Sporty kids loving Pymble Online
Thursday 7 May, 2020
With three very sporty, active daughters suddenly wrenched from their routine of school, training, sport and dance, the Bond family thought they would have a big challenge on their hands.
But Kirsten Bond has been pleasantly surprised at how Amalia (Year 4), Samara (Year 7) and Sienna (Year 10) have adapted to learning from home and keeping active at the same time.
The family has been going on regular bike rides and walks together and keeping active, Kirsten said.
It’s a big change from the regular frantic pace, keeping up with everyone’s sport and activity schedule.
Amalia is a keen gymnast and swims, plays netball and studies lyrical dance; while each week, Samara usually attends dance classes for Eistedfodd and hip-hop, swims and trains hard in athletics – she is a long jumper and sprinter – and had planned to play netball this winter.
Sienna was a keen rower but has taken a break this year, and now plays touch football, netball and athletics, where she’s a hurdler and long jumper.
“Athletics has been one of the sports that has been easiest to maintain,” Kirsten said. “Their coaches have set a training program for each of the girls.”
The pandemic led to the cancellation of this year’s athletics highlights – the State competition at Homebush and the possibility of competing at the national event; but with even the Tokyo Olympics being cancelled, Kirsten said, most athletes have had to take a pragmatic perspective.
“A lot of training and coaching has moved online, some sports and activities work better than others, but they have been able to keep up with most things.”
Samara said she has really enjoyed the online dance program.
“I’ve got dance videos for each week, with some of the combinations and segments of our whole group dance so we can practice,” she said.
“I check my moves in front of the mirror compared to the video, and if they look the same, I know I’m doing well.”
But while online dance lessons have allowed her to keep working on her technique, Samara is looking forward to going back to class.
“I feel like my dancing will be pretty up-to-date, though there’s bound to be some corrections to make – but I miss being in the group and having everyone dancing together!”
Kirsten said things have been running well in her active household, much to her surprise.
“I have been really happy with the way the school has managed lessons, and I was wondering how we would cope in the holidays, but honestly, there’s no shortage of things to do,” she said.
“The program has been so well structured. While everything around them has changed, the girls are still moving, they’re still motivated, they still have choices and they have things to do.
“The kids are happy, so I’m thrilled.”