Overcoming lockdown series - Embracing the physical and psychological challenge
It’s amazing what skills you pick up as well as things you learn about yourself and your colleagues when circumstances dictate a different response to the one you were expecting. Lockdown living, and learning has posed many challenges and the necessity to offer something purposeful and valued for the pupils in a sporting and physical sense is no different.
The capacity of the pupils to accept the change in dynamic and go with the concept of online physical activity has been so positive to witness. We are acutely aware that the circumstances and locations that we find ourselves in means that the requirements to either get ‘out and about’ or connect with others vary greatly; our role as facilitators was superbly captured by one of the team who, at the start of the current phase, said that we are here to offer 30% physical support and 70% psychological.
Our heads of sport have been doing an immense job offering skills and technical advice so that pupils stay on top of their talents and have new ideas to try and to master. To make sure that we offered variety, as well as give purpose and structure to our planning we’ve tried to include a theme into each week. Week one was ‘Set your Standard’ - ensuring positive routines throughout the day and that the work we were all doing was the best we could make it. Week two was about feeling good inside and out - this came with a smoothie challenge with some varying successes and a fantastic array of photos on Twitter. Week three centered upon ‘Balancing your life’, this allowed us to look at core stability in the physical aspect as well as making sure that we were getting a work life balance including screen time and fresh air. This week has been about putting a ‘Spring in your step’ - plyometric exercises coupled with trying something new and looking forward to the new season. Next week will centre upon resting and relaxing, stretch and tone exercises with one eye on half term! All of this, coupled with the workouts each morning on Twitter, Strava competitions, the scholars sessions as well as the fitness streak challenge at the Prep School means that we are trying to engage in as many different ways as possible to give pupils and parents choice and ideas so that they can plan their own routines to suit their circumstances.
The hard core of pupils that have been involved in the sessions have shown commitment and no little humour; it has been a lot of fun so far and the student’s willingness to accept the challenges that have been planned has been such a positive. The staff will admit to an element of trepidation when this methodology was first mooted but the relationships that have been built with the groups and the ability to understand each other in the variety of different locations and contexts has been a real joy. There are a number of things that have posed significant challenges to so many as we navigate the current environment, so finding the positives, learning new things, embracing the challenge and sharing experiences has been so rewarding and will inevitably result in greater understanding and enhanced working relationships when we all return.
A huge thanks to the pupils for their enthusiasm, to the parents for putting up with the ‘banging and crashing’ and the games department for their ‘I will’ spirit, professional to a fault and perennially positive.
Kevin Morris
Director of Sport
