In the words of head coach Woogie Marsh, the junior and U23 Queensland State Titles were, for our Noosa Barbell Weightlifting Club, “Super successful and a fantastic start to the season”.
Our team members for the above titles were Kaiya Marsh F71-Jack Lafferty M89, Taj Marsh M89 and Angus Ward M109 +. Host club for the event was Cougars Weightlifting Club at the Sleiman Centre Brisbane.
Kaiya Marsh and Jack Lafferty are in a mid- training block, preparing for their first representative trip to New Zealand with the Australian Pathway squad: their departure time is two weeks from now. They both showed great determination by putting up amazing performances at the state titles, after completing a tough week prior to the event.
Kaiya won the bronze medal in the Junior division F71, snatching 60kg and following this with a clean and jerk of 74kg for a total of 134kg. Jack Lafferty M89 won silver snatching 90 kg and clean and jerk 118kg for a total of 209kg.
Taj Marsh had a fantastic championship, winning gold in the very competitive M89 class, in both junior and U23. Taj snatched 132kg and clean and jerk 154kg totalling 286. This has now qualified Taj for Commonwealth championships in India Oceanic in Rarotonga, and the World Junior Championships in Mexico later this year. Taj also won both the best junior and U23 lifter of the titles.
Definitely, a young man to watch.
Angus Ward won gold in the M109+kg, snatching 119kg and clean and jerking 156kg, for a total of 275. Angus also broke the state records for the snatch and the clean and jerk total.
At the completion of the events, coach Woogie Marsh could not be happier.
“Thanks to all our awesome members for coming to Brisbane to support our junior team. You guys must be the best support crew in the weightlifting community. Also, a big thank you to Nick and Trish Radge from The Chartist, for your continuing support of our club.”
Latest news is that the club is running their youth competition this weekend from 9.30am at Crossfit 4566, 1/15 Lionel Donovan Drive Noosa Drive Noosaville. For people interested in checking out the sport of weightlifting, we can be found at the above address, or send us a message on, instal @noosabarbellclub. The door is always open.
Rugby league
It is once again that time of the year when thousands of athletes around this great nation, both male and female, go in pleasant pursuit of the pill – in other words, play their various codes of football.
For the Noosa Pirates Rugby League Club, now under the leadership of president Liam Anlezark, they will launch their season at 6pm Friday 17 February. The occasion for the gathering of the faithful will be conducted in the Taproom, Heads of Noosa Brewery. Now having told you this, you are definitely invited into the Pirates Lair.
Anlezark has extended a very warm welcome.
“This will give you the opportunity to meet and mingle with our committee, coaching team, senior players, sponsors and volunteers. Above all, meet the man in the hot seat, senior coach, Mick Duff.”
Mick, who has come up through the ranks, joined the Pirates’ coaching panel in 2017 and now takes over as the senior coach. We wish him every success.
First trial games will be at home, Pirates Park, on Saturday 11 March. The program will see U19, ladies’ reserves and the A grade.
With women’s league on the up and up, it is interesting to note the appointment of Pirates’ new coach for the women’s team for 2023. His name is Robert Burgin.
Burgin and his wife are just back from helping coordinate the Brazilian team at the Rugby League World Cup in England. It was the first time that a country from Latin America appeared at the sport’s showpiece event.
“Numbers have been strong for the Pirates girls. We are preparing for a nines competition at Kawana on February 25 as our first hit out of the year.”
Their big aim for the year is to drum up interest in the new U13 and 17 group. This would finally give them a pathway, all the way for the local girls.
“We would love to see more Noosa district girls sticking with their clubs, from a young age through to the seniors.”
An appointment such as this can only be of major benefit to the club. For those wishing to attend, please note that the RSVP Friday 13 February: rsvp@noosapirates.com.au or on 0414 182 442.
Let’s remember a great launch usually opens the door for a great season, and Pirates are Noosa’s club.
Little athetics
It was a big weekend for our Noosa Little Athletics.
They fielded a team of 50 for the regional championships held at the University of the Sunshine Coast: 15 clubs from around our region competed. The top four athletes in each event, would qualify for the state athletics championships to be held in Townsville from the 24-26 March.
Head coach Mick Hooper remarked, “It was good to see our club represented from U7 through to U17. The U7 and U8 age groups, all competed for fun and receiving participating medallions, presented by our graduating athletes, competing at their final regional championships.
“These were club captain Jaxon Retchless and fellow U17s, Lachlan Graham, Dianne Ladewig, Mailee Scott-Jones and Olive Payne.”
Our team had a very successful competition with 33 of our athlets qualifying for the state championships. Amongst those were some very notable performances. For example: Jaxon Retchless, gold medals in U17 100, 200m sprints and high jump. Marlon Andrews U13, gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 m sprints. Zachary Nielsen U9, gold in the 70,100 and 200m sprints, as well as a bronze in the long jump and high jump. Dianne Ladewig gold in the long jump, triple jump, 100m hurdles, and bronze in the 100 and 200m sprints.
Add to this, there was a remarkable performance from U13s Taya Clayton who finished with a total of five gold medals:100 m sprint, 80 and 200m hurdles, long jump and triple jump.
Carnival’s end, coach Hooper summed it up well when he said, “It was a very hot and humid weekend of athletics, but this will be a great preparation for the Townsville State Titles. A big thank you must go out to our Noosa parent helpers, committee members, supporters and in particular, our Swiss visiting athlete, Livo Kurz (a visiting language student now competing), who gave up his weekend, to come and help run a smooth competition for our Little Athletics.
It is of interest to note that on occasions when both weightlifting and Little Athletics travel away, coaches Woogie Marsh and Mick Hooper always move a big vote of thanks for their support groups. This is a good reflection on the parents and others of our community who take the time to show their appreciation to those who run our clubs. Well done coaches, well done.
Karate
Last weekend a local Shotokan karate club, Karate Noosa, played host to World Chief Instructor of World Shotokan Karate, Hitoshi Kasuya 9 Dan. During his stay he conducted training seminars in Noosa
The seminars, which were conducted in the Noosaville State School Hall were performed to a packed house.
Such was his reputation, that students of Shotokan Karate flew to Noosa from Melbourne and Sydney. For a lot of students who may never get the opportunity to visit Japan, a country considered by many to be the home of karate, it was indeed a lifetime experience.
Chief instructor of Karate Noosa Bryan Dukas, 6th Dan said, “The visit of Hitoshi Kasuya has been an outstanding success. The fact that some students flew from interstate speaks for itself.”
Next week, Noosa Today will take a closer look at this incredible man, his teachings and his influence on the sport in Australia.
