2009
After 12 years of competition, founding member school Eltham College left the ACS to re-join the Eastern Independent Schools Melbourne (EISM) sporting association due to changing circumstances at the school. ACS highlights for Eltham included winning the aggregate boys athletics and cross country trophies three times, as well as the aggregate cross country trophy in 2002. Notably, one Eltham football team was undefeated in ACS competition from years 7 to 12. The departure of Eltham was disappointing for the ACS and presented challenges in managing a six-team draw. Nevertheless, this was overcome with some creative fixturing.
In a first for the ACS, senior teams combined with Year 10 teams, providing schools with more scope to manage their squads effectively and enabling Year 10 students to compete at the highest levels. Westbourne set the benchmark for team development, dominating the field with 17 premiership wins in the summer season and 19 in the winter season. As a further improvement, neutral umpires were appointed for all grand finals.
Simon Gipson, Principal St Michael’s 2000–17, interview, 2022
Matthew Healy, Director of Sport at Westbourne 2004–present, interview, 2022
Rob Huntington, Deputy Principal St Michael’s, Deputy Principal Overnewton, interview, 2022
2010
A new level of competition was introduced with the commencement of ACS representative matches with Ballarat Associated Schools (BAS). ACS All Stars teams hosted cricket, girls volleyball, girls softball, and boys and girls tennis early in term two. At the end of term three BAS hosted ACS in netball, football, girls and boys soccer, boys volleyball, girls and boys basketball, and girls and boys hockey. Students were thrilled to be part of this initiative.
Westbourne and St Michael’s displayed a fine and friendly rivalry throughout the year. Westbourne won the aggregate athletics trophy for the first time, ending a seven-year winning streak by St Michael’s, but just missed out to St Michael’s in the cross country by one point. St Michael’s dominated the swimming, taking out all three trophies, with Westbourne finishing second in all categories. The two schools also tied in the summer season competitions, with 16 premierships each.
The chess competition was held following the Swiss format, which ranked players based on their previous round. Although it was decided the format did not suit ACS competition compared to the round robin format, it provided some exciting matches.
The most successful ACS representative team was the Loyola Junior Girls Soccer team, which reached the final of FFV’s All Schools championships, finishing as runners-up to St Monica’s College.
Pat Tyrrell, Executive Officer ACS 1997–2000, interview, 2022
Rob Huntington, Deputy Principal St Michael’s, Deputy Principal Overnewton, interview, 2022
2011
St Michael’s again dominated the swimming, taking out all three trophies, and six new records were set including two new relay records by the St Michael’s girls team. St Michael’s girls also dominated the swimming, ensuring that their school won the overall trophy for the fifth year running. In athletics, Westbourne retained the aggregate trophy after a battle with St Michael’s, while Overnewton achieved its goal to finish third for the first time in all three sections.
Rob Huntington, Deputy Principal St Michael’s, Deputy Principal Overnewton, interview, 2022
Nikki Little, Head of Sport 2008–19 & Head of Cocurriculum 2019–present Overnewton, interview, 2022
Greg Roberts, head of sport at Loyola, was farewelled after four years of service to the ACS, notably as MC for all events.
2011 Champion Schools
2012
The athletics championships, held for the first time at the new Lakeside Stadium, were abandoned due to extremely wet and cold weather with only 64 events completed. Trophies were not awarded. An ominous weather forecast also threatened the cross country carnival but, in the event, the competition proceeded with St Michael’s winning the aggregate trophy for the sixth consecutive year. Overnewton broke the dominance of the top three teams, St Michael’s, St Leonard’s and Westbourne, by securing the Year 9 boys pennant.
In weekly sports competitions, Loyola was the big improver, finishing third in the summer season and joint first in the winter season. Overnewton also moved up the ladder finishing second in the summer season.
In the annual round robin girls football competition, Thomas Carr defeated four-time champions Loyola by one point. Loyola, as 2011 winners, represented the ACS at the AFL Victoria Herald Sun Senior Girls Shield, and were winners of the consolation final.
Matthew Healy, Director of Sport at Westbourne 2004–present,
interview, 2022
Simon Gipson, Principal St Michael’s 2000–17, interview, 2022
2012 Champion Schools
2013
In a new direction for the ACS, Beaconhills College was accepted as an associate member, competing in the three carnivals only. In cross country, five of the seven competing schools won a year-level pennant, indicating greater development in the teams across the competition and challenging the dominance of St Michael’s, which nevertheless continued to be undefeated. Nineteen new records were set at the athletics carnival, with newcomer Beaconhills winning several events.
In weekly sport, futsal was introduced as a senior girls sport and enjoyed great success in its first year. Overnewton continued to make great strides, placing second overall in the summer season and joint second overall in the winter season.
St Leonard’s entered the girls football competition for the first time, starting out well until a freak storm caused the competition to be cancelled mid-afternoon.
A football umpires coordinator, former VFL/AFL umpire John Harvey, was appointed to improve communications between umpires, coaches, students and schools, and to oversee the rotation of umpires. In particular, a zero tolerance approach towards the disputing of umpires’ decisions by coaches and students was enforced.
Meg Hansen, Principal Westbourne 2010–2021, interview, 2022
Rob Huntington, Deputy Principal St Michael’s, Deputy Principal Overnewton, interview, 2022
2014
A second associate member, Marymede Catholic College, joined the ACS to compete in carnivals but withdrew at the end of the year due to the difficulties of competing in two different associations. Regrettably, after five years of successful representative sport, BAS also withdrew from further competition with ACS due to conflicting sporting demands. In the final year of ACS versus BAS events, the ACS won all summer matches with notable wins in girls volleyball (3–0), boys cricket (by 4 runs) and girls softball (17–3). The cessation of competition with BAS left the All Stars without a representative sport program, which was a disappointment for these athletes.
In carnival competition, it was St Leonard’s year. In swimming, the school won the boys trophy for the first time since 2006. In athletics, St Leonard’s won all three trophies for the first time since 1998. It also dominated the cross country with some of the largest winning margins in ACS history, taking out the aggregate trophy by 15 points and winning 16 of 21 year-level pennants. Twenty new records were set at the athletics carnival, including Matthew DeBruin from Beaconhills who set three new records in the 110m hurdles, 100m and 200m sprints.
In representative sport, the Overnewton senior boys soccer team shone, winning the inaugural Melbourne City FC Premier Schools Tournament.
Nikki Little, Head of Sport 2008–19 & Head of Cocurriculum 2019–present Overnewton, interview, 2022
Nikki Little, Head of Sport 2008–19 & Head of Cocurriculum 2019–present Overnewton, interview, 2022
Rob Huntington, Deputy Principal St Michael’s, Deputy Principal Overnewton, interview, 2022
2014 Champion Schools
2015
A new ACS website was launched with an online competition management system to streamline results and ladders information. New software helped to streamline data entry.
St Leonard’s broke the eight-year dominance of St Michael’s in swimming by winning all three major trophies. Westbourne followed closely behind, with only 70 points separating them from St Leonard’s in the final aggregate scores. At the athletics carnival, the first four runners across the line in the senior boys 1500m event all broke the ACS record.
Girls football continued to go from strength to strength, with all six schools entering a team. Daisy Pearce, Australia’s most awarded female footballer, introduced the afternoon’s competition with an inspiring speech. The teams played strongly, with Thomas Carr ultimately taking out the premiership.
Rob Huntington, Deputy Principal St Michael’s, Deputy Principal Overnewton
interview, 2022
Sarah Sansonetti, Loyola College graduate 2019 and ACS All Star, interview, 2022
2015 Champion Schools
'The feedback from the girls was excellent. These are simple outcomes we strive for - for the students to have fun, be active with their friends and want more.'
2016
Changes were made to the cross country carnival course at Bundoora Park due to the introduction of permanent fitness equipment on part of the old course. More challenging terrain was introduced into the course, and the finishing area was improved for spectators, providing an even greater carnival atmosphere. Improvements were also made with the introduction of fully electronic timing, providing a much more efficient system for recording times and collating results. A major benefit was the reduction of the schedule from five to three hours. The ‘displacer’ scoring system was also introduced, meaning that teams with runners in excess of the number permitted to score could still influences the results with their non-scoring finishes. The changes received excellent feedback.
In girls football, Loyola ended the five-year premiership-winning streak of Thomas Carr, winning all four matches while Overnewton finished second. The Loyola senior girls soccer team also experienced success, reaching the grand final of the Melbourne City Premier Schools competition.
The ACS Hall of Fame was relaunched for the purpose of connecting with past students who had represented Australia or played at the national level. Thirteen former ACS students, including several Olympians, former AFL footballers and a recently drafted AFLW player, attended the event which was held alongside the All Stars presentations. A lunchtime format with speeches and multimedia presentation was very popular with students.
Michelle Sheehan, Executive Officer ACS 2001–present, interview, 2022
Simon Gipson, Principal St Michael’s 2000–17, interview, 2022
‘The girls were absolutely ecstatic after the game. Some were speechless, shocked, and in disbelief at what had just happened. We haven’t been able to repeat as champions since that 2016 season, but the courage and the never-quit attitude that the St Michael’s girls played with that day continue to be an inspiration for the generations of new players stepping into the senior program at the school.’
2016 Champion Schools
