Northern Territory Trek

The Sports Challenge trip to visit remote schools in the Northern Territory over a ten-day period in June proved to be an enormous success for all involved.
Program coordinator Jacqui Finnegan and her team, consisting of Ryan Harding and Amanda Hopps, firstly took part in the two day ‘West is Best’ Sports Carnival, comprising of the five regional community schools of Timber Creek, Bulla, Amanbidgee, Pigeon Hole and Yarrilyn.

Held at the Timber Creek Race Track, the first day comprised of many fun game-oriented activities aimed at the students working together, listening to each other and building friendships between students from different schools. The students had fun playing parachute games, and worked together to solve the swamp crossing challenge and grid challenge. The modified rules football game at the end of the day was also a highlight with the rugged little individuals showing off their tenacity for wanting possession of the football.
The second day was the annual Athletics Carnival Day, and this was a chance for the Sports Challenge Team to see many gifted athletes shine in the various running events. Running barefoot over rough terrain, the students gave everything they had in each of the races and many a fast time was witnessed. Fun events such as the egg and spoon race, the sack race and the adult egg throwing event provided plenty of laughter and cheers from the onlookers. Overall, it was a pleasure for Sports Challenge to be involved yet again in an extremely well run carnival, offering a variety of activities bringing students from various communities together for plenty of fun-filled memories each year.
Having a four-day break over the weekend, the SC Team took full advantage to sightsee the breathtaking landscape – taking in a crocodile tour on the Victoria River, swimming at Edith Falls near Katherine, cruising the Katherine Gorge, swimming at the Katherine and Mataranka thermal pools, seeing local sights in Katherine, as well as taking in the beauty of the escarpment as we drove.
The trip to the remote community of Ngukurr was an eventful one, with some off-road driving and river crossings. Upon arrival, the Sports Challenge Team conducted a two-day Fitness and Skill Testing program which included students from all the different year levels of Ngukurr Remote Community School. We were greeted with great enthusiasm and brilliant smiles as the students did their best to impress at the many skill fundamentals and fitness attributes. It truly was a fabulous experience to be at Ngukurr Community School, and we were treated just like ‘returning old familiar friends’.
Story by Amanda Hopps (Senior Coach)