Summer Learning Journey

Day 2: A Decade of Sport

Activity 1: Chasing Great

Over the past 17 years New Zealand has experienced a number of sporting highlights, perhaps none larger than the back-to-back Rugby World Cup victories in 2011 and 2015. In both competitions our national rugby team, the All Blacks, was captained by a man named Richie McCaw. He is arguably one of the best rugby players of all time. A movie called Chasing Great was recently created to document his incredible rugby career.

Please watch the trailer for Chasing Great and read about Richie McCaw online. On your blog tell us three things that you learned about Richie that you did not know beforehand. What else would you like to know about Richie?

I know most things about Richie McCaw and richard McCaw. The only thing that I didn't know about Richie McCaw was that On 31 October 2015, McCaw captained New Zealand to retain the Rugby World Cup after a 34-17 win against Australia in the final at Twickenham. ... On 19 November 2015, McCaw announced his retirement from rugby. 

Activity 2: Sporting Heroes

In 2015, a kiwi golfer named Lydia Ko became the youngest woman in the world to reach the #1 ranking.  She was only 17 years old. Many people from here in New Zealand and overseas really admire her and think of her as a modern-day sporting hero. Who is your sporting hero? They can be a famous athlete, or even a member of your family or community. It’s completely up to you.

On your blog tell us about your sporting hero. Who are they? Why are they a hero? Include a photo of them in your blog post.

My sporting hero is Lisa Carrington. She is an incredible rower, and last year she was awarded the prestigious  Lonsdale Cup for her amazing results in 2016! She spends hours training, and I think her commitment to her sport is inspiring.

Eric Gordon Murray MNZM is a New Zealand rower and Olympic gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He has won four consecutive World Rowing Championships gold medals and has set two world best times. His first world championship medal was as a member of the New Zealand coxless four at 2007 World Rowing Championships. Murray then went on to become a member of the triple World Champion coxless pair with fellow coxless four member Hamish Bond. Murray was born in Hastings. His parents are Annette and Peter, and his older sister is Fiona. When Murray was an infant, the family moved to Manurewa. Soon after, they then bought land in Bombay, where Murray grew up and attended primary school. At school, Murray enjoyed swimming competitions and later moved to triathlons. When he grew too tall and running became uncomfortable, he gave up on that while at Pukekohe High School.

In 2006, he married Jackie Robertson, the eldest daughter of Gary Robertson. His father-in-law had been a member of the 1972 New Zealand eight that won gold at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany

Bonus Activity: Shake it Off

In recent years, many New Zealanders have embraced a new form of exercise called Zumba©. It was developed by a man named Alberto Perez who lives in the country of Columbia. He created Zumba by bringing together many different dance styles including: cumbia, mambo, hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, tango, merengue and mambo.

            The Merengue                                      The Tango

Choose one of the dance styles mentioned above and click on the name to read more about it. Once you are done, post three interesting facts about the dance style on your blog. In which country did it originate? Who originally created it?

The Mambo:
> The Mambo dance was originated in Cuba.

> It was composed by Arsenio Rodríguez but made popular

by Dámaso Pérez Prado and Benny Moré.

> This dance is also includes hip movements, spinning and

hand eye coordination.

BONUS POINTS: 10