THE SENSE OF SPORT

It’s time to meet two more WINS student athletes, Belal Attout from grade 8 and Emanuela Appendino from grade 9. Both are passionate about their sport, respectively horse riding and golf. Let’s find out more!

by Hoti Megan

WHY YOU LIKE YOUR SPORT?

BELAL: Since I was young I was impressed by horses and I had this passion of doing horse riding, which eventually turned out into the sport I compete in today. Horse riding is an expression of freedom.

EMANUELA: I like golf because I find it beautiful and it was my passion since I can remember. You also visit many different places for the competitions.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CHOOSE THIS SPORT?

BELAL: When I was really young, I used to go to a friend’s farm and we would drive horses and take care of them. I couldn’t actually ride them since I wasn’t old enough, so I waited. But eventually I started horse riding. My mother does horse riding too, so I was even more inspired.

EMANUELA: Sincerely, I didn’t choose it, but my family did since they all play golf.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU PRACTICED THIS SPORT?

BELAL: Since I turned 7

EMANUELA: I have practiced this sport since I was 5 or 6 years old.

IS SPORT GOOD? WHY?

BELAL: I think sport is good because it helps with your decisions.

Usually teenagers like me get bored very easily and it may lead them to make wrong decisions. Sport helps clean your mind. Of course it is very important.

EMANUELA: I think sport is good because it helps your health and it allows you to go out and not stay only at home.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO BALANCE SCHOOL AND SPORT?

BELAL: In other schools yes, but here no. WINS provides an athlete program, so if I for example have a competition, they let me go for those days, and the tasks and summatives that were done during that period of time are postponed. The school schedule is very flexible for students like me and it helps a lot.

EMANUELA: No, because there is plenty of time. Over the weekends, I usually try to do most of my home- work so that I have time for my practice schedule.

HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK YOU PRACTICE THIS SPORT?

BELAL: Everyday expect Mondays

EMANUELA: 6 times a week.

DID YOU WIN SOME COMPETITIONS BEFORE?

BELAL: I do competitions twice a month so yeah, I have won many competitions. In the last competition, I got in the first and fourth place for different skills.

EMANUELA: Yes, I won many, but I can’t really remember them since we go to so many places and everything is so rushed.

Thanks Belal and Emanuela for sharing your stories and showing how it is possible to balance our work with our dreams!