Festivals organised by Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club proved to be a big hit with primary pupils across the borough.
Two gymnastics festivals for Year Three and Four and Key Stage One pupils ran in conjunction with Erewash School Sport Partnership and were held at the gymnastics club in Long Eaton.
Pupils were encouraged to use equipment such as the vault, bars, beam and trampete to introduce them to the basics of gymnastics.
Coaches from the gymnastics club helped to run the events along with ESSP leaders and sports leaders from Kirk Hallam, Wilsthorpe, Long Eaton and St John Houghton schools.
Schools involved included Dovedale, Cotmanhay Junior, St Laurence, Longmoor, Brooklands, Ashbrook Junior, Grange, Cloudside, Sawley Infant and Parklands Infant.
Ben Taylor, assistant manager at Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club, said pupils were able to try out all of the different gymnastics disciplines.
He said: “There was apparatus from artistic gymnastics, such as the asymmetric bars, parallel bars and the vault, and rhythmic gymnastics where we use ribbons, balls and hoops. It was an introduction to gymnastics and we hope that some pupils may want to give it another go and they would be very welcome to attend any of our classes where there are spaces.”
Vicky Brierley, from Erewash School Sport Partnership, thanked everyone involved in the festivals.
She said: “It was great to have the expert coaches from Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club on hand to give the pupils the support they needed.
“For a lot of them it may have been the first time they have tried out this kind of equipment but they absolutely loved it.
“Hopefully this will encourage them to consider trying gymnastics again and maybe coming to one of the classes at the club.
“We would also like to thank the fantastic leaders from our secondary schools who did a great job in helping the festivals to run smoothly.”
ESSP will be running the same event in May at Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club’s new venue on Hallam Fields Road, Ilkeston.
