Eton Virtual is committed to encouraging pupils to stay fit and healthy during lockdown. This, of course, is easier said than done. Mr Flanaghan and his team of Sports staff have therefore been working hard this half to provide a programme of activities and competitions to keep pupils engaged with school sport.
The virtual ‘House Running Competition’ took place over the last three weeks, with over 400 boys participating in total. Pupils have recorded the timings of their weekly runs, which have been used to determine prize winners from each boarding house. Congratulations to three houses who were jointly awarded the Participant Cup, each of these had more than 40 boys per house take part, which given the average boarding house size of 50, is a wonderful testament to house spirit and collective effort! Individual medals were also awarded to the fastest runner in each year group, ‘Champion medals’ to the fastest four entrants from a single house and ‘Block medals’ for a superb performance across a single year group.
Sports staff Sean Boret, Rory Cramp and James McRae, and rowing coach Guy Pooley, have also been offering weekly lunchtime Zoom classes. Pupils, teachers and family members have been enjoying ‘movement and mobility’, stretching classes, ‘HIIT with no kit’ and rowing techniques. Weekly Zwift bike rides and competitive Peloton groups have also sprung up and are helping to keep us in touch, and keep fit, whilst we’re away from school.
Finally, pupils have welcomed the return of the lockdown challenges, with keepy ups, plank to failure and a 5km running time trial offering a chance for some direct competition across year groups!
