Thursday, 30 May 2013

over 60's article


KNIT AND NATTER

If you are about to retire or thinking of retiring now is the time is to plan ahead to keep yourself busy and active.  

Retirement is a time in your life to look forward to but can also be a hard and emotional time because of all the changes your will be facing.  Some of these changes could be leaving a job you enjoy and spending a lot more time with your close family!

If you don’t already have hobbies or interests here are some ideas to consider.

Gardening – Keeps you flexible, is an outdoor activity and you can step back and appreciate your work at the end of the day.  Many of the older generation do garden and it seems to improve their physical and mental well being.  Even if you don’t have a garden you can probably plant tubs and window boxes.

Art Groups – Are generally open to all age groups and provides a creative and social aspect to your life and you can take you techniques learnt and use them on your own. Art is a good way of expressing yourself and letting out feelings that you don’t want to talk about.

Walking Clubs – An excellent opportunity to socialise, see the countryside and keep fit.  Exercise is proven to help your feel good factor.

Knit and Natter – Don’t stay at home on your own knitting or crocheting, join a local knit and natter group to socialise and swop patterns and ideas. If you enjoy knitting this is a really good activity.

It is really important to keep your body and mind active and to keep positive and enjoy the ‘golden years’.  Happy retirement!

interview


BEING THE NUTS

We talk to Mike Muckelt about his talent in javelin and what it’s like to be ‘the nuts’.

Our local star from Petersfield is 18 years old and is currently studying sport, human biology and sociology at Southdowns College, Crookhorn. 

Although Mike has participated in many sports at a good level, this did not affect his studies and he left school with 13 GCSEs (7 As and 6 Bs).  Mike enjoyed throwing the javelin during pe lessons at The Petersfield School.  He went on to take part in a trial for Portsmouth Athletics Club and was successful in being selected to join the club.  After a couple of years Mike has gone from strength to strength and describes his performance as “being the nuts”.

He is a dedicated athlete and trains everyday and up to 18 hours a week doing gymnastics, weights and stretching.  This training has paid off and in 2012 Mike was ranked 2nd in the under 18s and is currently ranked 10th in the under 20s age group in the UK.

This very talented athlete competes for not one team but three; Portsmouth, Southampton and Hampshire. Unlike other sports such as football and rugby, there is no rivalry between clubs as it is an individual sport.  Mike will be competing from now until August for all these teams every weekend. 

When asked if he would carry on with sport in the future his answer was “sport is my life, so yes”.

I also asked him what job he would like to be doing after studying and he responded with “I’d like to coach javelin but I won’t stop competing until my late 30s because we peak late 20s to early 30s”.

We wish him all the luck in the future.

 

Friday, 24 May 2013

interview


Being the Nuts

We talk to Mike Muckelt about his talent in javelin and what it is like to be ‘the nut’s’.

Our local star from Petersfield

Born petersfeild, 18
6 B’s 7 A’s
A-levels: sport, human biology, sociology
Spare time:revise and chill
Job: swimming teacher havant leisure centre


School: rugby, swimming, football and athletics
Enjoyed javilen at school thought he was the nuts so went and tried out at a club after a couple of years it turns out he is the nuts.
Influenced by steve blackly
Training:
12-18 hours a week,
gymnastics
weights
sprint
stretching everyday.
Cons: takes up a lot of time.
Pro’s: can throw
Sponser: ALUKE
Longest throw: 60m
Competing every weekend from now to august
Throws for Portsmouth, Southampton and Hampshire
Not difficult to throw for different teams because the is no rivry and its individuals,
Will you carry on with sport in your future: Sport is my life so yes
10th under 20’s in UK
last year was 2nd under 18’s in UK
future: coaching javiln
PEAK late 20’s to early 30’s