Renee Brewster, Sport Co-ordinator

As a founding member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV), GSV competitions are an important part of our sports offerings at Melbourne Girls Grammar. The Weekly Sport program creates a space for our students to embrace new challenges, make friends and enjoy the thrill of sports without pressure. For our Sport Co-ordinator, Renee Brewster, leading these programs is about focusing on fitness, fun and fundamental skills for all our students. Renee ensures the success of these competitions every week of the school year, making sure that each Grammarian can participate in sports in ways that make them happy.  

“The GSV Weekly Sport program serves as an avenue for our Grammarians to try a new sport or further develop their current skill set, whilst also being a great social outlet”, Renee shares. Students love that GSV is fun; it gives them the chance to compete alongside their friends. With a range of 13 different sports available throughout the year, the program fosters participation, offering each student the opportunity to engage in something they enjoy and build life skills like leadership, teamwork and resilience.

For Renee, this supportive and inclusive approach is crucial. Reflecting on her own school experience and time playing netball in the Victorian Netball League (VNL), she shared how she was heavily involved in sport (mainly netball and basketball, but also football and volleyball), which enabled her to forge friendships and receive encouragement from coaches to be the best athlete and person she could be. She is inspired to emulate this experience through the programs at MGGS. Renee believes that the GSV allows each student to discover what they enjoy and helps them become not just well-rounded athletes, but also well-rounded individuals. The program places emphasis on skill-building in disciplines that are relevant on and off the field which she believes assists our Grammarians thrive in all aspects of their lives. Renee explains that "while there are well-researched physical and mental wellbeing benefits when it comes to participation in sport, I believe the social aspect is unrivalled. There are endless opportunities within sport to form friendships and network amongst like-minded people... Sport has the power to unite people from all walks of life. We are a diverse community, but sport has a way of bringing everyone together through a shared interest”.  

When she was Acting Head of Sport and Coaching earlier this year, Renee spent some time engaged in the Rowing Program, which she says was “an incredibly enriching experience. To see our Grammarians challenge themselves daily, with the support of each other...was a real treat and reminded [her] why [she’s]so proud to be involved in MGGS Sport”. She admits our successes this year make it hard to choose a highlight, but “going back-to-back in the Herald Sun Shield” was definitely a special moment in 2024.

Looking forward, Renee and the Artemis team are committed to expanding participation even further, especially as research suggests that as girls grow up, they tend to disengage from sport. “Our data shows an encouraging trend, with more Grammarians visiting the Artemis Centre each year”, Renee notes. Studies indicate that students engaged in competitive sports tend to have better academic performance and higher levels of physical and mental wellbeing, and Renee hopes that our Grammarians continue to engage in competitive sport like GSV Weekly for their whole schooling lives.

"While there are well-researched physical and mental wellbeing benefits when it comes to participation in sport, I believe the social aspect is unrivalled. There are endless opportunities within sport to form friendships and network amongst like-minded people..." – Renee Brewster, Sport Co-ordinator

Jeff Riseley, Head of Athletics

Our Athletics program has gone from strength to strength in recent years due to the commitment of our Senior Years athletes and the energy Head of Athletics, Jeff Riseley, brings to the program. Jeff began in this role in 2022 and has chatted with us to reflect on his career as a professional athlete and his two years at MGGS so far.  

Jeff’s athletic career did not follow the conventional pathway; he came to athletics relatively late. His love for running was always there, but he participated widely in several sports and in his final year at school, played in the Firsts football, basketball and volleyball. That year, he also debuted in the Victorian Cross Country team (despite a humble 45th place finish), and also in the Victorian Athletics team. Inspired by watching the 2006 Commonwealth Games, he fully committed to athletics, which led to his selection for the World Championships in Osaka and his first Olympics in Beijing the following year. Jeff went on to compete at three more Olympic Games – London, Rio and Tokyo.

Jeff’s career highlights from these Olympics are as varied as they are memorable, ranging from moments like watching Usain Bolt casually carrying a McDonald's bag before his 100m win in Beijing, to the surreal, empty-stadium experiences of the Tokyo Games during the pandemic. These experiences not only shaped his athletic career but also gave him a deep appreciation for the process of training and self-improvement. His motivation throughout his career was rooted in the daily pursuit of becoming a better athlete and the joy of sharing unforgettable experiences with friends on the world stage.

As Head of Athletics at MGGS, Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience to his role. His approach is holistic – he understands the entire athlete pathway and the significance of each milestone along the way. His goal is to guide students to visualise their potential, set meaningful goals, and develop a sense of autonomy over their training. Jeff believes that through sport, our Grammarians build resilience and learn life lessons that will serve them long after they leave our 'red brick walls’. He emphasises that “no challenge will ever seem too big” for those who have learned to push themselves in sport.

From a numbers point of view, our Cross Country squad has improved as a team, from placing thirteenth (of 24 GSV schools) in 2022 to second in 2024, while the Track and Field team has risen from 15th (497 points) to 5th (752 points)! In addition to the existing training schedule, extra running sessions have been provided for distance runners, and strength and conditioning sessions with the Fitness Hub coaches have been incorporated into training for sprint athletes and track and field competitors in Years 7 to 12. However, the thing he “is most proud of is the relationships and connections that students have made” within the team. Students from Years 7 to 12 have built “great friendships” and come to “push and support one another through a shared love of Athletics”.  

Jeff sees success in sports as something different for every student, and that prioritising the basics in a fun and engaging way inevitably brings ‘success’ for the Athletics program. To him, encouraging our Grammarians to deeply commit to their training and be cognisant of what they want out of their participation in Athletics is the goal. Guiding our Grammarians in learning ‘how to learn’ from failure is also a key goal of his. For Jeff, excellence is not simply about results or numbers – it’s about creating a supportive environment where students can strive to be their best selves both on and off the track. “One thing that I [am] really proud of this year is that our incredible group of Year 11s, who’ve been key members of the program this year, have gone on to become School Vice Captains (Shuying Jiang and Amelie Maddock), Sport Captain (Zara Nash), Music Captain (Cecilia Xu), STEM Captain (Isabel Zhang), and House Captains too (Emily Antonie and Tabitha Chamberlain). I hope our program can keep creating great humans.”

As a self-proclaimed “tragic distance running nerd”, Jeff’s ultimate vision for the Athletics program is to build MGGS into one of the top distance running schools in the country. MGGS is lucky to be situated on the doorstep of some of the best running locations: the Tan, Yarra Park and the MCG and Albert Park Lake, and he’d love to have more students enjoying Athletics and making Victorian teams and challenging themselves to compete at high levels. But he’s also determined to create opportunities for all students to succeed, whether in athletics, cross-training for other sports, or simply building a lifelong love of running.  

Jeff says that since starting in his role, he’s “found that a young athlete’s journey can start with a lot of anxiety around competition, outcomes and feeling ‘good enough’”. He says, “... working closely with our Grammarians to build their confidence and teach them the process of training and other important components that go into achieving their goals, slowly enables them to gather ‘small wins’ over time and develop true resilience”.  

“When competing in Launceston for the National Cross Country I learned to have more confidence in myself and that the hard work has already been done in training, so the race is just the final step... I am most proud of the race I executed at GSV finals night for athletics this year. I had enough confidence in myself to stick with the group of girls at the front and ended up running a big personal best and breaking the 5 minutes barrier for the 1500m!” – Sadie Bird, Year 8  

Jeff shared, “now [these students] are some of the most courageous in the School and love competing. Post-race, they’ll tell me where they think they could improve next time. This is the true value of sport.”

“One thing that I [am] really proud of this year is that our incredible group of Year 11s, who’ve been key members of the program this year, have gone on to become [School leaders for 2025]. I hope our program can keep creating great humans.” – Jeff Riseley, Head of Athletics

Tennille Nash, Fit For You and Physical Preparation Manager

Tennille (pictured in the cover image) plays an integral role in the Artemis Centre as the Fit For You (FFY) and Physical Preparation Manager. Tennille explains how the program was designed to inspire students in Years 9 to 12 to stay active in ways that match their individual needs and preferences. By overseeing the management of the Fitness Hub and working alongside Strength and Conditioning Coaches–Cecilia, Tim, Niamh and Sally–she is able to monitor the physical activity of all Senior Years Grammarians. In the Fitness Hub, she cultivates a supportive and motivating environment where our Grammarians can develop their physical literacy, pursue athletic performance and prioritise their wellbeing.  

Tennille started playing basketball at the age of six and still does to this day. She played junior representative basketball, and senior basketball in the SEABL and BigV leagues. Five years ago, she shifted her focus to football, beginning locally with Vermont Football Club, then moving on to the Casey Demons in the VFLW for two years. Currently, she plays basketball weekly with friends, and I also plays and coaches football in the VAFA league with Kew Football Club, in addition to coaching the Senior Football team at MGGS too. She's a big advocate of women in sports. She explains: “My hopes for women in sport centre around empowerment, equality, and creating a world where female athletes are celebrated and supported on every stage. I envision a future where women have equal access to opportunities at every level of sport, from grassroots to professional and elite levels, with better funding, coaching, facilities, and resources for women's teams, along with greater visibility for female athletes in all sports.”

Tennille says the FFY program reflects Melbourne Girls Grammar’s commitment to tailoring physical activity to the ability level of every Grammarian. In 2024, the FFY courses on offer have ranged from circuit, Pilates and boxing classes, to dance cardio, spin cycling, small-sided games, yoga, hot Pilates, nutrition courses, as well as netball coaching and umpiring. FFY encourages a flexible and inclusive approach to fitness, where students can try different forms of exercise and set their own pace to achieve their individual goals. This is particularly valuable for students with varying fitness backgrounds and skill levels. Through consistent feedback, the Fitness Hub team works to adjust and optimise each student’s experience, promoting a sense of autonomy and personal ownership over their wellbeing journey. Beyond physical activity, Tennille highlights that the FFY program also monitors the mental wellbeing of our Grammarians through termly check-ins and mindfulness activities for relieving stress, building self-discipline and enhancing focus. Students learn healthy habits around routine, nutrition, and sleep, gaining tools that support both their athletic and academic endeavors. The program’s collaborative environment also encourages strong peer connections, fostering teamwork and mutual support, which helps students maintain a balanced and positive approach to challenges.

Over the last three years, Tennille has also spent countless hours collaborating with the Rowing staff to build the strength and conditioning seasonal program for our rowers. Her carefully structured program aligns with the on-water training, with additional emphasis on activities like Pilates, gymnastics, and endurance training to develop well-rounded athletes. By teaching rowers the purpose behind each exercise, Tennille and the Rowing staff ensure they understand how training translates into performance in the boat and how these athletes can monitor and care for their bodies through the season. This approach supports the rowers’ goals in major competitions, such as the Head of Schoolgirls Regatta, while simultaneously fostering teamwork and instilling the key values: self-discipline, compassion, integrity and courage.  

Reflecting on the impact of her day-to-day work, Tennille shares that she takes pride in the students’ achievements across sports, from grand finals to podium finishes. But what resonates with her the most is witnessing students return to the Fitness Hub to develop their own workouts, or when rowers challenge her exercise choices. These moments, Tennille explains, “showcase the growth, confidence and knowledge that the programs foster”. Her goal for the future is to “continue refining these programs to meet the evolving needs of students and to further enhance their engagement in physical activity.”

Ultimately, Tennille’s and the Strength and Conditioning Coaches’ goals are centered around building genuine relationships with the students, which allows them to better understand our Grammarians’ unique goals and challenges. By fostering open communication and adjusting programs based on feedback, she believes it helps them remain engaged, motivated and confident in their physical activity. Tennille views her role not just as promoting physical fitness, but as nurturing mental resilience and a positive self-image. The Fitness Hub’s support of our students to achieve their goals and lead healthy lives is at the heart of her work and sets MGGS apart in our dedication to our vision of ‘Every Grammarian Active, Every Day.’  

We’re incredibly happy to share that Tennille was named as Development Coach of the Year at the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) Conference in November 2024.

“My hopes for women in sport centre around empowerment, equality, and creating a world where female athletes are celebrated and supported on every stage.” – Tennille Nash, Fit for You and Physical Preparation Manager

Angus Seller, Head of Rowing

A more considered approach to strength and conditioning is not the only improvement made to the Rowing program in recent years. Following the unprecedented success of the Merton Hall Rowing Club (MHRC) in the early 2010s, the Rowing program at Melbourne Girls Grammar settled into a period of structural and cultural development around the mantra, “Learn to row, then learn to work, then learn to race”. According to Head of Rowing, Angus Seller, the success of the MGGS rowing program stems from a combination of effective coaching, strong community support, and a focus on individual growth. We emphasise "trusting the process encouraging athletes to concentrate on their training instead of just outcomes”. This holistic approach has driven the program’s success, with enrolments growing steadily from 99 participants in 2016 to 136 in 2024 and producing a number of students selected for state and national teams, as well as scholarships to prestigious US colleges and universities.

Angus recognises that through encouragement and a focus on steady personal development rather than immediate results, our MGGS rowing program fosters resilience and a growth mindset. This approach builds self-discipline and confidence, reinforcing that athletic achievements are best reached through consistent, purposeful effort. The program’s co-ordinators, Bella Logie-Smith (Senior Squad) and Ellie Tomanovits (Junior and Inter Squads), work with Development Coach, Tom Sanders, to provide a structured four-year pathway that includes progressive physical challenges, skill development, and has seen a gradual elevation in standards.  

The Senior program, in particular, is designed to balance athletic intensity with academic commitments, creating a realistic, sustainable training regimen. In recent years, the program has reduced training loads for Senior rowers by seven hours per week compared to a decade ago. This adjustment not only improves our athletes’ performances and involvement in rowing but also allows them to maintain high academic standards and be active contributors to our School community. Students who transition to their final season in Year 12 (or ‘Senior Seniors’, as they call it) demonstrate exceptional organisational and time-management skills. In fact, our Senior rowers consistently excel academically, with ATAR scores regularly in the 90s placing them in the top 10% in the State.

According to Angus, one of the most rewarding aspects of coaching is seeing students transform from their first day on the water to competitive racing. Anna Warr (2022) is a great example. “She initially missed selection for the Come Try Rowing program but returned with determination, progressing through various crews and eventually becoming a dedicated coach who embodies our core values”, says Angus. Another inspiring story is Lulu Burney (a current Year 12 student), who joined the program during the 2022 season and found it challenging to adapt to the new environment. “After committing fully, Lulu excelled, being selected for the First VIII in 2024 and earning a spot on the U/19 Australian coxed four. Her growth in confidence and professionalism from Year 11 to Year 12 illustrates the nurturing environment we provide.”

To support athletes at every level, the program has grown to incorporate a structured coxswain development program, personalised strength and conditioning plans, and routine screenings to monitor physical health. Through a mix of technical training and cross-disciplinary activities, such as Pilates and endurance sessions, students receive a well-rounded foundation in fitness, injury prevention and teamwork. Senior rowers also build their communication skills and learn the importance of collective goals by working closely as a squad, cultivating a strong sense of mutual trust and respect. While crews are formed based on technical compatibility from Juniors onwards, this encourages our Grammarians to connect with different peers and build diverse relationships.

The program’s strength is bolstered by a robust support network of coaches, the co-ordinators, and the Merton Hall Rowing Club (MHRC) parent-led Auxiliary. With four full-time staff and nearly 30 coaches, our rowers have expert guidance and care, enhancing their training and overall experience. The MHRC fosters a sense of community by organising events, encouraging parent involvement, raising funds, and ensuring that every athlete feels supported both on and off the water. This collaborative spirit creates a family-like atmosphere that builds camaraderie, enabling our Grammarians to thrive and achieve their best.

These experiences are marked by friendships, achievements and community celebrations. Coaches promote the importance of common goals, guiding crews in setting objectives for the season. There’s an expectation that all members attend every session; this instils accountability and teaches the importance of reliability from their very first session. Each year the Senior squad, led by the Captains of Boats, select a motto that reflects their collective spirit, reinforcing unity and shared purpose. We find that students who return year after year, engage in Rowing for enjoyment and camaraderie rather than solely for competition. As stories and anecdotes are passed down through sisters and families to our youngest Grammarians, more and more participants want to join. In 2024, the highest number of Year 8 students ever enrolled in ‘Come Try Rowing’.  

As the program looks to the future, its vision is to continue creating an environment to which girls want to return, year after year. It aims to be recognised as Australia’s leading schoolgirl rowing program. By focusing on their core values and nurturing a vibrant community, the MGGS Rowing program is committed to developing excellent rowers who are responsible, well-rounded individuals, prepared for future success.