Day Three: Into the swing of things...

Horribly Fun!

Wednesday night’s social event, the Athlete’s Choice Party, was a horror-themed bonanza headlined by the moves of Australia’s Got Talent Semi-finalists The Superhoodz as well as featuring Melbourne’s very own Yoav Fisher on the DJ decks. 

Participants were treated to screamingly brilliant decorations featuring coffins, mummies and even a guillotine to name a few, and the costumes on show didn’t fail to impress either as face paint and dress-ups seemed the order of the day.

“The decorations were really good, the youth leaders did a really good job of getting involved and we were given a lot of freedom to do whatever we wanted.” These were the wise words passed onto me in reference to the party by WA boys Dean, Justin, Dylan and Jason, who clearly enjoyed their night of horror.

The DJ kept the crowds excited and with pump-up expert Joel Grunstein on the mic, there was never a dull moment on the dance floor. 

The athlete’s choice party continued the already clear theme of great social events put together by this year’s organising committee, and the social calendar is yet to show any signs of slowing down as we head into a jam-packed weekend!

Murmurs of the Crowd

A chat with: Victorian Assistant Manager Karen Herman

Jake Rosengarten (Carnival Journalist): Did you ever go on Carni when you were a kid?

Karen: Yes; I went on my first Carni in Melbourne when I was 12 or 13.

Jake: Is there anything you specifically remember from your time at Carni?

Karen: I specifically remember my billet. She was from NSW, the same age as me and we hit it off instantly, forming a tight friendship. Today, she is one of my dearest friends, even though we’ve both lived and travelled all over the world. These days we have house and car share arrangements so that we can visit each other’s home cities and often meet halfway so our families can get together.

Jake: Do you have any words of wisdom for this year’s Carni kids?

Karen: Always be open to meeting new people and having new experiences.

Match of the Day (by Joel Grunstein)

Girls Year 6/7 Soccer: NSW 3-1 VIC

NSW Football Contingent Echo NSW 2 impressed the other states by winning their opening match 3-1. 

Sarah Sharwood tested Victorian goalkeeper Lexi Kotzman with a close range shot in the opening minutes - not long after opening the scoring with a scorcher from the outside the 6 yard box. 

Dominating the first half, Milla Kern put another goal past Kotzman to make it 2-0 just before the halftime mark. Kern’s playing style has been compared to the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic by football professionals like Delta NSW coaches Talia Binkin and Jessie Goldberg. 

Victoria posed a threat in the second half, but NSW captain Sienna Meyer made sure her defence made goal keeper Sabrina Staub's job easy. 

Meyer earned her woman of the match award through not only her defensive effort but her attacking threat too, hitting the post in the 12th minute. 

Although she redeemed herself in the dying minutes of the game, putting a 3rd past Kotzman. 

After a great effort, the fatigued NSW defence conceded in the last minute.

Sport, Sport and more Sport!

The sporting aspect of Carnival is well and truly underway with a huge array of sports going ahead uninterrupted, a big thanks is due to the Melbourne weather which has decided to be kind this week and make up its mind for once! 

Seeing the kids putting their all into their sporting efforts has been amazing to watch and parents should be proud of the way their kids have been participating.

“Volleyball was really fun. I tapped the ball like twice… and my nails didn’t even break!” NZ sisters Ariella and Valentina told me, “Everyone’s been really nice here, we love Carni!

All Abilities Update (By Lauren Mandel)

Today the All Abilities volunteers team continued to show great commitment and enthusiasm. The whole team of ten all arrived right on time, at 11am on the dot, with big smiles on their faces.

They all expressed how much they had been enjoying the opportunity to volunteer and today was no exception. We started off the day with a morning brief and team meeting. 

The crew then divided into smaller teams and were responsible for setting up the lunches and ensuring everything was neat, tidy and in its place. 

At 12pm, the hungry Junior Carnival mob came inside from their respective sports and before we knew it, a long line had developed. Everyone waited patiently as our volunteers (Tess, Veronica, Dina, Danni, Jarrod and Lozz) served up the lunches with big smiles on their faces.

We had Josh working at the food store, selling lots of snacks to the kids. Robbie was helpful, by greeting the kids as they arrived, reading out the menu to them and ushering them to the designated serving areas. 

Bar helped to serve out food to the kids with dietary requirements and/or allergies. He did a fantastic job sorting through the boxes of food. The team then sat and enjoyed a well-deserved break and enjoyed eating the delicious catered lunch. 

Our group finished off by cleaning the tables and ensuring the area was left nice and clean. It was another fantastic day and we thank you all for your incredible support and assistance.

Stay tuned each day of Carnival 2015 to catch up on all the highlights from on the scene. Written by Jake Rosengarten. Photos by Paul Topol, Zack Garkawe and Maddie Brygel.