So today was very different for everyone who is part of Magic Bus in Mumbai where we all met at the football pitch for a content training day! I was a bit confused as I got to wear sport clothing, wear sun cream and bring lose of water, knowing in England these content traning days are boring I was all ready was a bit of a dull day.
But to my surprise, we played sport for the whole morning! I didn’t realise this was taken so seriously we were sent on laps around the football pitch, and after I did one I thought we were done but no I was wrong 4 laps later we were done! But wait… we had to do side steps both ways, high knees, bum flicks and running backwards but the length was reduced. Once this was done we then moved onto stretches which was my cup of tea as I was able to stand in the shade and cool down.
The first game we played was we had a square where everyone was in and we had to run well ‘jog’ and wait till they shouted a number and we then had to make that number, for me I was lucky everyone seemed to want me in their group to which I felt terrible that I had to get people out of the group to make the correct number. I was so close to winning but I didn’t get the 1.5 person number I was like how is this possible to then work out you just needed to sit on the floor!
We then moved on to running with the football leaving it at the cone and running back, this was a race and we were told if we were last then there were consequences. Knowing it was this hot I was a bit scared I was getting these consequences but I was lucky as I seemed to just sprint there and back and then lie on the floor out of breath. We did many different versions of this just as a warm-up!
We then moved on to our group of 3 we had to hold hands and get the ball from the cone and back without letting go. This was so hard as I wanted to go one way and the rest of my group wanted to get the ball! All I will say going backwards was way harder than I thought. We did win this to my surprise I think due to having some control and not making the ball fly all around the park, we just lacked cooperation!
After we were placed into groups where we had a box with two goals, we had to number ourselves. They then called out the number and we played one one-on-one, not having the football skills this wasn’t my game. I tried a skill and ended up scoring in my own goal! But I tried again and just went for the big kick which to my surprise worked. We also did it in teams in which I was an attacker and my only plan was to score or get the ball back and kick and hope for the best!
Once this was done we then moved into a big game of football we were put into teams and I was one of the team captains. Despite being a team captain my team decided to place me as a striker! Don’t think they saw me in the last game! No, I didn’t score a goal but did have a few attempts one with me ending on the floor after just trying to get a touch in mid-air! Of course, I put my body on the line why are you surprised, I didn’t injure myself just my pride! We did win both games which was good, despite me not doing my job!
This was then the morning done when asking about why we did this it was all about showing the children that we also play sports and it also gets everyone out in fresh air doing teamwork drills. I will be back next week to do the next session. Despite looking super tanned from the dirt and being as bright as my red top I loved it and can’t wait to do it again. I then went back as the rest of the people had their content training afternoon where they talked about what they were teaching the children and how else they could help the children. I went back after getting my taxi to go to the wrong location adding an hour to my journey but as soon as I got back I had a cold shower to cool and get all the dirt off me and to chill which I then had a chilled afternoon. It was so nice to meet more of the team and hear about what they are doing.
This was the start where we had to run and get the football and run back to our team.
This was the holding hands in a 3 and getting the ball from the cone and back
This was the number game which we played.
This was when we did it in pairs.
This was us at the end of the session when we played the big football game.