Villa View: Issue 30/21

Dear Members of the Villanova College Family,
It is great to be back with the community at Villanova College. Over four weeks I travelled almost 8,000 kilometres in the outback of Queensland, Northern Territory and the top part of South Australia. Tourism is the lifeblood of many of these remote communities and the pandemic has provided mixed blessings.  While the number of visitors to these regions has exploded, businesses cannot attract staff, especially hospitality staff and many pubs and cafes have had to close. Despite the hardships, the country people remain optimistic and upbeat for a positive future.

I thank Mr Steven Bremner and members of the College Leadership Team for their care of the College in my absence. Each member of the team took on additional duties and I am grateful for their support.

Music Concerts
Last night the Music Department hosted the Bands Gala Concert and once again the students performed to the highest standard. I congratulate our musicians and Music staff for their perseverance, determination and persistence in making sure the ‘show goes on’ despite restrictions on numbers and the uncertainty COVID brings to any planning.

Over the past eighteen months there has been many concerts cancelled and opportunities for students to perform have been limited. Despite these setbacks the students and staff have keep to the discipline of practice and we look forward to celebrating their performances over the remainder of the year.

AIC Track and Field Championships
The AIC Track and Field Championships will commence tomorrow and continue on Saturday at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre (QSAC).  Our team has been training for several months and we are confident our athletes will do their very best representing the College. We wish the team every success and thank the coaches and managers for their guidance of the students.

Mask Wearing and Vaccinations
We will continue to remind students of the need to wear their mask correctly when on school grounds and in classrooms and when travelling to and from the College on public transport. The Queensland Government has continued to roll out venues and supplies of COVID vaccines and I am aware many of our students have received the vaccine.

Year 12 2021
Next Friday our Year 12 students will attend a special assembly to be farewelled from the College community. We are finalising details of the assembly in light of current restrictions and will communicate with families early next week. The assembly will be live streamed so that families can be a part of this special occasion.

Our Year 12 students have only a handful of days left in the classroom before they move to their External Exams which commence on Friday 22 October. Please keep our Year 12 students and their families in your prayers.

Stem Garden Project
Over the September break students from the STEM Club undertook the project to transform the area behind Good Council classrooms into an outdoor teaching space. With the support of Mrs Shannon Lynam, Ms Kate Alexander and Louise Wilson (mother of Seb) the area has been transformed into a great teaching space for classes to use. Great work from the STEM Club. Special thanks to Adam White (father of Will) from Dorset Bottega for their generous donation of time, staff, materials and expertise.

Prayers
We keep in our prayers the family of Judge Angelo Vasta who passed away last week. We also keep in our prayers Mrs Juanita Jacobs and Oliver Jacobs (Year 8) following the death of Juanita’s father-in-law and Oliver’s great grandfather, Bert Jacobs last week.

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

God bless

Mr Mark Stower, 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. 

There are incredible post-holiday vibes around the Junior School this week.  Spring has sprung!  Stories of hikes in national parks, bikes at local parks, beach and camping trips, some even venturing as far as Darwin for basketball to watch their big brother win gold at the National Championships – the fact that we could embrace the holidays was a blessing.  I have nothing but gratitude for the chance to relax and renew my enthusiasm for Term 4, notorious for being fast and furious.

We have eight weeks left to enjoy the relationships formed over the past three terms.  It’s safe to say that a lot of changes and growth have taken place this year, and there will be a special few that have saved their best for last.  The students who do shine this term can often be some of the most unexpected.  There are young men who have nurtured a slow burn for learning and perhaps there’s a spark about to ignite.  For others, they have worked conscientiously and yet hit obstacles that somehow meant their dream results were just out of reach.  Maybe this term they find the change that matters – by trusting their teachers whole-heartedly, accepting the helping hand of parents or being brave enough to ask peers for guidance during lessons.  When a change makes a positive difference, this can set off a chain of experiences that see a student motor towards the finish line.

These precious first few weeks matter greatly if we hope for shifts in student achievement.  Lifts in academic grades need a team effort and commitments must be made.  The reality is that the boys have the resources at their fingertips – OneNote, workbooks, textbooks and the internet which gives unlimited resources by typing in a year level, subject and/or topic.  Yet the most significant resources are people – because if we communicate, check in, encourage and praise each other, then the outcomes are exponential.  Students will build confidence and belief in themselves.  Teachers sustain energy and enthusiasm for planning, teaching/learning and reflection to keep providing dynamic experiences.  Parents will feel informed in how best to help their sons – and find comfort in the best efforts being all that matters.  It is never too late to ask for help, offer help or accept help.

Our best wishes are with the AIC Track and Field squad members for this Friday and Saturday’s competition.  After two months of specific training with sprints, middle distance, hurdles, long jump, high jump and shot put, our Year 5 and Year 6 students are ready to represent Villanova College.  There is something incredibly brave about sport at an individual level.  It requires grit and determination to perform to capacity on one day – that perfect combination of health, absence of injuries and the ability to manage the weather conditions.  It is about putting themselves on show – against the clock or tape measure – for the glory of a podium finish.  Sometimes it’s very much about getting a PB – shaving seconds off or adding on those crucial centimetres that mean as much glory as any colour of medal.  There is so much satisfaction up for grabs – gentlemen we wish you all the very best!

Our Focus of the Week is to “get the little things right”.  Manners, turn taking, helping out – making our community the best it can be.  We have high expectations in Term 4, and we expect the boys to finish strongly, right up until Friday of Week 8.

Our Senior Mentors have only two more mornings with us before they embark on their final exams in secondary school EVER!  Whilst our Year 5 and Year 6 students can’t fathom the idea of ever finishing school, the reality is we should enjoy every single day and cherish the moments we share together.  These are precious times, filled with so many moments that are worth recognising and acknowledging.  May Term 4 bring us all some moments of joy and achievement.

Mr Stephen Rouhliadeff, Head of Junior School

So much has changed over the past 18 months. ‘Pivot’ used to be a skill I’d teach my basketball team. ‘Agility’ was discussed in sporting contexts. ‘QR codes’ were strange little symbols that occasionally appeared on packaging. ‘Face masks’ were worn in a surgical theatre, and I’d keep my passport handy just in case there was an unexpected opportunity to pop overseas.

Amongst the increasing literature that has emerged about how the pandemic has also changed our practice in so many contexts, there are items about how we socially interact, and how schools and businesses operate.

This week the new James Bond movie premiered in many countries throughout the world. One article [in Forbes Magazine] about the film’s release which caught my interest was entitled, “Management Lessons from James Bond, For the Post-COVID World”.

The author of the article, Thomas Roulet, highlights the need for businesses to learn from the pandemic and find ways of flourishing in a post-Covid world. Roulet draws upon the release of the new Bond film, which had been delayed several times in order to maximise revenue and viewership. He speaks of organisational culture and routines:

“Organisational culture, for example, from the everyday workplace rituals to the symbols and artefacts representing a firm, has been disrupted by the COVID pandemic and the shift to remote work. Yet, organisational culture has been proven to be a strong driver of performance and can account for significant differences within an industry. In the same vein, routines or the typical ways of “doing things” in organisations may be seen as an enemy of innovation. In this context, the erosion of routines with the COVID disruption may be a blessing. Yet, the extensive research on routines in organization theory shows that they can paradoxically provide a solid support for change and foster an organizational memory in which firms’ competitive advantages are encoded.”

In our context, two themes from Roulet’s piece have relevance for our young men and are worthy of our reflection.

• How do we develop resilience in our young people to ensure they can adapt to an everchanging world?
• What soft skills (and metacognitions) do we need to foster in our young to ensure they flourish?

As our fourth and final term of the school year commences, our boys will be undoubtedly called upon to use some of these skills: resilience, perseverance, self-awareness, agility and relationship management to negotiate the challenges that Term 4 can present.

Mr Greg O’Neill, Head of Middle School

Finishing Well
With what seemed like an extraordinarily long third term, punctuated with a week of learning@home, we now turn to the usual intensity associated with the fourth term sprint to finish off another academic year. In speaking with Senior School students throughout the week, I have stressed the importance of returning to disciplined study routines and focusing on finishing the year well, especially for our Year 12 students who are in the final phase of preparation for their external examinations. I would like to affirm those students who attended the College last week in the St Thomas of Villanova Learning Centre to either meet with staff or collaboratively study with their peers. Furthermore, I would like to thank those Year 12 teachers who generously gave of their time to conference with students regarding their mock examination performance.

Whilst the term is short, there is much to achieve this term, especially for our Year 11 students who have been challenged to step up and embrace their leadership responsibilities and commence their Unit 3 studies with a heightened sense of purpose and dedication. The importance of setting a strong foundation this term will be paramount for our Year 11 students in order to move into Year 12 with confidence and momentum.

Year 10 Day of Reflection
The curveballs of Covid continue to be thrown our way in that the return to Stage 2 restrictions has meant that we have had to again postpone our Year 10 Day of Reflection to later this term. Both Mr Sean O’Neill and I understand the frustration associated with the cancellation of the last two camps for this cohort, so we are determined to provide this opportunity for our Year 10 students.

Battle of the Rock Bands
This Friday night, three of our Year 12 students, James Lewis, Tyler Castles and Aidan Pedrina-O’Connor will represent our College at the Battle of the Rock Bands Competition at Clairvaux MacKillop College. These fine young musicians, collectively The Rentons, will perform a four-song set and I wish them every success. It would be wonderful if our College community could get behind these young men and attend this event. I thank Mrs Belinda Tucker, their Year 12 music teacher, for her endless passion and support of our talented musicians. 

12 Questions That Will Change Your Life
Over the holiday period, I had the opportunity to indulge in some quality reading. One of my favourite authors is Ryan Holiday and I am currently reading his book ‘Stillness is the Key’- the third in his series of books inspired by the ancient Stoic philosophers. I have subscribed to his blog and his recent post- ’12 Questions that Will Change your Life’ was wonderfully thought-provoking and resonated strongly with me. I would like to share these questions with you now and encourage you to wrestle with them within your heart of hearts:

1. Who Do You Spend Time With?
2. Is this in My Control?
3. What Does Your Ideal Day Look Like?
4. To Be or Not to Be?
5. If I Am Not For Me, Who Is? If I Am Only For Me, Who Am I?
6. What Am I Missing By Choosing To Worry Or Be Afraid?
7. Am I Doing My Job?
8. What Is The Most Important Thing?
9. Who Is This For?
10. Does This Actually Matter?
11. Will This Be Alive Or Dead Time?
12. Is This Who I Want To Be?

“Every night before going to sleep, we must ask ourselves: what weakness did I overcome today? What virtue did I acquire?” – Seneca

Mr Matt Levander, Head of Senior School

Living Gratefully and Walking Humbly!
Welcome back to Term 4!  It is always the term that goes the fastest in the school year and it is full of so many community occasions that mark significant events in the lives of our students and their families.  The Australian Church too is in a significant time of listening and talking together through our Plenary Council.  The last one was in 1937…. yes, it’s been a long time, and this one REALLY matters to the future of the Church which is, let’s face it, swamped with challenges.  This council is examining the question of where the Church might be in the future?  Or even where we should be?  It is a spiritual question, not a political one.  It requires us to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and this will free us to become the prophetic Church we are called to be.

I have been fortunate to spend time with Dr Maeve Heaney VDMF at a couple of conferences and along with being a wonderful storyteller and theologian, she is also a fantastic musician who speaks about how music assists us in connecting with the sacred in our lives.  She is a lecturer at ACU and part of a new order of Religious within the Catholic Church.  I really encourage you to listen to her brief explanation of the significance of our Plenary Council and to follow what unfolds in the coming weeks.  Dr Heaney underlined that the world is watching how Australia, with our great theologians, will be working and thinking together, creatively and intelligently, for the future of the church in Australia.

Anticipating the Plenary Council – Dr Maeve Louise Heaney VDMF – Archdiocese of Brisbane (brisbanecatholic.org.au)

Please also consider joining prominent broadcaster and Catholic Geraldine Doogue for her new podcast, Plenary Matters.  She’ll be speaking to other Catholics who are interested in shaping a new, modern Church.

Preview: Plenary Matters | Plenary Matters (zencast.website)

Hopefully these will provide some great conversation around your dinner table over the coming weeks.  Indeed, it could be a very interesting conversation for a multi-generational conversation when you have grandparents also gathered for a meal.

Forming Fine Young Men at Villanova College
See below for the overview of plans in Identity and Mission for Term 4.  There are plenty of opportunities for involvement!

Mass Readings at Home
Please use this link to access this week’s mass from the Plenary Council.

An opportunity for Married Couples

Worldwide Marriage Encounter invites couples, priests and religious to a Marriage Encounter Weekend to enrich and revitalise your Sacrament.  It gives you the opportunity to grow in your relationship with your spouse or your community.

Virtual weekend via Zoom, 22 October 2021 to 24 October 2021, commencing at 7pm on Friday – concluding at 4pm Sunday.  Contact Julie and Zyg Staszyc: 0437 388 513  Email: sabookings@wwme.org.au

Ms Kate Garrone, Dean of Mission and Identity

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

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

The AIC Track and Field Championships will run over a two-day period commencing tomorrow at QSAC. An AIC Track & Field meeting was held on Wednesday of this week in order to announce the team and to hand out all the necessary information. Please note – we have had changes to the team since yesterday, please log into the Parent Lounge or Student Café portals to view the updated team under the links tab. I wish all our athletes the very best over the Championship period. Please read below more information pertaining to the Track and Field Championship.

Our First VI Volleyball squad started training in Week 9 of Term 3 with an extended squad of 16 boys. Our teams will be training hard on the court during Term 4 and will test their skills in some pre-season matches during the Christmas holiday break against some very strong volleyball schools.

Villa’s ‘Emerging Cricket Talent Squad’ recommences their cricket training program this week. The coaching staff are very excited by the attendance and positive attitude given by all players. We wish this playing group all the best over the coming cricket season.

The Andrew Slack rugby squads will commence their strength and conditioning program next week followed by the field sessions being introduced later next year. The Ben Mowen squads will commence their program early next year. The First XI and Second XI Football squad will commence their first trial sessions towards the end of this term. More information regarding the football program will be given in the weeks to come.

We have a few teams across the college competing in the various AFL, basketball and volleyball schools cup competitions throughout the term. More details regarding these tournaments are found below. Updates will be given throughout the term.

During Week 5 of this term, we will commence all cricket, AFL and volleyball trials in the hope to get all teams selected before we break for Christmas. After the trial week we have organised several important internal and external trial games to further assist our coaches with team selections. Please see below for important dates.  Note – Year 6 students 2022 (current Year 5 students) will have their AFL and cricket trials held in Week 3 this term on Monday 18 and Wednesday 20 October after school.

An online sign-on form will be made available to all students next week who wish to participate in the 2022 Term 1 AIC sporting program. Please see below for further information.

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

Please Return Basketball Hire Singlets and Rugby League Hire Jerseys
We ask all players from Year 7 – 12 to return their rugby league hire jersey/basketball hire singlets to the Uniform Shop as soon as possible please. Could all Year 5 and Year 6 students either hand their jersey/singlet to the Junior School Office or the Sports Office please.

VILLANOVA AFL
AFL Schools Cup
Next week will see our mighty Year 6 AFL team head up to Maroochydore to compete in the AFLQ Schools Cup. These boys automatically qualified following a successful undefeated AIC season at the beginning of the year. All 18 players and their families have been notified that on 15 and 16 October they will require to wear their Villanova shorts and socks. The boys will be provided with a playing jumper and will be required to find their own way to Maroochydore next Friday. The schedule has also been emailed to parents but for those who haven’t seen it, our first game is at 12 noon on Friday and will require players to be at the ground by 11.15am to ensure they are ready to go.We are excited to continue the success of the Villanova AFL program and look forward to a great carnival. Mr Adam Fry, AFL Co-ordinator

AIC AFL (open to all students from Year 5 – 12)
In Term 1 2022, AFL will be offered to all students from Year 5 – 12. As from Term 1 2022 the following AFL teams will be on offer.

• Year 5 and Year 6 – Depending on numbers we will increase the teams to up to three teams in each year level (A, B and C). Games will be played Saturday morning throughout Term 1. Year 5 and Year 6 students can choose to play cricket or AFL but not both.
• Year 7 – Only one team will be entered in the competition. These games will take place on Saturday morning during Term 1. Year 7 boys can choose to play AFL or cricket or volleyball as they are all played on Saturday.
• Year 8 – Only one team will be entered in the competition. These games will take place on Saturday morning during Term 1. Year 8 boys can choose to play AFL or cricket or volleyball as they are all played on Saturday.
• Year 9 and Year 10 – Only one combined Year 9 and Year 10 team will be offered. This game will be played on Saturday mornings next year. The Year 9 and Year 10 students can choose to play AFL or cricket or volleyball as they are all played on Saturday.
• Year 11 and Year 12 (Open Team) – Only one combined Year 11 and Year 12 team will be offered. This game will be played on Friday afternoons/evenings. Year 11 and Year 12 students can play AFL and cricket or volleyball as these two sports are played on Saturday.

2022 VILLANOVA CRICKET, AFL, SWIMMING AND VOLLEYBALL SIGN ON AND TRIALS
All students from Year 5 – 12 who are interested in representing Villanova in AIC Cricket (Year 5 – 12), AFL (Year 5 – 12) and Volleyball (Year 7 – 12 only) in 2022 must complete an online ‘AIC Sport Sign-On Form’. The online sign-on link will be available to all students from Year 5 – 11 next week via the website as well as a message to be placed over the College App with online link details. Students entering the College in 2022 have been sent the sign-on information during the September holidays.

Please note:

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

Date Claimers

• AFL and Cricket trials for students entering Year 6 in 2022 will take place on Monday 18 and Wednesday 20 after school at Little Langlands from 3.15 – 4.30/45pm
• Trials for Years 7 – 12 students (2022) will commence on the week beginning Monday 1 November (Week 5) as per schedule below
• Further Internal cricket games/trials will be held on Sunday 7 November for all teams from Year 7 – 12 (2022)
• Further Internal volleyball/AFL trials will be held on Saturday 6 November for all teams from Year 7 – 12 (2022)
• Volleyball trial matches v Iona on 13 November
• Volleyball trial matches v SLC on 20 November
• AFL trials are organised v Iona and SLC for certain teams after trial week, confirmation of dates will be posted next week.
• All specific times and venues TBA

Initial AFL, Cricket and Volleyball Trial Schedule – Week 5

Note – Further AFL, Volleyball and Cricket trials will be held on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 November, as listed in the information (date claimers) above. All players must attend both the trial held during the week and weekend to be selected. Specific times and venues for these trials held on the weekend will be given at a later stage.

AIC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Villanova’s 2021 AIC Track and Field Team are very much looking forward to competing at the annual AIC Track and Field Championships which will be held this Friday 8 and Saturday 9 October at the Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre (QSAC).

The team’s preparation has been encouraging and we are looking forward to a successful carnival. Unfortunately, not everyone who has trained will get the chance to compete on Friday and Saturday. However, we believe that all those who have trained are important members of the 2021 AIC Track and Field Team, therefore all squad members who have trained throughout the season are invited to attend the carnival with the competing team as a spectator/reserve.

A final team list is posted in the Parent Lounge and Student Cafe portals. Simply log in as normal to these portals. Select the ‘Links’ tab from the top tool bar. From the drop-down menu, select the ‘Team Lists & Weekly Schedule’ tab to view the documents. All team members and reserves listed are invited to attend the carnival. We are keen for all athletes and reserves to attend Day 2 (even though they may have had their event on Day 1) as we are keen for all boys to be present for the photo in the morning and to support the team on the major day of competition.

Please find some information below regarding the event schedule, bus departure times, uniform requirements etc.  Due to Covid restrictions there will be a strict spectator limit of only two parents per athlete and up to 50 students per College. Although parents may attend the event it is a requirement that all student athletes on both days arrive at the College and use the bus service provided to the venue. This is to ensure the staff account for all boys and the entire team is present for photos. Parents may collect their son from the venue if they are in attendance.

AIC Track and Field Championship Schedule

Day 1: Friday 8 October, 1.15pm – 5.00pm
Main Stadium – QSAC, Kessels Road, Nathan

Transport: Bus departs Villanova College from Sixth Avenue at 12 noon and will return to the College by 5.30pm

Day 2: Saturday 9 October,  8.30am – 2.00pm
Main Stadium – QSAC, Kessels Road, Nathan

Team Photo:  All athletes are to assemble/meet in the quadrangle at Villanova College at 6.45am for a team photo
Transport: Bus departs Villanova College from Sixth Avenue at 7.15am and will return to the College by 2.30pm.

All members of the team must arrive at the College by 6.45am on Saturday ready for a 7.15am departure on the team bus. All athletes are to meet on the quadrangle for a team photo before boarding the bus. Boys are to ensure they have eaten beforehand and have all the necessary food, drink and equipment for the day.  The first event on the program for Day 2 begins at 8.45am (Open 3000m).

Uniform: All athletes are required to wear the full Villanova College athletic uniform. Boys who are not competing may wear their team shirt and green PE shorts.

Competing athletes must wear the following:

• Villanova athletics singlet
• Villanova white athletic shorts
• Villanova team shirt (COMPULSORY)
• Villanova sports cap (green)

The boys will need to bring the following;

• Hat/sunscreen/wet weather gear (if required)
• Water bottle/s
• Food (fruit, sandwiches)
• Lunch will not be provided on Saturday 9 October – A canteen service will not be available, boys must bring their own food
• Please avoid junk food such as chips and milk drinks
• Other sportswear i.e., spikes

The team bus will return to the College at the completion of the presentations on Day 2 by approximately 2.30pm.

Our congratulations to Louis Henderson who has been selected as the Team Captain for 2021. Louis has led by example with his commitment to Villanova’s athletics program.
Thank you for supporting your son during the track and field season this year.  I am sure all boys will give their best on Friday and Saturday this week and we look forward to an enjoyable and successful couple of days.

AIC Track & Field – Live Results
Please use the link below to view the live results for all events at this year’s AIC Track & Field Championships.
Link – https://liveresults.qldathletics.org.au/schools/2021/AIC/index.htm

Note – with recent security updates behind the scenes in browsers you may get a security warning about the website not being safe, if you do there will be an advanced link that will let you choose to continue.

ZONE CRICKET
The Zone cricket competition begins this Saturday and Villanova has entered 13 teams in the competition. It is encouraging to see so many students wanting to develop their cricket before the AIC season kicks off early next year. This pre-Christmas competition will only benefit the cricket program and also have a positive impact on all players. A massive thank you needs to go out to Jeff Ilka and Ross Whitby for their work behind the scenes, as well as the team coaches for getting the season up and running. The organising of team lists, fields and attending meetings to go into bat for Villanova Cricket Club has taken up a lot of their time.

Players are to wear their Villanova cricket whites and a wide brimmed hat. There will be no kit supplied to teams and players are to have their own equipment.

All team lists are available on Parent Lounge and Student Cafe portals. Simply log in as normal to these portals. Select the ‘Links’ tab from the top tool bar. From the drop-down menu, select the ‘Team Lists & Weekly Schedule’ tab to view the documents. If you have not been in contact with your team manager, could you please do so before Round 1 starts this Saturday to provide your contact details and to set up rosters for umpiring and scoring. The draws for all teams are available on either the EDJCA for U11 and U12 or BEARS cricket websites.

In case of bad weather, parents are to contact their team manager. Notices for zone cricket will not be placed on the College App.

VILLANOVA SWIMMING
Mrs Juanita Jacobs, AIC Swimming Co-ordinator

The swimming preseason is underway with a reasonable group of approximately 50 swimmers in the pool each morning.  We will certainly be looking at building on those numbers as quickly as possible in preparation for the season.  It is important that swimmers begin training as early as possible, so they have the fitness and technique behind them to swim strongly at the AIC Swimming Championships held in 2022.  If there are any problems with attending training, please email Mrs Jacobs and discuss the concerns jjacobs@vnc.edu.au  We encourage all swimmers to be present on Friday mornings each week, so that we can unite as a team and build success together. Training session times are as below:

It is important that students are present at the pool at least 10 minutes prior to the start time.

AIC WATER POLO
Villanova will enter teams in the AIC Water Polo Competition in Term 4. Games will be played over a one-day tournament at Somerville House on Sunday 24 October.

All students who wish to participate in the AIC Water Polo Competition must sign up using the sign on sheet available in the foyer of Goold Hall outside the Sports Office. The draw is yet to be finalised. However, the following teams will be nominated – Year 7, Year 8/9, Year 10/11.  There is no competition for Year 12 students.  To be eligible to play water polo, you must also have been a member of the AIC swim team in Term 1.

You must be able to commit to at least one training session after school before the competition and be available for the day of the competition – Sunday 24 October.

If you did not swim for the school this year, and wish to play, please speak to Mrs Jacobs.  If there is a place in the team, you will be allowed to fill the gaps on a first in basis, but you will not be guaranteed a position.

BASKETBALL REPORT – QUEENSLAND SCHOOLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Mr Sean O’Neill, AIC Basketball Co-ordinator

During the Term 3 holiday break the First V Basketball Team competed in the Queensland  Schools Basketball Championship. The team competed in Championship Division against the top 20 schools from all over Queensland in a very tough competition. Throughout the pool games the boys did an exceptional job with three wins and a draw. The draw was a heartbreaker with Hillcrest College down by three with five seconds to play only for them to shoot a tough contested three-pointer. This was crippling for the Villanova team as it went back to for-and-against, and we were two points under Hillcrest so were relegated to the 9th to 16th pool.

The boys were devastated as they knew they could compete against the very best in the state but alas, it was not to be. The boys rallied around each other and bounced back to win their remaining games over the weekend to come ninth. This is no small feat with the calibre of players and teams from all over Queensland competing. To end with five wins, one draw and our only loss to The Southport School who were the eventual gold medal winners.

A special mention must go to the parents for their tremendous support of the program to the coaching staff who took days off work to ensure they were available to help this team prepare and play at their highest level. A huge thanks to the Year 12’s who played their last game for the Wildcat’s Basketball Program and helped to propel us into a basketball force in QLD. The Junior (Year 9 and Year 10) and Sophomore (Year 7 and Year 8) compete next week in the same competition, and we look forward to hearing the results as they are also competing in Championship Division.

VILLANOVA SPORTS AWARDS
The College has commenced the process of selecting the Villanova College Sportsman of the Year Award as well as the Father Tom Mescall Award for Excellence in Sport. Mr Stariha has spoken to all Year 12 students after the College assembly today regarding the process of selection and the selection criteria.

Students wishing to nominate for either award must see Mr Stariha to complete a ‘Sporting Involvement Form’. This form will also be available on the web within the ‘Locker Room’ section. All nomination forms are to be handed directly to Mr Stariha by next Friday 15 October please.

Villanova College Sportsman of the Year Description
The Paul Finnimore Memorial Shield for Sportsman of the Year is awarded to a Year 12 student who has made an outstanding contribution to the College’s sporting program. The student will have represented the College in a minimum of three sports during their senior year displaying not only outstanding sporting ability but also exemplary sportsmanship and conduct.  Of these three sports there must be a combination of both individual and team sports. The recipient of the Sportsman of the Year Award would not be in contention for the Father Tom Mescall Award.

Criteria

• Success in sport representing Villanova in the AIC competition as well as any other representative honours
• Breadth of participation representing Villanova in at least three sports in the AIC competition including both team and individual sports
• Sportsmanlike attitude both on and off the field at training and on game day

Note – the last criterion of which takes precedence over the other two.

Villanova College Sportsman of the Year Selection Process

1. The co-curricular data is collected in TASS throughout the year and is entered in by the Co-Curricular Departments – Sport, Ministry and Music.
2. Students who have participated in three or more sports during the calendar year will be asked to complete a Sporting Involvement Form (see attached). Students who nominate have the responsibility of including all their sporting achievements on the form.
3. The Director of Sport collates the Sporting Involvement Forms and presents a short list and recommendation of the Sportsman of the Year to the Head of Senior, Middle & Junior School, Deputy and Yr12 Co-ordinator.
4. This group discusses the nominations and makes a recommendation to the CLT/ Principal for final approval.

Father Tom Mescall Award for Excellence in Sport – Award Description
The Father Tom Mescall Award for Excellence in Sport is presented to a Year 12 student in recognition of their sporting excellence. This award may or may not be awarded each year and may be awarded to more than one student in any given year. The Father Tom Mescall Award is a way to recognise those students who have succeeded at a 1^st level (or Division 1 Level) in a variety of sports at Villanova as well as reaching a very high representative level in any given sport.

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT
Well done to Josh Rheinberger and Mitch Honeyman and their Division 1 Spartans Team who won the gold medal last week at the Under 14 Boys State Basketball Championships against Cairns. It was great to play as the tournament was postponed due to lockdown last school holidays. If it was not for Covid, the boys would be playing in Melbourne this week at Nationals. Well done boys!

Pictured below – Mitch and Josh

Well done to Mason Honeyman who represented Queensland South at the U16 State Championships in Darwin and won Gold which is a huge achievement. A shout out to Mr Steve Rouhliadeff who was the Assistant Coach for that team too. Great effort men!

This past weekend Volleyball Queensland hosted the State Championships across a three-day tournament on the Gold Coast. We would like to congratulate the following students who represented the Queensland State Volleyball teams at this event:

• Hudson Bishop U14 Queensland Maroon – Fourth Place
• Lachlan Gillett U15 Queensland Maroon – First Place
• Nick Craig U16 Queensland Maroon – Second Place

Special mention to Mr John Christie, Villanova Volleyball First Coach, for his role as Head Coach of the QLD U16 Maroon team.

We also look forward to following the success of Year 11 students, Cooper Stevens and Thomas Boxall, who have gained Queensland selection and will represent their state later this month. We congratulate these boys on their achievement and look forward to seeing them bring their experience back to the College as AIC Volleyball season will soon commence.

Mr Craig Stariha, Director of Sport

Music Leadership Elections
Today our Music Leader nominees presented their vision to the Music Community during first break.  I would like to commend the gentlemen who have nominated and taken up the challenge of accepting a leadership role.  The presentations were very effective and well received by those gathered.

Student Musicians in Years 6 – 11 will have the opportunity to participate in the electoral process this afternoon and into tomorrow morning.  An email has been distributed to students linking them to a form where they may make their selections for the roles within our student leadership group.

I wish all our nominees well.

Gala Concerts in Term 4
Yesterday evening our Bands Gala Concert was presented to our community both in person and via live stream.  I would like to take this moment to congratulate our staff and students for preparing for this event – we had this rescheduled from Week 8 last term to the first week of term!  The musicians all did a fine job, and the performances were warmly received.

Thanks must go to our Music Support Group who did a fine job preparing the food and refreshments for the gathered masses.  I would also like to thank Audio Visual and Events Co-ordinator Caain Miller and his team for successfully acquitting a concert over two venues, including live streaming, all within his first week of work at the College.  Please enjoy some of the images below from our outdoor stage.

This evening we will be holding our Guitar and Choral Gala Concert (commencing at 5pm), along with our Strings Gala Concert (commencing at 6:30pm).  We do have some tickets remaining – you are most welcome to come along!  You can access these via the following links:

Choir and Guitar Gala
Thursday 7 October, 5:00pm
https://www.trybooking.com/BUEJF

Strings Gala Concert 
Thursday 7 October, 6:30pm
https://www.trybooking.com/BUDWC

Wieneke Family Music Prize
Forms for the Wieneke Family Music Prize have been distributed to all musicians within the Music Program.  Our prestigious solo competition affords students the opportunity to perform for the chance to win very generous cash prizes.  We encourage all our students to participate as this is a fine opportunity to set goals and seek feedback on current performance experience.

Please remember that forms are due on Monday 11 October. 

Battle of the Rock Bands
This Friday evening our Senior Rock Band, The Rentons will be representing our College at the Schools Battle of the Rock Bands.  We wish James Lewis, Tyler Castles and Aidan Pedrina-O’Connor all the best for their performance.  Ticket and concert information has been distributed through College social media.  We strongly encourage you to all get along and support the team.

Congratulations – Senior Musicians
I would like to take a moment to congratulate some of our Senior students who have auditioned to study music after school at various institutions around Queensland.  I have been made aware of the following students who have been successful in call backs tertiary music study – these gentlemen will know the outcome of this process over the next two – three weeks.  Please join with me in congratulating the following students:

• Sebastian Allan
• Adam Buchhorn
• Joseph Cross
• Eoin Hartley
• Aidan Pedrina-O’Connor
• Joseph Timms

We wish any other student who may have applied for tertiary music study all the best with their auditions and interviews.

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. this Summer!

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 go to the Music Support Group.

Opportunity to Participate
The Music community at Villanova welcomes all students interested in participating in ensemble or instrument/vocal tuition.  If your son would like to take lessons on an instrument this year, please contact the Music Office on 3394 5691 or via email at music@vnc.qld.edu.au for further information.

Date Claimers
We can now look ahead to what the new term brings!  Further information will be distributed shortly to participant families.

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

Mr Michael Jones, Director of Music

VILLA VISIONS ART EXHIBITION – 15 OCTOBER

Villa Visions, Villanova’s Art Exhibition takes on a new look this year.

The Creative Arts team would like to invite you to take a stroll through our new Art spaces and savour some of the exceptional works that have been produced by the students this year.  Everything from skateboard decks, to magical mask designs to senior ATAR instillations.  We will also have the Year 11 Film, Television and New Media film productions running in the Media room so come and enjoy the cinematic experience with us.  The drama students will also be exhibiting their skills in their space and the courtyard will be alive with a light supper and the dulcet tones of our muso’s.

We would love to welcome you to our new Arts Precinct (below Goold Hall) between 5.00pm – 7.00pm on Friday 15 October. If you are heading to the Instrumental Music awards, come a little earlier and check our new space. You will be able to vote via red dot for your favourite art work of the evening. Prizes will be presented to students on year level assembly.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Villa Arts Precinct.

** Please note that COVID protocols will be in place. Mask wearing and social distancing is required whilst on school premises.

YEAR 5 FATHER AND SON LASER SKIRMISH IS ON SUNDAY 24 OCTOBER.
This is a super fun day just for the boys – fathers (or a significant other cool male adult) and sons will have a blast together!!

When: Sunday 24 Oct, 1.30pm arrival for registration, skirmish from 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Cost: $60 for father AND son which includes the skirmish, cold drink and lolly bag ($30 for an extra i.e. twin)
How to book: call Laser Skirmish direct on 1300 666 559 – ask to book for the Year 5 Villa event on Sunday 24th. Bookings close next Wednesday 13 October.
Where: Laser Skirmish Mount Cotton, end of Karingal Road, Mount Cotton (just follow the signs once you get inside the park)
What do you need: All players MUST wear long pants and covered shoes (or you will need to hire a coverall on the day at extra cost to you). Bring your hat, water bottles, and a completed membership form (adults to sign on behalf of minors) –  https://laserskirmish.com.au/forms.html

Still have questions? Email tiffanytento@yahoo.com.au
Your 5 Year Convenors

YEAR 5/6 PARENT END OF YEAR FUNCTION
Tickets for the Year 5 and 6 Parent End of Year function are now open:

Date: Saturday 6 November, 2021
Time: 6.00pm
Venue: Martini Bar, Story Bridge Hotel
Cost: $45.00 (includes drink on arrival, canapes and noodle box)
Bookings: click here

STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY TRAVEL REBATE
Semester 2 2021

• 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 31 October 2021.

LIBRARY ROSTER (MONDAY 11 OCTOBER – FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER)
All volunteers rostered on this week will be contacted directly by the Library.

TUCKSHOP ROSTER (MONDAY 11 OCTOBER – FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER)
All volunteers rostered on this week will be contacted directly by the Tuckshop.

PRICE INCREASE
As advised last term, due to a price increase from our supplier, from the beginning of this term all sushi will be $4.00 and Japanese Curry will be $10.00.