This year, Aviv has co-ordinated with Maccabi, and initiated
a shot-term option to participants in which they can attend Wingate Institute
and advance their sporting and fitness knowledge through a series of theory and
practical lessons. Myself and 9 other Avivians had the pleasure of partaking in
this option and I can confirm with a degree of sureness that each and every one
of us enjoyed it thoroughly. Sunday was the third day which we attended the
institute, in which we were privileged to a lesson on the basics of sport
psychology and its applications for improving the performance of athletes and
the solving of problems therein. Our afternoon session then featured a session
with a ridiculously muscle individual by the name of Ilya who showed us around
the many machines and weights present in the Wingate gym.
Monday through Wednesday days proceeded in a similar model,
generally featuring a morning session, 10:30 – 12 in which we were seated in a
classroom setting and learning from a lecturer who imparted knowledge upon us
about some sort of sporting topic. Following this, a break from 12 – 12:30
which was used to purchase lunch from the nearby cafeteria. Finally, the
afternoon session which usually involved a degree of physical activity, leaving
us all exhausted for our bus ride home to Ra’anana. Monday was physiology, a
lecture which was too science-y for some to follow, proceeded by a session in
the physiology lab in which I partook in the VO2 Max test which tested my
aerobic ability, see pictures for how ridiculous I looked.
Tuesday featured a lesson on pedagogy, or methods of
teaching, which was enthralling and taught in an extremely interesting way. In the
afternoon we reunited with Ilya in the gym and worked hard during another long
workout after which our muscles ached. That night we engaged in a talk with
Amir who came to inform us of important guidelines for chofesh, and following
this a peula run by Tracey and Daniella in which we were asked a series of
questions relating to before, during and after Aviv which alluded to the fact
that we have reached the halfway point of the program, a frightening thought
for most.
Wednesday at Wingate involved a lesson about doping in
sport, including an in-depth look at the doping program of East Germany
throughout the 1970s and 1980s which saw them dominate a few editions of the
Olympic Games. We learnt of the process athletes go through when tested and how
one breaches the rules as well as the consequences. The afternoon featured a
session with a trainer who took us through a simple workout which included the
use of various balls and fitness implements.
Thursday was a special day, nerves were rife as we took the
much anticipated ‘final exam,’ the stomachs of some harked back to their usual
grumblings of Year 12 exam periods, as we were handed the 20 question multiple
choice exam. The pass mark 12/20, was reached successfully by all, some by the
skin of their teeth. The afternoon featured a surprisingly fun and intense
session of ‘air boxing’ in which we learnt a routine which more than put us
through our paces. Finally, that afternoon in a modest ceremony, including a
delegate from Maccabi World Union, we were presented with our completion
certificates as well as bags and shirts to signify our official qualification
as a ‘community sport instructor.’ That night we had a chat with the Shlicha of
AUJS, Leora, who informed us of the opportunities available to all of us in
AUJS when we make our way to University, or continue it, in the coming months
and years.
Wingate was a great experience, something that I can really recommend
to future attendees of the Aviv and Maccabi programs as something really
worthwhile which certainly should not be passed up.
With the completion of this week comes the beginning of our approximately two week long chofesh. I shan’t be blogging during this period, but would like to wish all of my readers a lovely Pesach and holiday period! Chag Sameach!
Another awesome week down, 79 days to look forward to!
Jake
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