Dodgeball (April 12, 2024)

Caroline Campos
—Brazil—
(Entry)

I’m suspicious about sports activities, I really love to practice sports. But playing dodgeball was better than I expected, I had never played before and it was amazing. Besides practicing the sport, we can meet new friends from other cultures and that was really amazing.

Thirachot Nuntisak (Nin)
—Thailand—
(Advanced 1)

It was Friday afternoon, after I had been doing paperwork for the whole week. It was a great time and a great activity to relax. I met new friends, even though they were from other classes. The instructor taught us very clearly, so it made us understand the rules and enjoy the game. If they have another Friday activity, I will participate for sure.

Kayk Fernandes
—Brazil—
(Intermediate 1)

I’m having great experiences on the course, I feel like every day my English is improving more, the Friday activities are great ways to put into practice everything we are learning. I thought the day we played dodgeball was really cool, you provided a great experience, it was very interesting getting to know a popular sport in Canada, dodgeball is a great game. Heartland and all the professionals involved are to be congratulated, I hope to be able to participate in more moments like these, thank you very much.

Mamadou Macalou
—Mali—
(Intermediate 2)

Like every Friday, we have a new school’s activity. Last week, we played dodgeball. It was nice, I had a great time with the rest of the group.

I arrived a little late, when coach Scott (always in a good mood) was already introducing the place to other students. After that, he divided us into several groups with difficulty (it seems that math is not our strong point coach), then we warmed up our muscles by throwing balls, playing “Zombies run” where 2 groups had played together, one playing zombies and the other trying to kill them by throwing balls at.

After that, we took a break during which Scott had taken the opportunity to explain us how to play dodgeball, that we immediately understood the rules (someone is much better at coaching than at math lol). We played different dodgeball games including standard and doctor dodgeball.

This activity allowed us to meet other students from the school, chatting together, getting to know each other better and taking some pictures.

To end this excellent day of dodgeball, coach Scott gave us a nice nunchucks demonstration (It looked like Jackie Chan).

Thank you for everything, coach.

Sophia Chuang
—Taiwan—
(Advanced 2/3)

Every Friday afternoon is Heartland’s activity time. No matter which class you are in every students are welcome to participate. Last week, we enjoyed a spirited game of dodgeball! In my memory, dodgeball was always a somewhat intimidating exercise, especially back in Taiwan where the balls were large and hard, posing a risk of injury. Consequently, there is no dodgeball in our PE class after elementary school. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the dodgeball here in Canada uses softer, smaller balls and features different rules, making the game both safer and more enjoyable.

One of the games we played was called “Doctor Dodgeball.” In this game, “the doctor” could bring teammates back into play by squatting down and singing the ABC song. Unfortunately, I got picked as the doctor, which meant I performed numerous squats. As a result, my thighs were sore for three days afterward! Nevertheless, despite the physical challenge, the activity was incredibly memorable, and I had a fantastic time participating.

These weekly activities at Heartland are not only a great way to unwind but also create lasting memories and foster a sense of camaraderie among students. I look forward to the next Friday afternoon activity with excitement and anticipation!