Aug
21
2020
Bouncing back from COVID with Plunkett Street PS
Our first school program since March of this year was a great success! We are so grateful to get back on the court with our Hoops for Harmony programs after such a challenging period. It was also great to continue building on our relationship with Plunkett Street Public School, with last Friday’s session marking our third program with the school!
Hoops for Harmony teaches students key life lessons through an interactive basketball program engaging every student to participate in the program. Using the principles, skills and training learned on a basketball court, the program focuses on teamwork, promoting inclusiveness and valuing diversity.
35 students of varying year groups and cultural backgrounds participated in the program. Before taking to the court, our Schools Partnership Officer Nathan Strempel encouraged participants to greet the coaches in their background’s language. The primary school students who could speak another languages joined in on the conversation speaking in Russian, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Fijian, French and Indian!
After the multi-lingual introductions the students learnt a few basketball skills and drills, with coaches teaching them the famous Spider Drill to work on at home. In between drills, Nathan prompted students to reflect on how some aspects of basketball lend themselves as metaphors for life. From a drill that demonstrated how “the pass beats the dribble every time”, Plunkett St learned about how teamwork trumps individuality. With Nathan’s analogy of the dribble as “a pass to yourself”, students took home the importance of making strong, independent decisions in life.
The session closed on a high with lots of multi-lingual goodbyes and thank you’s (with hygienic elbow bumps all around!). Inclusion, teamwork, respect and self-acceptance were the winning messages on the day. A big thanks to Plunkett Street Primary School for taking part in our first Hoops for Harmony program post-COVID lockdown. We look forward to strengthening our relationship further!
Hoops for Harmony is all about everyone having a go and working together as a team.
We would like to thank one of our program partners, Sydney Water for supporting this project.
Charity Bounce is a not for profit organisation that exists to inspire positive change to overcome disadvantage for individuals and communities. With a focus on Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders and Culturally Diverse communities, including newly arrived refugees we aim to move people toward a more positive future through the development of sports, the arts, health, education and employment focused social programs. The programs are delivered in partnership with professional athletes to motivate change and inspire.
