Above: Mossgiel Park’s Jonathan and Mary MacKillop’s Adrian battle for possession in the primary schools’ tense grand final in the Chisholm Interschool Soccer Tournament at Comets Stadium on Friday.By Marc McGowan
IT IS becoming an almost comical situation.
For the third year running, the Chisholm Interschool Soccer Tournament, which is in its fifth year, was decided between Endeavour Hills-based primary school Mossgiel Park and its Narre Warren North equivalent Mary MacKillop.
It was also the third consecutive year that the grand final required a penalty shootout to separate the local rivals after neither side managed to put the ball in the back of the net during normal time.
Finally, it was Mossgiel Park who took the honours – for the second straight time and third overall – courtesy of a 2-1 result in Friday’s thrilling shootout at Comets Stadium in Cranbourne.
The two schools beat out 10 other competitors, including Heritage College, Don Bosco, Oatlands, Berwick, Hallam Valley, St Catherine’s, Cranbourne West, Narre Warren North and Maramba.
Mossgiel Park also fielded a B side, as grade four, five and six students played up to five matches on the day.
A minimum of three girls had to be on the field per team for the duration of the contests to encourage both genders to be involved.
The competition is organised and run by Chisholm Institute of TAFE’s Sport and Recreation students as part of their assessment.
Rob Hastings, who teaches at the TAFE’s Berwick Campus in its Department of Sport and Recreation program, was delighted with the event.
“The day was a dream – the kids loved it,” he said.
“They were constantly asking questions about who they were playing in the next elimination round.
“It was a bit windy, but other than that it was the perfect day.
“All of my students thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and it tested their organisational skills.”
Hastings, who played soccer semi-professionally for English club Arsenal as a teenager, is revelling in the sport’s surge in Australia.
“It is very exciting to be a part of it. There is a wave of enthusiasm at the moment, which is being generated through grassroots clubs,” he said.
“There is a huge uprising of kids who are enjoying the sport for the first time and this co-ed tournament gives an opportunity to both girls and boys.”
Mossgiel Park Primary School teacher Marilyn Gardner is a huge fan of the format and said her students circled the tournament date on the calendar every year.
“It gives a fantastic opportunity for children at primary school level to play in an organised competition and our children are hanging out for it from the beginning of the year,” she said.
“Mossgiel Park is a very strong sporting school.
“So many children are keen about it and are quite talented.
“We were very lucky – we’ve got a good team.”
