The ECCLESATHLON™ CHALLENGE CUP II is underway. The aim of the challenge is to keep players across the club connected and active at home each week, rewarding their effort and creativity under lockdown restrictions when the club facilities are closed. Points are awarded for participation (non-playing siblings, partners and parents are welcome to join in ) and achievement of goals. Bonus points are awarded by the judging panel for engagement (best video, teaching a skill, anything especially ingenious, impressive or entertaining). Teams can bank points towards their accumulated weekly total any time up to Friday and BIG points mean BIG prizes - ask the U8s winners of Cup I!
WEEK ONE
The Ladies lead the table with their own unique unfathomable fruit-based reward system, followed by the ever eager U6s. The U13s created their own Strava group so their players, parents and coaches can log their running and compete to be the first to reach 666 kms , the distance to the Stade de France Paris, venue of the next Rugby World Cup Final. The U13 Girls are right behind them with some impressive Tik Tok moves (check out social media) - they win video of the week for thier efforts and enthusiam! The U7s U6s and U5s did passing practice at home, U9s did some impressive fitness work, and the U15s held their team training sessions on zoom! Boom!
WEEK TWO
The U6s passing challenge means they "are the best" in week 2, taking a very narrow lead at the top of the table from the U13s who yet again display terrifc effort from their players parents and coaches groups to clock up over 260 kms on Strava this week towards their virutal target of reaching Paris. These two teams are setting the early pace in the challenge. The Ladies activity contines to keep them in touch in third position. The Men have stirred from thier slumber and with some gentle "encouragement" from Head Coach Sam Simpson they have amassed 63 points this week! The U13 Girls are right behind them again with some great Tik Tok social media and applaudable efforts at home to help their parents. Well done girls. The u8s held a karate kid themed sunday session and then followed it up during the week with an ingenious challenge, climbing as many stairs as as possible at home, achieving the equivalent of the world's tallest building the Burj Khalifa not once but twice! U8 Lucca also wins video of the week bonus points for his team with his 'Rocky' film! Well done also to the U7s U5s and U15s who all keep their activity going this week. The scores are very tight. Good luck to all in Week 3.
WEEK THREE
The Men make the effort this week and barge thier way past the u6s to claim the best score in week 3, but its not enough to lead the table. The u6s applaudable creative skills and efforts keeps them in contention with bonus points and Iwan earns his team the extras for his amazing sculptured, baked and painted Eccles club crest video of the week! The u13s have another very good week with their fitness and running sessions recorded on strava taking them closer to their goal (impressive scores for the mums team, leading the lads and dads ). The Ladies are keeping thier pace. The U13 Girls and U15s have disapeared this week and not submitted any activity. If your team are keeping active during lockdown, please do send us details so we can recognise your efforts too.
WEEK FOUR
Well done to the Minis coaching and managers team who brought a lot of joy this week with their Home Rugby activity packs, even delivering them out to those who could not collect at the club. Despite this noble, impressive effort, the Men's section juggernaught is picking up speed and they've taken the lead at the top of the table. Of particular note is John Whailing, not only with his 'Kettle Time' video posts but his 100 laps of his local Park (20+ miles) Bonus points awarded. Great determiation shown by the U13s who are keeping pace with thier sessions and weekly running. The Ladies have lost ground to the relentless U8s who completed a handling 'figure of 8' Harlem Globetrotter style challenge. The U13 Girls had a William Tell target challenge and the U15s had a strong turn out for a sunday zoom session hosted by the Club Captain and Director of Rugby.
If your team are keeping active at home during lockdown, please send us details so we can celebrate and recognise your efforts too. Points can be awarded retrospectively. . It's never too late to get moving. Ask your coach for details of how you can get involved.
