Last Wednesday I was very grateful to bring table cricket into Scoil Mochua in Clondalkin.
Scoil Mochua is a special school for pupils with physical disability aged 3 to 18 years. The school was established in 1977 under the patronage of the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and under the aegis of the Department of Education.
"The mission statement of the school states that it seeks to promote the self-actualization and empowerment of each individual and that a key aim is to provide an atmosphere, environment and services which enable all who participate in the school to develop to their full potential."
The school on the day was broken up in to three sections - seniors, montessori, ward 1 and juniors. Overall 85 of them took part in Table Cricket.
Table Cricket was very well received by the students, their parents and careers but in particular the occupational therapists and physiotherapists. They now had a different way of observing their mobility, strength and co-ordination through watching them play cricket.
In their sports day they also had someone in from Karate Ireland as well as the FAI, but everyone was most impressed by table cricket and how great it was to have something new in the school for the students that both challenged then in the game sense but also can improve their development.
Many thanks to Marion (head of sports) for inviting us to the school and we look forward to our planned weekly sessions at the school planned for the new school term.