Sport
Congratulations to the Duval women's soccer team, winners of the 2011 Grand Final!!!
Well done to the Duval boys, winners of the 2011 President's Trophy intercollegiate competion & to the Duval girls who came 2nd in this years Mary Bagnall intercollegiate competition
Both UNE and the greater Armidale community have strong sporting traditions, Duval strongly supports and encourages its residents to involve themselves in any sporting pursuits they desire. The recently renovated sport UNE facilities are within walking distance from the college and are of the highest standard. Sport UNE’s fantastically kept expansive outdoor playing fields, hockey turfs, basketball courts and tennis/netball courts are complemented by the updated indoor areas which include a brand new gym, multiple courts for a wide range of indoor sports and a heated swimming pool which is primarily used for UNEs water polo competitions.
Sport UNE runs two annual intercollegiate sporting competitions, Presidents trophy for the men and the Mary Bagnall trophy for women. Both PT and MB cover a wide range of sports throughout the year so every student at the university is catered for. In 2011 Duval won the PT trophy and placed second in MB, a fantastic effort for a smaller college. PT and MB focus on involvement rather than high skill levels, as long as you try your best and are willing to give anything a go you are more than welcome to attend and represent Duval
The competitions include the following sports:
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The Swimming Carnival
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Cross Country
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Rugby 10’s (PT)
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Netball (MB)
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Athletics
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3km, 5km, 10km run
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Hockey
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Tennis
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4 x 100m, 4 x 400m relay
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Wall Climbing
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Basketball
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Soccer
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Water Polo
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AFL/NERF
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Volleyball
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Badminton
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Touch Football
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Hodson's relay
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Lawn bowls
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Ultimate frisbee
Duval College has many girls who love their netball so much that they not only play in the MB netball competition and the UNE netball competition, they also play in the mixed competition as well as the town competition. Many also volunteer to umpire other teams in the town competition. This is one of the ways that Duval students integrate into the Armidale community. It allows them to make useful connections and friendships and to help out their local society.
Duval also enters teams in separate competitions run by sport UNE, such as soccer, touch football and netball, as well as being affiliated with the Armidale Blues Rugby Union Club.
Callan Beesley, P.T Rep, 2nd Year Pharmacy, Coffs Harbour.
Rugby - The Armidale Blues
Duval College has a strong affiliation with a local Armidale Rugby Union club; The Armidale Blues. Around 30 boys from Duval spent the 2008 season training twice weekly and playing with the Blues under the guidance of experienced players and coaches. The Blues had teams in the Grand Final against St Alberts College in both first and second grade. After narrowly missing out on winning last year’s grand final, the Blues won the 2008 first grade grand final. Peter Russell (Duval JCR Vice President 2007) scored the Blues' first try of the match. It was a thrilling, nail biting game with the difference in points being just one try for the final twenty minutes of play. The Blues held on 'til the end for a wonderful and well deserved victory. The game was followed by a weekend of celebration for a very successful season.
The Armidale Blues Rugby Club is a strong club with a great amount of support from local personalities and businesses. The club’s sponsor pub is the White Bull which is also Duval College’s sponsor pub. This works really well as both can work together with fundraising and functions. The Duval boys find that being part of the local team has allowed them to create useful business contacts in town and to get a great friendship base with the guys from town.
“Playing rugby for the Armidale Blues during my time at Duval College has been a truly unique experience. The club caters for both experienced and social players and provides a great link between the college and community. Unlike the other Armidale cubs, the Armidale Blues Rugby Club has provided me with the opportunity to mix with the community. Furthermore, the club is extremely considerate to the academic, social and holiday demands that come with being a university student. Not only have I made mates for life and improved my game with some fantastic coaching, playing for the Blues has opened many doors for me within Armidale. It is great to be recognised down the street and to have made great mates outside of college.” Pete Russell, JCR VP 2007
The College Gym allows our students to keep themselves in great shape for all of the College sports that they will participate in throughout the year.
The Duval College Sports Council coordinates the college participation in inter-college and town based sporting competitions. Just about every sport you can think of is played somewhere at UNE! The Council also arranges College merchandise, including Duval jerseys, shorts and socks, and puts on the annual Sports Awards dinner that celebrates all of Duval’s sporting achievements, including best supporter!
Every year the DDS Kayaking Club sends a group of paddlers and land crew to participate in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic fundraising paddle. It is an amazing, memorable and challenging experience that Duval College and Drummond and Smith College are proud to be a part of.