7 May 2023 is World Kids’ Athletics Day! A day dedicated to celebrating children and young people across the globe participating in athletics and being active.
World Athletics’ theme for the 2023 Kids’ Athletics Day is MOVE, PLAY, EXPLORE. Whether it’s moving from A to B, playing athletics’ activities with friends, or exploring new skills, the aim is to encourage kids to get out there and have fun being active.
Nestled between the Rewa river to the west and a handful of green lush mountain ranges to the east, Natoika Village is the last village on a road that runs along the eastern side of the Rewa River and is accessible by either boat or an hour’s drive by car, van or bus from the nearest urban centre Nausori Town. This was to be the venue for the 2023 World Kids’ Athletics Day celebrations which was celebrated on 4 May at Natoaika District School, Naitasiri. Celebrations were organized for Thursday because of the deep respect and reverence Fijians have for the sabbath. The wet conditions failed to dampen the spirits of approximately over 200 primary school students, 10 teachers and numerous parents that turned up for the half day of activities.
“You can never go wrong when it comes to Kids’ Events, people will always come out for their kids”
Iosefo Vuloloa (Principal, Natoaika DIstrict School and former Athletics Fiji National Rep in the Decathlon)
Vuloloa is also a World Athletics certified level I throws coach and a Kids’ Athletics Activator, combined that with his five years plus experience in teaching, the day’s activities were efficiently and professionally run. From the layout of the venue, brief training of teachers and marshalling of students through to the activities format.
Athletics Fiji Development Officer Albert Miller Snr was very impressed with the turnout and the organization of the whole event.
The day’s activities started off with the distribution of the primary school students into 7 different groups. A group consisting of approximately 30 students ranging from ages 5-13 years old. Each group spent a good 30-45mins at one station before moving/rotating to the next station. After each group went through all stations a formula 1 event was set up to conclude the days activities with all 7 groups challenging each other.
Vuloloa thanked Athletics Fiji on behalf of the villages and students of Natoika for considering their remote village as the venue for the 2023 World Kids’ Athletics Day celebrations.
Story by: Athletics Fiji (07/05/2023)