Sydney is world renowned for its beautiful coastline and beaches. Waves and the ocean make up part of the fabric of summer in Sydney. Also, etched in buildings and walls throughout the city is evidence of Sydney’s Hawkesbury Sandstone; the parent material found in the cliff faces between Bronte and Bondi.
On Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday 7 November 2017, a low pressure system accompanied by strong southerly winds generated a powerful south-east swell. This atmospheric system provided a perfect backdrop to explore coastal processes such as weathering, erosion and longshore drift. Simply put; waves, wind and salt wearing away rocks and removing sand from beaches. Together, these processes result in a dynamic and ever changing coastal landscape.
Field trips and ‘first hand’ learning experiences are an authentic and extremely beneficial way to learn. They allow students to ‘open their eyes’ to their local environment. As part of Year 9 Stage 5 Geography course, Waverley students study Environmental Change and Management. This requires an exploration of biophysical processes; the relationship between the atmosphere, water, earth and other living things. On the day, boys were required investigate coastal processes, make observations and records, complete sketches, evaluate management strategies and assess risk factors between Bronte and Bondi. A worksheet and activities were completed and performed at various intervals.
I would like to commend the Year 9 students on their manner and level of engagement throughout the day. Also, I’d like to extend a special thanks to the Geography Department consisting of Mr. Thompson, Ms. Walker, Mr. Langdale and Mr. Brophy along with special guest budding Geography teachers Mrs. Tanner, Mr. Bryant, Mr. McCallum and Mr. Coleman. Without your support and enthusiasm, the day would have never happened.
Last week the Senior Library celebrated International Games Week, in support of Conlon House Charity, Edmund Rice Camps. Students from Years 7 to 12 came along to a series of lunch time activities where they enjoyed playing games such as Uno, Mario Kart and Monopoly. It all kicked off last Monday at lunch with a speaker’s corner, and continued throughout the week with the much anticipated Rocket League tournament. Congratulations to Eddie Kranz in Year 10 who won the Grand Final.
Thank you to those students who participated, all in all $103 was raised to support the work of the Edmund Rice Camps.
“Edmund Rice Camps provide holiday experiences for young people aged 7 – 16 years who would not otherwise be able to enjoy them. There is a small cost for the young people to attend the camps. Many of the participants come from what could be considered as marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds. The camps also provide welcome respite for parents and families.”
More information can be found here: https://www.edmundricecamps.org/
For many students, this week will be their final round of sport for the year. Our two-day cricketers will continue next weekend as well as our water polo players and swim squad, but all other activities are finished for 2017 after this weekend’s fixtures.
Last weekend saw the 1st V Basketball defeat Trinity for the first time in many seasons to continue their great performances. All of the off-season efforts by the players, coaches and convenor has proven to have a great impact. The USA tour group has also been training hard and have their information session this Friday in the E40’s from 6.30pm.
Our 1st XI cricket snatched victory from the jaws of defeat again with Lachlan Forrest taking six key wickets. Both teams will need to improve for key matches this weekend. Matthew McAlpine took a brilliant hat-trick while generating his amazing figures of 4/1 in the 9A’s comprehensive victory.
There were great performances in a range of other sports and activities, including the Trinity swimming invitational on Friday evening. Our young 1sts water polo squad is training hard and is developing soundly. Whilst they have had tough matches against older and quality opposition, they will become a great team over the next couple of seasons.
I want to take this opportunity also to thank all of our convenors, staff, coaches, students, parents and supporters for their amazing work over the year. A special mention goes to the many parents in our supporter groups and the important role you play in the delivery of our co-curricular program and the well-being of your sons. Thank you!
With the upcoming holidays it is also timely to remind students to keep up the physical activity, stay safe and think carefully about what you are eating. When we return in 2018 we want to keep the great momentum of 2017 going as well continuing to set high standards for our new Year 7 cohort. These young men were all part of their orientation day last Friday and a big thank you to our staff and student leaders involved on the day.
Good luck to all and ‘Go the Waves!’
Waverley Cricketers enjoyed some of their strongest performances around the grounds, and boys and their coaches should be congratulated with their level of effort. Many teams are seeing their training focus bear fruit – particularly in the standards of bowling and fielding. This week sees many of our sides in their final round of matches, so we hope to build further on this momentum.
Matthew McAlpine after a hat-trick in the 9As
This week saw 3 standout performances with the ball – with a hat trick and a highly unique co-incidence from two spin twins. 2 boys at Queens Park bowled their teams to victory – finishing with the same figures of 6 wickets for 11 runs! Well done to Year 10s Lachlan Forrest with his leggies spinning the 1sts to victory over Cranbrook, with detailed report below. Moments later, Year 7 Left-arm spinner Edward Regan led Cranbrook’s dismissal for 89 in their chase of Waverley’s 4/145 in the 8As. Ed also scored 38, while skipper Daniel McSweeney scored 48 not out in another strong win. Quick bowlers William Dodd, Ryland short and Patrick Abrahams all took early wickets with very straight bowling – in fact 7 of 10 wickets in the innings were bowled!
Liam Andrews in action with 10As
There were many other impressive team displays, with another undefeated round from the Year 9 teams. The 9As were quick to dismiss Cranbrook for just 60, thanks largely to Matthew McAlpine’s 4/11, including a hat-trick to end their innings swiftly. Matt has worked really hard in the pre-season on his Cricket with the goal of improving his rhythm and consistency. Not only has he been rewarded with a move into the 9A side, but now to spearhead this victory is a fantastic reward for that hard work. The 9As batted strongly to finish over 100 runs in front, with Connor Boyd Boland scoring a fluent 54, while Murray Shearer remained 31 not out. Nick Quinn and Peter Reeves were on fire in the 9Bs innings, both passing 50, only for great team bowling dismissing the Trinity side for 36.
The 2nds at Hordern were unlucky to draw their rain-affected match – left short of time to score the 24 remaining runs. Ben Heal was in form with the ball with 2 wickets, while Ridley Owens struck a powerful 35 runs. The 3rds and 10As were a victim of not putting enough runs on the board with the bat, while both the 8B and C teams fell just short of their targets when chasing. We wish all our teams the very best in a big round ahead – may the strong momentum continue and more runs flow of the Waverley bat. News just to hand comes from a victory by 63 runs in the 1st XI midweek Twenty20 clash with Cranbrook. Batting first, Jacob Tomasiello top scored with a swift 35 runs, before 2 wickets apiece to Daniel Andrews and Ben Scarf helped dismiss Cranbrook for just 59 runs. The next T20 is on Monday November 27 at Trinity.
Lachlan Forrest on fire with 6 wickets
Waverley started Day 2 at 5 for 60 with Alex Ferrara and Reid McNamara at the crease. Neither batsman looked troubled as the score moved to 83 when Alex Ferrara hung the bat out to dry only to feather one through to the keeper with his score of 35, the highest of the Waverley innings. Jacob Tomasiello was next to bat and a classic straight drive raised the hopes of a long innings. This was not to be as a nothing shot saw the ball strike the back of the bat to be caught at short cover. Lachlan Forrest faced up to his first delivery only to hear the death rattle as the ball cut back to go between bat and pad and hit off stump. At 8 for 96 the game looked to be slipping away, however Harry Whitaker joined Reid McNamara for this pair to post a 46 run rear guard partnership which ended when an attempted cover drive to a wide ball was nicked through to the keeper for 34. Only one further run was added to the score when Harry Whiteman was bowled leaving Reid McNamara not out 31 in a very patient and well compiled innings. The question now was asked would 143 be enough to force a victory.
A minute silence was observed on 11am before Cranbrook had to face 6 overs before the lunch break. Benjamin Scarf looked to have made the breakthrough in his second over however the decision went the way of the batsman. A catch was then floored at second slip off the bowling of Harry Whitaker. However, in Benjamin Scarf’s third over he again struck the pads and this time the umpire agreed. After the break it was not until the 25th over that Alex Ferrara picked up the 2nd wicket, spinning one between bat and pad to hit the stumps making it 2 for 53. A solid innings from the Cranbrook skipper looked to have turned the game to the visitors as he hit 3 big sixes to rocket the score into the 90’s. The total stood at 99 when Alex Ferrara induced a false shot from the skipper for Oliver Ruse to take a good running catch behind square leg. Lachlan Forrest was asked to bowl the final over before the tea break and with his 4th delivery he had the batsman stretching forward reaching for the shot, the ball spun sharply and as the foot was raised, keeper Jack Hardwicke-Owen whipped the bails off and the finger was up at square leg. Tea was taken with the score at 4 for 102.
10As honour Remembrance Day
Waverley was back in the game but it was going to take some very disciplined bowling to pull off a victory. The leg spin twins were now working together attempting to weave some magic. In just his 2nd over Lachlan Forrest bowled the wrongun which struck the pad and the umpires finger was up, 5 for 104. Cranbrook edged closer but with the total at 123 Lachlan Forrest got one to dip late on the batsman who hit a low catch back to the bowler. 6 became 7 as the same bowler ripped one past the bat catching a thick edge on the way through to the keeper. In the next over Ryan Connolly joined the party with Reid McNamara taking the catch at backward point, 8 for 123. A very difficult boundary catch was put down, on the run, in the next over but the Waverley team didn’t lose focus and Lachlan Forrest fizzed one through to hit middle stump in the same over to give him his 5th wicket and join the honour board in the pavilion, 9 for 124. Just one further run was added when another catch was offered as the ball was hit high in the direction of deep mid-wicket. The March hare, Jacob Tomasiello, set himself perfectly to accept the catch and the celebratory cheer from the team could be heard from blocks away as Waverley had claimed the 3rd straight victory for the season. Lachlan Forrest was easily the man of the match having the figures of 9.2 overs, 3 maidens, 6 for 11, with his flight, control and spin a joy to watch. He was ably assisted by Alex Ferrara with 2 for 26 from 12 overs and Ryan Connolly 1 for 38 off 14 overs. Credit also must be given to Alex Ferrara, Reid McNamara and Harry Whitaker for without the partnerships from these batsmen earlier in the day this result would not have been possible. Special thanks also to Conor Molloy who fielded superbly for the injured Rory Doyle.
Find out what your options are after you get your results
If you’ve applied for university for 2018, you might be a bit nervous right now. Getting your results and making your final course decision can be tough.
Once upon a time, students had to wait weeks or months between receiving their results and being offered a place, but now the ‘Powers That Be’ have made some changes to dates and everything happens much quicker than it used to.
What does this mean for you?
If you’re finishing Year 12 in 2017 and have applied for university, it means that you’ll only have a little while to change your preferences once you’ve received your marks before the main round of offers.
This year, results are released on December 15, and the option to change your preferences for the main round is December 17.
There are still ways to change your mind later on (and a number of uni students change degree paths during their degree – it’s not unusual and you’re never ‘locked-in’ to finishing anything) but it’s a good idea to change your preferences as soon as you know what your results look like.
Why would you change your preferences?
It’s a big decision, but now you have more information (i.e. your results) it’s wise to rethink your options.
To help you make the best choice, many universities hold special ‘Change of Preference’ sessions (sometimes they’re called ‘Info Days’) where you can get one-on-one advice and find out about your options.
You’ll also find lots of information about university preparation courses, extracurricular activities, accommodation services and alternative entry pathways.
Below is a list of all the upcoming Change of Preference Sessions, so you can pop them in your diary today.
Sydney – Friday 15 December
Saturday 16 December
https://www.mq.edu.au/about/events/view/info-day-2017/
Run until 29 December – book a session online
https://www.nd.edu.au/events/2017/course-advice-sydney
Saturday 16 December
https://infoday.sydney.edu.au/
Saturday 16 December
https://www.futurestudents.unsw.edu.au/info-day
Saturday 16 December 9am-2pm
@ Admissions and Prospective Students Office, Pioneer House, 140 Broadway, Chippendale.
The Admissions and Prospective Students Office will be open from 9.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday 16 December 2017 after students receive their final Year 12 results, and before Change of Preferences day on 17 December. Course Options Day is a great chance to have a one-on-one chat with staff and submit an application ahead of Course Info Day on January 4 (see below).
https://www.nd.edu.au/events/sydney
Applications are still open for all courses at Notre Dame in 2018
Applying for ADFA is a competitive, dual application process that can take up to 12 months. It’s preferable you apply in Year 11, but you can still apply in Year 12.
Applications for 2018 Year 12 Students (for 2019 entry) close at the end of February 2018.
https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/students-and-education/australian-defence-force-academy/how-to-apply
There are after school and school-holiday workshops available.
https://coderacademy.edu.au/kids-and-teens-coding#school-holidays
Sunday 10 – Friday 15 December in Sydney
Run by the Institution of Engineers Australia. Honeywell Engineering Summer School (HESS) aims to give NSW and ACT high school students a better understanding of what engineering is and how it works in everyday life.
Over the week, students will attend lectures and demonstrations at five prestigious NSW universities. They will also have the opportunity to meet and interact with professional engineers employed by government, private companies, researchers and academics in a wide range of engineering disciplines. Visits with industry provide a valuable opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the role of professional engineers in a wide range of activities including the management of major projects.
Applicants must be entering year 12 in a government or non-government high school in 2018. They must be studying two or more units of mathematics and a form of science, and will need to make their own travel arrangements to and from Sydney.
Registration Closes 3 December at 9am.
Find out more and apply – https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/portal/event/honeywell-engineering-summer-school
You might be a bit worried about getting a lower ATAR than you hoped. It certainly won’t be the end of the world – read these two articles for some tips of what to do next.
https://theconversation.com/so-you-didnt-get-a-great-atar-its-not-the-end-of-the-world-35361
Collaborate with other young artists in an ensemble to develop skills for stage and screen. Work with the support and direction from core tutors and gain inspiration from industry professionals.
6-hour workshop each Sunday during term time for 2018.
Auditions:
Sydney
Sun 10 Dec, 2017 10am
Sun 14 Jan, 2018 10am OR 2pm
You need to enrol for the auditions.
https://www.open.nida.edu.au/course/OSYASAU
Wednesday, 22nd November, 6-8pm
During the Info Night, you’ll learn about careers and study options in film production, 3D animation, digital media, game design, mobile apps and IT, take a campus tour, and learn about our $8,000 Scholarship for domestic students.
Register here – https://www.ait.edu.au/information-night
The Australian government has a number of cadetship, scholarship, and work experience opportunities within Australian Government departments and agencies. To view these opportunities, visit:
This article from JMC Academy provides some great tips on how to break into these industries and others like them.
https://www.jmcacademy.edu.au/news/how-to-break-into-the-arts-and-entertainment-industry
Friday 24 November 2017, 1pm
Find out more – https://sydneydesignschool.com.au/info-sessions/
Wednesday 15 – Friday 17 November, 7.30am to 3pm each day
Monday 27 – Wednesday 29 November, 7.30am to 3pm each day
The students will be provided with practical training in our training centre learning surface preparation on doors as well as cutting in and rolling on both ceilings and walls in our booths.
We supply uniform and are a short bus ride (M90) from Strathfield train station to Gould street Strathfield South.
Students will receive a certificate on course completion.
Register your interest – https://www.masterpainters.com.au/bootcamp
Myfuture has made updates to its website for 2017. These include my career profile. The account registration for users has also been simplified as well as a simplification of the course search to make finding a course or career path easier. For any other feedback or suggestions for the service contact, careers@esa.edu.au
The Good Universities Guide has been revamped and they are seeking feedback on the site from students and careers advisers: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3321734/GUG-Website-Survey
https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au/
https://www.skillsroad.com.au/parents/career-planning/stemsubjects
If you’re interested in study or a career in science, technology, engineering or maths, you might want to check out the latest Careers with STEM magazines. They are full of interesting and inspiring stories about where study in STEM can take you.
https://careerswithstem.com/read-it-here/
https://thefootnotes.com.au/5-things-you-need-to-consider-when-picking-a-degree/
This U.S. Government Website provides advice to students interested in applying to U.S. colleges and universities. Information includes how to apply, testing, financial aid, visas, and more. The U.S. Consulate General in Sydney has an EducationUSA Centre, and students, parents and career advisers can make appointments to visit the centre.
https://www.educationusa.info/australia
The main changes to the recruitment process include no minimum academic requirement, introduction of a University Certificate in Workforce Essentials, the entrance exam is now known as the Police Entrance Exam, copies of transcripts and other mandatory documents need to be certified by a Justice of the Peace, online application via JobsNSW and a case office will contact applicants once applications are received.
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/recruitment/home
Australian Defence Force Academy applications are now open for 2018. While this may seem like a long way away, the application process can take 3–12 months depending on your circumstances. To avoid having to do the application when you are busy with year 12 exams, think about starting your application soon!
https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/education/adfa/how-to-apply/
A resource that provides students and career advisers access to the relevant tools to explore career, education and employment options.
The 400+ job descriptions covered by the guide include information about personal requirements, education and training, employment opportunities and related jobs.
https://goodeducationbookshop.com/products/the-good-careers-guide
A tax file number is a unique nine-digit number issued to individuals and organisations to help administer tax and other Australian Government systems. Students need a TFN before they can start any type of paid work.
For information on how to apply visit: https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-file-number/
This article features some smartphone apps that can help students to improve their study habits.
Think Education have produced a free eBook with tips on how to master your final year of school.
https://beyou.think.edu.au/surviving-year-12
https://www.tsfx.com.au/hsc-study-tips
Edge Online is an online resource portal that provides exclusive resources designed to provide students with the best opportunities to optimise their Year 11 and 12 scores.
Edge Online members receive over $300 worth of resources at no charge.
https://www.tsfx.com.au/resources/
https://www.tsfx.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/HSC-2016-Study-Tip-1.pdf
https://this.deakin.edu.au/study/students-take-note-and-ace-your-exams
https://this.deakin.edu.au/study/the-secret-to-staying-calm-under-pressure
or dentists in hospital for 1 – 8 weeks.
Volunteering is a great way to give to your community, meet interesting people, and learn new skills. It can also be a great way to get some experience on your resume before you get a job. Youth Central have some tips on finding a volunteering position and making sure you’re not being exploited in the role.
https://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/jobs-careers/volunteering-work-experience/volunteering
If you are thinking of earning some cash over the Christmas period many organisations are conducting recruitment drives now. For example, Bonds stores are conducting interviews this month! Take a look at:
https://au.indeed.com/Christmas-Casual-jobs
If you’re considering studying overseas, you can explore your options on this website.
https://www.hotcoursesabroad.com/
This website is for anyone interested in a career in sport and fitness. There is information about recommended qualifications and pathways, along with a list of available positions and courses.
https://www.sportspeople.com.au/
https://www.mskills.org.au/media-centre/news#NewsHint=14168
https://upto.com/embedded/detail/5HQ1O?pt=a1SO
The School for Excellence (TSFX) have put together a 36 page guide to help year 12 students achieve the best possible marks in end of school exams. The guide has advice about goal setting, managing stress and procrastination, time management skills, effective learning techniques, planning study timetables and more.
Download it here: https://www.tsfx.com.au/hsc-survival-guide-edge-teachers
This page has electronic resources on a number of topics, including comparing universities by state or by degree. The information is all sourced from The Good Universities Guide 2018.
https://australiancareersservice.com.au/resources/ – good-university-guide-downloadables
https://www.utas.edu.au/news/2017/10/6/422-how-to-focus-on-wellbeing-during-times-of-stress/
Congratulations to the 2017 HSC students, they have conducted themselves very well over the last few weeks. Mr Col Blake (WCOBU 1962) has been the HSC Presiding Officer for the College for 20 HSC years. Col has stated that he thinks they are the best he has seen in terms of manners, focus and application. We obviously all hope this converts into good results. We wish the boys all the best as they transition to their next step in life. The College hosts a HSC BBQ on the 15th of December for all the boys to return one last time this year.
I was informed earlier this year by the Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, that Waverley College would be one of the independent Catholic schools that would experience a 14% (in today’s dollars) reduction in government funding over a ten year period. Waverley College is one of approximately 46 independent Catholic schools, including Kincoppal and Loreto Kirribilli, which were identified under the new ‘Gonski 2.0’ funding program as ‘over-funded’. This calculation was based on a number of factors, including Socioeconomic Status (SES) data for each individual school.
Our 2018 budget has recently been recommended by the Waverley College Board for approval by Edmund Rice Education Australia. Despite the recent reduction in Commonwealth Government funding, I am pleased to announce that the College has been able to limit the tuition fee increase to 6.5% across all year levels. This increase is lower than many other schools (according to recent media articles) and has been achieved by making a number of non core business savings to keep these fee increases to a minimum despite this loss of Commonwealth Government funding. I will be writing to all families in the near future to provide full details about the 2018 fees.
I am pleased to announce that two important executive positions at the College have now been finalised. Mr Stephen O’Donnell has been appointed Director of Co-curriculum. Stephen has been Head of Senior Sport at Waverley since 2010 and has been Acting Director of Co-curriculum for 2017.
Ms Phoebe Guirguis has been appointed Head of Mathematics, having Acted in the role for more than 12 months.
We wish both Phoebe and Stephen all the best in their respective positions.
Congratulations also to Mr Greg Elliot who has been appointed to the position of CAS Cricket Coach.
Congratulations to Jason Sangha of Year 12, who has been selected in the Australian Cricket team to play the International England side currently touring.
On behalf of Waverley College, I would like congratulate Mr John Weeks, Headmaster of Knox Grammar on his 15 years service to his school community. John has announced his retirement this week at the end of Term 1 2018. Congratulations to Mr Scott James who has been named as the next Headmaster. Scott is the current Deputy Headmaster at the College and is a progressive thinker and dynamic educational leader. I look forward to working him in this new capacity next year.
I encourage parents and carers to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Waverley College Parent Association on Tuesday 14 November at 7pm on Level 4 (Fitzgerald Room) of the Administration Building, Senior Campus.
All Executive Committee positions will be declared vacant and elections will be conducted for the following positions:
This year three members of the Executive Committee will be stepping down after serving in their roles for several years. Retiring will be: President, Greg Bodkin; Secretary, Kathy Davies; and Treasurer, Christina Fragias.
This is a great opportunity for you to contribute to the school and its community.
Last Friday, Tevlin students were fortunate to hear at their House Assembly from Mr Paul Longobardi from the St Vincent DePaul Society. One important service of Vinnies is the Matthew Talbot Hostel. This hostel in Woolloomooloo and other Australian locations provides accommodation, food, health, counselling and employment support for thousands of men each year who are experiencing homelessness or other difficulties. Boys were challenged to better understand the different types and factors involved with homelessness, and realise all people’s desire to have dignity in their lives. Boys left this experience feeling motivated towards helping this year’s Matthew Talbot Appeal become highly successful.
All students from every house including Years 5 to 12 are encouraged to bring in toiletry and other essential items in order to be able to provide a Christmas gift hamper for the homeless and marginalised groups which the Matt Talbot Hostel supports. Tevlin House has its major social justice issue as homelessness, and will co-ordinate the Matthew Talbot Christmas Appeal. This will run in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 of Term 4 until the end of November. All donations can be handed in to daily Mentor Groups, or to the Wellbeing Centre (Senior School), or Junior School Office.
Suggested items:
On Monday night, College Captains; Harley McGiuiggan, Daniel Andrews, Dominic Augoustis and Jack Hardwicke-Owen and Prefects; Daniel Brown, Jacob Gibson, Patrick Kossenberg and Reece Thorn were selected to attend the Q and A School Leaders special filmed at the ABC studios in Ultimo. This episode aired live on ABC TV at 9:30pm with young leaders from across NSW given the opportunity to discuss issues of importance to them with a panel of their peers and experts in the field, Education and Training Minister Simon Birmingham and Deputy Opposition Leader and Education Shadow Tanya Plibersek.
The issues that our boys brought to the discussion included HSC exam pressure and the relevance of the ATAR in 2017 Australia, cost of living and post-secondary employment options and housing affordability for young Australians, Mental Health in young people and violence against women. Unfortunately none of our questions were selected for discussion by host Tony Jones with our team reduced to the role of spectators.
This was a fantastic opportunity for our boys to experience a live-TV broadcast and to mix and mingle with young, passionate, charismatic leaders from other schools. The episode showcased that the future is indeed bright with the calibre of young people willing to step up and help shape our Nation’s future.
On Tuesday this week the Waverley College Captains participated in The Sydney Archdiocesan Student Leadership Forum at St Mary’s Cathedral. The key themes of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP’s address were to believe in yourself, anticipate challenges and view set backs as a necessary test in developing resilience. He emphasized the importance of Servant Leadership and standing in solidarity with those in the margins; not only globally but also locally; in your school, your family and network of friends. He challenged our leaders to set an example to their fellow students by being courageous, faithful, and committing to the greater good. School Captains and Prefects must lead the way by showing others how to listen to one another and how to disagree respectfully.
Young people are creative and innovative thinkers, free, passionate and determined with their ideas. It is society’s loss, school’s loss and the churches loss if they choose not to listen and not to utilize these attributes to the fullest. The Church and School leaders want to know and need to know your ideas, your thoughts, your hopes and your fears. School and the Church need to walk, work, pray and live beside it’s student leaders and embrace opportunities for positive change.
Together we can build a better Waverley.
Together we can build a better Church.
And together we can build a better world.
Come and audition in the PAC Theatre next Tuesday 14 November at 3:25pm.
We will also be having call backs the following day on Wednesday 15 November.
The play is about:
A terrified 12-year-old boy finds himself separated from his family in the unfamiliar streets of a war torn city. He takes refuge in a bombed-out house and in the total blackness his bravado crumbles into tears.
Into his life steps Anton – older, street smart and scornful of his crying. As a way of shutting the boy up, he starts to tell him a story that he vaguely remembers from his own childhood. And so begins a journey into the shifting, shimmering world of ogres, princes, singing bones, foolish lads and wolf-mothers.
Stories in the Dark explores the power of storytelling, mingling the magic and earthy wisdom of folk tales with the hard-edged story of violence, conflict and the struggle to survive.
Paul MacDonald won the inaugural Maurice Saxby Award in 2012 for his contributions to raising the profile of teen fiction. Paul MacDonald also was the winner of the 2016 Lady Cutler award for services to children’s literature and literacy in Australia. Here is another of his tips to keep your son reading….
Classics are having a resurgence.
Classics make great gifts and offer a compelling cultural link to our shared literary and cultural history. Charles Dickens would be a great place to start for boys!
Reading and what and how we read is expanding. Websites, audio books, comics and manga, newspapers and non-fiction all count as reading. Share your passion for any of these texts with your sons and enjoy reading together!
All boys from all Houses from Years 5-12 are encouraged to bring in toiletry and other essential items in order to be able to provide a Christmas gift hamper for the homeless and marginalised groups which the Matt Talbot Hostel provides assistance. Tevlin House has its major Social Justice issue as homelessness, and a large activity the House will co-ordinate is the Matthew Talbot Christmas Appeal. This will run in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 of Term 4 until the end of November. All donations can be brought into daily Mentor Groups, or to the Wellbeing Centre (Senior School), or Junior School Office.
Please bring…
Last Friday, Tevlin students were fortunate to hear at their House Assembly from Mr Paul Longobardi from the St Vincent DePaul Society. One important service of Vinnies is the Matthew Talbot Hostel. This hostel in Woolloomooloo and other Australian locations provides accommodation, food, health, counselling and employment support for thousands of men each year who are experiencing homelessness or other difficulties. Boys were challenged to better understand the different types and factors involved with homelessness, and realise all people’s desire to have dignity in their lives. Boys left this experience feeling motivated towards helping this year’s Matthew Talbot Appeal become highly successful.
Good morning Mr Leddie, Mr Brennan, Staff and Young men of Waverley College
This week we launch the Matt Talbot Christmas Appeal. Many of the younger students here today have had little or no contact with homeless people or indeed the issue of homelessness.
This year, as part of the Service program, many of year 11 students visited the Wayside Chapel for their street retreat in which we only got a glimpse of what it was really like to be living on the streets. We were immediately put into their shoes, being immersed on how hard it is to be able to make ends meet from a day-to-day basis. Learning about what some of the causes of homelessness were and the 3 different types. We were given a tour through the back alleyways of our Inner CBD and Woolloomooloo, this was where we all of us were shocked by the scale and the amount of people who are sleeping rough every day.
I hope none of us sitting here today will ever experience what it is like to live on the streets.
To fear falling asleep at night in case you are robbed or beaten, only to have all your possessions stolen. This is a reality for many men, women and children in our city at night.
I hope we don’t have feel the pain of the disgusted looks doled out by strangers who think a homeless person is less than human. Unable to explain that you are mentally ill or you’ve had a family breakdown.
This school does a lot of work with the homeless community every year. Every student will leave here having had at least one experience with homelessness in his senior years. The reasons for homelessness are very complex. If I’ve learnt one thing this year it is not to judge homeless people too harshly. Just look them in the eye and smile. This costs nothing and means so much. This is why I encourage all boys regardless of year to put their hand up and take part in initiatives that the school provides.
Tevlin will run the Matt Talbot Appeal this year. Matthew Talbot is run by the St Vincent de Paul society to be able to assist men within our city. We would love you to bring in some nice gifts for men who would receive no Christmas gift on Christmas morning. You will enjoy your gifts so much more knowing that you have made someone else’s Christmas better. The Matt Talbot hostel is one of the most well recognised homeless initiatives for men all around the Sydney CBD area, for this reason alone spending a few dollars on some socks or toiletries can make someone’s holiday season that much better.
One last thought, How would you feel if you woke up on Christmas morning only to find that there were no presents for you because somebody forgot or couldn’t be bothered to get you something. Please don’t forgot and please be bothered to contribute to the Matt Talbot appeal.
Waverley Cricketers showed they are a determined group, rising to the challenges of poor weather to still get some good Cricket played against local rivals Cranbrook. A few matches were washed out sadly, but the 9Bs had the day’s highlight with a convincing victory by almost 100 runs. Nicholas Quinn scored 52 not out to add some key partnerships in their total of 4/173 from 20 overs. The bowlers backed this up with controlled performances, including Max Farmeary producing a great spell to take 3 wickets.
All other matches were either washed out mid-innings, or continue this week for the 2-day sides. The 1st XI and 10As are mid-innings and needing some strong partnerships to set competitive totals. The 9As and 2nd XI are bowling currently and are in strong positions to take wickets and chase these totals on Saturday. The 3rd XI had an entertaining innings with the ball, on top early thanks to 3 wickets to Zane Zilich, before a late rally by Cranbrook and then further rain.
Next Tuesday, November 14 sees the 1st XI in a home Twenty20 showdown with Cranbrook. Play starts at 4pm, and all boys are encouraged to support the team for what will surely be a highly entertaining clash.
Ryan Smith attacks
Under overcast skies Waverley won the toss and elected to bat hoping to take advantage of the wet outfield and an optimistic forecast. Before a ball was bowled, the covers were back on and a delay saw the first ball bowled at 10.45. In only the 4th over, Benjamin Scarf played down the wrong line and lost his off stump. Two balls later Oliver Ruse looked to turn one on the leg side only to find an outside edge which flew fast to be caught high to the right at 3rd slip. After only 8 overs the rain started again and the covers dragged on with Waverley at 2 for 13
When play resumed, Jack Hardwicke-Owen played some enterprising shots to move the score along to 23, when an attempted shot through mid-wicket resulted in him being caught in that position. Opener Rory Doyle was the next to go with the score on 40, when he was somewhat unlucky to be adjudged LBW. Skipper Ryan Connolly looked to be in an aggressive mood but with the score on 52 he played a very loose shot to be caught at gully. The rain returned, with Waverley in a very shaky position at 5 for 60. only 28 overs were possible, so next Saturday begins an hour earlier, where 114 overs will be required for the day. Waverley will rely heavily on the batsmen presently at the crease Alex Ferrara and Reid McNamara to set a solid platform for the batsman to follow, Jacob Tomasiello, Lachlan Forrest, Harry Whitaker and Harry Whiteman. Batting for around 40 overs to hopefully increase the total by another 100+ will give Waverley a competitive total on a slow outfield and the time to bowl Cranbrook out.
Darcy Mullins in action
The junior teams this week had some good results with the 9A’s winning in a tough matchup against St Aloysius’ by 5 points, however some of the other teams lost such as the 8A’s who lost by just two points with the St Aloysius’ team featuring a 6.5 ft player. The 10 A’s also lost in a highly contested match that came down to a late surge by Saint Aloysius, who eventually beat the Waverley boys by 7 points. After the first two rounds of CAS competition over it is great to see the teams show good sportsmanship and mateship through their opening games.
This week the strong Waverley First V regained a past First’s player, Luca Zanarini who was back from an ankle injury. After being strapped and warmed up the game began. The St Aloysius’ side came out to a strong start that put pressure on the Waverley boys, however with a few stops and smart shots Waverley began to claw back into the game, where at the end of the first quarter Waverley, was trailing by just 3 points. During the first half the Waverley boys showed how they have grown as a team but still struggled to find a rhythm on both ends of the floor, this may have been due to the absence of the Year 12 cohort just returning from retreat. However, this was no excuse for the mass of turnovers that flooded onto the team due to a few bad passes and decisions. Fortunately, a run led by Jeremy Petritsis with some big shots to reduce the gap to 2 points entering the half and put Waverley back into the game. Things looked good for Waverley as they gained a lead early in the second half but the Aloysius team began to go on a run after a dunk from their teammate. However, this was quickly answered back with a 3 point shot to silence the home crowd.
With the third quarter coming to a close the Waverley boys were down by 7 points entering the fourth quarter. With the boys’ recovering their energy, they were ready to go. After the break the St Aloysius’ lead was slowly chipped away by a few big shots from Ryan Abbott and the defensive effort produced by Waverley lead to a St Aloysius’ shot missing and a final push to tie the game with less than 20 seconds left. With the pressure mounting, Waverley were down by 3. With a rebound for the Waverley boys, the ball was recovered in their possession, just in time for a drive and kick for a final shot at the buzzer. Unfortunately, the shot didn’t fall and this left Waverley disappointed with their performance and loss. However, this was a good wake up call for the First V team to use this as an experience to regain their form for the upcoming home game against Cranbrook.
After the first win last week, the Second V team were after another to add to their list. This week’s opponent being St Aloysius’. As the Seconds warmed up for a few minutes, they got to see first the competition they were about to face. As both teams went in for their huddle, the Seconds had a game plan to stick with. They knew it would be tough to keep themselves composed throughout the game. As the game started, Waverley were off to a solid start scoring some quick layups, however Waverley’s fouls gave away some easy points for Aloysius’. As halftime approached, some good 3-point shooting from Justin Capra and Stephen Morrissey, left the boys with a lead. However, some lazy passing led to turnovers and allowed St Aloysius’ to narrow that lead with the half time score being 29-30 Waverley. Although Waverley were dominating most of the first half, the Seconds boys knew that St Aloysius’ would put up a fight till the very last minute. Knowing they needed to adjust, Waverley came into the second half with a want to win. Like the first half, St Aloysius’ scored some much needed points through their offensive side of number 4 and 14 who scored their first 10 points of the half. This gave St Aloysius’ momentum as they began to grow a lead. Ash Backland got some much needed points through some strong points inside the paint, again narrowing the margin.
As the game continued to be close, like last week, Waverley’s turnovers played a big role in the game. This lead to many fast break points and much needed possession entering into the final moments of the game. Number 14 for St Aloysius’ again dominated with inside scoring, as Waverley struggled to get stops.
St Aloysius’ grew a lead of 4-5 points and Waverley needed to get some defensive stops to keep themselves in it. Unfortunately for Waverley, the defense and offense of St Aloysius’ stopped them from getting back into the game, as they ended in a close loss of 59-54. The Seconds boys showed significant grit throughout the game, however they unfortunately suffered their first loss of the season, but allowed them to find errors in their game to work on for next Friday night’s opponent, Cranbrook.
After thrilling wins for 1st’s and 2nd’s against Knox in the opening round of the CAS competition, Waverley were optimistic about their chances against St Aloysius’ on the weekend. The 2nd V were focussed on ensuring that they ran the court well, opening up shooting opportunities and making baskets. The game started well with the 2nd’s racing to a 10-point lead, however St Aloysius began playing more aggressive basketball, using their hands and pressing full court. The 2nd V struggled to maintain their composure under this pressure. Despite this the 2nd’s did well to stay in the game and at the half-time break, the score was 30-29 in Waverley’s favour. In the second half, the 2nd’s were able to build a small lead, however the continued pressure and missed opportunities kept St Aloysius’ in touch. Eventually, St Aloysiu’s were able to close out the game 59-54. Despite the disappointment of the loss, Coach Mr Creus Custodio, was pleased with the way the players never gave up and kept playing to the end. Ash Backlund, Daniel Marando and Justin Capra were the standouts on the day.
The 1st V were feeling very confident after their morale-boosting win against Knox the week before. During the week, video footage of the Knox game was analysed by Coach Mr Jovine and the players. The key messages from this analysis were to minimise turnovers and get defensive stops. The game started relatively well for the 1st’s as baskets were traded between each team with the score at the first break 15-12 to St Aloysius’. In the second quarter, St Aloyisus’ aggressive defense began to pay dividends as they capitalised on defensive stops and Waverley’s turnovers to jump out to a 7-point lead. Despite this, the 1st V were able to stay in the game and pulled to within 2 points at the half-time break with the score at 28-26 in St Aloysius’ favour. Late in the third quarter, the 1st V struggled to score points with the quarter closing at 47-40 to the opposition. Despite the mounting turnovers, the 1st’s were able stay with St Aloysius’, winning the fourth quarter 22-18, but ultimately losing the game 65-62. Coach Mr Jovine believed that Waverley was the better team, however the continued high turnover count will keep opposition teams in the game, making it difficult to get wins. He was happy that Waverley rallied towards the end of the game, having two opportunities to tie the game. Ultimately, the 1st’s fell short, going down 65-62. Coach Mr Jovine thought that if the 1st’s played the way they did in the last few minutes of the game, they would be hard for anyone to beat. Ryan Abbott, Jeremy Petritsis and Luca Zanarini played quality games.
With one win and a loss, both the 1st V and 2nd V are equal second on their respective ladders with three other schools. With 2 impressive wins from 2 games, Barker sit atop both the 1st V and 2nd V tables and look to be early favourites to win both 1st’s and 2nd’s competitions.
Friday night sees the 1st V and 2nd V take on neighbouring CAS school and traditional rival Cranbrook in the Eastside Derby. Friday Night Basketball is always a thrilling affair played in an electric atmosphere with many games over the years going down to the wire. Come and show your school spirit by attending and supporting your 1st V and 2nd V teams in their quest to be the best in the East! The 2nd’s tip-off at 6pm and the 1st’s at 7:15pm. Waverley student spectators must wear the full Waverley school uniform or sports uniform and ensure they adhere to the CAS Code of Conduct for Spectators (reproduced below).
Families participating in the USA / Canada Basketball Tour will be selling food and drinks on the night to help raise funds for the Tour. Long sleeve ‘Waverley Basketball’ shirts are also being sold to help raise money for the Tour. Proceeds from the sale of these shirts will go towards purchasing tour gear and uniforms for the players. The shirts are made from 50% cotton and 50% polyester and are smart, comfortable and perfect for wearing to basketball training, games or casually. The cost of the shirts is $50 each with some of the proceeds from the sale of the shirts going towards the Social Justice component of the Tour. Many families have already purchased the shirts and you will have no doubt seen them being worn. Show your support for the players on tour by purchasing a shirt before they are all sold out! You can also purchase shirts at the Saturday Basketball BBQ or at the Supporters Club stall at this week’s Friday Night Basketball.
In other games, Waverley enjoyed considerable success against St Aloysius with the following teams winning their games: 10C (18-17), 10D (46-14), 9A (39-35), 9B (30-14), 9C (28-24), 9D (51-11), 9F (39-12), 8B (34-20), 8C (), 8D (), 8F (27-8). The 10E’s (19-all) and 9E’s (22-all) drew their games. The 9G’s also won, defeating Shore 27-20. Despite losing, many other Waverley teams played in close games including the 10A’s (32-25), 10B’s (47-40), 10F’s (19-13), 9H’s (24-20), 8A’s (44-42) and 8E’s (19-12).
Waverley Basketball is now using Team App to publish information such as scores, news, fixtures, team lists and announcements.
In the Juniors this week the 8A’s had a significant win over Cranbrook winning 69-27 along with the 8B’s who won 30-17 at home. The 9A’s game was a tightly contested game and even with some big shots from Eoin Morrissey to close the gap, it wasn’t enough as the Waverley team lost by just 7 points. The 10 A’s had a well contested game but couldn’t close out the game and unfortunately lost by 10.
In the opening game for the Friday night local Derby against Cranbrook, the 2nd V were tremendous. The scene was set with a crowd building in anticipation for what was going to be a great game, with an incredible atmosphere and electrifying chants even before the opening tip off. The first points for Waverley came from an early basket from Mark Goncalves, which was quickly answered by the Cranbrook side who scored a basket of their own to level the scores. It was shaping to be a tight game with each team taking advantage of opportunities throughout the first half. As both teams were on fire offensively, they capitalized on turnovers, Heath Lawther and Ash Backlund began to score frequently inside to add pressure to the Cranbrook team, however they still could not break away in the first half of the game. As halftime approached Waverley left the court with a 2-point lead.
At the start of the second half, the crowd began to get behind the Waverley boys as the Waverley chants echoed throughout the gym. The game looked like it would come down to the wire as both teams struggled to break the cycle and gain a substantial lead. Waverley steadily began to pull away due to some great looks on offence and stops down the other end, which led to a run that would leave Waverley ahead by 7 going into the final minutes. However, Cranbrook came back out firing and soon it was a tied game with only a few minutes remaining. Waverley turned on the pressure on the Cranbrook team and began to lead the game, getting stops that would prove to be a crucial turning point as it led Waverley to take the win 54-47.
Last week was the annual Friday Night Game against Cranbrook at Waverley. One of the most popular and sought after events in CAS. After a harsh loss to St Aloysius last week, the 1st V boys, were determined to be the victors of this week. Like always, a large crowd was expected. The attendance of the Old boys, younger students, Parents, Staff and others were a huge aspect in support of the boys in their games. With the success of the 2nd’s win, the 1st V boys knew they needed to win to still be considered CAS contenders.
Preparing for the game, a large portion of the motivation for the boys was to play for each other and themselves as a brotherhood, and not for the crowd. Coach Johnny Jovine made this clear this was a factor in being successful in the game. As the game started, the First V boys were off to a strong start going on a 10-1 run within the first 5 minutes of the quarter. Using this as momentum, Waverley finished the quarter strong with a lead of 10 points. As the next quarter began, Waverley continued their offensive push, however still struggled as Cranbrook scored some easy layups as they played through their big men.
As Waverley’s defense became cluttered, more open shots and poor fouls, allowed Cranbrook to score 16 points to finish in the half with the score 36-26 in favour of Waverley. After this poorer defensive half, the boys needed to make some adjustments to keep Cranbrook as far out of the game as possible. Some good defense by Dion Hatziandreou led us to get stops and push the fast break to score points, tiring out the Cranbrook squad. As we were composed throughout, we didn’t allow Cranbrook to make a push, ultimately leaving them to only be able to score 3 points in the whole quarter! Going into the last quarter of the game, Waverley held a comfortable 24-point lead, and continued to score.
With Cranbrook tired out, Waverley finished off the game with a 74-39 win as Luca Zanarini scoring 16 points and Dion Hatziandreou scoring 17. The boys worked hard throughout the whole week and game and deserved the win. However, even though the 1st V were successful, there are always areas for improvement as Waverley shot a poor 37% from the free throw line. This will need to be improved against next week’s opponent Trinity.
Last round saw Waverley host local rivals Cranbrook for Friday Night Basketball. By the time the 2nd’s tipped-off, a healthy crowd had built and were eager to see some quality basketball. The 2nd’s began well, maintaining their composure and controlling the ball well and the first half saw both teams trading baskets and keeping the crowd on edge. The score at the break was 25-24 to Waverley. It was not until halfway through the second half that Waverley was able to pull away from Cranbrook and close out the game 7-point winners 54-47. The 2nd’s performed extremely well, playing relatively mistake-free basketball with the performances of Ash Backlund, Nathan Papageorgious and Samuel Frazer played of particular note.
Despite the narrow loss to St Aloysius the previous week, the 1st’s were primed to put on a good performance against neighbours Cranbrook. Waverley began very well jumping out to an 18-8 lead at the first break. In the second quarter, the 1st V were unable to gain a definitive ascendency over Cranbrook, with both teams collecting 18 points, leaving Waverley with a 10-point lead at the main break. It was the third quarter, however, where the 1st’s really shone, shutting down the Cranbrook offense to a measly 3 points, while posting 17 points themselves. This trend continued in the final quarter where the 1st V outscored Cranbrook by 21-points to 11. By the end of the game, the 1st’s had outgunned Cranbrook by 35 points, winning the game 74-39. It was the biggest winning margin by a Waverley 1st’s team in many seasons. Dion Hatziandreou, Mike El-Haddad, Luca Zanarini and captain Jeremey Petritsis had excellent games.
After three round, both the 1st’s and 2nd’s sit in equal second place in their respective competitions with 2 wins and 1 loss. A significant challenge awaits them this weekend in the form of Trinity, who despite losing to Barker and St Aloysius this season, will still be very competitive.
Thank you to the parents of the 1st’s and 2nd’s players for hosting a sumptuous after-game feast, especially Ms Terry Higgins for her organisation skills. Thank you also to the families participating in the USA / Canada Basketball Tour who staffed the Friday Night Basketball BBQ and sold food and drinks to help raise funds for the Tour. You can continue to support the players on the Basketball Tour by purchasing a long-sleeve Waverley Basketball shirt. With Christmas around the corner, the shirts would make a great gift. The Tour departs in just 28 days’ time and 32 students and 6 staff members will travel through the Pacific Northwest region of North America playing up to 7 different US high schools. Waverley will be represented by three teams – Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshman, who will participate in three home-stays with American families as well as attend the Portland Trailblazers versus Houston Rockets NBA game, an NCAA game between the University of Washington and Loyola Marymount University and a WHL ice hockey game between Seattle Thunderbirds and the Prince George Cougars.
In other games, Waverley enjoyed great success against Cranbrook with the following teams winning their games: 10F (21-16), 9B (50-17), 9C (20-18), 9D (49-12), 9E (38-10), 9F (32-24), 8A (69-27), 8B (30-17), 8C (25-23), 8D (32-27) and 8F (35-10). The 10E’s drew 24-all, while the 10A’s (50-40), 10B’s (41-31) and 9A’s (30-23) lost in close games.
Waverley Basketball is now using Team App to publish information such as scores, news, fixtures, team lists and announcements.
Best of luck to all teams this weekend against Trinity.
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
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