Chasing Dreams and Balancing It All

February 28, 2025

Year 12 student Lilli Hamilton is a  star on the rise, making a name for herself in the cricket world. 

From debuting for Australia to making waves in the T20 Spring Bash, and even playing for the Queensland Fire, her journey so far has been nothing short of inspiring. We caught up with Lilli to chat about her journey, juggling school and sport, and what lies ahead.


When asked about the standout  moments of her whirlwind summer, Lilli shared that it was hard to pick just one. 'It’s been a fantastic summer of cricket,' she says. 'For me, the highlights are shared between the T20 Spring Bash and my debut for the Queensland Fire. As a female player, traveling interstate and playing a sport you love is such an amazing experience. Both opportunities really helped me grow as both a person and a cricketer.'


For Lilli, cricket wasn’t just a hobby—it was in the family. 'My dad  used to play cricket when he was at school, so I suppose it was always in my family,' she explains. 'When I was 6, he saw how much I loved being outside and noticed I was fairly coordinated. He threw me a ball, and that was pretty much it—cricket has been a part of my life ever since.'


From the age of 7, Lilli has been playing for both club teams and  representative teams, and it’s clear that those early days set her on a path for success. With all the travel, games, and training sessions, managing school and cricket at such a high level is a challenge, but Lilli has learned to make it work. 


'It’s definitely a juggle at times,' she admits. 'Luckily, most of the cricket season coincides with the summer holidays, so it’s a little easier. I make sure to stay really focused when I am at school and try not to let my homework and assignments pile up. When I do miss school for cricket, it can get pretty stressful, but I’m really lucky to have supportive teachers who help me catch up.'


So, what does a typical week of training look like for Lilli? Well,  it varies a lot depending on her commitments. 'Usually, I train with my club on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Brisbane, and we play a club game on Sundays. If I have representative duties, I might train on Monday or Wednesday as well. I also sometimes fit in a personal training session on Saturdays, but it all depends on the week and the competition I’m involved in.'


Given the demands of both her  academic life and cricket career, we asked Lilli for some tips on managing it all. Her advice? 'Don’t procrastinate. Get your work done whenever you can find the time. Also, make sure to dedicate time for yourself and don’t let school or sports consume you.'


As for what’s next in the world  of cricket, Lilli has some exciting events on the horizon. 'We’re vying for club finals at the moment, which is really exciting,' she says. 'The Queensland Fire also has a home grand final coming up, and if I get the chance to play in that, it will be pretty cool.'


Looking further ahead, she has her sights set on a few key goals.  'Obviously, I want to do my best in my final year of school and keep managing cricket as well,' she shares. 'I’m not super goal oriented, though. I like to take each day as it comes and stay in the present, rather than get too far ahead of myself.'


'I would love to pursue cricket professionally after school. But  if that doesn’t work out, I’d like to go to university and work in business or politics after I graduate.'


And now, with her final year of school on the horizon, she’s  feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. 'I’m a little nervous because Year 12 can be a pretty stressful time,' she says. 'But I’m also looking forward to embracing the challenges, and I’m excited to finish. I really want to enjoy the last moments of being at school, spending time with my friends, and soaking in all those last little moments at Fairholme.'


No matter where cricket or life takes Lilli, one thing is  certain—she is ready to take on whatever comes next. With her combination of talent, determination, and a grounded perspective on life, there’s no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future.

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Meet our Coordinator of High Performance Coaching

March 4, 2026
Fairholme College is delighted to welcome Mr Mitch Koina as our new Coordinator of High Performance Coaching. Bringing more than a decade of experience across diverse educational settings, Mitch joins the community with a strong commitment to student wellbeing, participation, and performance. ‘This is my 12th year of teaching,’ Mitch shares. ‘I’ve done a range of different contexts now, I did two years down at Lockyer District High School, I then spent six years at St Mary’s College before moving to St Josephs, where I’ve been for the last three years. Now obviously I’ve made my way over to Fairholme which I’m really excited about.’ It was both the College’s reputation and the scope of the role that drew Mitch to Fairholme. ‘Fairholme is a very prestigious college, it’s got a great name and reputation,’ he said. ‘The role itself is really exciting for me. I’ve got a passion for fitness and particularly looking after the wellbeing of young girls, whether that be on the sporting field or with their social aspect, academics, just all round developing good girls on and off the court.’ A strong advocate for pastoral care, Mitch brings valuable leadership experience to the position. ‘I did a Head of House role at St Mary’s for three and a half years, so pastoral care has always been my calling so it’s great to tie in the sporting aspect as well as wellbeing,’ he explained. His philosophy centres on the connection between student wellbeing and performance. ‘It’s all dependant on each other. If we’ve got girls who are happy and their wellbeing is flourishing, then they are doing well on the sporting field and vice versa too.’ Looking ahead, Mitch is focused on building both excellence and enjoyment within the program. ‘I would love to get participation rates very high. We have a lot of elite athletes here that I want to achieve and do really well, but I also want to work on girls enjoying their training, coming in and having a nice vibe around the sporting field and the training.’ Importantly, Mitch emphasises that success looks different for every student. ‘We’re not all Australian representatives, but if girls are working really hard and achieving to the best of their potential, whatever level that may be in the sporting arena, I think that’s a program we can be very proud of.’ As he begins his journey at Fairholme, Mitch is eager to connect with the community. ‘I’m really excited to be a part of Fairholme, it is a great opportunity. The staff and the students have been fantastic to me so far, but as the weeks go on, I’m really looking forward to getting to know the girls and building some relationships from there.’ We warmly welcome Mitch to Fairholme and look forward to the energy, care, and expertise he will bring to our High Performance Sports program.

Meet 2026 Prefect for Sport: Scarlett Sippel

March 4, 2026
What inspired you to apply for the Prefect for Sport position? I was inspired to go for this position as I have seen the passion that Fairholme as a community has for sport, and the true love and respect the staff have for athletes at the college. I wanted to work closely with the girls and staff to help progressing sport at Fairholme. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport is touch football. It has given me so very much and I am forever grateful. What has been your proudest sporting moment so far? My proudest sporting moment so far was being fortunate enough to represent my country in the sport I love most. Who has been your biggest influence or role model in sport? My biggest role model in sport has to my parents. They never fail to push me towards things that might seem out of my comfort zone or scary. They constantly support me through everything and influence me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. What are you hoping to achieve this year as Prefect for Sport? I aim to inspire everyone to just have a go. By the end of my final year at Fairholme I hope I can inspire people to just get o ut of their comfort zones and try something new. What advice would you give your Year 7 self? I would tell my Year 7 self that in the big picture no one is going to judge you for trying your hardest and giving things ago! And not to put too much pressure on yourself! Do you hope to pursue sport after school? I wish to continue to play sport at a high level after school. whether that is through touch or rugby. Sport is a very important part of my life that will hopefully continue well after I leave school.

Meet 2026 Prefect for The Arts: Claire Murphy

March 4, 2026
How long have you been involved in The Arts at Fairholme? Since I began here in Year 7, but before then I started playing piano and violin in Year 5. I have participated in a number of ensembles within the school and greatly enjoyed each of these. What does being the Prefect for The Arts mean to you? Personally, I think that being the Prefect for The Arts is primarily a role in which I can help to support other girls. I’m a designated person that girls can come to if they have any questions or concerns with anything regarding extracurricular artistic involvement, and I do a little to help with running some of the artistic aspects around the school, such as finding girls to volunteer for busking at events. But mostly, I think it is about being a positive promoter for the arts, and encouraging other girls to expand their world view to include creativity. Which art form do you enjoy most (e.g. music, drama, visual art, dance etc)? My main art form that I participate in is instrumental music, through my involvement in a few ensembles within the school on violin and piano. However, other art forms, like dancing during March Pasts or singing Shine Jesus Shine are pretty fun too. Do you have a most memorable Arts experience? I think that one of the most memorable Arts experiences that I have had has been at events where I have accompanied my grade, like when all the Year 11’s last year sung at the Valedictorian dinner and I played piano along with other instrumentalists in my grade, Tilly Anderson and Emma Salter. However, I think the most enjoyable Arts experience that I have had is playing Jingle Bell Rock at the boarding Christmas dinner last year, when the rest of my cohort stood around the piano singing. I felt that this was one of those excellent examples of how music can bring people together. What advice would you give to students who might be nervous about joining an arts activity? I would say that it is always worth giving something new a go. You’re much more likely to regret the chances you never took than the ones you do. I’m a strong believer that being involved in any form of extra-curricular activity is so beneficial for everyone; it expands your world view, you meet new people, and get outside your comfort zone. Each individual has something they are good at, and how are you going to find out what that is if you don’t try? Do you hope to continue with The Arts after school? Definitely. It has become such a big part of my life, and I honestly get so much enjoyment out of it. The great thing about the arts is that they are things that you can do at any time of your life. You’re never too old, that’s a skill you have for life. Other people can also get so much enjoyment out of the artistic abilities of others. Who doesn’t love to have someone who can sit around the camp-fire and play guitar, or create a beautiful piece of artwork?
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