Kynon earns national cap
For the first time in six years Lilydale Swimming Club was represented at nationals even after a tumultuous two years of not having a home base.
Kynon qualified for nationals earlier this year, reaching the necessary state and national times, booking the teenager a spot in the Australian Age Championships in Brisbane.
“It’s definitely a big step. I get to go cross country. I’m excited, nervous but excited,” he said.
Head coach Duana Mcleod said this is something that has been building over a number of years for Kynon, who started competitive swimming at the age of 10.
“It’s been a long time coming, building the long term goal for a couple years, and then that long term goal became shorter and shorter,” she said.
The 16-year-old trains six days a week, plus gym sessions, to achieve his best, with dreams of the Olympics but said he just wants to go as far as he can in the sport.
Rising star taking the karting track by storm
Thirteen-year-old Jai George from Croydon South achieved a spot on the podium at the Australian Kart Championships held at the Todd Road circuit in Port Melbourne.
The young driver displayed his talent and speed across the three days of racing in the highly competitive KA3 junior class, contesting 77 drivers from all over the country.
Despite missing out on the win after leading majority of the race including the last lap, it was an emotional victory for Jai achieving a third place podium in the highest national level of karting in Australia in front of a huge crowd which was celebrated with his brother Riley by his side who is his coach and mentor and has been a huge part of Jai’s journey and success.
Jumping gymnast wows at first Nationals appearance
She might only be nine-years-old but Arkie Cheek’s gymnastic talent and skill took her all the way to nationals where she competed among the best, placing fifth of 47 competitors.
Travelling from Montrose to the Gold Coast to compete at the Australian Gymnastics Championships, having won the Victorian State Championships in May, this was Arkie’s first nationals appearance finally hitting the age requirement.
Arkie competed in the women’s level 5 tumbling event, which takes place in an arena with all kinds of gymnastics happening around you.
“It was exciting and also, at the same time, it was nerve-wracking, because you feel that you were not going to do your best, because you’re against the competitors, and going up there, it was terrifying,” Arkie said.
The youngest in her age group, Arkie was competing against 13-year-olds but made it through each of the four rounds, proving her age was no barrier.
Red armband protest reaches Mooroolbark in calls to reverse cuts to gender equity in sport
Victorian Government budget cuts to gender equity and inclusion in sport programs saw a collective of sporting teams across the state protest the move in an on-field display of unity.
Joining the red armband protest led by Not All Clubs Media, Mooroolbark Football Club’s senior women each donned two red armbands alongside their opponents Blackburn during their match on Saturday 31 May.
The armbands were used to protest the defunding of safety and equity in sport and to honour the 29 women who had been killed by gender-based violence in 2025 until that point.
Senior women’s coach Keryn Ralph said it felt like a responsibility of the club and the team to back the initiative.
“As a social experience, women don’t feel safe. I coach a team of young women and they’re making their way through a world that can be really unsafe for women,” she said.
“So we just felt like it was something that’s a responsibility of ours, but also a responsibility of men to really get behind.”
A three-year rise for Mooroolbark’s Senior Women
The Mooroolbark Mustangs Division Two senior women’s football team capped off an incredible journey in 2025 by not only going through the season undefeated but also securing their third consecutive premiership, this time in Division Two.
The Mustangs’ coach Keryn Ralph said the team’s strength goes far beyond what happens on the field.
“Our team culture and the relationships we have within the team have been everything,” she said.
“Culture creates success, success doesn’t create culture.”
She said the team’s continued improvement has come from learning more about each other as both people and players.
“That’s allowed us to develop real trust and structure. It’s super exciting to be a part of,” Ms Ralph said.
The Mustangs have lost only five games in three years, winning Division Four in 2023, Division Three in 2024, and now Division Two in 2025.
But even with success, challenges remained.
“One of the hardest things this year was maintaining momentum and motivation, the girls have had two great seasons already, and keeping them grounded and focused was really important,” Ms Ralph said.
Mustangs captain Jordyn Doevelaar said the group’s connection made the final triumph even sweeter.
“We couldn’t be more proud of this group, they are such an amazing bunch to lead,” she said.
“For some, it was a three-peat. For others, it was their first grand final win. The emotion and determination across all was fantastic. The support from our families, friends, coaches, support staff and the club was amazing, we all absolutely enjoyed the moment and the celebrations that followed.”
Eastern Ranges’ historic double premiership
The talented young footballers of the Eastern Ranges proved their credentials, celebrating a historic pair of premierships on Saturday 20 September.
It marked the first time in Coates Talent League history where one club has secured both flags in the same year, with the Girls competition having begun in 2017.
Eastern Ranges talent lead Danny Ryan said it was very exciting for the club and the reward for a lot of hard work.
“We talk about the so many layers of support that comes to get into a grand final and we can’t underestimate what the local clubs and the coaches are doing to develop the kids coming through for us and then to have our recruiters that go out every weekend to watch the kids in rain, hail or shine,” he said.
“They’re out watching to see that next group of talent coming through and to our support staff, to the parents, to the kids, it’s really just a great reward for all the hard work and sacrifice.
“To be a part of our program for the players, it’s a huge sacrifice, they’re all trying to balance Year 11 or Year 12, all got part-time jobs and they’re coming in three, four nights a week to train, it’s a huge commitment but the weekend was a great day to celebrate it, especially with both programs winning.”
The girls led early against opponents, the Dandenong Stingrays, and in the last quarter while Dandenong kicked three to reduce the margin, the lead was insurmountable and the Ranges ran away with a 38-point win.
The win marked the Eastern Ranges’ first-ever Girls premiership, having fallen at the final hurdle in both 2023 and 2024.
The Eastern Ranges Boys took the field up against the Sandringham Dragons at 1pm and didn’t have the hot start that the girls did, down by two goals at quarter time 2.1, 13 to 4.1, 25.
The script was flipped in the second quarter as Eastern slammed on six goals to one to hold a three-goal lead at the main break, and rallied in the last to run over the top of the Dragons, keeping their opponents goalless and nailing four goals straight to run out victors by 15 points.
The win was the Ranges’ first Boys Under-18 premiership since the dominant 2013 side.
Making history on and off the field
In what could only be labelled a special day in women’s cricket, Mooroolbark Cricket Club’s Jess Adams had a front row seat to the historic match.
More than three years after fleeing Afghanistan as the Taliban swept to power, a women’s team of refugee cricketers played an exhibition match in Melbourne on Thursday 30 January.
Organised by Cricket Australia with support from Cricket Without Borders (CWOB), Adams was selected to play against the Afghanistan XI.
“It was pretty special to be able to be involved in something like I was (on Thursday). The match meant a lot more than just a game of cricket,” she said.
“It was awesome that we could be a part of, hopefully, the start of something pretty exciting for the Afghan women’s team and potentially other teams in similar positions across the world.”
For the Afghanistan XI, captained by Nahida Sapan, it was the first time the women have competed as a team since leaving the nation.
Fellow player Firooza Amiri said the weight of the match was not just about representing women’s sport but all women who have been deprived of rights.
“We are extremely happy and we are all feeling very proud,” Amiri told reporters.
Women’s sport was disbanded in the country during the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had 25 contracted women players in 2020 but most now live in Australia in exile, with others settled in Canada and Britain.
Adams said emotions were running high for everyone involved because of what it took to get there.
“There were definitely lots of mixed emotions across both teams, but especially their team. Some are celebrating a major milestone but also still grieving, having people still stuck back at home who they can’t see,” she said.
