PDHPE

Term 4 is off to a flying start, with Year 7 classes learning about Physical Activity and Recreation in theory lessons. Students will identify the various types of physical activity in which they can choose to participate in and locate local opportunities available to them within their community. Not all of these options involve competitive sport, but also recreation, relaxation and active leisure time. The National Guidelines for Physical Activity suggest that  Year 7 and 8 students should be aiming for 60 minutes of physical activity each day with 2-3 activities a week that look to strengthen their muscles and bones.

In Practical lessons, students have just wrapped up activities on Teeball/Rounders and Mini Tennis and are currently transitioning into some games based activities whilst playing slide hockey.

Year 8 has begun this Term looking at issues around Mental Health which is one of the key issues facing young people today. We encourage all members of our community to seek help in dealing with Mental Health and provide students with opportunities to develop skills in identifying and dealing with Mental Health concerns within themselves and others.

Within Practical lessons in Year 8, students have begun participating in a unit on Touch Football. We will develop skills in both attacking and defensive movements in a sport that also develops components of fitness such as speed, agility and cardiorespiratory endurance.

I would like to offer some final advice for all students as we hopefully return to some form of consistency and routine after lockdown. Be mindful to continue or resume your physical activities in a gradual manner.

After you’ve had some time off from exercising, don’t expect to jump back into where you were before lockdown. Remember that doing any kind of exercise is far better than doing nothing, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re doing less than you hoped.

That said, it’s important to be realistic with your expectations so that you don’t end up pushing your body too hard and injuring yourself, or get frustrated and give up completely.

If your activity levels have dropped off completely since lockdown and working from home, then start off by making sure you go on at least one walk a day. It might not sound like a lot but even just 30 minutes of walking per day can improve your cardiovascular fitness, boost muscle power, and strengthen your bones, so it’s a good starting point. (Everyoneactive.com, 2021)

We wish Year 12 PDHPE and CAFS students all the best for their upcoming HSC exams and hope all their effort and hard work is rewarded, by achieving their best possible result.

Mr Matthew Hope | PDHPE KLA Leader

Below are some creative student samples of physical activity during our lockdown period.