Gymnastics helps children face their fears at Loreto

28 Jan 2020 04:34
Published by: Kian French

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going at Loreto Preparatory School as their new gymnastics club is teaching the young girls to face their fears.

Run by Loreto's sports coaches Antonia Gillespie and Andy Holman, the new club was immediately fully subscribed with 12 girls able to train each session.

Antonia Gillespie said: "Gymnastics Improves fitness, strength, flexibility and co-ordination and is an excellent foundation for a fit and healthy future, helping develop a strong core, sense of balance and flexibility.

"But more over gymnastics teaches courage, self-discipline and patience. Gymnastics is actually quite scary and takes children out of their comfort zone each time they try something they are not familiar or confident with.

"The girls have to very quickly learn to get back up and try again, and that perfection is not achieved first time. By practicing a skill over and over, children learn self-discipline, resilience, and how to overcome fear and accomplish things that scare them.

"We feel it's all about how to become a stronger person both physically and mentally, working through frustrations as well as sore muscles and injuries."

The girls meet once a week and have been inspired by the recent unprecedented success of GB team gymnasts such as Max Whitlock MBE and Claudia Fragapane.

Andy Holman added: "When Antonia and I were growing up, the GB gymnastics team were not as competitive. Now they are a mong the very best in the world and our girls have responded to that success with tremendous enthusiasm and determination."

You may be interested in