Video: Kingsway College Aerials team
For the students at Kingsway College in Oshawa, being a part of the aerials gymnastic team are in for lessons on tumbling, flips and teamwork.
STEVEN PECAR
Special to the Star
There is some irony in the way a group of students from Kingsway College approach their training.
For several hours each day, the students have their heads spinning in the clouds. But their feet are also planted firmly on the ground.
The paradox seems illogical. But if you watch a demonstration by the school's 45-member aerials gymnastics team, and get a chance to speak to the performers, the reality becomes clear.
The students, all high-school age, are nimble and certainly athletic, but it's their commitment — to themselves, to each other and to their faith — that truly stands out.
Located in Oshawa, Kingsway is a private Christian school operated by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Founded in 1903, the school is co-ed and offers Grades 9 to 12. It attracts students from around the globe who are boarded on site, but local teenagers also comprise a large component of the 185-strong student body.
That local base is the building block of the aerials team.
“A lot of the young people who come here already have plenty of experience as kids,” explains coach Jason Wilkins. “The skill level is pretty high, but they have to work pretty hard to make the team once they get here.”
Making the team is just the start of the character-building process it provides. Wilkins says one of the key points is for team members to rely on each other. As the intricate routines are performed, the students learn that it's not only timing, but trust and responsibility that make it all work.
As they build their athletic skills, Wilkins says you can also see their life skills begin to take shape, as they take on more leadership roles.
Seventeen-year-old Dustin Bruce can speak to that. Starting with the team in Grade 9, he is now in Grade 12 and a co-captain who assists not only with the drills, but with mentorship as well.
As a faith-based school, the spiritual aspect of growth is an integral part of Kingsway and it is part of Bruce's role to help lead the team in moments of worship.
“The values we learn should affect the whole person,” he explains. “It was taught to me by those who were leaders when I first arrived and, hopefully, I am passing that message on to others. I want to set a good example.”
Jackie Sittlinger agrees. The 18-year-old co-captain says her work with the team has prepared her for life after high school.
She says the team taught her how to work with others to achieve goals, skills she now applies to the rest of her life.
“You can really grow in a team atmosphere. It energizes you. It shows you that things can be accomplished.”
Caroline Kozarichuk, director of development at Kingsway, is a graduate of the school and a former member of the aerials team. Looking back, she says she can see how the training helped shape her life. For her, it came down to students teaching each other everything from performing to becoming spiritual and life role models.
“We were there for each other and that form of caring has carried on into adult life,” she says.
As one of the leading gymnastic teams in the country, Kingsway maintains a busy schedule. Although the team is not a credit course, it does involve practices every morning and regular performances around Ontario.
During March break, the team will head south of the border to perform and learn under advanced gymnasts from American colleges and universities.
In the meantime, the team is preparing new routines for its major performance of the year: The Home Show — one of the highlights of the preview weekend for prospective students and their families.
Artistic message
The Kingsway aerials gymnastics program began in 1983 when then-teacher Pierre Chartier wanted to create a team that could go out and promote a drug-free lifestyle. The squad still carries that message.
But it's not without its challenges.
Assistant coach and volunteer Justin Millett says the team virtually has to start from scratch each year, as students graduate and new members join the fold.
The routines can be complex, so the students must be willing to put in the time necessary to learn the moves and avoid injuries.
Millett says many Grade 9 students arrive with years of training and performing from elementary-level gymnastics programs.
A former Kingsway student himself, Millett says the team can be time-consuming, so students must also be dedicated to their academic studies to make it all work.
“It's a busy lifestyle, but the rewards are there and can last a lifetime,” he says.
— Steven Pecar
