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HSC students reduce stress with a mega sports study break

25 June 2020

After COVID-19 lockdown and with choir not happening for the Year 12s at the moment, there was a window of opportunity for a one-off PE lesson to be slotted in for the keen Year 12 students stressed out academically due to their HSC preparations. 

Student Tim Bacon was instrumental in rallying the group, and helping organise the day by talking to relevant Main Lesson teachers who had since used the choir session for Main Lesson teaching. Once all agreed and the green light was given by Deputy Head of School (Years 7-12) Liz Nevieve, we went ahead last Friday - a bright and sunny morning, perfect for doing exercise!

We were a big group of around 30 students eager to get moving! We began with a push up challenge before splitting the class and engaging in some heavy duty tug-of-war which was convincingly won by one group three times! Then came the heavily requested and all-time favorite ‘Mac Ball’, an individual dodgeball game to remind everyone of the good ol’ times at the beginning of many PE sessions in years gone by.

To calm us down and relax us a bit while being focused on one another we got into four circles to play a game called ‘The Juggler’ in which increasingly more balls will be passed (thrown) around the circle and be returned to the original thrower in quick and quicker succession. Good attention, eye contact, readiness and accuracy all needed in equal measures for a circle, a tribe, to succeed. It was interesting to observe how well the students worked together as they successfully navigated through an activity that creates more havoc in younger year levels. The Year 12s maturity shone and an illustration of the bonds formed by our students over many years together.

The centerpiece of the session was an ultimate Frisbee game, a sport that relies on self-refereeing as all disputes must be resolved between the parties themselves. We used both the courts and the grass area to create a larger playing field that allowed for the Year 12s to have ample playing area and for the game to have enough room with two end zones. The final score was 4:3 in a very tight and even contest.

After a short reflection on what had been experienced and a recognition that ‘we need more of this’ we all came away with a feeling of achievement, happiness and satisfaction. It again reiterated by so many how much they miss regular physical lessons with their mates here at school. 

I couldn’t agree more!

Jonas Stoebe
PDHPE Teacher & Co-curricular Organiser