SPORT She Runs... Active Pymble Girls Lead By Head of Learning Area- PDHPE, Mrs Victoria Harrison and Co-ordinator of the Elite Sportswomen’s Program, Miss Skye Halliday
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his article shares insights we gained into girls’ physical education following a global conference we attended with four Pymble students in March 2019. We also celebrate more than 100 years of girls’ sport and physical activity at the College and look to the future with ideas for meeting the challenge of encouraging healthy and active lifestyles for girls and women in the years to come.
Understanding the links between a healthy, active body and a balanced, resilient mind are increasingly important to educators. Our background as Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) teachers gives us a good insight into ways young people approach physical activity and, along with that, the very different levels of enthusiasm and confidence they demonstrate. While teachers and schools can encourage their students to follow sustainably healthy lifestyles and mindsets, it is important to take steps to understand students’ perspectives if curricular and wider educational goals are to be realised for upcoming generations of Australian women. The Australian statistics are concerning. Between 13 and 17 years of age, girls drop out of organised sport in significant numbers. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, only 7.9 per cent of Australian children aged from 13 to 17 meet the minimum standard of physical activity per week. It is important to recognise that even in an active school like Pymble, students who rely solely on their Physical Education lessons will fail to meet the minimum hours of recommended activity. Accumulating 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day involving www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
Miss Skye Halliday and Mrs Victoria Harrison with students (L-R), Georgia Richens, Tess Orton, Alexandria Johnson and Rose Tate, heading to Paris for the She Runs Active Girls’ Lead conference
mainly aerobic activities should be every girl’s goal. This is important as research also shows the connection between physical activity, wellbeing and academic performance. SHE RUNS ACTIVE GIRLS’ LEAD CONFERENCE 2019 Four Pymble Upper and Senior School students were honoured to represent Australia at the inaugural She Runs Active Girls’ Lead conference in Paris, France, in March 2019. Our role was to accompany the group as they participated in this very active and varied conference. Indeed, the term ‘conference’ falls short in describing She Runs which included physical sessions, such as a scavenger hunt around Paris and a fun run along the banks of the River Seine with all 500 participants running and 2,000 local school girls cheering them on.
Other highlights included: • Inspirational speeches by women known for their advocacy for girls’ and women’s empowerment and leadership in sport. Standout moments for our girls were listening to the English marathon runner, Paula Radcliffe; Italian Olympian, Valentina Marchei; and Birgitta Kervinen, winner of the IOC and Sport World Trophy. • Birgitta reinforced the message that, “Now, the culture of sport offers more opportunities to girls and women than ever before. However, promoting equality has not reached the end of the road. In fact, the work has only begun”. We hope that this message will inspire our students both within the Pymble community and further afield to be strong female advocates in many ways.
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