Diocesan Athletics Carnival

The Diocesan Athletics Carnival will be held on Wednesday 28th July at Hunter Sports Centre Glendale.  

The event will begin at 9.45am and finish at 2.00pm approximately. Students are expected to stay for the duration of the carnival. No students are to enter the centre prior to 9.00am. The gates will open at 9.00am and students are to meet their regional team managers in their allocated seating area. There will be signs up along the fence. The team managers for this event will be as follows: 
- Mrs Rachael Wlodarczyk - St John's Lambton 
- Mrs Olivia Redgrove - St Columba's Adamstown 
- Miss Elise Stewart - St Patrick's Wallsend  

There is no paperwork for this event, as competitors' Regional paperwork will be forwarded on to the Diocesan team managers. There is however a $10 entry, that can be paid to the school office no later than Friday 23rd July.  

The competition rules are as follows:  

• The Carnival will be conducted in accordance with the rules set down by the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Primary Schools Sports Association and the Rules of I.A.A.F. An order of events sheet is attached but is subject to change.  
• Parents are not allowed inside the track fence or marshalling area (except for children in multiclass events).  
• 7mm spikes may be worn in races where children run in individual lanes. Spikes are not permitted in packed starts.  
• Runners choosing to use starting blocks must use the centres.  
• Paperwork for the Polding carnival will be given out at the END of the Diocesan carnival. Children are to stay until the completion of the carnival to collect paperwork from their regional team manager. They must register online by the due date. If a student is unable to compete at the Polding carnival, please notify Bernadette Duggan on the day of the Diocesan carnival or within 3 days of its completion.  
• The top THREE athletes will be selected to represent the Diocese in each event, except relay which is the fastest TWO.  
• Spectators are welcome but must sit in the allocated seating away from the regional team areas. All spectators must sign in on the QR code on entry and practice social distancing and hygiene protocols. Covid Guidelines are subject to change.  

The St Joseph’s Diocesan team and events are as follows: 

Lily Graham - 9yrs 100m, Junior 800m 
Eve Yuen - 10yrs 100m 
Mabel Hainsworth - 11yrs100m, 11yrs shot put 
Bonnie Petersen - 12yrs 100m, 12yrs 200m, 12yrs Shot Put 
Violet Lusby - Junior 200m 
Eden Buxton - 12yrs 1500m 
Stella Childs - Junior Long Jump 
Oliver Sciulli - 8yrs 100m 
Evan Beacher - 9yrs 100m, Junior Boys Relay 
Archie Doyle - 9 yrs 100m, Junior 800m, Junior High Jump,  Junior Boys Relay 
Jacob Flynn - 10yrs 100m, Junior 200m, Junior Long Jump,  Junior Boys Relay 
Sidney Maxwell - 10yrs 100m, Junior 200m, Junior Shot Put,  Junior Boys Relay 
Vrix Marcelo - 13yrs 100m 
Zachary McGready - 12yrs 800m, 12yrs High Jump 
Lucas Vickery - 11yrs High Jump 
Carter Allan - 12 yrs High Jump, 12yrs Long Jump 
Byron Schmidt - Junior Long Jump 
Oliver Moran - 12yrs Shot Put 

We wish all these students the very best for this upcoming event! 

FUTSAL 

On Tuesday 22nd June I had the pleasure of taking a junior boys’ team and a senior girls’ team to the Northern NSW school FUTSAL championships held at Maitland.  

In total there were 24 schools represented from the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast regions. The teams that were competing had all placed either first or second at their respective regional competition round. Because of this we knew the competition would be tough. 

Each team played three rounds. The girls played their first game against Killarney Vale in what ended up being a very close and exciting encounter. At half time our girls were behind 3 -1 and needed to re-group in the break. In the second half two quick goals were scored with only 3 minutes to go and then the winning goal was scored with just a few seconds left. Final score, 4 – 3 to St Joseph’s. Unfortunately, the next two rounds did not go our way with a score of 1 – 0 against us each time. This left the girl’s team in 3rd place in their pool and not able to advance to the knockout round. Well done girls on three exciting and competitive games. 

While the junior boys won each of their round games the games were very close affairs and they had to play hard for the entire time. At the end of the three rounds the boys finished top of their pool and advanced to the knock-out final. 

Peter Shewsbury, our junior boys coach and manager describes they’re day best: 

The boys started well, looking composed and in control as they took a 2-nil win in Game 1 against a good Hillsborough side, and followed it up with a hard-fought 3-1 win over a highly rated Wyong Christian School side. 

With progress to the semis assured but playing to top their group, the boys nearly slipped on a banana peel in the final group game, falling behind to Green Point before struggling back to a 3-2 win. 

The boys faced Kariong in the semi-final, and despite being generally dominant were held at bay by their very good goalkeeper, and like the previous game needed to grind out a win-from-behind victory, scoring the final goal in a 4-3 win with seconds to go. 

And so came the final against a Holy Family team that the boys had beaten in the previous competition. Unfortunately, the ball just couldn't seem to find the net for us, and we conceded some unlucky goals to lose the final 3-nil, a result that belied an even match. The boys never gave up the chase and can be proud of their performance. 

Congratulations boys! Runners up at this level is a great achievement. 

Thank you to the parents who transported children to the event and for staying on and cheering on the players. Thank you to Peter Shrewsbury who managed and coached the junior boys and to our intern teachers who assisted with managing and supervision for the day as well.