Sports Day Reimagined

"Like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become mighty trees; we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strength. We are resilient.” - Catherine DeVrye

THS students have become pros at being resilient and creative in the face of adversity. From continued societal challenges experienced by our communities in the past few years to the disruptions of going from virtual and in-person classes, our students have met these constant changes with incredible optimism and grit.

We on the PE team are constantly inspired and fuelled by our students’ resilience and creativity as we try our best to reimagine PE class virtually. We have had to think “inside the Google Meet Box” throughout VC@T and what became evident with school closures and limitations on gatherings is the reality that a traditional Sports Day would not be possible. But did you think we would give up on holding our legendary THS Sports Day?  Sports is beloved by many at THS, so we got creative in trying to bring the spirit of Sports Day to our students, no matter where they were! What's better than a sports day you may ask?  A Sports Week of course! We had a total of five challenges that students would either complete during PE or during a time of their choosing. With the help of our incredibly talented Media-Tech teacher Mr Husain, the PE team created a series of quirky and fun videos to explain each daily challenge.

We started Sports Week with a beloved THS PE game: The Floor is Lava! The students created their own “Floor Is Lava” courses in their homes and challenged themselves or their family members to try and get their best-timed scores while practicing their agility and coordination to maneuver through the courses. This challenge showcased the brilliance and creativity of our students who constructed  some mind-blowing courses and also demonstrated their Ninja-like skills.

On day 2, our students were tasked with making a healthy homemade meal for themselves or their families in You Are What You Eat! From healthy plates of pasta to green smoothies, our THS chefs concocted some amazingly tasty and healthy homemade dishes.

Day 3 tested our students’ tenacity, imagination, and coordination in Trick it Out! Students showed off their skills, flair, and determination with very challenging trick shots that sometimes took multiple attempts to succeed. 

It's no secret that the THS student body possesses uncommon grit and determination to face adversity. Day 4 was HOLD THAT POSE! For this Challenge, students attempted to get their best score on a series of  ‘Endurance holds’. Some of the THS staff uploaded photos of their best efforts for students to try and surpass and our students showed that they were up to the challenge with their own impressive times!

Day 5 was the final challenge of sports week with Groovy Moves. The PE team loves any chance to show off their dancing skills, from Mr Alec’s “floss” to Mr Gibb’s “Carlton” to my very own “Mexico City wiggle.” But it's not only staff who like to share their dance skills, our students do too. Students were tasked with learning a dancing routine and turning in a 30-second clip. All of the clips were then turned into a compilation of our students and THS families' dances featuring their dynamite moves. 

Although both students and teachers were stuck at home, our THS school spirit was on full display during our Virtual Sports Week. The energy and enthusiasm during the challenges were excellent, and thanks to the support of our students (and their parents alike) the event turned into a memorable week of sports, resilience, and camaraderie.