With the summer holidays on our doorstep, Coach Alan decided our last session before the holidays would be a relaxed one!
​So today our members took part in a range of activities of their choice, including table tennis and badminton. Some of the members used Oak View school's lovely climbing apparatus, as demonstrated by Liam (pictured right), as well as a table football table.
During our half-way break, We all enjoyed some lovely food and drink including cake and soft fizzy drinks provided by some of the member's lovely parents!
A special mention and fond farewell to Ryan who has been with us about 8 years. He is moving out of the area in the summer so this was his last session with us and it has been great watching him grow up over the years in to the fine young man he has become! Good luck Ryan and thanks also to Sue, Ryan's mum, for all her support and help over the years, 
Thank you for everyone's continued attendance and support this term (and year thus far), We look forward to seeing you back and raring to go on September 9th. 
Please refer to the 2017/2018 term dates page for when we will be starting back!

The main sport we played last Saturday was Cricket but we also managed to pack in a couple of other sports as well. The session started with a brief warm up out on the playground before getting in to some catching practice and drills. First up it was catching in pairs trying to get as far as part as possible without dropping the ball. Then it was on to a game of Champions where all the kids line up and Ollie would call a name at random and throw the ball to that child. If they caught it they move up the line, if they drop it then down the line you go. The person at the head of the line come the end of the game is crowned the Champion.

After a short break it was in to a game of cricket. Being young children it was less of the sound of leather against willow but rather tennis ball against plastic bat. Each child, and adult, took it in turns to bat while everyone else fielded. The aim being to score as many runs as possible whilst batting before being caught or bowled out.

After a break for drinks and snacks we switched to a game of football rounders. Splitting in to two teams it is much like a normal game of rounders but rather than bat and ball it is kicking a football rolled to you. If after kicking the ball as far as possible you made it all the way round you scored a point for your team. Make it to second base and it was half a point. But get stumped out or caught and you were out. It was a close game with the final score 3 to 2.5.

As Football is the national past time you would have thought we play it quite a lot at Epping Forest Sportability Club but in fact we only play it once or twice a year. But as the sun was out and we dont get to use the Oak View school field that often we took the opportunity to practice and play some football.
We started as always with a warm up with Ray leading the twisting, stretching and jogging before Ollie led a quick game of tag. It was then straight out on  to the field to practice football. Alan had laid out a square using cones and the kids had to get a ball each and then move around within the square keeping the ball at their feet. First it was using both feet, then left foot only, then right. That led to a traffic light game where Alan called out Red, Amber of Green - red meant stop with the foot on the ball, green for go to move around with the ball at your feet and amber was to pass between your feet quickly. 
The last skill game in the square was a good one - the aim being to be the last one left in. The object is to control and protect your own ball while kicking other people's balls outside of the square. If your ball leaves the square then you are out until the next game. It was a great game not only for practicing ball control and movement but also had a bit of strategy in it, Do you leave your ball briefly while you try and kick an opponents ball out or do you try and protect your ball whilst getting near an opponent.  Tom one the first game using the first method but got caught out in the second game as when he left his ball to go after an opponent someone else kicked it out. I think it was Kerrie that ended up winning the second game.
 

After the games in the square were over the cones were re-arranged in to a slalom formation and  the group split in to three teams. The members would take it in turns to go up and down the course around the cones, with the ball, before passing to the next person waiting in line.
We then moved on to some games splitting the groups in to two teams - reds and yellows. With Nick and Tom both in the Red team there was certainly a lot of energy and commitment. Coach Alan was on the opposing Yellow team and thanks to his silky skills they were comfortably in the lead by half time. We had a well earned rest going back inside for a drink and snack.
In the second half the tide turned somewhat and between Callum, Nick and Tom the reds stormed back in to the game. With a last ditch goal they rescued an honourable draw.

At the end of the session the coaches awarded the star of the week award to Tom for not only partaking very well throughout the session but for also making sure his team mates all joined in and had a go. Tom's sportsmanship is top notch! Unfortunately, by the time we got back inside and completed the certificate Tom had left already so we dont have a photo of him with his award, and he will have to collect it next Saturday,  
Join us again then when I think a game of Cricket is on the agenda - weather permitting of course!