a virtual hug or high-five that keeps us working for what really matters the most at the end of the day – your son.

It is a time to find a way to balance the outside world with our family circumstances.  There are changes out of our control, and this can be a time that is uncertain – we don’t know all the answers.  I think the boys now understand this – in the past week, staff have been honest – we can’t predict too far into the future.  What we will do is show up, either in person, or via electronic means – but Villanovans show up one way or the other.  We will be prepared and ready to work with the day we have together.  There is much to learn from these times about each other.  We can still make the time to smile, laugh and have “ah ha” moments.  Celebrating Term 1 and all we have achieved is important to our young men.

Nathan Wallis is an incredibly qualified and passionate neuroscientist – staff have attended Professional Development sessions across Australia to hear his words about brain development in children, teenage transition to adulthood and the connections between relationships and learning.  This week he released a short post on Facebook about what it means to have kids at home – the impact and opportunities for parents.  It struck a chord with me – two words – “Let go”.  Realise that in the grand scheme of things, some more time together is precious rather than a time to panic and resort to old school days.  To play, to focus on life skills, to nurture the soul who might feel vulnerable and unsure – it’s okay to be confused, you are not alone.  I must have watched this post at least three times.  Please consider the clarity he is offering short term – and then we will focus on the long term if need be.

Our boys are people to be proud of now.  They are finding that the trust built in Term 1 is paying dividends in a time of change.  This is a credit to your support at home and the daily upskilling of IT avenues for learning, as well as high expectations for organisation and workbooks.  Gone are the days of natural talent meaning achievements are pre-determined.  This is the age of 21st century skills, combined with consistency and diligence, in effort and application to learning, revising and studying.

There is resilience in our young men who have worked on Restorative Practice conversations – accountability, honesty and making amends.  We are finding that Circle Time means we believe that we are our brother’s keeper – we are as much responsible for ourselves as the person working/playing next to us.

Well Being lessons give us time to focus on Interiority – who are we, what do we believe, and how can we share our thoughts at this point in time? – that’s crucial to the validity of our feelings, sense of worth and belonging.  This week, a mother of a student working from home sent his class teacher and myself a photo of him fully dressed in his Villanova academic uniform, working at the table with pride and full commitment.  This meant the world to me and the staff.  We realise that our job goes far beyond the National Curriculum, Term 1 assessment and learning goals.  It extends to the spirit of belonging to a community.

We are going to treasure every facet of Villanova life in 2020, whether it be 1.5m apart from each other, via snapshots of glory in lounge rooms, or back yards. I challenge you, Junior School lads, to share your Villanova pride with us all.  It will keep us charged with the determination to outwit, outlast and outplay any virus.

Parents, we are here for you.  This is not a time for you to feel that you are overwhelmed, nor beyond your means or capabilities.  This is a time for balance and best efforts.  We will find the way through school and home life together.  Stay strong, simple and positive about the potential of working a little closer in spirit, whilst physically it might mean we are further apart.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

This week’s podcast focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it may affect our young people. My thanks to College Counsellor, Mr Adrian Hellwig for his involvement. Please click on the image to begin listening.

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Staying Active
With the announcement last week by the AIC Management Committee pertaining to the suspension of sporting activities until the end of Term Two due to continuing Covid-19 challenges, it is important that the young men who have dedicated considerable time and energy into pre-season programs respond positively to their disappointment and frustrations.

To support our students in staying physically and mentally active in the weeks and months ahead, Sports Psychologist Kurt Young outlines the SEEDS approach to maintaining a positive wellbeing:

Social: If physical contact with peers is limited, be proactive in setting up regular opportunities for social contact either face to face (facetime, skype) or virtually, i.e. team-based video games with online chat (in moderation).

Exercise: Maintain a regular routine for physical activity. If your training used to be at a specific time, try to exercise at that same time at home or in a safe outdoor space.

Education: Keep your mind actively focused on stimulating activities; consider picking up a new hobby or activity you have always wanted to try.  Google “fun activities catalogue” for ideas.

Diet: Avoid excessive consumption of junk food. Maintain a healthy eating plan, this will help with managing your mood and energy levels.

Sleep: Take the opportunity to rest and recover through this time. If stress is influencing your sleep, consider downloading a meditation app, i.e. headspace.

I strongly encourage all parents and caregivers to actively monitor the mood and temperament of our student athletes moving forward and if there are any concerns please contact either the Pastoral Area Leaders or myself so we can discuss ways to best support your son.

Building Positive Culture
During this time in which we are encouraged to remain indoors, it has prompted me to commence watching the much publicised and promoted new series on Amazon Prime, ‘The Test’ which focuses on the Australian Men’s Cricket Team. Subtitled, ‘A New Era for Australia’s Team’, the eight part documentary series offers a candid and intimate behind the scenes look at how one of the world’s most prestigious sporting teams fell from grace and how they reclaimed their integrity on the path to rebuilding their culture. In the second episode, captain Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer are seen facilitating a session regarding the formulation of values, attitudes and beliefs. They spoke of a legacy of ‘We Make Australian’s Proud’ that would be the cornerstone of their redemption from the infamy of the Cape Town scandal.

Langer speaks very directly to the playing group that ‘we have to stand for something’. The following expectations are shared by captain Paine to his teammates:

Elite Honesty
“It’s the Australian way as I know it, to look a person in the eye and tell them the truth. And to be brutally honest with yourself.”

Elite Learning
“I get out of bed every morning looking to get better.”

Elite Mateship
“We never leave a teammate behind and we always have each other’s back.”

Elite Humility
“We leave our egos at home.”

Elite Professionalism
“I always stay ready, so I never have to get ready.”

What takeaways were there for our context at Villanova College? These expectations are a wonderful expression of our gateway values- the mateship and friendship within community, the importance of honesty and humility in our character development and knowing who we are (interiority) as well as enduring passion for learning (search for truth). Positive culture building underpinned by a strength of College pride, is so vitally important within boys’ education and the formation of fine young men.

[Please note: For those wanting to watch the series, given the candid style of the production, there is some candid language]

Positive v Toxic Masculinity
Last week, Year 10 students completed their module on constructions of masculinity in their Formation Program. I thought I would share the link to one of the TED Talks used in this module by educator, author, activist, pastor and coach Joe Ehrmann. The video explores the underpinning values associated with toxic masculinity whilst outlining a positive vision for how we can change the social construction of masculine identity moving forward. This is work that our Senior School Pastoral Care Team is very passionate about. You can view the video by following this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVI1Xutc_Ws

“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Ministry Men of Morale
At our weekly planning meeting on Monday, Ministry Captain Isaak Collie made a perceptive comment: the change in the times calls for a different priority. We won’t be so much concerned with fund-raising as raising morale. (The Latin for Men of Morale is Homines Animum). We had a memorable meeting, discussing how, as St Augustine says, the attitude adopted has the power to shape the times we find ourselves in.

SVDP
Even as exams approach, and with appropriate social distancing, the student teams continue to put their shoulder to the wheel.  Tuesday saw about 40 students – across different rooms – preparing 23 hampers for delivery to local neighbours doing it tough at this time. Such is this thoughtfulness of the Villanova community, that the contents range from practical items, like loo rolls and pasta, to Easter treats, like Easter eggs. These hampers will be delivered by staff volunteers later this week, with the generous over-supply going to Emmanuel City Mission.

Indeed, two staff members, Ms Nicole Jones (Service Learning Co-ordinator) and Fr Saldie Resolado (Campus Minister) visited Emmanuel City last Saturday with supplies donated by our Year 9 students as part of their Lenten project.

YCS
The visit of several YCS students to the Junior School play areas last Friday was morale-boosting. It is wonderful to see Senior students dotted throughout the Junior School. These are the memories which stay with the younger students. If you ask the older students, they can nearly always remember the white shirts who visited them when they first started at the College.

Green Team
Partly owing to the “shoot like a GOAT” campaign (to collect recyclable bottles and cans), the large wire cage has been filled again, and was replaced on Tuesday. These funds during Lent will be shared by the Villanova ministries. I would like to once again mention the humbling generosity of Steve Henderson, of United Scrap Metal Traders (locally renowned for having the large whale movie prop). They are providing this service for us pro bono.

AFAS
Whilst the thought of not having social contact and co-curricular events is a little daunting, the conversations with friends at our Filipino sister schools reveal how deep the impact of the COVID-19 virus is in a country with far less infrastructure. Students who have finished their final exams in our three sister schools currently have no graduation ceremony:

• No schools are open
• Some schools in the Murcia area haven’t been able to finish their final exams
• Our Lady of Consolacion School in Murcia (sister school) finished their exams, but won’t have proper farewells for students and staff.

In this context it has been creative and generous of Dr Jurgen Landmann (a parent) to offer free flu vaccinations for 200 medical professionals, as well as for staff, and Year 11 and Year 12 students, in return for a contribution to AFAS.

Mark Coleridge, the Archbishop of Brisbane and president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said that the spread of coronavirus is just the latest test of the strength of communities across Australia. Click here to read his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and his message about discovering our shared humanity in this time.

Let us pause and pray as we arrive at a premature end to a term which began with bush fires and ended with Covid-19 virus. Firstly, we pray for this beautiful planet and our common home. May the time we spend away from school be a time for renewal, for creativity, for family, and for reflection. Secondly we pray for all those people affected by the Covid-19 virus: we pray for comfort and support for all who have lost employment, and all who are worried about their health or that of family members. May the Villanova community and the wider community stand together and stay strong as we journey towards Holy Week carrying these crosses together. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord, amen

Mr John Holroyd, Dean of Mission and Identity

Villanova College – AIC Cricket Champion School 2020

Back to Back Champions!
Last weekend marked the last official round of the AIC cricket, AFL and volleyball season for 2020 (although all games were cancelled). Much planning and preparation goes into each season to give each player an opportunity to develop their skills and enjoy the experience of playing schoolboy sport. Naturally the boys and their coaches are competitive and we as a College certainly do encourage all team members (players and coaching staff) to be the best they can be and to aim towards taking out premierships or aggregates if on offer. Although winning is not why we participate in sport there is no shame in proclaiming that we wish to be successful and go for the win if done in the correct manner.

At any level in sport it is ideal for all players, coaches and supporters to take their wins and losses gracefully. During this past term we had many teams who were able to take out premierships. We had some teams who just fell short and lost their last game and were unable to take out a premiership. We had some teams who were middle of the road in terms of results and some teams struggled all season. My personal belief is that the true success of a schoolboy sport season is gauged on the enjoyment experienced by each player and the relationship that each player has formed with his fellow teammates and coaches whilst participating. In the relatively short season we had, I believe the boys enjoyed their sporting experience. I congratulate everyone who got out there and got involved no matter the result. Well done!

Overall, Villanova managed to secure five AIC cricket premierships as well as securing the 2020 AIC Cricket Aggregate Shield for the second consecutive year. This is a fantastic achievement and one which our entire College is very proud. Our AFL players did extremely well again this year to produce two AFL premierships as well as our College coming fourth in the overall AFL Aggregate. Villanova produced four AIC volleyball premierships this year and we were placed fourth overall in the Volleyball aggregate which was a massive improvement on last year’s results. A more in-depth report for cricket, AFL and volleyball is below.

Congratulations to all players on a sensational season, particularly those players who gained a premiership. On behalf of the entire College I wish to thank and congratulate all the coaches, managers and all players who produced their best week in, week out for themselves and the College for Villa to have such a successful season. Well done to all!

AIC Sport – Term 3 and Term 4
By now all within our community would be aware that the AIC Management Committee late last week made the decision to cease all AIC sports activity in Term 2 of this year. This includes all games, training and all-pre-season activity for Term 3.

As a result, all AIC rugby, football, chess and cross country seasons have been suspended as well as our development programs for basketball and tennis for the entire term.

Further developments this week forced the closure of our College gym to all staff and students. This directly affects those involved with the Andrew Slack and Ben Mowen squads. Queensland Athletics have also issued a statement banning all training for groups over 10, all fun runs, all park runs etc, which has directly affected our cross-country program.

In order to encourage our boys to keep fit and healthy, the College, with the assistance of the coaches, have provided those boys with an alternative program to follow.  These programs are posted on the web under the AIC rugby and AIC cross-country sections.

Where to from here?
The AIC Directors of Sport will meet early next term to explore the remaining AIC calendar for Terms 3 and 4. As mentioned in last week’s Villa View, it would be premature for me to speculate what the outcome of this meeting will be and what the AIC calendar in Terms 3 and 4 will look like.

As a representative of Villanova College, I will be strongly advocating a position that our community would be in favour of promoting a sports program where maximum participation could be achieved. At the very least, I would be keen for our Year 11 and Year 12 boys to have some sort of rugby and football experience, if not the whole College. Villanova is very keen to protect our strong interests in basketball, with rugby league, tennis, cross-country, chess and track and field also to be considered.  However, I have the sense that something will have to give. When in a room where representatives from all schools are present, we are mindful to respect the thoughts and opinions of others and be willing to accept the groups decision which may not necessarily be our desired outcome. In any case, Villanova College will do its part to make the situation work for our boys.

Short tournament style events, mini seasons etc will all be put on the table and discussed. By early to mid-next term the College will hope to present the model which will be used for the remainder of the year.

Depending on where this virus may take us, we should be ready to face the possibility that Term 3 and Term 4 sport could also be in jeopardy.

The College will keep you posted as soon as further developments come to hand.

Villanova College Fitness Program – Year 5 – 12
During this time, it is important that we all take care of ourselves. Engaging in regular physical activity not only helps with our physical fitness levels it can help to enhance our general well-being, in particular, our mental health.

As mentioned, our cross country and rugby strength and conditioning coaches have already devised some self-training programs for the boys in those groups to follow. These are posted in the relevant sections on the website and can be used by anyone.

As from next week, the Sports Office will release a weekly fitness program for our community. This fitness program is designed so that all students from Year 5 – 12 can use in order to keep up their personal fitness levels up over the remainder of this term and next.

The weekly program will be posted every Monday within term time. We encourage all members of our community to look after themselves and each other during this time by engaging in some regular physical activity. Particularly when ‘screen time’ will no doubt increase over the coming months.

Volleyball Hire Shirts
All volleyball players are asked to return their volleyball hire shirts back to the Uniform Shop as soon as possible please.

AIC Cricket 
Mr Chris Everding, AIC Sports Co-ordinator

We all knew the cricket season was upon us when the rain came tumbling down early in the second week of term. It hasn’t happened before where two consecutive weekends were washed out but that’s how the season began. Round 1 against St. Edmund’s College and Round 2 against Padua College were grounded and it wasn’t until Round 3 against Iona College that we finally got under way. It was a tough round for our Junior School teams  losing 11 of the 12 matches, effectively wiping out any chance of an undefeated season. The results were the reverse for the older lads, winning 13 and losing seven and it was especially good for our aggregate teams winning 10 matches and losing two against traditionally strong Iona College.

Round 4 was against SPLC and our teams came up against many other Colleges on the day or played internal games. The Junior boys turned their losses from the previous round into wins and the older boys also continued to dominate, winning the aggregate games 9 – 1. Those wins put Villanova cricket teams into a positive frame of mind heading into our toughest round against Marist College Ashgrove.

The tide has been turning in recent years as to how our teams mentally approach rounds against Ashgrove and the boys aren’t spooked by Ashgrove, as teams of the past have been. It seems our players have grown in confidence as sportsmen and rise to the challenge when these fixtures come up. The results on the day showed that Ashgrove and Villanova shared the wins and losses, but the aggregate was where we really took them down winning eight of the 12 matches against their top players.

With two rounds remaining, our College was in a strong position to retain the Aggregate Shield and go back to back but SPC, who have some really strong cricket sides, were waiting for the clash. Rain during the week forced the cancellation of a number of games at Shorncliffe, which unfortunately sealed the fate of the 9As and the 7Bs. The only two games to go ahead at Shorncliffe resulted in losses and the firsts also came unstuck back at Villanova Park in a top of the table clash.

History will show that the spread of COVID-19 effectively ended the season, a week shorter than usual. Many games against SLC, our traditional rivals would have been ‘Grand Finals’, with the winners taking out premierships.

All up, four rounds of the season were played, and it was decided that premierships still be awarded. Congratulations must go to the Third XI, Fourth XI, 10A and 9B teams for securing aggregate premierships and the 6 Blue team for going through undefeated. The First XI, Second XI, 9A and 7B teams finished runners after all having strong seasons. Unfortunately, the washout against SPC in Round 6 meant that the 9As and 7Bs, who finished the season undefeated, ended up second because Padua, who won both those competitions, played in Round 6 and won.

Cricket Aggregate Champions 2020
Villanova has gone back to back in the cricket aggregate. Even though the win-loss ratio was relatively even in the four rounds played against other Colleges, it was the aggregate teams who performed very well and played some excellent cricket against, at times, very skilful opposition. Our boys took up the challenge to the best cricketers the other Colleges had, and they dominated the first three playable rounds against St. Peter’s Lutheran College, Iona College and Marist College Ashgrove. St. Patrick’s, who have been the big improvers in recent years, came at us in Round 6 and the aggregate scores were 4 – 3. Unfortunately,  a number of games were washed out in this round, which led to missed opportunities for our players.

Final placings and scores:

Villanova 76
Ashgrove 64.5
St. Laurence’s 60
St. Patrick’s 55
Iona 54
Padua 48
St. Peter’s 29
St. Edmund’s 12.5

To achieve an aggregate in any sport not only requires the top teams to ‘bat above their average’ and to have a lot of things go right but depth, and the C and D players working hard to knock on the door of B players to make them train harder and perform better. The planning for the AIC cricket season begins in Term 3 and then approximately 250 players represent the College in the local District Cricket Competitions (EDJCA and BEARS) in Term 4. The teams are coached by a band of qualified coaches lead by Nathan Dufty and they look after all of the skills sessions. This pre-season cricket program gets our boys well prepared for the AIC cricket competition and ready to challenge the top AIC Colleges for the aggregate. This is a great result for our College and a well-deserved reward for all our dedicated coaches.

2020 premiership teams
Third XI coached by Jamie Mullins
Fourth XI coached by Jason Trevethan
10A coached by Michael Dann
9B coached by Harry Short and Ethan Raymond
6 Blue coached by Joel O’Reilly

First XI cricket
The First XI squad began trialling in Term 4 and played a few games prior to heading to Melbourne for the Oblate Cup. The team finished second in this competition with two wins and a loss. Trials against Iona, Churchie, Terrace, a touring side from Adelaide and SPC, as well as a T20 competition at Padua all followed as they prepared to settle on their team for a Round 1 matchup against St. Edmund’s. Unfortunately, the rain meant no play was possible, so the coaches started looking at Round 2. It was going to be a big challenge as Padua had a very good pre-season and were priming themselves for this game. Again, the rain continued to fall and wiped out the entire round.

We finally managed to get on the field at Villanova Park against Iona College and steadily build a strong defendable total of 192 before ripping through the Iona batsmen to dismiss them for 96. St. Peter’s gave the boys a scare after grinding out 151, St. Peter’s came within 18 runs of victory before losing their last batsmen. Villanova did a great job in containing Ashgrove to 134 in Round 5 and lost six wickets on their way to passing the total.

Round 6 loomed as a classic match as both Villanova and SPC were the only undefeated teams after five rounds. Villanova posted a total of 142 and took a few early wickets to really put the pressure on the SPC batsmen but they just couldn’t remove a couple of stubborn SPC players who chipped away at the total before picking up the intensity and run rate after the drinks break and went on to win the match with three wickets in hand. The boys had their chances but finished runners up in the competition and should be proud of their efforts. They were so close to having a consecutive undefeated season and the disappointment was clearly visible at the conclusion of the match.

Thanks to Nathan Dufty for getting the boys into a position where they nearly achieved this goal and for his guidance with all of our coaches and players throughout the season. A large part of our success comes from Nathan tracking the boys from their younger years and bringing them through the system.

A massive thank you to our coaches, who have made the season run smoothly and allowed our students to get out and play each week. Thanks for assisting the boys improve their cricket skills and especially allowing them to enjoy the game of cricket and learn good sportsmanship.

Staff: Ben Lynam
Past Parents: Bruce Myers and Jamie Mullins
Current Parents:  Jason Trevethan, Andrew Walsh, Miles Burge, Ross Whitby, David Hollett, Robbie Gore, Cameron Anderson, David McMahon and John Godwin.

Over the years, there has been an increasingly large number of Old Boys who return and assist with the sports program. 40 Old Boys coached our cricket teams this year, which is an amazing number and on behalf of the Villanova community, I would like to thank them for their contribution to the development of our young men. Making the effort to give back to the College is appreciated by all but especially the students and the younger boys feel the impact more than anyone. Thanks to these Old Boys for your time and assistance:

George Myers, Josh Cole, Harry Stanfield, Jack Honan, Mitchell Cameron, Stuart Hooper, Harry Short, Ethan Raymond, Gus Clegg, James King, Tom Kinross, Jack Milner, Josh Schaumburg, Jack Challinor, Josh Fraser, Mackenzie Osborne, Matthew Short, Jake Perrier, Jack Fraser, Trent Foster, Joseph Roberts, Lachlan Kearney, Cooper Brien, Tim Hazlewood, Nathan Whitby, Will Vokes, James Muldoon, Jack Scully, Jacob Blacker, Will Stevens, Hunter Gapes, Alex Tornatore, Joel O’Reilly, George Stokes, Aidan Meredith, Harry Wilson, Luke Berridge, Matt Rolls and Harry Keay.

AIC Volleyball
Mr Todd Kropp, AIC Volleyball Co-ordinator

It was an unfortunate way to finish the season with a cancelled round but nonetheless It has been a very exciting season full of ups and downs, wins and losses, and a mix of long-term development and short-term success.

In my first appointment as the volleyball coordinator it was refreshing to be welcomed and accepted as part of the Villanova team. Returning to Sport after the Christmas break is no small task for our coaches. The season began with the pre-season training day where each team got the chance to ‘shake off the dust’ and set the standard for the season. From here, teams continued to train weekly with the focus on contributing to the program’s target of a more technical and tactical focus to our season. Only time will tell how our targets will fare on the court, but I am optimistic our approach and long-term plan will be the first step towards Villanova becoming a fierce competitor in AIC Volleyball.

Villanova volleyball entered 19 teams into the AIC Volleyball Competition in 2020 with four listed premierships awarded to our Second VI, 10C, 9C, and 7B teams. In addition to this, our 10C and 9C teams recorded undefeated seasons. Further, we had eight teams finish in top two places on the AIC ladder. I am pleased to announce that Villanova finished in fourth place on the aggregate table, improving from seventh place the preceding two years.

Most games throughout the season were won or lost by a set showing the competitiveness of AIC Volleyball. One highlight of the season for was going 6 – 6 in the aggregate in our round against Iona College, arguably the best volleyball school in AIC for the past few years. During the Iona round we exemplified what our program Is striving for, we played an aggressive style of volleyball, we weren’t intimidated by our opponent or surroundings and we were humble winners and gracious in defeat.

As a coach and co-ordinator, it was an honour to have worked with each of our teams throughout the season. It was truly a great experience to get the opportunity to work with John Christie and the First VI team as they competed. The season for the First VI team was truly an example of ups and downs. The training environment was always positive but sometimes we struggled to carry through to our matches.  We showed gradual improvement and as the season continued and we showed some belief that we could compete with the best. The belief for this team grew with the support from a number of other teams, working hard at training, and the record-breaking six assistant coaches taking to the bench each week. The final home round was played in Goold Hall against St Patrick’s College and we are proud to say they won their final AIC round however they did not win their final match as they were beaten 2 – 1 in their battle with the coaches, ultimately proving these young Jedi still have much to learn. I would like to thank Elijah Abraham and Tom Boxall for their efforts on the First VI leadership team. I would also like to thank our departing Year 12 students for their contribution to the volleyball program.

With another season over, Villanova volleyball begins to build again in readiness for the next. Before this can happen, we will have the opportunity to participate in several tournaments such as Primary Schools Cup, Junior Schools Cup and National Schools Cup. It is these outside competitions that players are able to hone their skills and to develop as team players for their respective teams.

I would like to thank all coaches for their time and patience in sharing their knowledge of the game to the players. Thanks, must also go to the players and their parents especially, who attend each game to give support and encouragement during games each week of the season. There is a number of parents who helped in the canteen, cooked the barbecue, as well as preparing other foods to feed the hordes of people who attended the games.

An extra special thanks to Robyn Gunning and Simone Cole for their tireless efforts to ensure the canteen is up and running each home game and to our First VI parents for their effort in preparing post-match lunches. Last but certainly not least, a thank you to each one of our boys who showed up each week, trained hard and gave their best on the court under the guidance of their coaches.

AIC AFL
Mr Adam Fry, AIC AFL Co-ordinator

What an unforgettable season 2020 AFL has been. In between washed out trainings and games and more recently the current health crisis, it has certainly been a very unique and challenging season. What we can be proud of is the hard work and dedication over 150 Villanova men displayed when representing the college. To accomplish a top four finish in the aggregate, we displayed that we had some fantastic wins, but still have some improvement moving into 2021. A huge effort to our teams with our Year 8/9s, 7s and 6A’s all finishing second. We must applaud however our 6Bs and 5As on an outstanding undefeated season, which shows the strength of our Juniors coming through.

Our Open team took another great leap in their development throughout the season with so many Year 11 and Year 10 boys backing up week in, week out – we have a lot to look forward to in 2021. It must be mentioned the outstanding game the boys produced in what turned out to be our final fixture. Against St Patrick’s College with five minutes left, we had the chance to run over the top of what turned out to be the eventual premiers of the Open competition. Unfortunately, a few skill errors and lapse in concentration gave them that final edge to beat our men by only one kick. What it does prove, is that our players coming through have what it takes to compete and beat the best. Take this final game into our pre-season and you will achieve a far greater feat next year.

I would like to thank all the parents for your continual support and running around for each boy to ensure that we had such a successful season. I would also like to thank Craig, Todd, Anthony and Chris in the Sports Office for all your work behind the scenes.  Finally, I would like to say a massive thank you to all coaches Brian Pascoe, Jared Pascoe, Darren Fazldeen, Greg O’Neill, Matt Conlan, Liam Grace, James Dent and Benji Lynch for their hard work and dedication to these players throughout the season. Without our coaches our season would not have been even close to what it was, and the boys thoroughly enjoyed having you all show them your skill and commitment to the cause.

It has been an unforgettable season of Villanova AFL and that would not have been possible without all our players putting in one hundred percent week in, week out. I look forward to trials and training getting underway at the end of 2020 and cannot wait for round one in 2021.

AIC Chess
Mrs Sally England, AIC Chess Co-ordinator

AIC Chess has been cancelled for the season, as have all practice sessions and trial games for Junior, Intermediate and Senior.  If the season returns later in the year further information will be distributed at that time.

AIC Cross Country
Due to the cancellation of training and the season ahead, please visit the AIC Cross Country section on the College’s website to view a complete training schedule designed by our coaches for students to follow in the effort to maintain their fitness levels during this period of time.

Ben Mowen and Andrew Slack Strength and Conditioning
The College has now closed the gym for all staff and students. Our strength and conditioning coach, Mr Michael Walsh has devised a  strength and conditioning program for all squad members to follow during this closure so as the boys can keep up their general fitness levels.

If any member of the squad has access to gym equipment at their homes, you are able to email Michael Walsh directly with a list of equipment you have and he will devise a special program for you to follow on top of what has been offered.

Representative Sport
Well done to Nick Craig who recently competed at the National Beach Volleyball Championships at Coolangatta. Nick’s team secured a gold medal in the Under 15’s division.  In fact, they won all of their games and didn’t give away any sets.  This is a fantastic achievement by Nick and his team!

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

A message from a wise man…
Dr Tim Lautzenheiser is a wonderful educator from the United States of America and someone I have had the honour of meeting a number of times.  Dr Tim spends much time travelling across America sharing student leadership and personal development opportunities with music students and teachers of all ages and backgrounds.  This video was posted to youtube recently, shortly after schools across the U.S. went into immediate lock down.  Whilst his message comes from a different country and possibly experience, I believe that much of his message is valuable to our students and their families now.

I wish you all good health and look forward to a time where we may again work together in person.  In the meantime, let’s embrace these challenges and look to where the opportunities are for growth and development in a challenging time.  Gents, you are living through a historic time – how will you set your sails?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MwWVkBBREw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2MqeaK_1s6fHSkvhEVFhxOxK4WsqGbMtchFoo4n21Pmg6Fgpa5N1bu2w4

Ensemble lessons and rehearsals
I would like to take a moment to thank all students and families for their continued support through this period of change and uncertainty.  We have been working hard to ensure that we maintain contact with the students and continue the work they undertake in the music department here at Villanova.  We have developed solutions for our Year 5 Immersion Program and our Private and Group instruction.  We will be in contact with families regarding the delivery of ensemble contact time very soon.

Debut Concert Series
With the development of events, unfortunately we are a little behind in sharing our debut concerts with families.  As soon as this is complete, I will share on a protected platform with all students involved.  Thank you for your patience here.

Thank you all for your continued support of Villanova Music.  We hope that we can continue to be of service to you and your son as we navigate this challenging time together.

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

Langlands House History:  The Connah Family
Thomas William CONNAH was born on November 2, 1843 at Birkenhead, England.  After training as a bookkeeper and accountant in his father’s office, Thomas came to Brisbane in 1866 working for Bright Bros and Co, then joining the public service as an Audit Office Clerk in 1873.  After a series of positions in the public service he was appointed as Auditor-General in November 1907.

On 9 March 1871 Connah married Emma Barton Heywood, who had also come to Australia from England.  Together they had three sons and two daughters.  In 1886 they purchased Langlands House as their family home.  Their home at Langlands demonstrated a way of life, taste and custom of the late 19th century.  It was originally built for a wealthy Brisbane businessman, who wanted to escape out of the inner-city suburbs to a rural landscape.  There was a tennis court and flower gardens, pasture land and crops.  Servants were part of the lifestyle as were a horse and buggy to reach the ferry terminal or tram stop to visit the city, call on friends and go to church.

The Connah family on the steps of Langlands House

Langlands aimed to impress with its chimneys, acroteria, decorative frieze, imported cast iron lace, wide verandahs, lattice fence enclosures and gardens.  The roof, as viewed from the front elevation, is hipped and originally clad in slate.  Brisbane homes of the late 1800’s often had chimneys, and one was essential for the detached kitchen.  Only the wealthy had them for all the family bedrooms and formal rooms, as typified by Langlands.

Every room had two openings allowing ingress and egress to the interior or exterior of the house.  The front windows are full length, double-sash, while the side verandah openings are French doors that all open onto the wide verandah allowing good ventilation.  All interior and exterior doors and openings are surmounted by fan lights.

Thomas Connah died of a heart attack in his office on 2 November 1915 and was buried in the South Brisbane cemetery.  His widow negotiated the sale of Langlands with the Roman Catholic Church, and on 16 April, 1916 sold it for £4,600.