Mitch Croft heads to the AIS
For year 10 Maribyrnong Sports Academy student Mitch Croft, 2022 is shaping up to be a big year. After a 4 year volleyball journey at MSA, Mitch has been selected to join the AIS in Canberra and finish his last 2 years of schooling at UCSSC Lake Ginninderra.
The volleyball experience has been short and swift for Mitch who came into the Maribyrnong Sports Academy having never played a game of Volleyball in his life. MSA Head Volleyball coach Michael Dolan explains. “ Mitch applied for a scholarship here at MSA playing AFL or Basketball. He was unsuccessful in those sports but at nearly 180cm tall I saw there may have been some potential in recruiting him in Volleyball. He was tall, a big unit and he was keen. Once Mitch started training for Volleyball I was so impressed in his level of concentration during our sessions, he was like a sponge lapping up all the information he could get.”
Since entering the Volleyball program here at MSA, Mitch has made every post a winner, making State and Australian teams, and winning a national Gold medal in Beach Volleyball at the 2021 Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships.. “ Mitch’s pathway could take him a number of ways, he could be bound for College in the States or Canada or he could go straight to Europe and play professionally there.” But regardless of which pathway he takes, Coach Dolan believes the sky is the limit for the 16yo. “ Mitch has taken every opportunity presented to him and has run with it. In the past 12 months he has played for Australia against Japan, He has won gold in the U17 National Beach Championships and he has won numerous Victorian championships. He is just hitting the right heights at this stage of his career and he is definitely a very good candidate to go further. He has a great all over game, he is not just a big kid that can play front court. He can pass, he has great hands for a setter and can spike, and we are proud that he has been able to develop that here at MSA.”
Everyone at Maribyrnong Sports Academy wishes Mitch all the best for the future and look forward to following his rise through the sport over the next few years.
Meanwhile The Victorian Schools championships were held at MSAC, from Sunday 28 November to 1 December. Maribyrnong College entered 4 teams. All teams won gold.
The Open Girls Honours team finished top of their pool and defeated Billanook College in 4 sets.
They continued Maribyrnong’s dominance in this division by winning its 7th straight Open Girls title,
Mitchell’s team was undefeated throughout the tournament. They blasted Rowville College with aggressive powerplay to claim the Yr 10 Honours title in 4 sets.
The Yr 10 Girls Honours team was also undefeated and finished on top of their division. They convincingly defeated McKinnon College in a high powered game.
The Yr 8 Boys team also claimed gold in division 1. They out played a tall and hard hitting Waverley Christian College with smart serving and attacking through the middle. This team was comprised of Year 7 and 8 boys and girls.
