Dylan Dunlop-Barrett creates another piece of FDMC history tonight at 9.30 as he and his team mates swim their relay heat in the Olympic pool.

We wish them well, but qualify or not, Dylan becomes only our third old boy to walk the Olympic stage and that is something to cheer about.

On Friday we had a visit from old boy John Kleinsman who was at the College during the 1970's. John is the Director of The Nathaniel Centre which is the NZ Catholic Centre For Bioethics.

John gave a very thought provoking presentation to senior students on The Euthanasia Debate as part of their senior RE programme.

As always, it is great to have old boys come back and share their expertise and insights with the next generations of students.

Our college exchange with St John's Hastings took place yesterday with some very good results.

FDMC Football lost 4-2
FDMC Hockey won  4-3
FDMC Basketball won 78-66
FDMC Rugby 1st XV won 44-7
FDMC Rugby U15's won 37-0

While the weather was not great the welcome was and a few wins always makes that long trip home seem a little shorter.

The Ranfurly Shield season gets underway on Friday with Taranaki defending the log of wood against near neighbours King Country.

Paul Mitchell, an old boy from the 1980's era, is involved with coaching the King Country side and has asked if they can train at the college tomorrow afternoon. We will oblige this request but will be firmly in the camp of the home side when it comes to the big game.

Term 3 has begun with a lot of things happening, sometimes all at once!

This week the activities include

• entertaining the Educational Review Office (ERO) as they undertake their 3 yearly review of what we do.
• a large part of Year 10 have gone bush on a week long TOPEC adventure (brrrr).
• the 1st XV, U15 rugby, Senior A Basketball, 1st XI Soccer and 1st XI hockey teams all leave today to play their annual fixture with St John's College in Hastings.
• the ski team is in the centre of the island looking for the perfect run.
• we have students and staff full on at the annual Taranaki Science Fair.
• Parent/Teachers will get together to discuss sons/students on Thursday night.

Apart from that, things should be fairly quiet!

Great win for Coastal, 17 to 16 over NPOB, in yesterday's TRFU Senior Men's Rugby Final. We take a very partial stance on the game given that there were 8 FDMC old boys in the Coastal side and none that we could identify playing for NPOB.

For the record the following old boys are likely to be of little use to any one in the next day or two.

Michael Julian
Brent Stevenson
Rick McKenna
Jade Fleming
Kane Barrett
Andrew Trolove
JP Le Prou
John Julian

There will undoubtedly be a large number of non playing old boys who are also in party mode - have fun fellas.

We posted a photo of the 1963 Prefects last week and came across this pic during our research. Some famous FDMC names were to be found playing for the 5 Grade in 1963! We also like the old fashioned, and honest, description of their season.

The term began yesterday on a very somber note as a large number of students attended the funeral of Y12 student Mason Pokere.

Mason died in tragic circumstances late last week and it will be some time before his many friends and class mates are able to fully come to terms with the loss.

What has been a positive is how well students and staff have been able to support each other and Mason's family. A reflection of the Lasallian spirit.

Your thoughts and prayers for Mason, his brother Brandon, his family and the wider school community, would be appreciated.

Posting the video of Br Peter Bray earlier in the week reminded us that he was not only a Principal at the College but also a student in the early days. This photo of the 1963 Prefects captures a serious group of young men looking forward to making their mark on the world.

Congratulations to the following students who were confirmed recently, you may recognise a number of famous FDMC names.

Immaculate Conception Parish in Stratford on Sunday 17th June - Haden Copeman, Bailey Hammersley, Cameron Tofts and Ryan O’Sullivan.

St Joseph’s New Plymouth on Sunday 24 June - Caleb Smith, Jack Conway, Jason Bowe, Joe Hau, Joseph Robinson, Joshua Flynn, Karl Wright, Liam Brosnahan, Lachlan Stevens, Liam Bernet, Marcus Murray, Michael Poppelwell, Mitchell Thomson, Nicholas Tipler, Thomas Schaare and Trent Kleinsman.

The following students will be confirmed at the Opunake/Pungarehu Parish on Sunday 22nd July: Jamie Rothwell, Ben Rothwell, Cody Rothwell, Josh Mellow, Beauden Fleming, Louis Poole, Bryn Chard, Joel Chard, Jordan Putt, Hunter Putt, Ben Cathie and Matthew Cathie.