Cricket
The Old Haileyburians Cricket Club completed another successful season in 2023/2024. The men’s team made the semi-finals in Division One of the Melbourne Cricket Club’s Club XI Competition losing to the eventual champions. A highlight for the women’s team was Laura Rabinovich (OH 2012) winning the award for best batter in the league. The men’s team also managed to win back the Sincock Cup from the Haileybury First XI in the highly enjoyable annual fixture.
Peter Sise (OH 2000)
Aerobics
The OHA Aerobics club has been working hard since November 2023 in preparation for the Federation of International Sport Aerobics and Fitness competition season. Our first competition took place in Rowville on Sunday 12 May, when we proudly showcased our largest squad to date. Tara Traficante (OH 2022) achieved an outstanding 1st place in the Adult National Novice Individual category. Our National Grande Fitness Team, One on One earned a commendable 2nd place, while our International Petite Fitness team, Babylon secured 3rd place. Jessie Curtain (OH 2014) and Olivia Jenkins (OH 2017) delivered a strong performance, finishing 4th in the Adult National Pairs category. This debut competition was a tremendous success, and we are eager to continue refining our routines and training rigorously for the State Championships in Braybrook on Saturday 22 June, where we aim to secure berths to the National Championships on the Gold Coast.
Jessie Curtain (OH 2014)
Football
The Old Haileybury Amateur Football (OHAFC) has had a strong start to season 2024.
We have gained strong momentum in our men’s football program, with our senior men’s team at the top of the ladder after six rounds, and our reserves performing extremely well and gaining some great progress as we continue to focus on our depth. Our women’s team has performed exceptionally well in the Division 1 competition, especially considering they are a young and inexperienced side who will continue to improve as the season progresses. Our U19 team remains second on the ladder after seven rounds, having started a week earlier than our men and women. They are also in the Division 1 competition, and as the youngest part of our football program, it is great to see the future of our club playing for each other and their mates.
We are receiving some great feedback on our culture and the direction we are heading, as we continue to focus on our key strategic initiatives all designed around being more than just a football club, with a clear aim to be a community, and there are many parts to bringing that aspiration to life. We have strong values in place, underpinned by our focus on being an inclusive, supportive, welcoming and respectful club, and we hope that everyone who ‘walks through our doors’ feels those values in place.
We are continuing to build our Player Wellbeing and Support program, of which there are six key pillars, and we will continue to focus on building an even stronger relationship with our school football program, so that current students and parents of the school see a clear pathway to senior football, and a way to stay connected with their friends, continue playing their football for the mighty magenta and black, and most of all stay connected to the strong Haileybury network. We would hope they see the OHAFC as their home post school, and in turn create an era built around mates and memories, fun and friendships.
Our aim is to be a powerhouse club, but as that relates to Old Haileybury, and to build a place where our community feels a sense of belonging in a safe and welcoming environment, wrapped up within strong culture boundaries, and that our players finish their careers as better people for having had the experience of playing at the OHAFC.
Matthew Armstrong
Lawn Bowls
The most recent 2024 season for the Old Haileybury Bowls Club (OHBC) has been another hugely successful year with membership/player growth, new activities, and finals representation again — and all in only its third year of establishment! OHBC this year increased and broadened its membership base to over 35 members including men and women, also with an influx of younger and experienced participants.
For this first time, OHBC expanded its representation in the Southern District Electric-Light Bowls Association competition with two teams participating in different divisions. Our Magentas (Div 3) team made the finals, finishing a credible second, going down to ultimate winners Burden Park. Our Blacks (Div 4) team, with many first-year bowlers, competed well all year and finished the season with a wet sail, winning the last two games of the season against higher ranked rivals. This certainly sets the club up well for next year’s season, and the final games demonstrated the considerable improvement made over the course of the year by all our new bowlers.
OHBC also participated and hosted this year’s Annual APS Past Students tournament held at Glen Waverley Bowling Club. The OHBC team came agonizingly close again in second place to eventual winners St Kevins, but the team did look splendid in its new strip introduced this year!
The 2025 season looks strong and promising for the OHBC and anyone interested in involvement or information about the OHBC, please contact President Mark Thompson (0407 040 715) or Secretary Scott Doran (0438 064 819). Alternatively check out our website.
Mark Thompson (OH 1982)
Cross Country
The club has started season 2024, our 35th in the Associated Public Schools Old Collegians competition, in solid fashion. Whilst not currently the powerhouse club who has won nine Division 1 premierships across the journey, the consistency of James Bott and the ageless Scott Peacock have helped keep us afloat in the battle to retain Division 1 status. Another highlight has been the development of our youngest members, Olsen Gasson, Helen Peacock and Luke Peacock, who have all recorded personal best times at both the Jamieson 5km and the Dyson relay around the Botanical gardens.
The club welcomes running enthusiasts of all ages and ability levels, provides a great family atmosphere and is free for under 20’s to register. Online registration or contact Andrew Scott if interested in joining.
Andrew Scott (OH 1990)
andrewscott2011@gmail.com
0425 711 390
Hockey
The OHA Hockey Club’s two teams are in the middle of the winter season for 2024. Our women’s team plays in Women’s Metro 1 South grade and our men are in Metro 2 South. For a change, we have nine double-header home-match rounds in the season of 18 rounds, which is great! Home matches are played on the hockey fields at Keysborough, so come along to support the teams and enjoy the play — or even better, to join the teams.
The women’s team is in the top four on the ladder, so we are hoping for another finals campaign at the end of the home-and-away matches. The men’s team has played close matches all season so far, losing by one or two goals even when playing the top teams, and so can only improve their ladder position. Both teams still have a long way to go yet!
We are excited to have some School players in our teams — Izzi Harris, Nat McIntyre and Tristan Mehegan — but we definitely need more players of all ages and grades to keep our teams on the field. If you want to try it out, then you will be most welcome! Hockey Victoria has a five-game registration option which is not expensive, and we won’t charge anything for up to three games. That’s a bargain!
Get in touch with the hockey Bloods via the OHA website, the OHAHC website or e-mail ohahockeyclub@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you.
Clark Anstis (OH 1975)