“Team first” attitude makes team first – again

Trinity’s run as the number one CAS track and field school now extends from 2016 and counting after another top-of-the-table performance in which Summer Hill students broke four CAS records.

But it wasn’t just mighty individual achievement that won the day.

Leaders cited a “team first mentality” and countless stories of sacrifice as key factors behind Trinity winning the Andrew Reid Cup for the fifth time in succession, picking up where it left off before the pandemic cancelled two carnivals.

Trinity amassed 708.5 points, well ahead of Knox (633) and Waverley College (606.5) followed by Cranbrook, St Aloysius’ and Barker.

The record breakers were spread across a number of disciplines, including a sprinter, a middle distance runner, and two throwers.

Sebastian Ghisso (12He) set a new mark of 10.81 seconds in the 17 years 100m, Matthew McLachlan (9WJ) won the 14 years 1500m in 4min16.90s, Jack Greaves (12We) threw 69.07m to take out the Open javelin, and Jozef Cluff (8Ar) recorded 16.11m to win the 14 years shot put.

Boys to win four or more events included Finn Ramanauskas (11Ke), Cody Ramanauskas (8Ke), Ashvin Peter (11Ho), Ben Stevens (11We), and Max Wende-Dunstan (11Du).

Director of Track and Field, Matthew Wade, also highlighted a string of stirring contributions, including:

-Christopher Macdonald (7WJ) running two hurdles races out of age, then going back to win his long jump by 1cm;

-Luca Gillard (10St) and Jack Waide (11Ke), backing up in the 800m, 1500m and 300m, an extremely tough combination;

-William Moir (12Hi) competing in six events, and Jozef Cluff (8Ar) in eight;

-Angus Royal (9Ar), Dylan Krsnik (10St), Oscar Martin (12Sc) and Keelan Stephandellis (12Hi) who on the morning of CAS were not running but stepped up to fill absences caused by injury.

“Our 121 selected athletes put in PB (personal best) after PB and quality performance after quality performance,” he said. “But it was the team performances that were the highlight.”

Head Master Tim Bowden said: “For all my delight in the success of our athletes, I found myself equally delighted in what I saw of their manner and conduct.

“I witnessed many occasions on which the boys supported and encouraged one another, regardless of the results. I was pleased to see the camaraderie between athletes from different schools, whereby they congratulated and thanked one another for the competition and demonstrated respect for the efforts of their opponents.

“Boys frequently indicated that their interest was more in their contribution to the team result, rather than their individual achievement.”

Mr Bowden was also highly impressed by the contributions of supporters.

“I had spoken to the boys about ensuring that their passionate support for their own team did not stray into disrespect for others; in my observation, they found the right line almost all the time.

“Events of this sort provide young men with the opportunity to learn how to be tribal without descending into toxicity. It is good to learn that commitment to your own team does not have to entail hostility to others.”