Keebra Park Boys at NASA

Keebra Park boys with one of their SUV's

Well day two saw the boys awake to the thrills off a buffet breakfast hotel style and for many of them, this alone seemed to justify the price of the tour.

Pancakes, bacon, eggs and grit (whatever they are) we're wolfed down and 17 happy campers climbed aboard the dodge SUV's as we headed for our first stop....Venice beach and Santa Monica pier.

For those of you unfamiliar with Venice it is the kind of place where hippies and fringe dwellers roller blade along the promenade with parrots on shoulders and monkey's on their backs. Santa Monica pier is also iconic, featuring in both the Dirty Harry movie starring Clint Eastwood and the Tony Hawke pro-skater console game.

The boys shopped and played the arcades before we headed off to the highlight of the day, the college football game at the Rosebowl between Stanford Cardinals and the UCLA Bruins.

As guests of UCLA we had some great seats and witnessed an awesome game. 55,000 Atari college football game is some effort. For those of you unfamiliar with the culture of the game, it was preceded by the popular pastime of tailgating where the fans parked up and turned the car park into one massive BBQ.

After the game we went to a classy Mexican restaurant and the boys ad a heart feed of tacos and burritos. Returning to the hotel there was time fora quick swim before hitting the hay and looking forward to Universal Studios. Part three to follow, with images on the way.

In part three our intrepid travellers encounter King Kong and The Transformers in an action packed Hollywood encounter.

The 13's coached by Mr Glen Cambell defeated Wavell, Mr Steven's 14's defeated Coombabah, Mr Woolfs Gee Sheild team triumphed over Redbank Plains and Jah Pakau was on hand to collect the Open A's Alan Langer Trophy.

These wins are a credit to all involved and a diagnostic tool that clearly shows that the schools focus on discipline and dedication both in and out of the classroom are really working.

This year saw a policy introduced that stipulated that boys who's effort and behaviour in the academic arena were not up to standard would not be allowed to play Rugby League and the boys not only embraced this concept but made it part of the bigger school culture.

Parents have been very supportive and the boys have learnt that they are in control of their outcomes which in turn has nurtured maturity and gained them results in all aspects of their schooling.

The program has always been more about developing boys rather than winning for winning sake and that makes these finals results even more pleasing. it has been a work ethic and consistent approach that has gotten the boys home when they have often been up against much bigger and more fancied opposition.

These lessons will surely stand them in good stead as they move onto the next stage of their lives whether that be in the sporting or academic realms.

The action turns to Ipswich Jets this Sunday (19th August) with the Open A's playing in a double header to decide the finalists of the National GIO Cup.

Keebra Park u15's

While Keebra Park Open A'S have been busy cementing themselves as the most succesful National Schoolboy side of the last decade with another appearance in the GIO Cup semi-finals against old rivals Endeavour, it is the rest of the school teams who stand on the edge of something just as spectacular this Tuesday night at Bishop Park.

The under 13's, 14's, 15's and the open seconds will all play in the Grand Finals of the various Brisbane Broncos competitions and possibly make 2012 a clean sweep for the small Gold Coast school.

While it is obviously too early to buy a trophy cabinet just yet it is a scenario that has the school buzzing and the boys eager for the games to begin.

In the local schools competition the 13's and 14's have already recorded wins and the Under 16's were victorious in the Titans Cup competition beating the Keebra Open 4ths in a close and passionate encounter.

The man of the match in this game, George Fai also recieved the Bodie Apps medal, which is awarded to the best on field whenever Keebra Park teams play each other in the Open Division in memory of ex-student Bodie Apps who was lost in a tragic traffic accident.

The games on Tuesday kick off at 2-30 pm and it is sure to be a great night of football. Keebra appreciate our dedicated supporters and it would be great to see as many parents and family get along to cheer the boys on.

Kick off times and opposition are:

2-30 Renouf Shield KEEBRA V WAVELL
3-40 Hancock Cup KEEBRA V COOMBABAH
4-50 Gee Shield KEEBRA V REDBANK
6-00 KEEBRA V MARSDEN

Keebra Park SHS 2012 Queensland gio Schoolboys Cup Champions

Keebra Park State High School have held off a second-half resurgence from Ignatius Park College to win the GIO National Schoolboys state final 22-12 at Dairy Farmers Stadium tonight.

The Gold Coast school, who had a considerable size advantage over their opponents, led 16-6 at half time but then conceded the first try of the second half to Iggy prop Cade Maloney who barged over from close range for his second four-pointer of the afternoon.

Keebra were kept in their own half for long periods of the second 25 minutes and the Townsville school came close to equalising twice when Coen Hess made it over the line but wasn't able to get the ball down.

A fourth Keebra try, which came three plays after a 20-metre tap after they had stopped Hess for the second time, ensured the visitors qualified for the national semi-finals.

Keebra halfback and captain Guy Hamilton was named player of the match.

The Ignatius Park squad include seven players who are part of the Cowboys' academy squad or hold a scholarship with the club.

Keebra Park's 2 Australian Schoolboys Jack Goodsell & Jai Arrow (Photo : OurFootyMedia)

The Open A'S will travel to North QLD to take on the in form Ignatius Park team and the junior teams will be playing various opposition in the Broncos Competition.

Heading North will be a test for the Opens who will be without Australian Reps, Jai Arrow and Jack Goodsall who will be on duty for their country against the England Academy.

There is also some particularly pleasing news for the juniors however with the under 13B'S having qualified for the quarter finals via winning the local schools competition.

They will be up against Coombabah 13 A'S and are looking forward to mixing it with the "Big Boys".

Keebra got off to a flying start against St. Brendans but let the Boys from Rocky back into the game off the back of a couple of well worked tries.

It was too little too late for Brendans though and Keebra held on for a deserved 14 - 8 win.

In the other game Iggy Park proved to be too strong for PBC running out 28 - 6 winners.

Keebra went head to head with Marsden SHS in a first v fourth encounter while second Place PBC took on Wavell SHS who finished the rounds in third spot.

Keebra were slow to get off the mark and after a 6-0 half time win came out to post 3 more unanswered tries in the second stanza.

Ill discipline cost Marsden dearly with two players sent to the bin following an after tackle push and shove in the second half and they never got back into the game.

Experience in these knock out games gos a long way to gaining a victory and once again this proved to be the case with Keebra defending their line well and capitalising on the Marsden mistakes.

Facing arch rivals PBC the game once again went down to the wire with Keebra running out winners 20-18.

These games are rarely indicative of the playing capabilities of either side with the crowd input and rivallry often taking over.

Keebra were far more polished but failed to build momentum while PBC relied on opportunistic play and scrambling defence to keep themselves in the game.

The battle of the forward packs was convincingly won by Keebra while PBC proved a handful out wide. The results sees Keebra and PBC positioned one and two on the ladder and the two may not meet again unless they both qualify for the QLD Final.

In other games Keebra seconds downed Harristown from Toowoomba and the PBC Under 15's edged out Keebra.

The Open thirds dispatched Palm Beach Currumbin 40-6 in their semi- final while the Under 16's had a good win over Marymount 20-14.

The win was a particularly good one from the 16's who are often playing against more senior players and rely on good structure rather than size to get over their opposition and this is testament to the hard yards they put it at training with Mr Gould.

The boys have played each other twice this year with the honours split so the game should be a cracker.

The game will be played at Nerang Junior Leagues with kick off at 6pm. The final of the Challenge Cup will kick of at 5pm so there will be plenty of football.

In other games this week the Keebra Open A's will take on Coombabah at Runaway Bay in the second last game of the Langer Trophy. These games seed the Opens for the knockout stages of the National Schoolboy Cup and as such are very important so once again get down and support the boys.

In other news it was good to see Old Boy Tau Tau Moga playing NRL for the Roosters and the Tigers Toyota Cup squad going well in the Under 20 competition.

Following on from the recent Qld rugby league schoolboys Under 18 state Championships the school is pleased to announce the inclusion of Jai Arrow and Jack Goodsall in the QLD side. These boys will head to Port Maquarie to contest the National Championships in July.

Finally well done to Braydon Mcmahon and George Fai who played well in the Qld versus NSW Under 16 curtain raiser to the recent first State of Origin game.

Well done all boys and the coaching staff involved.

In the Open's game Keebra Park numbed the Wavell side with a quickfire start that saw them take an 18-0 lead within the first 15 minutes. Wavell hit back with a try before the break that was not converted, making a 18-4 halftime scoreline.

The second half saw Wavell add another unconverted try before back to back tries to powerful second row Michael Vella sealed the game for Keebra.

Wavell did cross again in the dying stages of the game for a consolation try but it was too little too late for the Northside Boys and what had been a very happy "Homecoming" turned into a less happy "homegoing" Next week sees Keebra Park take on PBC to decide who will top the group as they head into the knockout stages of the National Schoolboys Cup.

There was a feast of football in all age groups with the following results.

The 13's managed a 42-12 scoreline over with some entertaining structured football while in the fourteens it was a much closer result with Keebra edging out Coombabah by 2 points 20-18.

Both these teams have been training well and the fourteens was a particularly good win over the Coombabah "State" champion side.

In the earlier game the Keebra Struddy's side proved too strong for Sandgate and made it 3 from 3 on a night that was perfect for football.

HYBRID RULES The game is designed to enable a Rugby Union Team to play a Rugby League Team in a game that suits both codes and is a blend of both codes. There will be 13 players per side Start of play will decided by a coin toss All starts and restarts of play from the halfway line will require a place kick which must travel at least 10 meters in a forward direction. While in possession, a team will be required to play Rugby League rules while exiting their own (defensive) end of the field. Once this attacking (in possession) team crosses the halfway Line (50m), the game reverts to Rugby Union rules. The referees will call the change of play (League to Union) once the halfway line has been crossed. Union rules will continue even if the side in possession is driven back behind the halfway line or the ball is passed backwards into this area. The game will continue until there is a change in possession and the rules (League or Union) will apply to the position on the field of the now attacking side. The ball is not permitted to be kicked out on the full. If this occurs, a penalty will result from where the ball was kicked and the game restarted under Union rules. Restarts of play using dropkicks from the team’s own (defensive) end of the field must satisfy Union rules with regard to minimum distance travelled by the dropkicked ball. The attacking (in possession) side has 60 seconds to score or kick. This period will be monitored by a Shot Clock. Failure to score or kick within this time will result in a turn over of possession. The shot clock applies to both ends of the field and both codes. There will be no tackle count. This is a precise time frame and any points scored after 60 seconds has elapsed WILL NOT BE COUNTED. The Shot Clock will be reset for all penalties and restarts of play. Penalty kicks at goal are not included in the 75 second time frame. There will be two referees on the field of play: one each from Rugby League and Rugby Union. Scrums will be contested Rugby Union style. The attacking side will have the loose head and feed and the ball is to be fed into the centre of the scrum. POINTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: o TRY 5 POINTS o CONVERSION AND PENALTY GOAL 2 POINTS

In 1895 rugby football was beset with a schism that resulted in the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU) and rugby league was born.

Rugby league took off in Australia in 1908. A major motivation for the schism was the payment of players. Rugby league players were paid. Rugby union players were not.

Although coming from the same beginnings, the two rugby codes are two distinct traces, breeds, varieties, or species of football. The lessons of history tell us that, as with everything in life, football codes are in a constant state of evolution. Life is about evolution.

The evolution of the rugby codes should be embraced.

100 YEARS LATER…
The motivation for the schism between the codes, which was the payment of players, has now been removed, with rugby union becoming a professional sport in 1995. The reason for the original schism has now become irrelevant.
With players in both codes now being paid as professionals, it is now time for “…a person or group of persons produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions…” to emerge.

Now is the ideal time for the two codes to cooperate as one and challenge their competitors, AFL and football who are encroaching into the rugby league and union territory to regain market share in a win win scenario for both codes.
Now is the time for the Hybrid Code.

WILL THE HYBRID CODE REPLACE THE RUGBY CODES?
The Hybrid Code will not replace either rugby league or rugby union. That would be both impossible and completely undesirable. On the contrary, rugby league and rugby union will jointly participate in a single annual and unique event.

The annual event will have the major benefit of bringing substantial additional revenue into each code, revenue which each code would not otherwise be able to have access to.

The Hybrid Code may assist in alleviating the problems associated with the restrictions imposed by the salary cap with the games’ marquee players having representation in this unique annual event.

Other sporting codes such as AFL and soccer are increasingly encroaching on the rugby league and rugby union markets. The Hybrid Code will provide a vehicle for the two rugby codes to tackle this emerging threat on a united front.

The Hybrid Code is an opportunity for the two rugby codes, not a threat to them.

What opportunities does the Hybrid Code have to offer?

For the codes, the opportunity to jointly own a majority ownership in an exciting new concept and to control its progression and development. It also creates a lucrative new revenue stream and may assist in alleviating some of the pressure on clubs to keep their superstar players under the salary cap with a significant one-off annual Hybrid Code match payment.

“The Hybrid Code will never be played without the consent of the rugby league and rugby union governing bodies”.

For the sponsor, the opportunity to partner with a unique and exciting product.

For the major events organisation, the opportunity to bring tens of thousands of visitors to their state.

For the players, the opportunity to test their skills against the best of the best and the opportunity to earn valuable additional income commensurate with their elite status.

And for the fans, pure rugby excitement.

The Hybrid Code will have a comprehensive marketing and media strategy including:
• Support from State Major Events Boards
• Support from the rugby league and rugby union governing bodies
• Support from professional and amateur rugby clubs
• Print, radio, television and online advertising and editorial
• Social media
• Specifically designed website
• Local and international media rights
• Merchandising
• Viral campaign

Some of the most recognisable identities from the worlds of rugby league and rugby union support this concept.

Bob Fulton, Rules Consultant
Bob Fulton is an Australian rugby league legend. Fulton played, coached, selected for, and has commentated on the game at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.

As a player Fulton won three premierships with Manly in the 1970s, the last as captain. He represented Australia on 47 occasions, seven times as captain. He had a long coaching career at the first grade level, taking Manly to premiership victories in 1987 and 1996. He coached the Australian national team to 40 Tests and World Cup games.

In 1985 he was selected as one of the initial four post-war “Immortals” of the Australian game and in 2008 he was named in Australia's team of the century.

BOB DWYER, RULES CONSULTANT
Bob Dwyer coached Australia to victory at the 1991 Rugby World Cup, the very first person to have achieved this feat for Australia He enjoyed two separate and highly successful stints as Australian coach. After a lengthy stint coaching rugby in Great Britain, Dwyer returned to Australia and became coach of the New South Wales Waratahs.

He is an Australian Rugby Union legend.

He is a member of the order of Australia (AM) and an inductee to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame”

Mark Ella, Rules Consultant
Mark Ella is a former Australian rugby union captain often considered as one of this country’s all time sporting greats.

Between 1980 and 1984 he represented Australia 25 times, captaining the team for the 1982-83 seasons.

In his final test season, the historical Grand Slam Tour of Britain and Ireland, Mark scored a try in each of the four Test matches, a feat that still hasn’t been repeated today.

Amongst the recognition he has received for his outstanding sportsmanship, in 1982 Mark was named Young Australian of the Year and in 1983 made a Member the Order of Australia (AM). He has also been inducted into the Sports Australia Hall of Fame and the International Rugby Hall of Fame Inaugural XV.

Phil Franks, Rules Consultant
Phil Franks is a Sydney based entrepreneur who has an extensive background in both sport and business.
As a sportsman, he played Rugby League at a professional level for the Balmain, Penrith, North Sydney and Western Suburbs clubs in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

The local competition is into round four and this week the boys will find themeslves up against old rivals Palm Beach Currumbin after already facing Merrimac, Robina, Marymount and Elanora.

The recent midweek trials against Wavell were a good gauge of how the premier teams are travelling and there were some outstanding performances across the board with players staking their claims for spots in these highly competitive teams.

Last Friday the Opens continued their dominance in the Queensland Rugby Sevens Competition with a win against Brisbane Stae High in the Qld final at Suncorp. The game was played as the curtain raiser to the Reds versus Rebels clash and was a great experience for the boys.

In earlier rounds they accounted for St Joseph's College Nudgee and Wavell SHS to set up a final appearancel where they were far too strong for State High, winning 31-19.

The Sevens squad will now head to Sydney to defend their National title against the best in NSW.

Keebra Park SHS 2009 Arrive alive Cup Champions (Photo : OurFootyMedia)

With an increase in general schools numbers due to the Academic Excellence Program and the success of the Rugby League program there will be increased competition across the board this year and this should equate to even higher quality outcomes.

Seniors training has commenced on Friday mornings and the boys are going well with many taking advantage of the pre-school gym sessions run by strength and conditioning coach Mr Campbell.

An information session was held in week two and parents and guardians were able to ask questions of the coaching staff and chat with medical industry leaders regarding dental, Physio and insurance issues.

After the success of the New Zealand and Polynesian Islands Tour in 2010 there was much interest in the planned North American Tour that hopes to both promote this great game and tap into the cutting edge NFL knowledge that is abundant in the American College System.

2010 was a good year for the rugby league team with the Opens making its 4th National Final appearance in 6 years and Bodene Thompson, Corey Norman and Ben Murdoch all making their NRL debuts.

This year will see the boys defend their spot as Queensland Champions and National Rugby Union Sevens victors in an environment that is becoming increasingly more competitive with many schoolboy football teams vying for pole position.