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.

Winter Best and Fairest award winners, Season 2021

Former and current Maribyrnong Sports Academy students have once again led the way in best and fairest counts, from the top flight competitions to the local junior leagues, in our winter sports for 2021

Let’s have a look at some of the sports.

AFL

Claiming a second career NAB League best and fairest was 2020 MSA graduate Georgie Prespakis. Georgie claimed seven best on grounds in her 21 votes for the Calder Cannons defeating Northern Knights player Ava Jordan by 7 votes.  During the season she averaged 23 disposals and 9 tackles per game.

"It's a massive honour, going back two years ago to my first year of Cannons I can't even remember what that season was like – this year was a really good result, not only for me but for the Calder Cannons as a group," Georgie Prespakis, who has just relocated to Geelong, told AFL.com. 

Also prominent in the voting was current MSA student athlete Charlotte Baskaran who polled 9 votes.  Both Georgie and Charlotte were also named in the Nab League Team of the Year to top off their stunning seasons.  It is to be remembered that Charlotte is only 16 years old.

Congratulations also to the following students who won senior and junior best and fairest for their respective leagues.

·      Kym Bays WRFL Senior Women’s Div. 1 winner

·      Piper Dixon WRFL U14 Div. 5 (boys comp) winner

·      Kobe Williams WRFL U14 Div. 1 3rd

·      Alex McBride-Loane EDFL U14 Div. 1 Girls winner

·      Thomas McGuane EDFL U14 Div. 1 winner

·      Blair Marsden EDFL U14 Div. 2 winner

·      Camryn Bux EDFL U16 Div. 1 Girls winner

·      Sierra Grieves WRFL U18.5 Div. 1 Girls winner

Meanwhile year 12 student athlete Olivia Manfre was the EDFL Senior Women’s Premier Division Leading goal kicker for season 2021 and was named in the EDFL Women’s Premier Division team of the year alongside fellow year 12 student athlete Ella Nickolaus.

Golf

Our golf program students continue to perform at an extremely high level  in competitions and are now once again able to access the Medway Golf Course for training.  Congratulations to George Carasavidis, finishing 3rd (2 over, 74 off the stick) at the SSV senior boys golf finals at Metropolitan Golf Club while Louise Baliton finished 2nd (6 over, 80 off the stick) in the senior Girls competition.

Congratulations to all our students on their performances in the winter of 2021.

MSA ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP

MSA ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH KOOKABURRA SPORT

MSA is delighted to announce a new partnership with Australian icon Kookaburra Sport which will allow our Student Athletes and staff to upgrade their Cricket and Hockey gear at heavily reduced prices.

Kookaburra Sport was established in 1890 and has a long and successful history in both cricket & hockey. Kookaburra cricket balls have been used at the Test and First Class level in Australia for over 100 years and Kookaburra equipment is also of extremely high quality.

 MSA will join a number of organisations and athletes who currently have partnerships with Kookaburra.  These include Greta Hayes & Mariah Williams who represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in Hockey and Australian cricket heroes Glenn Maxwell & Marnus Labuschagne who all proudly use Kookaburra equipment.

The partnership has many benefits for both MSA & Kookaburra which include;

·       Kookaburra balls being exclusively used in the MSA Cricket & Hockey Programs,

·       MSA facilities, programs & student-athletes being involved in Kookaburra product & innovation testing,

·       Kookaburra prizes being awarded as part of the MSA Awards Night, and

·       MSA student-athletes and staff receiving a 40% discount for all Kookaburra product purchased on-line.

To find out more about Kookaburra Sport and view the products available please visit https://www.kookaburrasport.com.au/

For any queries or for further information about the partnership please contact the MSA Office on 9091 8160.