Wheelkings overrun by Roller Hawks
A 91-52 win by the "HighLube" Wollongong Roller Hawks over the Wenty Leagues Wheelkings on Sunday afternoon at the Shellharbour Basketball Stadium, has given the Wollongong team its first one hundred percent home court record, in any one season, since the inception of the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) competition.
Unfortunately for the Wheelkings, the loss effectively ends any hopes they may have clung to of reaching the playoffs and the remainder of the season will be played purely for pride.
Debut Australian Paralympian Brett Stibners was the chief destroyer for the Roller Hawks, grabbing a triple-double of 22 points, 17 boards and 13 assists, ahead of fellow Paralympian Tristan Knowles with 35 points.
Exciting Wheelkings junior Bill Latham again provided the bulk of the fire-power for his team, finishing with a huge double-double of 25 points and 22 boards.
Cardinals celebrate 60th to go to top
Wests Cardinals celebrated their sixtieth anniversary in the best manner possible by capturing first position on the 2008 Illawarra Baseball League table with a commanding 5-2 win over reining premiers Berkeley Eagles at Cringila Community Park. Cardinals take a stranglehold on the minor premiership with the win there being four more rounds to play.
The win was totally attributable to pitcher Jamie Simon who produced one of the best efforts seen in local baseball for seasons. Simon pitched a complete nine innings and allowed no earned runs on just three hits striking eight Eagles hitters in the process. Trent D’Antonio put up a class display on the receiving end to Simon catching all nine innings and allowing no stolen bases.
The Cardinals hitters managed six hits from the combination of four Eagles pitchers, both teams committed two errors. An untidy start to the game saw Eagles score an unearned run on an opposition error in the top of the first inning but Cardinals took the advantage in the bottom of the inning when hits by Jeff Trembearth and Chase Richardson were converted when Eagles committed an error. Trent D’Antonio, who reached base on the error was converted as the third run.
Eagles narrowed the deficit by one run in the sixth where Stuart Thompson and Kaine Abbott hit safely and the former scored on Cardinals second error. The home team then registered an insurance run in the seventh when Nathan Grogan’s leadoff single was converted on Jeff Trembearth’s two out double. A final run scored following Josh Dean’s hit in the eighth.
Cardinals big day was made all the more memorable with wins in all three grades. They defeated Eagles 9-2 in seconds and Shellharbour Warriors 8-7 in thirds.
The other first grade game saw Dapto Chiefs produce some of their best form for the season in defeating Bulli Pirates 11-0 in seven innings at Hector Harvey Reserve, Dapto. Chiefs displaced Pirates from third position with the win.
Relief pitcher Jonathan Hall produced two hitless innings and registered 3 from 4 and 2 RBI’s with the bat. Stuart McCarthy and Beau Garrett also gained three hits.
First Grade Table – Cardinals 81%, Eagles 73%, Chiefs 42%, Pirates 38%, Braves 17%.
Second Grade: Cardinals 9 Eagles 2; Pirates 10 Chiefs 1; Mariners 2 Braves
Third Grade: Cardinals 8 Warriors 7; Pirates 11 Chiefs 2; Mariners 13; Braves 6
Minor League: Pirates 20Panthers (4) 6; Cardinals 14 Panthers (5)8; Braves V Warriors - Washed Out
In this week’s round 17 Major League fixtures Wests Cardinals play Bulli Pirates at Cringila Park and Kiama Braves play Dapto Chiefs at Gainsborough Reserve, Kiama Downs. Berkeley Eagles have a bye in firsts but play Shoalhaven Mariners in lower grade games at Fred finch Park, Berkeley. First grade games commence at 2.15pm.
For more baseball stories go to: http://wollongong.sportslive.com.au/index.pl?page=3149
Hawks miss out against Coast
The Illawarra (Sea)Hawks missed out in a close game against Central Coast last weekend in the Waratah Australian Basketball League. The Coast team led 46 to 38 and maintained that margin in the second half to run out winners 89 - 81.
For the Hawks, 21 points came from Daniel Jackson, 19 from Dominique Cooks and 14 from Troy Pilon. The top scorers for Central Coast were Stefan Blaszcynski (24), Tim Hudson (16) and Terry Johnson (15).
After the 19 preliminary rounds the Hawks finished 8th while Central Coast came 5th. Sydney Comets and Sutherland Sharks topped the table.
Active After School Communities (AASC) Program makes its mark
Cheryl Battaerd of the Australian Sports Commission provides a snapshot of just a few of the active after school activities and partnerships happening in NSW:
In Term 3 2008
• The Australian After Schools Activities AASC is operating in 1000 schools and out of school hours services (OOSHs) in NSW – 3,250 nationally
• Over fifty percent of the schools and OOSHs operating the AASC program are in rural, regional or remote locations
• Approximately 50,000 primary school children in NSW every week are participating in over 60 different types of sports and physical activities - 150,000 children participate nationally and
• 2,500 AASC activity sessions are being run each week in NSW
As an Australian Government initiative, the AASC program is investing $8 million this year into NSW schools, sporting and community clubs to provide physical activity and sport programs in the after school hours time as well as healthy afternoon teas for the children at the schools involved. The training, funding and resources provided are also supporting the provision of fun, safe inclusive sporting and structured physical activity opportunities within school curriculum time, in the evenings and on weekends.
Underpinning the AASC program is a comprehensive training course for teachers, OOSH staff, coaches and community members. The free course provides participants with the skills and confidence to plan, prepare and deliver fun, safe and inclusive games and activities for children.
The Community Coach Training program has 5 modules:
1. Role of the Coach and encouraging playing for Life
2. Communication & Behaviour management
3. Safe environments
4. Nutrition, wellbeing & cultural considerations
5. Playing for Life (4-5 hour practical session)
The Australian Sports Commission is also providing a free Online General Principles of Coaching course: https://learning.ausport.gov.au. Since the start of the AASC program in Term 2 2005, 7000 community coaches have been trained in NSW. Of these:
• 37% are teachers and OOSH staff
• 28% Organisation representatives: clubs, NFP organisations and industry employees
• 35% Sole providers; coaches, relative of children, tertiary and secondary students as well as community members
There are many great community initiatives, partnerships with state and local government and non government agencies as well as pathways created to community sport through the AASC program. Such partnerships have enhanced outcomes for all involved and ensured that more children and communities have access to the health and social benefits provided by regular participation in sport and structured physical activity.
Contact: Cheryl Battaerd Australian Sports Commission Tel: 8765 2530 or cheryl.battaerd@ausport.gov.au. For more details and stories on active after school communities go to: www.ausport.gov.au/aasc
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