A Sporting Challenge – ‘Par Excellence’ Completed

On the evening of Friday 28th April, GMS’s 2023 Sporting Challenge was pronounced ‘an enormously successful event’.

In partnership with Friends of Great Marlow, GMS’s school and community event ‘par excellence’ brought attention to the importance of physical activity, while giving families, community groups and organisations the opportunity to participate in something new and exhilarating.

All students from Year 7 to 11 were given the opportunity to choose an hour’s sporting activity, which would keep their heart rate in their aerobic zone of 60-80% of maximum heart rate. The emphasis was on enjoyment, team work and  competition.

On offer were options to participate in traditional invasion games, rowing, dance, fitness and cycling. Towards the end each session, which were all thoroughly enjoyed, the students were given the opportunity to discuss the benefits of taking part in a sporting activity that improves physical, mental and social well-being.

The PE Department thoroughly enjoyed facilitating this alternative day for the students and would like to extend their thanks to the students for their exemplary behaviour, also to all the staff who supported the day and facilitated the successful delivery of all the events.

Apart from students, this Sporting Challenge involved 63 staff, parents, carers and community members: without them the 20-hour and 23-minute challenge would not have been possible – due to all involved the event was completed in great style. Every person who participated contributed to the completion of the challenge; the fact that they did so with a smile, made the experience life-affirming.

The most enormous thank you is extended to all those people who donated money in support of this event: if you haven’t done so and wish to, please click on this link to go to the donation page. Parents and carers with a WisePay account will need to sign in to donate.  All other donors will need to create an account to donate, which is very easy. Also, please complete the Gift Aid form, which means all donations are increased the donation by 25%.

It was tremendous that the Sporting Challenge was able to keep three pieces of equipment in motion for the entirety of the Challenge: the ergo completed almost 250km; the bike completed over 400km; the treadmill 160km. The actual distances covered by all participants was far greater than the figures above as at times there were six treadmills in motion and three or four bikes. Interestingly, there was only one ergo in motion at any one time, which says a lot about the challenge involved in training on an ergo!

Currently, the pictures and videos from the event are on the PE dept (@GMS_PE) and school (@GMS_Academy) twitter accounts, as well as the PE Dept Instagram account (gms_pe).  They can also be viewed on our website https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjACd41

This event was initiated as a means to raise the profile and importance of physical activity to the health and wellbeing of all age groups and this aim has been more than achieved.

Mr Ford and the whole school thank everyone for their enthusiastic support for this 2023 Sporting Challenge.