Spotlight on Sport: En Garde!

The Games curriculum being heavily impacted by COVID-19 has required us to adapt and identify alternative physical development opportunities this academic year. While this has been challenging, we have worked to ensure children have a full and active Games program that provides equally great - if not better - opportunities for our young athletes!

Whilst we have been unable to board transport to off-site locations such as Goldfish Swim School and Windy City Ninjas, we have been able to enhance collaborations that are closer to home.

The introduction of Taekwondo, hosted by Master Kris, has been an incredible acquisition for the Games programme. Our working partnership with Chicago Fire Soccer has grown from strength to strength, this in addition to our dedicated basketball coach from Lakeview Lakers, Coach Cole.  Lil’ Sluggers visit us on a more regular basis and have continued to provide exciting baseball and softball style games for our young athletes. For those that have been active on Classroom Connect, our online FunFit session with Coach Rachel of George’s Gym have been a wonderful outlet for those working remotely.

With that being said, we have two exciting Games opportunities scheduled for the month of June. Firstly, classes in Years 3, 4 and 5 will finish their year with Lakeview Lakers in the school gym, or Lil’ Sluggers at Stanton Park. Specific information regarding your child and their class will be communicated via Class Teachers in the coming weeks – I will add here that there are no major alterations to what has already been running throughout this year just a note of items that will need to bring to their sessions.

Finally, I am thrilled to share that our Year 6 classes will each have a 3-week fencing programme. Over the past months, we have been working closely with the vastly experienced and highly successful Windy City Fencing Club, located at the Drucker Center.

Tzanko Hantov and his coaching team will join our Games curriculum with a vision of introducing this sport to a new audience. Coach Hantov has represented his sport and country at the highest possible level, at the 2000 Olympic Games and World Championships. Alongside his team, he brings a wealth of coaching knowledge generated through decades of coaching children ages 5 and up, and nurturing young athletes to national and international success, all through his Fencing Gym at the Drucker Center!

As a former Fencing coach myself, I am extremely excited at exposing our children to such a unique sport as well as the prospect of what this collaboration will open up for all our leaners in Years 3 to 6 for the next academic year.

In the meantime, keep your eyes and ears glued to the newsletter and social media to see how the Graceful Great Whites and Harmonious Hammerheads get on.

Keep active,

Adam Webb

Director of Athletics, BISC Lincoln Park