Sports Changeover and variety

As winter sports finals get underway and rep teams kick into action it gives us time to reflect on the quantity of time spent on one sport.
Research shows us that early specialisation is not the way to go. Playing different sports and being involved in a variety of physical activities at least until 16 years has huge benefits for our developing students.
I am being inundated with invitations to enter teams in twilight football and twilight netball as well as Touch, basketball (we have entered 2 junior and 2 senior teams as well as a yr 3/4 mini ball team), cricket, tennis etc.
Why not encourage your children to try something new between now and Christmas.
Orienteering is a great activity for students who like to run and like a challenge.

And for Mums and Dads and older siblings, write this date in your calendar for next year - a bike relay to be held along river road somewhere.

Bike Race

On 28 March 2015, The Mainpower Trust is hosting a 6hr bike relay (minimum age of 12) to raise funds for the WaiSwim programme. Keep an eye out for more info and start training!

Orienteering – Do your kids like to run and are looking for a change from team or ball sports? Give orienteering a go!  Canterbury Schools Orienteering Festival 2014.  

Connor Cleary from RHS is running some training sessions: Wednesday 27th at Ashgrove Park & school and Wednesday 3rd September at Rangiora High School. Pupils coming need to pay $2 for their maps. Starts at 4.00pm finishes before 5pm (see the sports blog or Annabel for more information.   They are  Canterbury Champs are on the 13th September- Sprint on the Saturday afternoon start times from 1.30 at Hansen Park St Martins and Sunday 14th Long Distance at Kairakei in the morning starts from 9.30. Payment is $10 per day plus sport identity hire and entries due before the end of the month.

Sporting Behaviour and skiing

Canterbury P & I Ski Races - REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN (go to pages for more info)

HOW TO REGISTER

1 - Go to our website - News / Events Page -
 http://www.mtcheeseman.co.nz/p-and-i-school-ski-race/
2 - Read the information on this page and download the Race Information Policy

The emphasis is on fun and introducing children to the excitement of ski-racing.

Most of the children's time will be spent just skiing freely and enjoying other activities on the day.

An integral part of sport is the appreciation of the players and officials by spectators, namely parents.
As parents we support our children by paying subs, managing or coaching, umpiring, transporting, paying for their gear, watching them play . . .
How good are we on the sideline?
This reminder sits at the netball courts in Christchurch.

Friday night Basketball resumes this term. Get your registrations in by this Tuesday 12th August.
Basketball Coaching - Are you interested in giving this a go? Do you know someone who may be able to coach? Give Annabel a ring at the School on 313 8608.

Kiwi Champions

There is something about the Commonwealth Games that I find special. They seem more personal.
There is no doubt that these athletes are achieving at a world standard regardless of how many nations are present at the Games. They seem to be more accessible for spectators. I am loving the inclusion of the "para" events occurring concurrently, how special is that for those athletes to be part of the bigger team.
I have been enjoying watching all our athletes and can but admire their skill and work rates. We don't often get to see teams of NZ gymnasts competing which has been timely given that we are engaged in a gymnastics unit at School.

The Games news commentators, and indeed the athletes are paying homage to the support they receive from their families, friends, coaches, funding bodies, training partners and their communities. Never has it seemed like we are a part of their success.
I could't believe that local Anton Cooper (Woodend) won gold in the mountain biking corss-country this morning, unbelievable determination and self-belief.

This happens on all levels - parent support at our School in critical to all our sports programmes and sporting opportunities for our students.
Thank you to all the parents who manage, transport, coach, feed and encourage the children to be involved.
Last Friday we held an impromptu sports afternoon in lieu of the Interchange cancellation. What a thrill to see parents help out, the students being appreciative and flexible with a hastily arranged draw. It was everything that is good about NZ childrens' sport. They played hard, celebrated goals, laughed at missed passes and tackles, bantered amongst themselves, accepted disappointing decisions, reflected, and thanked their opposition and the adults. In short, they were happy!

This term we play 4 weeks of sports interchange, compete in the Rakahuri Tournament, practise our invasion games skills, develop fundamental movement skills in gymnastics and trampolining at School and at the Rangiora Gymnastics and ICE Clubs. (and later Athletics)

Basketball begins this term and there are opportunities to learn this fantastic game - yrs 3/4 - mini ball, yrs 5 - 8 NCJBA Friday night competition for Schools.

Watch out for sporting opportunities in the community, Fernside Tennis Club has its AGM on Monday 11 August.

Guts and Legends!

What a lovely day we had for our Fernside School cross country. There were so many positives, a highlight being the way the students embraced the House Colours. The House relay was won by Kahurangi and overall Whero pipped them by 1 point!

It was wonderful to see the students strive to meet their goals - finishing the course for some, qualifying for Rakahuri (22 made it!) or winning their year group. yr 3 - 8 results are on the cross country page.

The students loved the House rivalry and relay, the rough parts of the course, jumping the hay bales and feeling fitter.
Many made the comment that is was getting easier and easier over the weeks of preparation and that is seemed so much easier when the focus was on getting House points.

Cross country season

2014 Fernside School Cross Country – Wednesday 21^st May (pp 22^nd) 

(Years 3 – 8, Rooms 4 – 10)

Dear Parents/ Caregivers

The annual School Cross Country will be held in the School grounds from 10.30am. 

With a postponement date of the next day.

Can you help with marshalling?

Please contact your class teacher.

This is a Year Race and House event so we ask the students to wear something in their House Colour – tee shirt, socks, bandana, face paint. I hope you can join us on the day as the children perform better with adult encouragement ( and we really need your support with marshalling please).

Congratulations to all our duathletes who competed last wed. it was a miserable day for the event and getting helmets off with cold fingers became the biggest challenge. Out top finisher was Jacob Turner in 10 boys with a 15th placing. WE acknowledge that ex student Adam Redway finished second! Fantastic!

Sone new info has come in about sports outside the School so please visit the page for further info.

Steven Adams  - what a legend! The Cool giant from down under is making a name for himself in the NBA and is a valued asset in his first year! 

Healthy Me and cross country season!

Welcome back to all our Fernside students and families.

With more time spent near heating it is a good chance to reflect on what keeps us healthy.
The School's focus on Healthy Me is a result of our PE and Health review in 2013.

WE hope to encourage students and their families to consider their days in terms of exercise, recreation, helping others, relaxing, stretching our minds, socialising and eating well.
And how all of that makes us happier.

It seems that timing is everything as we combine that focus with a senior camp, a training day for our Jump Jam leaders, the Canterbury Duathlon this Wednesday (Good luck to Ben H, Hannah, Ella, Caitlin, Harri, Jacob, Maddy, Ashton, and Lillie who have been training hard) and the School Cross Country in week 3 on Wednesday 21st.

Please find a notice about the cross country in the pages section.
This year's Rakahuri event is being held at Loburn unless it is exceptionally wet. So view the course and get out there for a run! WEdnesday 4 June
http://www.ncschoolsports.org.nz

Looking ahead, Rooms 8 - 10 will be participating in a Winter Sports Interchange programme in Term 3. Rooms 8 - 10 will be learning more about gymnastics and trampolining.

Easter Exercise

With all this dreary weather there is nothing like getting out there to walk the dog, run along the beach, toss a ball around with your mates or head for the bush and hills.
Fernside students will find their upcoming cross country easier with time spent being active at home and out on the sports fields and courts. Next term we begin our School wide topic Healty Heroes and seniors classes head off to camp. Looks like an active term at Fernside School!

Students will also be participating in the Canterbury Duathlon, Rugby Fun Day and  Jump Jam leadership Course.

Last week Harri and Jacob partnered up to ride in the Huxter Mountain Biking Event at Macleans Island coming in 4th from over 40 teams.

• April 11th Friday, School Team Relay at Maclean Island for ages 10-18 
• Pump Tracks for CHCH  has completed 5 tracks in CHCH.  They are at Ferrymead Park, Crosbie Park, Hinemoa Park, Bexley Park and Sumner in the skate area. Get out there and ride a track these holidays!

Another highlight this week has been the participation of Bailey Roger, Bailey Wattie, Toby and Cameron playing cricket with cricket greats and oh yeah Kate and Wills!

Enjoy the photo of our boys promoting the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2015.