Back, from left, Tegan La’Brooy, Danielle McLean, Jasmin La’Brooy, centre, Chantelle Gallagher, Amanda Tauro, Emily Kehoe, Jenaye Furlong and, front, middle Olivia Raiti will compete at the National Schoolaerobics Championships. 49125 Picture: Kim Cartmell
By Bridget Cook
STUDENTS from St Francis Xavier College have kicked, flipped and leaped their way to the National Schoolaerobics Championships.
The eight girls from the Berwick campus, known as Team Electrify, will jet to Brisbane to compete against the best school aerobics teams in Australia from 21 to 22 August.
To qualify for the nationals, the team placed second in the junior section at the Preliminary Schoolaerobics finals in May.
Players then went on to compete at state level where they took out the gold medal – a first for St Francis Xavier College.
Head coach Kerry Townsend said she was extremely proud of the team and the effort put in.
“They are amazing with the way they work together and support one another to achieve their best,” she said.
“They are always looking for new ways to improve and perfect their skills.”
She said the girls had worked very hard and it had paid off.
“The girls have been training since the beginning of the year, two mornings a week and several lunchtimes to perfect their routine,” she said.
“Its very hard work.
“For some of them this has been the first time competing in aerobics and to come this far is amazing.
“A lot of these girls have many other commitments so they learn to be organised and juggle everything so they don’t fall behind.”
Miss Townsend said the sport had really taken off since it was started at the school four years ago.
“In the first year I started with eight girls competing whereas this year I have had 53 girls compete with a total of sevens teams,” she said.
“It’s a huge effort.
“They develop their fitness, flexibility, strength and commitment as well as friendships and have lots of laughs along the way.”
The trip will be funded by money the school received last year when it won The Australian Sports Commission Award.
