DEFYING CONVENTION

Some of my funniest childhood memories are of my father driving my teammates and me to gymnastics meets across Victoria. He literally always got lost, despite having the street map sitting on his lap! Gymnastics played a big part in my life, teaching me respect for sport in general, and the benefits of being part of a team. Gymnastics is where I learned many of life’s important lessons - resilience, hard work, and supporting others. But I certainly never thought I would pick it up again.

Up for the Challenge

It was my gym instructor, someone I admire as a fitness role model, who suggested I try adult gymnastics. While I have worked hard to remain fit and know the body is capable of amazing things (even the rigours of gymnastics in middle life!) the logistics of balancing training with work and family commitments was daunting. Despite the challenges, I accepted her recommendation and joined a group of women around my age and older, who, similarly to me, aspire to rekindle their childhood abilities or develop new ones.

Competitive Insights

Last year, one of my gymnastics friends suggested on our group chat that we enter the 2022 Pan Pacific Masters, an international multi-sport competition on the Gold Coast. While I replied that I would love to work towards something like that, I doubted my ability to follow through. To my surprise, the rest of the group was keen, and together, we employed various goal-setting strategies, provided mutual support, and exchanged videos showcasing our progress.

Over time, we built an incredibly supportive, motivational atmosphere that encourages success. It would be a useful model for any group to replicate, as a way of fasttracking improvement in any sphere or endeavour.

Journey to the Masters

The games were an exciting time - 13,000 participants competing in 42 sports. My family flew up to be among the 20,000 supporters - it felt huge to have them there, cheering me on.

The experience taught me a great deal about motivation and the power of passion, lessons I now draw on, especially when teaching the Sports Psychology section of the Stage 5 syllabus. My students may laugh at me sometimes but also admit that they really benefit from learning such transferrable, immediately applicable skills.

Our gymnastics group is now working towards the Australian Masters Games in Adelaide, followed by the 2023 Pan Pacific Masters. The experience has me wondering what else might be possible – maybe I will take up dance lessons or something else I used to love but abandoned due to adult commitments.

Juggling Life’s Priorities

Balancing personal pursuits with family and work can be challenging. Still, I believe it is essential for individuals, especially mothers, and people in the caring professions such as teachers, to prioritise the activities that enrich their lives.

One of the biggest benefits has been the friends I have made – connections that are more fulfilling than I imagined possible at this stage of my life. That’s another lesson I try to pass on to my students in the hope that they will too learn to push their boundaries and pursue unexpected rewards.

Fuelled by his COVID-19 healthcare experience and a profound admiration for teachers, Business Manager, Mr Jef Ma is pursuing balanced, relationship-centric innovation.