The 2017 sporting year
at VPSHS has been full of wonderful highlights. Like previous years, we can
celebrate all kinds of outstanding achievements, including Australian and State
representations as well as many awesome team successes. However these
achievements are only part of how we can define a great year of sport. There
are of course the constant processes that lead to such achievements.
Much time and effort
has been put into ensuring that all sporting opportunities, including carnivals,
weekly sport and the AFL Excellence Program, have been provided in a way that
allow students to enjoy them and participate in full. The success of sport at
our school this year in all its different dimensions and facets can be
attributed to the support, enthusiasm and contributions of staff, students, parents
and other community members. Such efforts are much appreciated and necessary to
attain the levels of success, which we so often celebrate at our school (this
year being no exception!). Thank you to all that worked so hard and supported
our school sporting community this year.
The major carnivals as
well as weekly afternoon sport are examples of sporting events, which could not
have continued to prosper and help build a strong sporting culture and tradition
without the work of so many. And on that note congratulations to Heinemann
House (Swimming), Benfer House (Cross Country) and Master House (Athletics) on
their success in winning a major inter-house carnival this year.
Once again, we were
able to celebrate a multitude of Bayside, Metropolitan East, Queensland and Australian
Representatives, illustrating the sporting talent and future potential of our
students. To be specific, we had 22 students qualify for Bayside
representation, 15 for Metropolitan East and 2 for Queensland (QLD
representatives being Jade Ellenger: AFL and Luke Harvey: Cross Country and
Triathlon). Outside the school sporting pathway, we had another State
representative (Chloe Welch: Karate) and 2 Australian representatives (Luke
Harvey: Triathlon World Champion and Des’Ree Barnes: BMX). To these students we
once again extend our best wishes for the future and congratulations on their
achievements. They really are amazing efforts.
We also reflect fondly
on the team successes of 2017. The Year 10 AFL team once again defended their Bayside
title, while the Open Boys Rugby League and Open Girls Basketball teams also
achieved District Champion status. Our Senior Girls AFL team also won the
Brisbane South AFL Queensland Schools Cup, which was a wonderful highlight of
the year. Commiserations also go to the many of our teams that suffered narrow
defeats in District Finals in both the summer and winter seasons. We know you
will be back bigger and stronger next year!
Special recognition
must of course go to our major sport award winners in 2017, recently celebrated
at the Vikings Sports Breakfast: Sportsman of the Year and Athlete of the Year
– Luke Harvey and Sportswoman of the Year – Jade Ellenger. These students have
excelled as individuals within their sporting fields, often inspiring those
around them or in some cases leading their teams to victory.
As
another year in sport comes to a close, we must be sure not to take for granted
all that we have achieved within our school sporting community. The efforts and
accolades we have witnessed, some of which have been mentioned above, are truly
outstanding and in some cases may not be repeated in years to come. If this
year is anything to go by, 2018 could be an even bigger year in sport for the
Vikings. We cannot wait to find out!