Despite a much improved performance over the last few rounds of the season, the Box Hill Athletic Club men's State League team ended the season in 11^th position on the ladder which means that we will have to take part in the Promotion / Relegation match for the first time. It is imperative that we have as much support as possible at Olympic Park on Thursday 16 March 2000 to support our team as they compete against APS United and a combine team made up from Diamond Valley, Collingwood, Old Paradians and Richmond for two spots available in the State League competition next season.

At this stage we still have empty places in the team for anyone who would like to have a try at qualifying in the 3000m Walk, the Discus, the Shot Put, the 400m hurdles and the 110m hurdles. We will definitely score zero points in these events if we have no competitors in them on the night, however if we have someone attempting these events, there is always a chance of scoring points. Every point will count. If we had scored one more point in round 5 against Ringwood we would have beaten them on the night rather than drawing with them, which would have meant that Melbourne Uni rather than Box Hill would now be competing in the Promotion Relegation match. Please contact Chris O'Connor on 9878 8754 if you would like to have a go at one of these events.

The Box Hill women's team finished third at the recent National Club Championships held at the new Olympic Stadium in Sydney. In a very close competition, there was never more than a few points between the top four clubs, with the local NSW club Sunderland just proving too strong at the end to win the competition, with the University of Queensland team just 5 points ahead of Box Hill. This was a great effort from all the girls who took part as we had a team of just 10 girls to fill all the events compared with a maximum allowable team size of 14 athletes. Hopefully they can do just that little bit better in the State League Finals over the next few weeks to win that elusive premiership. Congratulations to Georgina Connell (captain), Kerrie Jorgensen, Sandra Milner, Sally Ogilvy, Georgina Power, Belinda Tolley, Fiona Buchanan, Leana Tilley, Jenny Marshall and Sheridan Bishop for their fine efforts and to team manager Val Armstrong for the huge effort which she put into organising the team.

Final Points:

Sutherland District (NSW) 303
Queensland University (QLD) 290
Box Hill (VIC) 285
Asics Wests (NSW) 281
Hills District (SA) 263
Bankstown Sports (NSW) 228

The Box Hill Woman’s State League team once again dominated the preliminary rounds of State League competition to finish on top of the ladder. In the last few years, we have finished on top of the ladder but then been beaten by Eastside in the finals. Eastside failed to make the finals this year which gives us a great chance to win our first women's premiership since 1993. The team faces a big challenge to win the final with many of our second claim athletes unavailable for the second week as they will be competing in the Promotion / Relegation match for Diamond Valley. In addition, we are desperately short of 5000m runners. The team missed out on a certain silver and possibly a gold medal at the National Club Championships in Sydney because we failed to field a second 3000m runner. It would be a tragedy if all the hard work put in during the season by the team was wasted again by not filling our team. If you are able to run a State League qualifying time of 19:30 then please contact Val Armstrong on 9841 8707 to let her know that you can run on March 16th. The points that you will win just by qualifying might make the difference between a premiership and second or third place.

With a close tussle expected in the finals, every little bit of support will help, so make sure that you turn up to Olympic Park on March 9th and March 16th to support the girls in their quest for a premiership.

The Club is most fortunate to have secured the services of Dr Peter Larkins to speak at our annual Presentation Night on Saturday 29 April 2000 at the Hawthorn Football Club Social Club. Peter is now well known as the sports doctor on TripleM, however is also a very successful Box Hill athlete who represented Australia and won numerous State and National Championships in the 3000 m steeplechase, held the State record for many years and still holds the Club record. He is sure to provide a most interesting and entertaining insight into his world as an elite athlete, medical student and doctor.

The cost for the evening is $30 for seniors and $25 for juniors, which includes a buffet meal and entrance to the Hawthorn Football Club nightclub afterwards. Due to booking restrictions we MUST have definite numbers by 20 April 2000. If you do not return the attached form or advise Adam Pepper (0402 083 469) or Jamie Strudley (9859 2347) of your intention to attend by 20 April 2000 you will not be able to attend. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door. As an added incentive to confirm your attendance and make your payment early, a $5 surcharge will apply to all payments received after 20 April 2000 due to the cost that the Club has had to bear in the past for people promising to turn up without making any financial commitment and then failing to attend.

It promising to be a most enjoyable evening with many great performances and hopefully some premierships to celebrate so start organising your training group now to book tickets and reserve your seat.

The Box Hill Men’s' Section 1 team and Women’s' Under 18 team were both successful in winning the venue finals at Box Hill on Saturday 4th March and so will compete in the Association Finals at Doncaster on Saturday 11th March. The teams need as much support as possible to make sure that they can repeat the performance next week and win premierships to finish off their strong performances through the year. Unfortunately the Men’s Section 2 and Under 18 teams and the Women’s Section 1 and 2 teams were unable to fill all events and so missed out on making it through to the Association Finals this year.

For those of you who have access to an internet connection, please take the time to check out the new Box Hill Athletic Club web page at www.boxhillathleticclub.org.

After a slow beginning, the site is slowly growing and becoming a useful resource for finding out information about the club, and in particular recent competition results. State League results for the Box Hill teams are currently being posted within 24 hours of the competition, while it is hoped to be able to publish all interclub results within a week of the competition.

If you have any information which you think might be appropriate to put on the web site such as photos, results, or historical information, please contact either Adam Pepper or Graeme Olden. Your feedback is most welcome.

In the Victorian Championships the stars were 17 year old Steve Hooker and 15 year old Ashlee Hayes. Steve took out the Victorian under 20 championship and was second in the open title on a count back. While Ashlee went one better by wining both the open and under 20 Victorian championships. In addition to these two results, Box Hill girls took out the trifecta in the under 20 competition, with Ashlee first, Fiona Buchanan second and Kym Lawson third and in the open women's title Box Hill's Belinda Tolley was third.

At the same time as this was going on in Melbourne, on the other side of the continent Bridgid Isworth vaulted 4.20 in the Perth Grand Prix. Bridgid was third in the competition (second Australian, only beaten by former Box Hill athlete Emma George). The height 4.20 is an Australian under 20 record, an Olympic B qualifying height and makes Bridgid one of the favourites for this years World Junior Championship gold medal (to be held in Chile in October)."

At the Brisbane Grand Prix Bridgid Isworth set her second Australian under 20 record in a week when she vaulted 4.25. This makes Bridgid one of the best under 20 pole vaulters in the world, and she is now very close to the Olympic A standard of 4.30. Bridgid has also been selected for the South Africa Test Match at Germiston, South Africa on Monday 13^th March. The Test will be an annual two aside contest which will alternate between the two countries. This will be her first Australian Uniform and cements her place at the top of the pole vault ladder in Australia.

The Club has been most fortunate to have been awarded a grant of $350 from the annual SunSmart Awards to provide shade on the infield of the track. The Club plans to use the money to contribute towards shade structures to be built near the throws and pole vault areas. Hopefully these should be erected within the next few months. Many thanks to Adam Pepper for his hard work in preparing the application form and to all the athletes who volunteered their sunburnt bodies for photographing to send in with the application form.

The club has come to a sponsorship arrangement with Rebel Sport in which the both the club and members of the club benefit. When you make a purchase at one of the Rebel Stores quote our rebate code, 3418, and receive a 5% discount.

All members are encouraged to support arrangement where possible. Below is a list of all the Rebel Sport locations in Victoria.

The observant members of the Club may have noticed some plans on display at the entrance to the Clubrooms showing plans prepared by architects for redevelopment of the ground floor level of the changerooms. The plans provide for construction of new toilets, showers and changerooms and for extending and upgrading the existing gymnasium and weights room. We have recently submitted an application for funding through the State Government Sport and Recreation Victoria Minor Facilities Grants program for funding for this upgrade and are hopeful of obtaining Council support in this year's budget submission. If everything goes to plan, we are hopeful that work might finally be able to start later this year. We will keep you informed of further developments during the year.

BOX HILL ATHLETIC CLUB PRESENTATION NIGHT BOOKING FORM

Name: __________________________________________

No. of adults at $30 / head ………………………._______

No. of juniors (U18) at $25 / head……………….._______

Enclosed payment………………………………..$_______

(please return to Social Coordinator, Box Hill Athletic Club, PO Box 247, Box Hill, 3128)