HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT MAY 2015 | Page 57

ort rugbyuniontriathalonnetballwaterskiingcanoeingmartialartsdartsfishinggolfsquashcheerleadingtaichitennis sp MARK MY WORDS with Mark Geyer The third season of the Mark Geyer Cup has just got underway and, well to quote the inimitable Big Kev, “I’m excited!” This season a total and most high schools across the Hawkesbury and the Nepean have entered teams in the round-robin competition. Hawkesbury-based schools contesting the 2015 Mark Geyer Cup are Hawkesbury HS, Richmond HS and Riverstone HS. Teams will compete in three age divisions – under 14 years, under 16 years and open age. Hawkesbury High will field teams in the under 14s and opens, Riverstone competes in the under 16s and Richmond will contest the opens division. The normal number of players in each squad is 20 so at least 540 students will be playing this year with many of them trying their hand at the Greatest Game of All for the very first time. In other tremendous news out of the MG Cup, two of its greatest supporters are once again delighted to be sponsoring prizes in 2015. Frank Meduri, the proprietor of McDonald’s franchises at North Penrith, North St Marys and Cambridge Gardens will be providing $250 cheques to the best and fairest in the 14s, 16s and opens. The cheques can be used by the recipients to spend on school equipment such as books and uniforms. Chris Avent, the principal at Master Coaching Learning Centre Penrith, is equally delighted to come back on board this year as a sponsor of the 2015 Mark Geyer Cup. Chris’ college will once again provide tutoring scholarships for players of the series across the under 14 years, under 15 years and open age competitions. Each of the scholarships involves 10 weekly tutoring lessons in mathematics and is valued at $550. I am thrilled that both Chris and Frank are on-board again. Frank and Chris’s generosity cannot be understated. What they are doing to help promote rugby league and sportsmanship is to be commended! The MG Cup has as its prime objectives to introduce new players to the Greatest Game of All and promote good sportsmanship and citizenship. If a kid doesn’t perform well in the classroom or shows disrespect to his fellow students or teachers, he is sidelined from playing in the Mark Geyer Cup. Each of the competitions will be played under a round-robin format with each of the schools playing each other once. The under 14s has been split into Barrier Rise with Tony Brassel ALIAS: Strong individual yet to hit peak in sprinting assignments. He’ll be very competitive for Joe Pride during the winter period. FARE WELL: Gorgeous sort and cruised up with her recent heat on home turf. Clarry Conners will place her to advantage. FLAMINGO STAR: Easy second in a trial at Warwick Farm and this import is ready to fire for Chris Waller. HAUSSMAN: Loved the way strolled around behind the placings in trial. Likely to come to hand quickly on that performance. NUSRAH: David Vandyke trains this strong looking maiden. Will be winning one after an easy barrier trial hit out. ROSE OF CHOICE: Looking good in heats at the moment and could be one to launch into when produced next time. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden. SHARDS: Godolphin youngster coming off a solid trial win. Stable usually has them ready to fire when fresh. SHE’S CLEAN: Needs a bit of speed on before she’ll cut loose but the soft trial at Warwick Farm bodes well for future assignments. two pools with first in pool A tackling 2nd in pool B in one semi-final and the winner of pool B facing 2nd in pool A in the other semi. The victors in the semi-finals will then clash on Mark Geyer Cup grand finals day at Penrith’s Pepper Stadium on June 24. The opens will also follow a similar format in the lead-up to grand finals day. In the 16s, the schools will also be split into two pools but because of the big number of entrants in this grade, pool winners and runners-up will contest a four match semi-finals series with the four victors then clashing the two finals to ]\