Fun for all the family with funetics at the Vale of York
The primary focus of funetics is engaging children and young people with the athletics fundamental movement skills of running, jumping and throwing all whilst having fun. This is something which the Vale of York Athletic Community in Selby has demonstrated and provided for children and families at their recent Family Fun Day.
Launching funetics with a BANG!
What better way to introduce funetics to your local community than with a BANG? Vale of York Athletic Community did just that at its very own family fun day!
The day took place at the local park and attracted 107 children to try out funetics for the very first time.
Family Fun Day
The Family Fun Day was supported by Sport England through the Commonwealth Games Legacy funding, which aims to help local people and communities to get active and take part in a variety of sports. One prerequisite of the Sport England support for the Family Fun Day is that the local club will then ensure that its services are open to all members of the local community. This means all children who gave funetics a go can continue to have fun and develop their skills within the club environment.
Holiday camps
The summer of funetics fun didn’t stop there, as the Vale of York Athletic Community expanded its offering to include a three-day holiday camp to enable the children to try the activities they had sampled on the fun day in more depth.
The camps included not only physical activities but also educational components, such as understanding the principles of fair play and sportsmanship. Over the course of the camp, children had the opportunity to develop their athletics skills, make new friends, and gain a deeper appreciation for sports.
Speaking about the implementation of funetics in his club, Vale of York chair and Regional councillor Ian Martin said:
“As an inclusive club, we love the idea of funetics here at the Vale of York. It provides the ideal framework with which to introduce the fundamentals of run, jump and throw to children as young as four."
"The philosophy is fun and games rather than training and competition, which helps children build confidence and create friendships. We hope that the programme will keep them passionate about athletics for many years to come."
"The support from England Athletics and funetics in terms of funding and personnel for our fun day and summer camp has been excellent. We are now looking forward to developing our own track and field facility here in Selby and expanding our programme to more children in the community."
What’s next for funetics in Selby?
Building on the success of the Family Fun Day, the Vale of York Athletic Community have since launched their very own weekly funetics programme. These sessions, all held within the sports hall in Selby, have introduced the children to the interactive and inclusive funetics programme featuring fundamental movement skills of running, jumping and throwing through fun and exciting activities.
Vale of York Athletic Community’s dedication to fostering a love for athletics through the introduction of the funetics programme has been met with resounding success. The club’s commitment to engaging the community, nurturing young talent, and providing educational and enjoyable experiences exemplifies its role as a vital community asset. By delivering funetics, the club expands its outreach, inspiring and empowering the next generation to lead a healthier and more active future. As we enter the winter months, the funetics action doesn’t stop in Selby, as Ian explained:
The club’s strides since its conception just a few short years ago has not gone unnoticed as they were awarded the Club of the Year at last year’s England Athletics Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Awards! We can’t wait to continue to support Vale of York AC and help them enable children across Selby and further afield to enjoy funetics.