Sport Update
Lots of activity has been happening within the Sports department and across the year groups. Here is a brief update on what has been happening:
Week Commencing 1 March 2021
This half term boys have been taking part in a variety of different Games activities. A small taste of what has been going on can be found below…
We have been offering a ‘New Skills’ option for boys in Games – anything from Parkour and Calisthenics to learning to Juggle, doing ‘Track Stands’ on bikes, throwing Playing Cards, ‘Keepy-Uppies' and learning to do Handstands and ‘Windmills’! Some of the boys have also shared their ‘Super Skills’ in video format e.g. from Charlie.
Body Attack boys have been boxing their way through the last two weeks before being back at school. The provision of videos from our in-house martial arts coach, Mr Wood, has allowed participants to practise striking skills, create crazy combinations, and build on the basics of footwork and fighting spirit! See some of the fantastic responses below:
Mindful Movers
In the first two weeks of this half term, we have offered the Year 8 to Upper 6th boys a ‘Mindful Movers’ option in Games. This included Yoga, Qi Gong, Pilates, Stretching and Outdoor activities/podcasts. The boys who chose this option enjoyed the opportunity to do lower intensity activities and explore new exercises such as Qi Gong - a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation proven to reduce cortisol, anxiety and blood pressure and improve immune function, sleep and mood.
Well done to all the boys who have positively engaged in remote sport this term… Real sport is coming soon!
Sport on Saturdays
Live sport took place for the first time last Saturday (23 January) with boys taking part in workouts, skill sessions and video analysis discussions. To help deliver the Saturday programme a new team has been created – WSS-2020-Sport. Options (channels) for the boys to access on Saturday 30th January are:
-
Rugby – Years 7 & 8
-
Rugby – Years 9, 10 & Seniors
-
Hockey (All Year Groups)
All sessions will run from 9.30 to 10.15am. Even the snow didn’t stop some boys last weekend!
Week Commencing 8 February 2021
Hockey
This week the boys across all year groups have completed the hockey decathlon challenge completing 10 different skills, each for a minute counting the repetitions of each skill. The winners will be announced after half-term.
The year 11 boys are well on their way to completing their John O’Groats to Lands’ End challenge, with the assistance of Mr Roberts and Mr Wade adding to the total distance. They are completing ‘as the crow flies’ distance which is 603 miles. To date the boys have completed 130.12 miles.
Alternative fitness Activities
The alternative challenges were turned up a notch as the House CrossFit Fest added an extra element of intensity. Our popular ‘Combat sport’ activity saw us travel to South East Asia and try out some Muay Thai, or Thai boxing. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs" as it is characterised by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins. For the more peaceable among us there was a tough full-body program that really tested the physical and mental capacities of those that dared attempt! The more patient performers had their final block of skill challenges, these have been hugely popular due to the variety and the sheer (almost) impossibility of some of the challenges. A huge well done to those who participated in these ‘alternative’ activities, I hope your mind has been opened to some tough, but enjoyable methods of exercise. More to follow when we return from the half-term break.
Core PE
For the last week of this half term the boys completed PE lessons connected to the Science Department. They had a choice of workouts related to Physics, Chemistry and Biology. These included a Solar system workout (Physics), a periodic table challenge (Chemistry),a PH scale workout (Chemistry) and an antagonistic muscle pairs workout (Biology). Within each, they could achieve a maximum of three stars, which created competition between the boys and some very intense HIIT sessions! It was great to see the boys applying themselves fully and making the most of the opportunity to be active.
Need a challenge over half term?
Mr Roberts is still going strong! You may remember that this February he is attempting to ride 250 miles on his smart Turbo Trainer to raise money for people suffering with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. His progress can be tracked at Chris Roberts is fundraising for Alzheimer's Society (justgiving.com). So far he has completed 105 miles and climbed 10,729 feet…
Half term should provide a break from your bedrooms, screens and lessons. Why not set yourself a challenge for the week? For example, you could try to run a total of 30, 40 or 50km; cycle 100km; complete at least 210 minutes of exercise in the week. (Try to avoid challenges that include Netflix, computers or TVs!)
Week Commencing 1 February 2021
Rugby
In the past week Rugby sessions have encouraged the boys to complete running or cycling cardio activities alongside the main theme of the week – Balance. The boys were all asked to complete a Stork stand test - most did better than the teachers!
For the skills part of the sessions Tom Patrick (U6th) took boys through some scrum half passing drills (Thanks Tom!) and there were also some skills videos from Mr Hesketh and Mr Maguire, proving they still have the old magic!
Video analysis sessions have continued for all age groups, with the pupils discussing “What if” Scenarios in breakout groups before delivering their ideas to the others.
Webinar
Next Wednesday (10th February) we are hosting our first webinar of 2021 for the U16/U17/U18 Rugby players. Christophe Ridley, an international and premiership referee and old boy of Loughborough Grammar School will be speaking. Look out for him as an Assistant Referee at the 6 nations game between Italy v France. It should be a great afternoon for boys and parents to gain an insight into refereeing at the highest level.
Christophe Ridley Webinar- All U16/U17/U18 Rugby players on Wednesday 10th February 2.15pm-3.15pm. Parents are welcome. A recording will be sent out ALL age groups.
Alternative fitness Activities
The boys enjoyed delving deeper into the fluid movements required for Capoeira, learning a little about the history of the martial art and putting specific skills into practice with more follow along videos. There was also a focus on lower body muscle groups with a plyometric workout and a bodyweight challenge. If the boys didn’t complete their workouts with the ‘wobbles’ they probably weren’t working hard enough! The ever-popular weekly skill challenges were tough, but not impossible. This weeks involved balancing a broom stick on the soles of your feet and rolling from front to back without it falling!
Core PE
Last week the PE department gave the boys the responsibility of creating their own sessions with a ‘You are the instructor’ theme. They had 5 minutes to create a ten-minute, intensive workout that could either take the form of a sets/repetitions challenge, ‘pyramid’ workout or a ‘supersets’ workout. In the ten minutes they noted down how many times they completed the workout to set a benchmark for their peers to beat. The second part of the lesson involved the boys working in ‘breakout rooms’ and sharing their session with other pupils who were challenged to match or beat their score. The competitive spirit of the boys was great to see which helped to create fun, yet hard-working, ‘virtual’ lessons. All good training for the ‘Cross-Fit Fest’ House competition coming soon…
Co-Curricular Sport
Year 11 and Seniors, after-school sports clubs - Mondays 4.15pm. Team – WSS-2020-Y11-13-SportsClubs
Years 7 to 10, after-school sports clubs - Wednesdays 4.15pm. Team – WSS-2020-Y7-10-SportsClubs
Sporting discussions / fitness challenges / Video analysis - why not come along…
Need a physical start to your weekends? Team – WSS-2020-Sport. Saturdays, 9.30am. As well as live rugby and hockey sessions, in the files area of this team you will find some alternative fitness activities to try.
Congratulations to Harry Clarke in Year 8 who has challenged himself to complete 80K in 25 days! He managed to complete his distance with his 25th run in 25 days on the 29th January. Well done and great to see so many of our boys challenging themselves in lockdown!
Need a challenge?
Lacking in motivation and need a challenge? Why not download the free Strava app and sign up to some of the February challenges?
Or perhaps take a lead from Mr Roberts – This February, he is attempting to ride 250 miles on his smart Turbo Trainer (indoors) to raise money for people suffering with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. His progress can be tracked at Chris Roberts is fundraising for Alzheimer's Society (justgiving.com). The rides he is doing are not easy as they include Tour de France routes.
House Cross-Fit-Fest
House Cross-Fit Fest – a competition that will test how fit you are! Put all those HIIT workouts, home gym sessions, runs and bike rides to the test. Complete the exercises and challenges to win points for your House.
Week Commencing 25 January 2021
Rugby
We have had another great week with our online Rugby provision – well done Blue and Whites! And it's certainly been a very white start to the week making outside training more challenging! Mr Hesketh has put together some fantastic clips for the boys - Snowman tackling, snowball throwing challenges and of course sledding sprints! The theme of the week has been breakdown skills and the boys have access to videos produced by Mr Venter demonstrating on the 3G pitch – You never lose it Mr Venter!
Hockey
Last week the boys were trying to master some Right foot skills including the “tweener pass” which we are looking forward to seeing the first person to use it in match (when we are allowed to resume fixtures of course) The boys also worked on their speed and agility in the physical skills sessions and continued with the beat Mr Wade challenge of the week which this week was V Drags.
Games Fitness Groups
This week boys doing the alternative activities stayed in combat mode as they delved into the mesmerising world of Capoeira (An Afro-Brazilian martial art) and the speedy Southern Chinese martial art of Wing Chun. The boys balance and co-ordination has also been challenged with a series of follow along videos that would test even the most deft and agile of Warwick’s students (and staff!). The skill sessions provided unique movement challenges including flipping and throwing all in the comfort of home!
Core PE
he cross-curricular theme continues in Core PE this week as we have visited the Geography department for an arduous ‘8 Peak Challenge’! The locations include some notable landmarks such as Snowdon and Ben Nevis. The first 6 peaks were scaled by the boys individually, before a team effort saw the boys working together in groups of 4 to the summit of the final two peaks of Ben Macdui (1309m) and Ben Nevis at 1345m high. Each peak has a variety of exercises that the boys must work their way through. The higher the peak, the harder the exercises get and the more repetitions that need to be completed. It is not for the faint hearted, but throughout the week our Warwickians demonstrated many of the BEAR values to become kings of the mountains!
Message from the PE Department – Boys, please take every opportunity to get away from your screens in order to get outside and enjoy the fresh air whenever you can.
Week Commencing 18 January 2021
Rugby
This week the Rugby groups have been looking at developing speed using sprint drills to help them. We also have had a very special guest - Mr Venter working on the boys’ breakdown skills. Our video analysis sessions are proving very popular and this week we are looking at the U15s match Warwick v Brighton College from 2015. The future is bright if you are wearing blue and white!
Hockey
This week boys have been working on 3D skills and again trying to beat Mr Wade’s challenges from the videos he created.
The boys have also been continuing with various fitness activities including developing core and leg strength in order to help improve the speed and agility ready for the return to the hockey pitch.
Games fitness groups
This week the boys have been working their way through a series of Flexibility, Combat and Skill sessions. Assuming the role of a beginner gymnast, the Flexibility session covered mobility, stretching and an inverted skill. During Combat, the boys were taken through upper and lower body strength preparation exercises and striking skills via Boxing and Taekwondo follow-along videos. The Skill session explored how the body moves and incorporated unique challenges that encouraged a mixture of mindful movement, fast reactions and a lot of perseverance
Core PE
PE lessons are taking the boys on a journey around the school over the next few weeks. We are visiting other departments and performing exercise activities with links to other subjects. The first visit this week was with History!
Starting with Henry the VIII and his family tree, the boys have had to exercise their way through all of the members. Only to find out that Henry VIII was not even meant to take the throne which would have saved them from this challenge!
Finally, students matched up to the shortest reigning King in history, Louis Antoine of France! He only lasted 20 minutes in 1830 and we hope our boys have the stamina to complete the shortest reign workout below, before time is up!
Sport on Saturdays
Live sport took place for the first time last Saturday (23 January) with boys taking part in workouts, skill sessions and video analysis discussions. To help deliver the Saturday programme a new team has been created – WSS-2020-Sport. Options (channels) for the boys to access on Saturday 30th January are:
-
Rugby – Years 7 & 8
-
Rugby – Years 9, 10 & Seniors
-
Hockey (All Year Groups)
All sessions will run from 9.30 to 10.15am. Even the snow didn’t stop some boys last weekend!
Week Commencing 11 January 2021
Rugby
We have had a great start to Warwick School Rugby’s online learning 2021! Boys in Year 8 - Year 13 have been working through physical fitness challenges in their Games lessons, with many boys attempting 5K runs, 3K runs, HIIT Sessions, Cardio Circuits or indeed bike rides. We have been using FORMS to let boys use their mobile devices to record scores and make it competitive. In the second of the Games lessons we have been looking at skills of the week. This week the theme has been ball skills and passing, and our very talented coaching team have been working hard to produce home coaching videos! Finally Mr Venter has been using our Coach Logic Video Analysis platform to support the boys tactical development and learning with Year 7 and Year 8 on a Wednesday and Year 9 - Year 13 on Friday afternoons. Last week we reviewed the 1XV dramatic cup win in the Schools Cup Semi Final in 2020! See pictures below.
Mr Pierce working on the punch pass for power
Mr Hesketh with his Ball Manipulations video
Mr Venter working with the Y7 and 8 boys on Coach Logic
Hockey
Boys have been working at home on their close control skills and learning some new tricks while making sure to not break any windows! We have sourced lots of great resources from top players from all over the world to inspire and motivate the boys to develop their skills ready for when we return to the pitch. Fitness sessions have involved some rules quizzes with the letters from the answer linking to different physical exercises. The boys have also been set the challenge to beat Mr Wade’s pace on a run. Some boys have already sent in results and Mr Wade is going to have to up the pace to keep the pressure on.
Games - Alternative fitness
Boys in Year 8 - Year 13 have been selecting a variety of challenges from climbing flights of stairs (at least as tall as Warwick Castle) to reaction and gymnastic challenges in a ‘pick and mix’ style afternoon session. The PE department have been impressed to see boys getting creative and adapting the challenges to suit the availability of equipment and space at home.
Core PE
The boys have been taking on a range of challenges that create workouts for them to complete. One example of this was picking a 5 a side team made from a selection of England football players and each player has a different exercise value.
Below is the chosen squad from a boy in year 8. The workouts start as an individual challenge but later on in the lesson, using the breakout rooms on teams, boys have the opportunity to work collaboratively or compete against each other in their workouts. This has certainly awoken the competitive edge in lots of the boys and got them active!
3 Lions Fitness Team Sheet
After School Clubs
This week the after-school sports programme started for boys in Years 7 to 10. On a Wednesday at 4.15pm, boys in these year groups can access a team called WSS-2020-Y7-Y10SportsClubs. Options are then available via the channels that include additional rugby, hockey and cricket sessions, video analysis and general fitness. No need to sign-up, boys can just turn up! After School sport for Year 11 and the Sixth Form will start from Monday 18th January – Team name WSS-2020-Y11-13-SportsClubs.
