Sport Reports and Teams

ACC ATHLETICS

As Bruce Macaveney would say, “it’s been a huge year in sport”. The College sporting teams have had many successes, new initiatives have got up and running and Victoria’s drought caused many changes to our regular program. De La Salle performed extremely well in all three major ACC carnivals in 2007. The students and coaches managed to achieve a top three finish in all three carnivals. No other ACC college can boast such an achievement. It started with our swim team finishing third then our athletics boys improving on their 2006 result to finish third and lastly our cross country runners were able to achieve a second placing overall. The senior athletes left the senior cup behind as a momento of their contribution to the College, and our junior cross country runners showed that we will be a force in the future with their collection of the junior cup. Our results from our many sporting teams in 2007 were outstanding. We consistently achieved better results across the board. Term 1 saw our 1st XI cricket team narrowly beaten in a grand final and our volleyball teams winning both the A and B grade flags in division two. Term 3 saw our year 10 B grade basketball team win the pennant and grand final appearances for both our senior basketball team and our Year 9 hockey side. Highlights in Term 3 were undoubtedly premiership-winning football teams at Year 10 and 2nd XVIII level, along with a grand final appearance for our Year 10 soccer team. At the time of print our Term 4 sides are preparing for what no doubt would be another successful term of ACC sport at the College. Amongst all these great performances were the many great individual efforts of students. It is always a pleasure to see students at De La Salle represent their College, their families and themselves with great pride and determination. The spirit generated amongst students at the College whilst on the sporting field will leave all those involved with a lasting

Senior Athletics

impact that they will no doubt cherish once their school days are finished. I would like to thank the band of coaches who give so generously and so often of their time and their enthusiasm. Many staff organized different activities that no doubt enriched our student’s experiences. This year, outside of our ACC program, saw students compete in the Victorian Schools Basketball Championships; we were also represented at the Victorian Schools Cycling Championships; and our senior footballers travelled to Perth to compete against both La Salle College and Clontarf Aboriginal Football Academy. Lastly, to all our sporting leaders, and particularly our Year 12 sporting captains — thank you for the positive example you have set, and the way in which you have led your fellow students. You have certainly led by your deeds and actions, allowing your younger peers to fill your shoes and represent the College with distinction in the future.

Mr Jon Edgar Director of Sport

Year 9/10 Athletics

Third Row: D. Hale, B. Griffin, H. Czwarno, N. Davey, J. Ramsden, B. Humphrey, M. Liels Middle Row: M. Taylor, J. Harris, M. Raymond, J. O’Connell (capt), B. Hill, S. Pintado, Mr J.Edgar Seated: L. Williams, L. Hennessy, M. Wall, M. Rodgers, T. Maya, Back Row: L. O’Connell, A. Lombardo, T. Cleary, S. Byrne, M. Donegan Middle Row: K. McInerney, S. Brookes, T. Raymond, A. Papamiltiades, R. Harris, Ms K.Harding Seated: D. Stow, D. White, S. Dillane, M. Chai, T. Miles

Standing: P. Ioannidis, M. Glico, S. Suttie, J. Stevens, M. Henricus Seated: E. Crellin, D. Madafferi (captain), M. Hamblin (vice-captain), R. McDonough

The season started badly with a thumping loss to St Bede’s. Pat Ioannidis was our only singles winner. Daniel Madafferi then had a mixed day — he was elected captain, but was beaten at training by Matt Glico and lost the number one spot. De La followed with three good wins, including a walk-over against Parade. The stage was set — three teams on equal points. All we had to do was beat St Bernard’s to get into the final. Unfortunately we were run over again, 10 sets to 2. Pat Ioannidis was again the only singles winner, finishing the season undefeated. De La missed out on a top-two berth. To the team’s credit, the team rallied for the 3rd/4th playoff and defeated Mazenod 9 sets to 3, which was a satisfying end to the season. Matt Henricus came back from 6/1 down to win his last match of the season — a gutsy effort (even if his team mates reckon he was playing a “dud” and shouldn’t have been 6/1 down in the first place!). Well done to the whole team, who were always good sportsmen, who always praised opponents’ good shots, regardless of whether they were winning or losing. De La can be proud of our ’07 tennis squad. Mr Martin Mahy Coach 122

Standing: A. Ross, N. Ibarra, A. Papamiltiades, J. Stamatelos, T. Danda, J. Purton-Smith. Seated: R. Sita, R.Madafferi, J. Gialamatzis, T. Florenzou, A. Boghdadi Absent: J. Karistsis

Year 9 Tennis

Mr N. Yates, J. Birrell, M. Badrock, S. Dillane, D. Convery, N. Gleeson Seated: L. Riley, S. Gates, A. Holden, B. Stott, B. Peck

ACC Swimming

The ACC swimming carnival takes place on a Friday night during the latter weeks of Term 1 every year. However, De La Salle squad members dedicated themselves to two training sessions each week for around half of the school year. These sessions commenced at 7am and were held regardless of the weather conditions. The team was coached by Oscar Carlson, an experienced and successful triathlon and swim coach, with assistance from Michael Ryan, Keith Hoy and myself. Our senior captains were Year 12 students Simon Meade and Oliver Hagen. The boys did a wonderful job and were great role models to their team mates with their dedication to training and words of encouragement. They led by example, competing to the best of their abilities on the night. Whitefriars have been a dominant force in swimming over the past few years, but were eclipsed on the night by a strong St Bede’s team. De La Salle narrowly missed out on a top-three result by two points, finishing fourth to St Bernard’s. Although disappointed not to make a top three position on the night, our wonderful swimmers must be commended, as they all swam to the best of their ability and displayed great enthusiasm and excellent sportsmanship. I am sure that I speak for all coaching staff and parents when I say how proud I was to be associated with such a fantastic group of students. Ms Karen Harding

Back Row: M. De Luca, H. Rix, B. Griffin, T. Cleay, S. Lowe, T. Jane, S. Myers, B. Ellul, J. Cooper Middle Row: S. Barone, T. Shallue, J. Schultz, T. Stubbings, J. La Delfa, C. Klidaris,J. Salanitri, N. Schultz, A. Crellin, J.Taylor Seated: D. Freeman, J. Kartadinata, M. Taylor, M. Chai, S. Meade, O. Hagen, M. Northage, P. Kemp, P. Clinch

Absent: L. Miles, C. Lucas, N. Davey, T. Howard, J. Howard, N. Johnstone, G. McDonough, R. McDonough, R. Ellis Year 7/8 Athletics

Athletics 2007

Numbers at training were high this year, with much enthusiasm generated at all year levels. After finishing in fifth position last year there was an increased desire to improve our overall result. The leadership exhibited by our senior students, led by our captains James O’Connell and Josh Harris, was outstanding, as they engaged fully with the younger boys, encouraging them and offering them advice. Our position at the start of the carnival was not great, sitting last after the junior field events run earlier at Box Hill. We started well, with Paul Beliga winning the 100m Hurdles, and within a short time we had improved our overall position to fifth place. Our captain, James O’Connell, completed a massive day, competing in many track and field events. Our now-famous Luke Hennessy blitzed the field in the 3000m event. Our junior squad — although not as successful as the seniors — gave their all, showing they had enormous potential. Winning the Senior Cup was a just reward for all the hard effort our senior boys put in over many years. Overall, we completed the competition in third place, exceeding our initial expectations. ` Mr Andrew Wozencroft

Standing: P. Gould, J. O’Connell, M. Windley, B. Nethersole, S. Muller, T. Curry, Mr E. Walmsley Seated: A. Zaia, K. Ellis, D. Hale, A. Soldatos (captain), A. Kneebone, T. Parker Standing: E. Clinch, B. Humphrey, O. Holmes, A. Sanders, Z. Dickinson, L. Godinho, Mr G. Barns Seated: W. Eke, N. Gray, M. Donaghey (vice captain), J. Slatter (captain), J. Scipione, D. Jansz

First Xl Cricket 2007

In five games the First Xl played with flair and resilience: our batting was normally fluent, confident and aggressive; our fielding was adept and often brilliant and our bowling always seemed able to recover from short passages of laxness. After the home and away season the team was clearly second on the ladder behind St Bede’s. In some games our batsmen were remarkably dominant. In the first game against St Bede’s we batted first on a soft and threatening pitch but batted recklessly to hand St Bede’s a gift. In that game our bowling tended to be excessively short of a length allowing their batsmen to plunder runs square of the wicket. Kieran Ellis was an outstanding wicketkeeper who took some difficult catches and made two exceedingly difficult leg side stumpings. Damien Hale, Alex Zaia, Tom Curry and James O’Connell were impressive in the field both for their fine catches and run outs. Angelo Soldatos was an exemplary captain, setting sound fields, giving all players chances and encouraging high levels of sportsmanship — on one occasion he “walked”, even though the umpire seemed unlikely to give him out. The team entered the final against St Bede’s intent on improving their approach to both bowling and batting. St Bede’s reached 8 for 157, which seemed a total within our reach, as our batting had proved to be so strong in other games. Unfortunately we found ourselves looking to bludgeon boundaries rather than wait for the loose ball. Once again this approach brought about our downfall. St Bede’s were worthy victors, bowling tightly, making fielding adjustments once our batting flaws became clear, and making some brilliant catches. Mr Euan Walmsley Coach

2007 Second X1 Cricket

“Such is life” — Ned Kelly It is said that Ned Kelly played 11 games of football for Williamstown. He was also a pugilist of some note. The above quotation is attributed to Kelly. It was supposedly uttered as he stood on the gallows awaiting his grisly death. The quote suggests to me that Kelly had a very good understanding of not only life, but also sport. In particular, the frustration of performing well throughout the season and then falling at the final hurdle. You need to be philosophical. The Kelly quote aptly summarises the 2007 season. Most of the contests in which the seconds competed were won in style. We were a stylish team. Certainly the coach was stylishly decked out for each match. The first game of the season against St Bede’s is a case in point. While St Bede’s were competitive and impressive in their innings of 8 for 152, De La Salle dispatched the necessary runs with aplomb. Leading the way was urbane Nathan Gray, hitting a very cool and calculated 50 not out. He resembled Steve Waugh circa ’89 with beautifully placed back foot drives. The same style was emulated by Joshua Scipione against Parade College, smashing a swashbuckling 54. The bowling was ably led by Andrew Sanders, who toiled manfully. He opened the attack with pace, swing and accuracy. He was assisted in this role by Ben Humphrey. Ben is a classic fast bowler — big, strong and fearsome. Captain Jesse Slatter’s dogged style of captaincy was effective throughout the season. He was always dignified and respectful in his manner. It has been a wonderful season. The team enjoyed the wonderful and eccentric game of cricket, and played every game with Year 9 Cricket enthusiasm. Thank you to John Edgar for his creative support. Under John’s leadership the future of cricket at De La Salle looks bright. Mr Gerard Barns Coach

Back Row: L. O’Rourke, J. Steel, L. Simpson, J. Evans Middle Row: Mr G. Barns, N. Green, M. O’Donnell, A. McDonough, L. Mance, A. Di Cosmo Seated: N. Hulston, V. Naidoo, R. Harris (captain), D. O’Brien, D. Hutchinson

Year 8 Cricket

Back Row: C. Cummins, D. Sheehy, J. Jopling, B. Hearn, L. Henriques-Gomes, P. Harrison Seated: W. Kennish, X. Quigley, H. Nicholson, F. Henry, F. D’Addazio Absent. L Cook, A. Hay Back Row: M. Rhoden, S. Wittman, M. Harvey, F. Roberts Middle Row: M. Hogan, J. Anagnostopolous, S. Hearn, D. Janka, L. Forato, S. Miller Front Row: C. Brezzi, J. McCaffrey, A. Agar (c), S. Gotch, R. McCarthy Absent: L. Edwards, J. Wilson, P. Hatch, P. O’Connell

N. Woodgate, M. Chai, J. Mulholland (Capt), Mr N. Stewart (Coach), A. Schultz, M. Cleland, C. Stewart, J.Vitacca Absent: Joshua Del Gorge, Matthew Bellion

De La Golf Masters 2007

The annual De La Golf Masters was played on Wednesday 14th March at Box Hill Golf Club. The weather was great, competition fierce and a good number of parents came to support their sons. Nick Woodgate(11B) birdied the 18th hole to finish at 2 over 74 and be the early clubhouse leader (and eventual Champion). Charles Stewart (7V) teed off the 18th at 1 over but got into a little trouble and finished 4 over at 76 to be the runner-up. The best net score of 67 was recorded by Josh Del Gorge (8J) with Matt Bellion (9D) finishing close behind. Nearest the pin winners: 6th hole — Charles Stewart; 17th hole — Craig Joseph (guest); Longest drive 7th hole — Byron Reynolds (VCE 2004). The scores were as follows, 74 Nick Woodgate(11B) 76 Charles Stewart(7V) 83 John Mulholland(12J) 84 Matt Bellion(9D) 87 Adam Schultz(11V), Josh Vitacca(7V) 91 Joe Mannix(11J), Josh Del Gorge(8J) 92 Matt Chai(10S) 94 Marc Cleland(11D) 99 Tom Wakefield(11D), Andrew Robson(10D) 104 Josh Porozny(11R) 110 Tim Gibson(8H) 116 Liam Dwyer(10B) Congratulations to Nick on his great performance to win this years event and I encourage each of the other young golfers to keep enjoying the game. Mr Norm Stewart Senior Golf Coordinator 126

Junior Golf

The Junior Golf Team was selected from students from the Primary levels to Year 10. A number of keen golfers attended two trials at Malvern Valley Golf Course, vying for selection in the Junior Team, which competed at Werribee Golf Course. Congratulations to the boys who made the Standing: Mr P. Crellin, M. Chai (capt),S. Sabbatucci. Seated: J. Vitacca, M. Bellion, C. Stewart Junior Golf Team and who eventually finished

Absent J. Delgorge, A. Robson, B. Raymond a very close second to St Bede’s, Mentone on ACC Golf Day. In fine and sunny conditions, Matthew Chai led our younger golfers who demonstrated that De La will be a force to be reckoned with in the next year or two. Scores were — J. Vitacca (Yr 7) — 77 C. Stewart (Yr 7) — 78 T. Wakefield (Yr 10) — 84 M. Chai (Yr10) — 85 (Captain) S. Sabbatucci (Yr 9) — 88 M. Belhon (Yr 9) — 89 J. Delorge (Yr 7) — 90 A. Robson (Yr 7) — 91 B. Raymond — Reserve Congratulations to Charles Stewart, who was the Junior Golf Masters Winner for 2007. Mr Peter Crellin Junior Golf Coordinator

Senior Golf

The senior golf team was selected after trials at Albert Park Golf Course and Box Hill Golf club. Students from Year 12 down to Year 7 were successful in making the final team that played in the annual 18 hole event at Kingswood Golf Club. Under team Captain John Mulholland, our boys plotted their path around the sandbelt layout and finished 3rd behind St Bede’s College and St Bernard’s College. Congratulations to each member of the team. I encourage all of our student golfers to start preparing for The annual Victorian Interschool Snowsports Competition was held at Mt Buller from 24th – 28th August. The De La Salle Ski Team was well represented by 18 boys from years 8-11. The competition has the largest number of competitors of any Winter sports event in the world. It’s fantastic that De La Salle can be part of this wonderful contest. The boys were very competitive and gained valuable experience from the snowboarding and skiing slalom races in which they entered. Congratulations to Conrad Lucas (Year 8) who came 5th in the Division 3 individual moguls and 43rd in the Alpine Giant Slalom. Congratulations to the numerous boys who competed in the team events. In a large competitive field in the team events, our Division 1 Alpine Giant Slalom boys finished 31st — they included Chris Waters, Martin Paczkowski and Simon Lowe. In the Division 2 Team the following boys all completed at least one run — Tim Shallue, Ben Siragusano, Sam Brooks, Linton Farrell and Jordan Bull.

ACC Skiing

Standing: N. Woodgate, L. Campbell, V. Stedman, J. Harper, L. Godinho, T. Sabbatucci, S. Lowe, C. Waters, M. Paczkowski, Mr K. Stokes

Seated: B. Siragusano, S. Brooks, L. Farrell, M. Donegan, T. Molloy, D. Barker The school Snowboard Teams finished 29th in Division 1, with Nick Woodgate, Tomas Sabbatucci and Vaughan Stedman, and 19th in Division 2, with Tom Molloy, Dominic Barker and Jack Beach. I would like to thank all boys who participated and represented the College at the Interschools. For some it was their first time competing at the event, gaining valuable experience for future competitions. Others improved on previous years’ performances. For the College Team to compete, a great deal of preparation and planning is necessary. I would like to thank the College for putting their full support behind the Ski Team, and a special thanks go to staff members Mr Shane Slavin, Mr Tim Brodrick and Mr David Clark, for their time and effort. Mr Ken Stokes Ski Team Coordinator

Standing: M. De Luca, N. Ferguson, S. Tomadin, B. Payne, M. Breda, T. Allen, A. Bonaddio, G. Montalban, Mr J. Edgar Seated: M. Williams, B. Carracher, N. Woodgate, P. Stamos, C. Nayna, M. Rodgers, T. Gheller, J. Pollard Absent A. Pejic The senior volleyball season will go down as one of the most successful in the history of the College. We were successful in taking out both the Senior A and Senior B Division 2 titles convincingly. With only two Year 12 boys in the squad, 2008 promises to be an even better season. The team was led by captain Paris Stamos, and he was well supported by the big-hitting Gab Montalban and Mark Breda. Whenever we were challenged, we were able to stand up and control our matches with inspired team efforts. The Senior B team comprised many of the boys who won the B Year 10 Premiership in 2006. They went through undefeated, and didn’t even look like dropping a game all season. A greater testament to our players’ achievements was that very few had played any volleyball until a year ago, and played to a very high standard. They were a committed group who trained regularly, and their on-court behavior was exemplary. I look forward to coaching the majority of squad 2007 next year, when we go after a Senior Division 1 title. Mr Jon Edgar Coach

Standing: M. Lee, X. Fitzgerald, C. Paterson, A. O’Shea, J. Van der Wolde , T. Myles, Mr J.Edgar Seated: A. Lombardo, D. Baker, D. White, S. Novak

Year 9 Volleyball

Back Row: B. Siragusano, D. de Fazio, J. Camilleri Middle Row: Mr K. Stokes, J. Mreulje, S. Brooks, S. Woodcock, M. Sarpi, S. Forato, M. Keegan Seated: P. Grigoriou, R. Fattore, I. Fan, T. Humphrey, D. Spanos 129 Back: N. Pane, T. Jiang, B, Carracher Middle: J. Moneir, P. Shannon, L. Chrisomalidis, J. Neilson, Ms Karen Harding Front: T. Shallue, A. Anastasio, P. Gallagher, T. Peterson, J. Adams Absent: T. Gibson, T. Hanney, P. Hanney, E. Howe, X. Leonard, O. Purton-Smith, T. Vanzella-Riggio

1st XVIII Football

The ACC Senior Division One Football Competition is one of the premier schoolboy competitions in Australia. The quality and standard of football played is outstanding. It is also a very difficult competition to win. One loss can end your season and, unfortunately, in our case 5 minutes of poor football caused the loss that ended our season. We managed to finish the season in third place but missed out on a Grand Final appearance by the narrowest of margins. We had great wins against St Bede’s, Parade, Whitefriars, and Mazenod. Unfortunately, we were soundly beaten by eventual premiers St Joseph’s, Geelong, and lost by a couple of point to St Bernard’s at St Bernard’s after being in a commanding position late in the game. Matthew Wall was awarded our best player in 2007, and he was well supported by his captains Tom Curry and Joshua Harris. Nathan Davey rucked all game, all season, a fantastic effort from the big man. Senior Football Olmo Salvatore, Angelo Soldatos, Hayden Captains J. Harris and Czwarno and Mathew Raymond were T. Curry with Coach other Year 12 boys to play well throughout Mr J. Edgar the season. I would like to congratulate our Year 12 boys for the way in which they represented the College. They were a disciplined group with whom I had the pleasure of working over the past two years. It was a great pleasure to see these boys grow and mature into young men, and I will watch with interest their careers in the future. The team, however, mainly stays intact for 2008, with the great number of our squad consisting of Year 11 boys. Hopefully the experience gained by these lads in 2007 will help them prepare for the flag in 2008. I have said to our boys all along that from football you will learn many lessons, make many friends, and gain experiences from the game well beyond your playing days. I hope they take this advice and remain involved in the sport in coming years. Mr Jon Edgar Senior Coach

Back Row: B. Humphrey, T. Parker, S. Muller, N. Davey, A. Bonnaddio, H. Czwarno, T. Allen, M. Collins Middle Row: S. Mackintosh (Assistant Coach), D. Hale, M. Raymond, E. Murphy, O. Salvatore, Z. Dickinson, M. Williams, E Clinch, Mr J. Edgar (Coach) Seated: A. Soldatos, X. Gotch, J. Scipione, N. Gray, B. Griffen, K. Ellis, M. Wall, B. Carracher

Back Row: N. Seel, O. Holmes, J. O’Connell, T. Naughtin, S. Lowe, B. Griffin, B. Nethersole, O. Hagen, B. Hill Middle Row: G. Barns (premiership coach), L. Williams, X. Harkins, J. O’Halloran, S. Pintado, J. Semmel, D. Dordevic, E. Clinch, A. Kneebone, K. Grant, T. Cotter (runner) Seated: K. Linden (statistician), N. Hogan, M. De Luca, T. Maya (vice captain), T. Parker (captain), B. Carracher, Joel Pollard, J. Musster, J. McDonald

2nd XVIII football

“The Club” is a popular and insightful play into the machinations and politics of an Australian Rules football club by the eminent Australian playwright, David Williamson. The play became a film which has attracted a cult following. Geoff Hayward, one of the characters in the play, is the star recruit to the club; the classic raw recruit from Tasmania. Geoff becomes embroiled in the nasty politics and in one memorable scene says to Laurie, the coach: “It’s (football) all a lot of macho-competitive bull****! You chase a lump of pigskin around a muddy field as if your life depended on it and when you get it you kick it to buggery and go chasing it again!” Is this all it is? I would like to think that if you were part of 2nds football this season the response would be in the negative. Surely we played the game in a robust, yet fair and Christian manner? I believe we did.

Did we attempt to provide an environment that was free of macho stereotypical behaviour? Again

I would have to answer in the affirmative. Were boys affirmed when they tried their best and were they exhorted to always play the game in spirit of enterprise and flair? Most certainly.

The 2nd XVIII completed a wonderful season when they won the ACC premiership on a balmy

Wednesday in September. Their record of being undefeated was maintained and they demoralised the opposition in the most compelling manner playing a brand of football that was so much more than “kicking it to buggery.” It was balletic. Thanks must go to Andrew Wozencroft, who managed the side in the most meticulous manner — a wonderful operator. Jon Edgar was an inspiring and passionate supporter of the team and I congratulate him profusely for his pioneering in De La football this year.

To Tyson Parker — the captain of the side — you were a great example of well-rounded, sensitive and thoughtful young man who was also capable of playing the game in a spirited and muscular fashion. The entire squad, including the poor souls who didn’t gain selection in the Grand Final side, were magnificent warriors representing De La Salle each week in a dignified and proud manner without even once resorting to “macho competitive bull****.”

Mr Gerard Barns Premiership Coach

Year 10 ACC Football

The boys are to be congratulated for a fantastic season in which they went through undefeated and Premiers. Throughout the six-game season, 35 boys represented the College Year 10 in ACC football. Round 1 — DLS v Whitefriars. The ‘Friars’ were a highly-fancied outfit with players who featured in underage representative squads, and a VIS player. At half time we led by 9 goals. The players in the DLS change rooms were as dumbfounded as the boys in brown across the hall. The second half was more even, though never in doubt. With a midfield that would be the ACC equivalent of Kerr, Judd and Cousins (Murphy, Close and Purton-Smith), and the big Adrian ‘Papa’ Papamilitiades firing in the forward line, the DLS crew left Donvale happy to consider the possibilities the coming two months held. Round 2 — DLS v St Bernard’s. The ‘Snowdogs’ battled against DLS. DLS battled against the incredibly windy conditions at Basil St. Some smart football was played in the conditions and the skills on display — particularly early — put us in the box seat. Lachy O’Connell ran rampant, Jack Gray and Tim East proved a handful. Andrew Clark played his first game for DLS joining Tom Miles and Dean White in the backline, adding to the ‘hardness’ and resilience of our last line of defense. The big (little) three smashed clearances to the middle and Tom Cleary rucked well. Round 3 — DLS v Mazenod. The Waverley boys were our underrated hosts. The ‘Nodders’ played their postage stamp ground and the windy conditions very well. It was DLS that nearly ‘nodded off’. It was an ‘OK’ effort — and the reigning premiers to play next week! Once again the little (big) three were amongst our best. Dan East worked hard again at fullback. Spence Roberts worked well with Papa and Xav Fitzgerald in the forward line, despite some shoddy disposal. Round 4 — DLS v Parade. We continued our march against the Year 9 ACC premiers from the previous year. The somewhat ungainly, but extremely effective Fraser Eason had a very good game, relieving Cleary in the ruck. Anthony O’Shea continued his stunning work at half-back. He enjoyed the wideopen spaces of Dairy Bell Arena and was damaging. ‘Papa’, ‘Fitzy’, ‘Teasty’, with Sammy Stamos buzzing about, were excellent up forward. Round 5 — DLS v St Bede’s. The ‘Beach Boys’ were competitive but far more interested in ensuring their blonde locks and suntans were maintained and intact. They had employed Gerard Jackson — formerly of DLS — to mentor them in this pursuit. Again we found windy conditions and a tiny ground resulting in a scrappy game. Matt Goodman played a ‘cracker’ against his former chums. ‘Murph’ and ‘Closey’ were excellent. The Grand Final against Whitefriars. The players were aware that Whitefriars would be a far more

Back Row: S. Byrne, L. O’Connell, T. East, T. Cleary, S. Roberts, D. East, X. Fitzgerald, A. O’Shea, M. Goodman Middle Row: Mr D. Madigan, M. Briglia, A. Clark T. Miles, D. White, B. Close, M. O’Connor, J. Cooper, M. Herbstreit, Mr K. Stokes Seated: T. Cardwell, J. Purton-Smith, X. Murphy, J. Rodgers, M. Nolan, R. Harris, A. Papamilitiades

competitive team than the team they played in Round 1. The Grand Final demonstrated the persistence and faith that the boys had developed in each other. Despite always being under pressure and never really being the team in control of the game, DLS prevailed. It was fantastic to see so many parents, friends and Old Collegians in attendance. Congratulations to all the boys who represented the College this year. On behalf of the players, we thank Ken Stokes for his assistance and support throughout the season, John Edgar for the work he has put into football at DLS this year, Emma and Nick for their willing assistance, and to staff, students and parents for their support.

Mr David Madigan Premiership Coach

Year 9 XVIII

Back Row: W. Nash, J. Neilson, H. Haley, S. Sabbatucci, R. Hynes, F. Roberts, P. Hatch, L. Wilson, M. Stizza Middle Row: R. Bonnici (coach), D. Vass, M. Pennachia, J. Cormick, P. Shannon, J. Wilson-Wall, A. Soriano, M. Lane, L, Wood, A.Clark Seated: M. Hamilton, B. Carracher, A. Hollaway, T. Shallue, X. Leonard, L. Forato, P. O’Connell, J, Wilson, J. Williams Absent: M. Rhoden (coach), S. Gotch (Captain), L.King, C. Judd

Back Row: D. Freeman, L. Farrell, J. Broadhead, S. Woodcock, L.Cook, L. Grech, S. Dillane, D. Convery Middle Row: Mr G. Kemp, T. Humphrey, A. Prendergast-Kruger, X. Quigley, L. Cummins, A. King, C.Todisco, L. Riley, Mr P. Harrup (assistant coach) Seated: H. Nicholson, (captain), L. Henriques-Gomes, S. Brooks, J. Fisher, M. Donegan, J. Mreulje, A. Hay, F. Henry

Year 9 Football

Congratulations to the boys on the season. After a difficult start (1 win and 3 losses), we fought back to finish the season with 4 wins and 5 losses. A highlight of the season was the match against Clontarf Aboriginal Academy from Perth. Hugh Nicholson was named ‘Man of the Match’ and was awarded a trophy donated by the Aboriginal boys. Hugh was our captain this year and was ably supported by Jack Broadhead (vice-captain). The boys showed great character during the season and their cohesion as a team developed markedly. Several individuals showed fantastic qualities — James Mreulje showed courage and determination, Sean Dillane demonstrated consistency and a strong work ethic. Garret Mcdonough, Fraser Henry, David Convery and Aidan King were mainstays in the backline, while Declan Freeman’s determination in the midfield won him numerous possessions. Lachlan Cook was a prominent ruckman while Luke Henriques-Gomes proved elusive. I encourage the boys to continue to develop their abilities and represent the College in Football at Year 10 level.

Mr Glen Kemp Coach

Standing: Mr T. Farr, M. Henricus, M. Ducentino, A. Pejec, N. Woodgate, T. Tiso, J. Marbini Seated: M. Marbini, J. Trantino, P. Stamos (capt.), A. Kannellopolous, M. Pierce, J. Storai

The Senior Soccer team organized a training session to gauge student interest in senior soccer. Instead it was more organized chaos, lacking in team unity and adherence to coach instructions. It looked a little like six groups of the Three Stooges. Training session two saw fewer students and so it went through succeeding sessions until the team settled into a group, waiting to become a team. Game Time: Our first game against Mazenod was forgettable, De La taking a 3-0 defeat on the chin. There were positives however — good performances from Pierce, Woody and Angry (Paris), who was constructive in the midfield, and showed great leadership in the second half. The following performance led to another result best left in the shed. This writer was happy he wasn’t coaching in Columbia. Similar results followed in succeeding encounters. That is, until the final round — De La v. ??????? This was it, time to stand tall, show De La pride, and the boys did (with some Sir Alex Ferguson moves, may I say, from the coach). You couldn’t help but notice their steely gazes, and the sense that it was the quiet before the storm. The game was played at a furious pace, replete with hard tackling, a deal of verbal instruction to opposition players, and a great deal of cameraderie and passion. Our boys were hungry and aggressive within the rules. Half time saw De La up 2-0, and there was great excitement in the shed. It was time to gear up a notch. A goal in the third minute of the second half was a good omen, though quickly answered by an opposition goal. It was too little, too late however, and De La ran out easy winners 4-1. Horns tooted, fans screamed out to a waiting Malvern that De La was triumphant. The players were treated to a tremendous welcome by their fellow students. Br Bill insisted the College have a free day the following Friday, but I had to say ‘thanks, but we have to put a lid on it as we have finals to play’. We were to play St Joe’s in Geelong. This was in fact a Ghost Game — they wanted a 3-1 win for De La, and sporting souls we are, we obliged. All in all a solid two out of eight — no cup, but all of the team had a rollicking good time.

Mr Trevor Farr Coach

Year 9 Soccer

Back Row: Mr J.Walton, M. Chai, J. Stamatelos, M. Guggenheimer, K. Winter, S. Ferreyra, M. Sauer Middle Row: G. Kucubalci Katsifolis, N. Hulston, P. Marinis, C. Kildaros, M. Altidis, R. Sita Seated: A.Stazio, P. Siarabalos, N. Ibarra, T. Soumplis, L. Terella, J. Lewis Back Row: Mr N. Childs T. Vanzella-Riggio, B. Doree, A. Sidarta, P. Di Natale, A. Anastasio Middle Row: P. Darras, D. Georgiou, P. Orlando, A. Sly, G. Katheklakis Front: A. Freeman, D. Damianos, L. Chrisomalidas, J. Farrugia, L. Edwards

Year 10 Soccer

Walking out onto the hallowed turf of Menzies Reserve for the Grand Final this year was no less than the Year 10 soccer team deserved after an impressive season. The boys had acquitted themselves well thus far, winning all of their five minor premiership games, and felt an air of confidence that they could finish on a high after beating their opponents, Samaritan, impressively 2–0 the week before. The season had begun in a slightly bizarre fashion with the technical knockout of St Bede’s after they were forced to forfeit. The boys were determined to prove that this victory would have been achieved anyway in the following matches. Training was undertaken with commitment, each boy keen to contribute their ideas and new drills being learnt in the process. As the season progressed, impressive performances followed, the highlight being the 12–1 demolition of Parade on their home turf. The squad took a more permanent form and the boys’ team spirit grew as they became more used to playing alongside each other. Nick Hulston grew in stature in goal while his defence, led by Luke Terella and Matt Chai, continued to be a formidable barrier to opposing strike forces. In the midfield, captain Peter Marinis and Kieran Winter established their dominance and Alessandro Stazio proved to have the quickest feet in the league, outwitting defenders time and time again. However, all members of the team played their part and it was often the ‘unsung heroes’ who steered the team to victory. So when the final whistle blew in the Grand Final and Samaritan had taken the spoils 2–1, the boys, rather than letting their disappointment rule over them, showed that they were also gracious in defeat. They stood to applaud the performance of their competitors and showed their awareness that being involved in the Grand Final was a great achievement in itself. Mr James Walton Coach

There was much anticipation at the start of the basketball season, which had been brought forward to Term 2 owing to the prolonged drought affecting football and soccer grounds. Year 12 students were looking forward to working with the Year 11 students who had success in the ACC as a Year 9 and 10 Team. Each week De la Salle was represented by an ‘A’ and ‘B’ team. The A team gave players the chance to pit their skills against the best of each of the ACC schools and win as many games as possible to reach the finals. The B team was about enjoyment and participation, a chance to represent the College. Some of the players in the B team were pushing for selection in the main team. Both teams can be proud of their achievements n 2008. The A team managed to reach the Grand Final of the ACC competition after a great win against Parade in the semi-final. In the Grand Final Whitefriars proved too strong and continued their dominance in basketball. The B team had 16 players represent them during the season. Daniel Nikakis, Tom Williams, Matt O’Shea and Eamon Hanney were the stalwarts of the team and contributed week-in week-out. The B team finished 3rd in their division and 6th position against Vermont Secondary College. After a tight game Vermont proved too strong, and so our ranking became 6th in the State. Whitefriars won the competition to be ranked Number 1 boys’ school in Victoria. Captain Hayden Czwarno led the team all season with his exceptional skill and knowledge of the game, ably supported by excellent contributions from Mark Breda. All players who played in the team had the opportunity to play a number of games together and challenge themselves against a high standard of opposition. Many thanks to all the players for an enjoyable and rewarding season.

Mr Tim Ford Senior Basketball Coach

defeating Mazenod in the playoff for this position. As a result of their achievements in the ACC Competition, the A team was invited to compete in the McDonalds Champion Schools’ Tournament. The team comfortably defeated Ivanhoe Grammar, Mill Park Secondary and Thomas Carr College to qualify for the final eight and a State ranking. We were confident of a top 4 finish but this was not to be, after losing the first round to Mowbray College. A win over Peninsula Grammar enabled us to play off for 5th Year 9 Basketball

Standing: T. Forbes, K. Prior, T. Williams, ? , M. Breda, S. Van Every, G. Montalban, Mr T. Ford Seated: P. Torrisi, M. Kanellopoulos, H. Czwarno, P. Millar, A. Kanellopoulos, J. Twirdy

Year 9 Basketball Standing: R. Osekowski, R. Fattore, D. Freeman, S. Griffin, H. Cowan, D. Clinch, G. McDonough, D. Spanos, L. Hogan, Br Gerry Seated: D. Convery, D. Windley, J. Nikakis, S. Woodcock, L. Cook, J. Beech, L. Grech, S. Brooks

Back Row: T. Miles, X. Fitzgerald, S. Roberts, A. Lombardo, A. O’Shea Middle Row: J. Evans, L. Simpson, J. Gray, J. Van Der Wolde, M. Osekowski, Mr P. Jurd (Coach) Seated: S. Ayre, A. Papamiltiades, F. Eason, C. Patterson, D. White Absent: D. East, T. East, T. Antas, T. Cleary, J. Leonard, M. James

Year 9 A’s

It was a great start to the season with a win over Parade 2 by 34 points, followed quickly by a nail-biting 3 point win over St Bede’s and allowing St Bede’s a sniff of victory. A heart wrenching game against Whitefriars saw us go down by 2 points. The second loss of the season against Parade 1 with a depleted bench saw us go down by 15 points. Back to full strength for the next games De La had a 10 point win over St Bernard’s and a 3 point win over Mazenod. In this match there were some stand out performances by Simon Woodcock, Jack Broadhead and John Nikakis. De La then had a thumping 65 to 32 win over Salesian; even the scorer couldn’t keep up with the scoring onslaught from De La. In the playoff for 3rd place De La again played St Bede’s and in a second half annihilation we came from a 3 point deficit to win going away by 20 points. The second half was methodical, disciplined and a great team effort. This allowed the team to finish in 3rd position for the season. Best player for the season was captain and star player Simon Woodcock. David Windley and Declan Freeman

Year 8 Basketball Standing: J.Monier, T.Gibson, N.Smith F. Roberts, M. Harvey, S.Couson, P. Hatch, J. Cleary, J. Cowan

Seated: S. Ryan, L, Forato, D.Bollas, P. Shannon, T. Shallue, X. Leonard, J.Regan, M. Stizza 137

YEAR 10 BASKETBALL

The Year 10 “A” team had some strong games but the ACC season finished in disappointing fashion with a one point loss in the semi-final to eventual premiers, Parade College. The team was then entered in the All Schools State Competition in September and finished on top of their round-robin pool after wins over Beaconhills, Elwood and Eumemmering. This saw the team seeded 4th going into the “Elite 8” day. Losing the first game to St Leonard’s, the team recorded victories over Wellington Secondary College and Whitefriars to complete the competition ranked 5th in the state. No mean feat! The B’s had a strong season, losing only one game to Whitefriars. So it was with delicious irony that the B’s won their ACC grand final against Whitefriars in overtime. De La Salle 40 defeated Whitefriars 33. The De La B’s had the early running, leading 17–8 at one point in the first half. Whitefriars were never going to capitulate, and late in regulation they led by a point. “Papa” got a rebound with about 2.5 secs left, got fouled, went to the line and nailed the first to tie the scores. Whilst he missed the second, the momentum had swung De La’s way. Sam Ayre, as assistant coach, delivered two inspirational speeches late in the game and the team duly believed in themselves and “owned” the extra three minutes, by 8 points to one. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to coach both teams. 2007 will be a season to remember!

Mr Pat Jurd Coach

Year 8 Basketball

Back Row: Mr E. Walmsley, J. O’Halloran, A. Spencer, S. Meade, T. Jane, J. Hubbard, A. Barker, J. Harris. Seated: M. McKay, B. Griffin, S. Bird (captain), M. Alderuccio, M. Rodgers, J. Musster Absent: J. O’Gorman, P. Selwood Year 8 Hockey

Standing: B Carracher, P. O’Connell, R. Alberti, D. Wood, A. Agar, L. Burke, M. Sellwood, S. Maddocks, Mr S. Mackintosh (Coach) Seated: L. Wood, P. Stevens, J. Curtis, S. Gotch, G. Curnow, N. Johnstone, N. Pane 138

Senior Hockey

Though the team’s results were disappointing — all games were lost except the final — the approach of the team was admirable. Opposition teams tended to include a greater depth of club hockey players, including some State players and Pennant A senior players. High standards of sportsmanship were maintained. Disappointment never turned against team-mates and the team remained enthusiastic and hopeful. Stephen Bird was indefatigable as Captain. James O’Gorman and Tom Jane took on the difficult role of goalkeeper. Though we suffered from some injuries, Tom Jane, Andrew Spencer, Ben Griffin and Jack O’Halloran remained supportive and even played on despite their pain. The backline included Alex Barker, Ben Griffin, Andrew Spencer, and Tom Jane; the half-line contained Matt Alderuccio, Stephen Bird, Peter Selwood, Jack O’Halloran, Michael McKay and Alex Barker while the forward line included Stephen Bird, Josh Harris, Jack Hubbard, Simon Meade, James Musster, Matt Rodgers and Jack O’Halloran in different games. We look forward with hope to next season.

Mr Euan Walmsley Coach

Year 9 ACC Hockey Runners Up

The Year 9 Hockey Team came together with more than 35 boys wanting to play in the ACC Team. The 2007 team consisted entirely of students who play club hockey. This has never happened before at De La Salle where generally only a few students play with community teams. As the season progressed De La Salle grew in confidence recording wins against Parade 1 & 2, St Bede’s, Whitefriars and Salesian, as well as a draw with Mazenod and a loss in the final minutes to St Bernard’s, Essendon. The team grew in solidarity with Jean-Rene Vauzelle, Hamish Hudson and Dom Barker leading the defence and Matt Trenerry, John Camilleri, Declan Clifford and Aidan King creating scoring opportunities in the midfield. These players formed the nucleus of the team, but were capably assisted by young “Ernie” Fan, Nick Spencer, David Bendinelli, Hayden Renshaw, Will Kennish, Alex Hay, Nick Ng and Tom Cailin The Grand Final was between St Bernard’s and De La Salle. The team was confident they could match St Bernard’s. However St Bernard’s commenced strongly and De La Salle found themselves in a catch-up situation and was unable to score against a very determined and well-coached team. St Bernard’s took the premiership winning 4-0. This group of players is certainly very talented and should have great success at ACC level in the future. A special thanks to AFL trainees Nic Childs and Emily Cumming for their help on game days. Michael Ryan Coach

Standing: Mr G. Kemp, M. Nolan, A. Robson, S. Lam, J. Fayan, C. Klidaras, Seated: P. Hussey, E. Turner, J. Salanitri, N. Bolt, M. Blakeborough

Year 9 Hockey

H. Renshaw, D. Clifford, M. Treneri, A. King, S. Gaylor, J. Camilleri, S. Roberts, Ms E. Cumming Seated: J. Nicolin, A. Hay, J. Vauz, W. Kennish, F. Fan, D. Bendinello, N. Ng

Back Row: M. Liels, B. Griffin, N.Davey, J. O’Connell, M. McKay, J. Ramsden Middle Row: Ms K. Harding, M. Taylor, L. Fisher, E. Crellin, M. Rogers, D. Hale, N. Gray, J. MacDonald Seated: L. Williams, L. Hennessy, B. Hill, J. Scipione, M. Wall, M. Henricus Absenr: W. Eke, X. Gotch, S. Meade, D. Murphy, J. O’Shannassey Year 9/10 Cross Country

“Let’s have a crack at winning it back”! A new challenge and a new theme for this year’s Cross Country squad was adopted enthusiastically by the students for their assault on winning back the title of ACC Cross Country Champion school. The past two years have seen De La Salle’s past dominance diluted by the strong outfit from St Bernard’s. This year’s squad was about to embark on a journey that challenged our arch-rivals to their capacity. For many squad members, a commitment and dedication to their training started back in the middle of Term 2. As always, a strong contingent from the junior squad was well lead by the ever-present senior role models, Captain Luke Hennessey and Luke Williams. Many squad members committed themselves to training 3 mornings a week, a commitment that can be challenged when the mornings are dark, cold and wet during the depths of the winter months. Different training venues were used this year for the first time to add variety to the training, with a focus on speed, hills, and interval work as a priority. Weight sessions on Wednesday mornings were also held to focus on core strength and conditioning. After three trial carnivals, which also included our own House Cross Country Carnival, a final squad was selected and presented to the school community. For some, this was a reward for the many months of hard work and toil spent on the track.

Back Row: K. McInerney, J. Cooper, L. O’Connell, L. Cook, S. Byrne, T. Miles. Middle Row: Mr S. Mackintosh, S. Dillane, J. Fisher, T. Foster, M. Herbstreit, B. Close, N. Beaumont, Ms K. Harding. Seated: L. Frazzetto, S. Gates, R. Harris, D. Stow, J. Battersby, W. Kennish. Absent: M. Crosbie, J. Camilleri, H. Rix, J. Gray.

Back Row: J. Gava, M. Stizza, L. Wison, F Roberts, J. Neilson, H. Haley, A. Cramp. Middle Row: Mr S. Mackintosh, P. O’Brien, A. McCulloch, M. Hamilton, C. Draffen, P. Petros, A. Indovino, C. Murphy. Seated: P. Masson, J. Williams, P. O’Connell, D. Freeman, J. Billu, C. Wilson Absent: M. Haymes, P. Vella, H. Renshaw On September 12th, the Carnival was held at the ominous Bundoora Park. The event saw many personal best times achieved by our runners. Every student who represented the school did so with determination and pride. Each squad was enthusiastically supported by their peers as they completed the challenging 3km and 5km course. There were many special efforts on the day. The following achievements are to be congratulated on: De La Salle — Under 13 Section Champions De La Salle — Junior Section Cup Champions De La Salle — Overall standing Runners Up to St Bernard’s! Under 13’s — Pat Valla 2nd overall with a time of 10:18 for 3km Under 17’s — Luke Hennessy 1st overall with a time of 15:08 for 5km I would like to thank the coaches who made a commitment to assist with the organizing and training of the squad this year. Without your support and loyalty the enjoyment of 70 students compete for the College to their potential could be achieved. I’m sure that with the squad we have now, we are more than capable of going one better next year!

Standing: Mr M. Mahy, Matt Warr, Jack Murray, Hamish Rix, Angus McInnes Seated: John Bruce, Damian Li, Daniel Martin, Josh Allen Having finished in third place last year, the challenge was set to try and win a flag for De La. A strong line-up looked promising for us, but Jack Murray and Angus McInnes being overseas with an IT/Maths competition deprived us of two good players. We still had Kev Nguyen at board one and Kev usually nails six out of seven minimum. Inexplicably, Kev lost three games on time! Damian Li at board two was awesome, however, and creamed a beautiful seven out of seven. Other high fliers were Daniel Martin and Ray Wong (five wins each) and Matt Warr and Jake Evans gained 3 valuable points each for their side.

Mr Marty Mahy

Standing: B. Sarena, S. Badrock, S. Dillane, S. Molinaro, L. Frazetto, Mr A. Wozencroft Seated: C. Sutton, F. D’Addazio, D. De Fazio, P. Helsing, J. Fisher

Year 8 Tennis

Standing: M. Hurley, D.Vass, S. Sabatucci, A. Soriano, R. Neeson Seated: M. Kaye, M. Papotto, M. Hamilton, J. Williams, J. Curtis

Standing: T. Balthazaar, R. David, J. McDonald, M. Glico, K. Soeum, J. Balthazaar, Ms S. Buick Seated: S. Myers, M. Hamblin, L Fisher, O. Salvatore, J. Noble, S. Decorrado

Senior Table Tennis

2007 was a highly successful year for Table Tennis at De La Salle. Having had many years in the wilderness of the bottom eight teams we decided that this year we were going to try for a top four finish. With this in mind the lads set themselves to training once a week and concentrated on their doubles, which is where a side can pick up some good points. The season was filled with great matches as we demonstrated to the rest of the competition our determination and resolve. We were defeated by St Bernard’s on our home tables early in the season but ended up playing them for third in the finals. Travelling all the way out to the ‘snake pit’, then having to play in a busy corridor outside Year 7 classes was no simple task, but the De La boys were able to deal with the obstacles they threw at us. In the end it all came down to the last set of the last game. Unfortunately we lost 13 to 15, but the boys proved magnanimous losers and good sports in defeat. I was very proud of our team because we did in fact reach our goal of a top four finish. The future looks bright for 2008, as many of the stronger members in our team were Year 11 students. I thank Woody Eke for his able leadership as Captain and all the other players who did well representing the College (and helping read the Melways!).

Mrs Sally Buick

Back Row: G. Kucukbalci-Katsifolis, A. Papamilitiades, J. Stamatelos, Middle Row: Mr P. Harrup, D. Newell, T. Danda, J.Purton-Smith, A. Di Cosmo, T. Florentzou, N. Ibarra, R. Sita, R. Harris, L. Terella. Absent: M. Chai, M. Dungan, B. Ellul, J. Karatzis, D. Petras, S. Stamos, B. Tesoriero, R. Wong

Year 8 Table Tennis

Cycling

Victorian Schools Cycling Championships

After having an awesome day out at the 2006 Victorian Schools Cycling Championships, Terry Atkins and I once again rallied the De La Salle cyclists for another foray into the world of competitive cycling. This year we took 19 enthusiastic students to Port Melbourne. The weather was good, the course provided excellent viewing for spectators, and the boys had a fantastic day. Some of the boys were warming up for their 30 minute race for over an hour! Whilst we did not ‘roll’ away with wins and accolades, the boys did leave smiling and chatting excitedly about what they could do next with their cycling pursuits. It was definitely a fantastic result from the day! One of the highlights from our De La Salle competitors was Year 9 Michael Crosbie’s race. This was Michael’s second championships and it was great to see his marked improvement from last year. Michael held his own during his race, working some rolling turns with three other boys, well clear of the rest of the bunch. In the end, he finished 4th, the result of spending too much time out the front doing all the work! Terry and I would like to thank all of the boys for making our day at Port Melbourne such a fantastic experience, and congratulate them on representing themselves, and the College, in such an exemplary manner. Thanks to all of the parents who made the trek to Port Melbourne to watch and cheer on their sons.

Track Day

To show their appreciation of De La Salle’s support for the Victoria Schools Cycling Championships, CycleSport Victoria very generously hosted De La Salle cyclists at DISC Velodrome in Darebin for a track session. For those who do not know much about track cycling, here is a little information: The track’s steepest banks are 42 degrees. The bikes do not have brakes. The bikes have fixed wheels (the pedals move with the wheel so you cannot stop pedalling or you will flip). Your feet are strapped to the pedals. Sound a little scary? That’s what some of our cyclists thought when they first arrived at Darebin! However, thanks to the excellent instructions and encouragement from the boys of CycleSport, our cyclists experienced the adrenaline rush from speeding around the track.

One of the highlights of the session was the standing start time trial. Competition was fierce amongst the boys (and the teachers!) as we all had the opportunity to race the clock, and each other, for one lap. The fastest time trial of the day was from Year 9 student Tom Doherty. He flew around a lap in 25.2 seconds. Michael Crosbie was second fastest with 25.63 seconds with Nathan Johnstone not far behind with a time of 25.68 seconds. And, for the record, and bragging rites, I recorded a faster lap time than Terry Atkins! Special thanks must go out to Luke Mason from CycleSport Victoria. His willingness to accommodate the De La Salle students was incredible. Looking forward to more cycling in 2008!

Ms Karen Harding