FUN FUN FUN

Schools from the Earlsheaton family of the St John Fisher School Sport Partnership were beneficiaries of an Aqua Festival organised predominately by Jonathan Morris of Kirklees Schools Swimming Services and supported by the SSP on the 17^th May 2010.  The Aqua Festivals are a relatively new concept, this being only the second one ever in North Kirklees, and concentrate on the fun elements of water disciplines. This aquatic format is aimed predominately at non swimmers and is structured around water confidence, yet at the same time it allows participants a competition element. 32 children from Hanging Heaton, Chickenley, Bywell, and Eastborough were present and took part in a series of activities in the pool which included running, balancing, floating, hoop races and retrieving. Although there were individual relay race winners the points were accumulated for a team running total.  All participants received participation certificates for their endeavours with bronze, silver and gold medals going to the individual members of the top 3 schools. Hanging Heaton emerged the victorious gold medal winners with 54 points followed by silver runners up Bywell with 39 points. The Year fours from Eastborough finished in 3^rd place and bronze medal winners with 31 points just edging out the Year fours from Chickenley who finished on 26 points.  The children thoroughly enjoyed the events concept and format which hopefully will become a permanent fixture in the School Sport Partnership annual calendar of events. Many thanks to Jonathan Morris and the development team of Kirklees Schools Swimming Services, host venue Dewsbury Sports Centre and the 2 excellent young leaders (Kate Crookes and Lauren Archer) from Earlsheaton who officiated the event extremely professionally on the day. Attention now turns to the re-introduction, after a number of absent years, of a traditional swimming gala for the Dewsbury schools which is to be held at the Sports Centre pool in Dewsbury on Wednesday 30^th June between 4.00 and 6.00.