December 2014 Issue 26 Bronzed Aussies Melissa Tapper and Tessa Lavey MOCA Bronzed Aussie - Tessa Lavey Welcome all to another edition of the Monivae will continue to arrange reunions and few years consider a Facebook group. It will When the Dolphin last caught up with second off when your were on the court, you hopefully we can get another championship Dolphin with a special welcome to provide administration for MOCA, but your guarantee you a successful reunion with a Tessa Lavey in Issue 21 (June 2012) had to be focussed the whole time.” under the belt.” help and input then gives you the opportunity good attendance. our newest Old Collegians receiving to have greater input into your reunions. she was a budding star at the AIS Lavey also found the competition at the top Whilst her focus is on the WNBL it is not hard the Dolphin for the first time. We wish The Class of 1985 are putting the challenge in Canberra who was just beginning of the world to be a much more ‘intellectual’. to see Rio looming on the horizon now that the you all the greatest success in your The easiest way to gather a class group out. Not only are we expecting to have her teaching degree. She admits “At that level you are learning the whole time, World Championships has finished. “My focus together is Facebook. Five years ago I set the largest attendance of any previous 30 learning on the run as the game unfolds, there now is the WNBL but after the season we move chosen path post secondary school. up a group for my year level, the class of year reunion, we are aiming for the largest her university hasn’t progressed as is much more thinking involved. I had to look to onto the Oceania series against New Zealand, With the annual influx of new members, the 1985 and there are now 95 members. As we attendance of any previous class group. If much as her basketball; which has my role models in the team, Penny Taylor and which we need to win to qualify for Rio.” look toward to our 30 year reunion in 2015, your reunion is approaching, there is no time Erin Phillips and see how they prepare before number of Old Collegians continues to grow taken her to the top of the world as “I am excited for what is to come for the next and after sixty years since Monivae College’s networking by members has seen the word to waste. Gather your classmates and spread a member of the 2014 Australian the game and adjust during the game and just spread to those classmates who are not users the word because the Class of 1985 intend to try to take in as much in as I could.” two years in the lead up to the Olympics in beginnings, there are now over 8,000+ Opals who represented Australia at Rio, I will be doing everything I can, with the members with 61 year levels represented of social media. I estimate that as a result of set the bar high. the group’s success, we have informed close the World Championships in Turkey Returning home there was little time off as support of my family to give myself the best Director of Development at Monivae, Simon to 130 former classmates of our reunion, If you are interested in been involved in July, bringing home the Bronze Lavey moved into the new WNBL season with chance to be an Olympian, there is a lot of with your class group, please contact Bendigo where she continues to learn from hard work to do and a little bit of luck as well. McKinley has been overseeing the Old months before official invitations are sent. By Medal. Collegians admirably but as we look to the that time, we will have contacted 90% of the Simon on (03) 5551 1251 or via arguably Australia’s best ever point guard in So we’ll see how I go.” [email protected] Kristi Harrower. future it is clear that will become increasingly Class of 1985. Also, those who will travel from The youngest member of the 12-player squad, From Monivae to Turkey and hopefully Rio, the difficult. overseas have had sufficient notice and are 2015 reunion dates can be found on page 14. Lavey, at just 21, made the team over many “Playing with someone like Kristi Harrower, whole Monivae community is behind Tessa now making their travel arrangements. more experienced players. Being one of six With that in mind, I am calling for each of who I regard as the best point guard ever and we wish her every success. Merron Riddiford new faces in the team, controversy marred in Australia, it is great as I ask her lots of you to take on the ownership of your class It takes very little work to administer a Class of ‘85 Lavey’s selection, with many in the basketball groups, Monivae has been busy contacting questions and to be able to watch her play I Facebook group. After the initial set up, as MOCA Chair community questioning Coach Brendan Below: Tessa with Coach Brendan Joyce and Old Collegians to act as Class Champions as the group grows it basically runs itself. Not think she has a big influence on my game.” Joyce’s choice to take the untried guard over teammate Natalie Burton. help is needed to assist with contacting old only that, it is a great place for you to share more experienced players, prompting Joyce National Coach Brendan Joyce is also keeping classmates and keeping everyone in the loop stories and photos from your school days. So to defend his selection. an eye on Lavey during her time at Bendigo, around reunion time. if you have a reunion coming up in the next keeping in contact with the guard as Bendigo “Her quickness and explosiveness is superior looks to win its third title in a row. to all other point guards in the country” Joyce told Sydney Morning Herald in September. “He is always ringing me up and giving advice “That’s a big statement, I know, but we’ve had on what he wants me to do like ‘push the ball’ Principal plenty of camps and plenty of tour games and ‘get up on the player’, he is really good to see it. We need someone with that sort of and said that he is always behind me and that Monivae College continues to be at the Two long serving staff were fare-welled at quickness in our team, in that position. She is great as I want to cement my spot in the brings a point of difference to the other girls. Opals so I need to take his advice on-board.” forefront of educational excellence in the the end of the school year. Mrs Maree Bell, The second point is we have to blood a young Western District. The Chevalier Centre, our Head Librarian, served for over 30 years Lavey is looking to take on a bigger role point guard of our existing point guards, and which has a focus on student wellbeing, will and has been much loved and appreciated with Bendigo this season and enjoys the she’s the best young guard in the country.” support the Positive Psychology program that by generations of Monivae students and staff expectation of winning that comes with having is being implemented by the school. Work on for her kind and gentle manner. Mrs Leonie This ringing endorsement was proven true, won the last two titles. “The challenge of the the Centre began in June and the first stage is Roder, the Director of Students, had served in with her play at the World Championships other teams coming after us and trying to due for completion in February, 2015. While a number of leadership roles in her 17 years at announcing her as the young face of Australian beat us is great, we do go 12 players deep the building itself is most impressive and has Monivae and has been a passionate teacher Basketball. Back home playing for Bendigo as a team and we don’t have any lapse when helped rejuvenate the back part of the school and loyal supporter of Monivae College. Spirit in the WNBL, Tessa is not resting on her players come on from the bench. I am just perhaps more important is the use to which achievements, and is looking to build towards hoping as I get on the floor that I can play well Below: The team receives their Bronze medals. Father Mark McGuinness MSC finishes these facilities will be put to enhance the the Rio Olympics in two years’ time. for the coaches and play well for the team and positive education of our students, staff, and after six years where he has been incredibly the wider community. dedicated to the College, our boarders In her own words Tessa was surprised to particularly and the local Catholic parish make the team. “The selection to the team was In 2015 we will commence with the first group community. Father Mark moves to the parish a massive surprise for me and for everyone of Year 7 students participating in our Learning of Katherine in the Northern Territory and we else as well. We had a great bunch of coaches Enrichment and Acceleration Program wish him well in his future ministry there. We and ladies who went over (to Turkey), it was (LEAP) where one class of selected students welcome Fr Peter Hendriks MSC to take over a great experience, it is pretty crazy to think will be involved in extension and accelerated the role of Co-Director of Faith and Mission at about now.” learning in their core subjects.