Term 2 2012 - Maribyrnong Sports Academy @ Maribyrnong College

VICTORIAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
It was a gorgeous day at Metropolitan Golf Course for the nals of the Victorian Secondary School Teams
Championships.
Our team, accompanied by Assistant Sport Director , Mr Marty Cusack had a fantastic day, playing on this very tough
course. We're pleased to report that the Maribyrnong College 2 team who won the day with a total of 74 stableford
points. Our team have now earned a place at the Australian School Teams
Championships which will be played at Peninsula Country
Golf Club in December.
Closely following our team were Haileybury College
with 72 points and third place, on a countback, went to Rowville
Secondary College 2.
It was a fabulous day for our players, who all have been oered the
chance to apply for one of 15 scholarships oered by Metropolitan
Golf Club. Congratulations to our team and we wish them every
success competing in December!
“THIS SCHOOL’S ON A WINNER WITH OLYMPIANS AT EVERY TURN”
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ‘THE HERALD SUN’
The odds of becoming an Olympic athlete are said to be more than 600,000/1. But no bookie would take money on the
chances of running into one at Maribyrnong College. With eight former Olympians on sta, they are almost impossible
to avoid. "The kids probably have a skewed view about how easy it is to become an Olympian," joked four-timer Natalie
Titcume. "With eight of us ... they probably think we're everywhere."
Along with basketball superstar Chris Anstey, Softball champion Titcume is a student mentor at the western suburbs public
school. And then there are the four other Olympians working as sta members at the Academy: Andrew Smith (Hockey),
Erin Carroll (Badminton), Pam Ryan (Kilborn) (Hurdler) and Tony Benson (middle-distance runner). Together they embody
the dramatic transformation of Maribyrnong College.
Maribyrnong College is Victoria's only public school that is designated as a "sports academy" and they currently have
about 75 athletes competing at state or national level. The school has transformed from a struggling high school seven
years ago to a breeding ground for sporting champions.
Maribyrnong Sports Academy Director Rob Carroll said $20 million had been spent on rst-class sports facilities in the past
six years. Enrolments have soared from 325 to 1150, including 480 "student-athletes" who get expert training across 27
sports. This year, the school has notched up its rst Olympian in boxer Ibrahim Balla, who has qualied for London.
And many more are expected to follow - 75 students are competing at state or national levels. "A school deemed to
be closed is now a school of choice with long waiting lists, " Mr Carroll said. "To get kids into Olympic teams, that's the
ultimate, but we are also seeing big gains in academic performance."
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT & SPORTING EXCELLENCE
Maribyrnong Sports Academy