Respect, Engagement and Resilience on Display at Soccer Gala

Last Thursday over 50 students from St Monica’s gathered at the National Hockey Centre in Lyneham for the Belconnen Soccer Gala Day. It was early, it was cold and it was damp. Nevertheless, the students were full of good cheer as they farewelled their drivers in the car park and located their team coaches inside the complex. Talk about resilience!

Organised into 8 different grade teams of 8-10 players. The players competed in a round robin of four 20-minute matches against teams from various Belconnen primary schools. The games were played on the synthetic surface of the hockey pitches with smaller fold-up goals at either end.

Each team was under the care of a parent who served as a trainer, coach and lost property manager!  With 7 players on the field, the coach had to make sure they were warmed up and ready to go, call the rotations and assess minor injuries. A big shout-out to those who stepped up for this role. It made the day go very smoothly.

Some students were there for a kick and a giggle but others came to showcase the skills honed to perfection on the school oval during recess and lunch. It was a delight to watch the enthusiasm and joy each child carried out onto the pitch. Talk about engagement!

In between games, the students were supervised by four very resilient teachers who hardly ever complained about the cold. Instead, they monitored visits to the bathroom and canteen and kept everyone safe on the treacherous steps of the grandstand.

Throughout the day, the kids from St Monica’s were well behaved, played with a sporting spirit and listened carefully to instructions. They certainly showed respect.

We all owe a big thank-you to Mr Matchett who did the hard yards organising the teams, chasing up permission notes and communicating with families. Every school needs a Mr M!

Reporter: Mistamac