An update on the Stay-at-Home Sports Program
By Tameka Collins, Sports Program Coordinator
Following the announcement of the ACT lockdown and the suspension of all community sport, the Sports Department quickly swung into action to prepare an alternative for Radford students who would be missing out on their winter co-curricular sports.
The Stay-at-Home Sports Program was launched on Monday, 23 August with all high-participation winter sports represented and options for those students who participate in some of our smaller sports. Working with the expertise of our Sports Program Managers (basketball, cricket, football, rowing, and strength and conditioning), the Stay-at-Home Sports Program looks to provide students with the opportunity to refine their skill, improve their fitness, and improve their theoretical approach to their sport.
Content is being delivered to students via pre-recorded sessions, live sessions and programmed activities. The sessions seek to maintain the skills and strength that students had acquired throughout the season, ensuring that they remain physically active throughout the period of online learning. To cater for the various ability and interest levels across our student cohort, students have been given equal access to the sessions, and the Sports Program Managers have been able to break down the sessions to only include body weight and easily accessible items in the home.
In addition to the sessions, the Sports Department has also looked to engage external provider NetFit to provide pre-recorded workouts with several Australian sporting representatives. The first of these workouts was distributed to all Secondary School Students following assembly on Wednesday, 1 September.
Quick stats:
- Rowing sessions have had as many as 60 students join in, with Radford Rowing combining with clubs in Sydney (St Augustines and Mosman) and Canberra (CGGS) to create dynamic and engaging workouts. The rowers worked through either a 6km ergo session, circuits or a bike session.
- The rowing group have also been running a Million Metres Competition, with all training activities counting towards the metres.
- An average of 16 students joining in the afternoon strength and conditioning sessions, with numbers fluctuating up to the mid to high 20s.
- 37 entries into the trick shot competition on Flip Grid.
- 19 girls still tuning in to the Girls Make Your Move sessions in the first week.
- Regular, high engagement on the Basketball Channel (Teams) and Flip Grid, with students taking the opportunity to learn from science teacher and WNBL star Kelsey Griffin.
- Strong engagement with the new cricket micro skills series with Program Manager Wally Wright.
- The micro skills series highlights the importance of practising little skills, for short periods of time every day, helping build overall ability and competence in sport.
