RUNNING club is a massively important part of the school week for Miners Rest primary pupils.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The popular, lunchtime ritual has created what Miners Rest principal Dale Power calls a strong running culture for his school and the extended community.
It stems from a couple of teachers who would lace up with the kids for a fun lead-up program into mass participation event Run Ballarat, which raises money each year for the hospital children’s ward in town.
Running club popularity boomed and has remained strong all-year round.
The concept is an effective schoolyard activity. The impact is profound.
Results are starting to really show in the sporting field. Miners Rest has four runners qualified for School Sport Victoria state cross country finals in Bundoora next month – a big achievement for a medium-small primary.
Principal Power said the program was also influencing school curriculum in a positive fashion, promoting a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle.
And children are inspiring their families and community to follow suit.
The school consistently breaks its own participation records for Run Ballarat. Miners Rest had more than 200 participants – pupils, their families and teachers – represented in last year’s event. This was more than any other school, including secondary and private school entries.
All building on Running Club culture.
This initiative, led by passionate teachers in their lunch breaks, sparks an interest and creates a model many of these children will carry through their lives. Running is now their passion.
They may not always go for a run as a chosen exercise but the initiative reinforces the important of staying active, as an individual and support found training in a group.
Sarah’s sporting focus is representative basketball. That involves a different kind of running, she says, but she finished fifth at regionals to reach states and admits running sharpens her game.
Jack loves running, he is good at running, and says it keeps him fit and healthy. Archie topped his division at regionals, loves playing a range of sport and finds running helps him improve in other sports, like football.
Physical education teacher Hollie Frew often sees Jude going for a run after school. He says it is just for fun.
They are all set for state next term but there is a whole band of children still running with them at lunchtimes, who simply enjoy turning their legs over in the fresh air and being part of the club.
Ballarat is often envied by outsiders for the city’s running culture, headlined by Olympians Steve Moneghetti and Collis Birmingham.
These children are leading a new generation. But it is not about medals or attention on big stages. It is about lacing up and trying your best, testing your limits, and the personal satisfaction in training and completing events like Run Ballarat.
Miners Rest does not have a big school yard. Running club often leads children up and around a nearby park. Teachers are promoting an opportunity and, as the club grows, their pupils are an increasingly visible show of what is possible.