14th November 2010

 

The Mini Academy meets Enjoy Walking

 

In their first mission of the winter training season, the Derbyshire Cricket Board Mini Academy travelled to the village of Ticknall in South Derbyshire to take part in a series of tasks with Enjoy Walking.

 

When the Derbyshire Cricket Board gave us the opportunity to arrange a competitive walk-picnic for the Mini Academy we jumped at the chance. The nine Mini Academy boys were split up into two teams and leaders were nominated. The boys had to work as a team and use their map reading skills to navigate in opposite directions around a circular route – starting at Ticknall Cricket Club. As part of the task, the teams were each given a workbook where they had to complete a series of questions. They were required to find and identify various different leaves, mark different locations on the map and use their listening and observation skills to answer questions along the route.

 

The team known as ‘Apple Mac’, led by Mykylo Bird, set off in a clockwise direction with Howard and Jess. There were a few difficulties at the start, mainly due to the fact that the team started by heading into Ticknall village down a main road in the wrong direction. However, this was only a minor hitch and the four boys were soon working well as a team, reading the map proficiently and competently completing the tasks in their workbook.

 

The second team of five boys named 'the Rhams', led by Rahib Ali, headed anti-clockwise on the route with similar initial problems getting started in the right direction! The second hurdle came when the team found themselves faced with a field of large horses and two of which took an interest in the group. Quick bowler, Adam Wheatcroft cleverly decided to distract two of the largest horses with food while the rest of the team walked on through the field. The boys quickly overcame the setbacks and began working well, dividing tasks and taking it in turns to map read (upside down at times!). Each team completed the 7 mile walk in around 2 hours 45 minutes.

 

Following the walk, the boys were called on to fulfill the final task of the day – preparing their own wraps and smoothies. Enjoy Walking’s resident chef, Jane, provided the teams with ingredients, nutritional information and a short demonstration. The teams then made their wraps and smoothies and were later questioned about why they had selected their chosen ingredients. The boys were marked on presentation of their food and how nutritionally balanced their creations were. Jane kindly awarded both teams top scores for their inventive efforts!

 

Both teams performed well and showed fantastic attitude throughout the tasks. A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all.

 

www.dcbcricket.com

 

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