Black Kites in COVID: hit or miss?

By Arthelais Yu

The pandemic has affected and changed the normal routine of Renaissance College, such as shutting down both the primary and secondary Black Kites sports team trainings ever since mid-January last year. 

However, trainings recently reopened at the beginning of April. Led by PE teachers Gregor McNeish and Craig Edwards, training of primary sports such as touch rugby and basketball resumed weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays after-school, respectively. 

Many students reacted positively to this change. 

“I am really happy and excited because the sports teams are open again,” says Ambie Leung, a member of the Black Kites basketball team.

There has also been a change in protocol due to the coronavirus. Before the pandemic, students usually had training directly after school at around 3:30 pm. As a result of COVID prevention regulations by the Education Bureau, students were no longer permitted to stay on campus after 1 pm, instead having to leave the campus and return at 3 pm. 

Other implemented protocols within training include masks being worn at all times, the 1.5-metre social distancing rule etc. Furthermore, inter-school tournaments were not held unlike previous years, where students had the opportunity to compete as a team with other schools including Discovery Bay International School and ESF Beacon Hill School. 

“I feel excited that the sports teams are open again, but also furious because there won’t be any tournaments this year,” says Cathy Chen, a member of the Black Kites basketball and touch rugby teams. 

“I am glad that the teams are finally opening up,” said Edwards, coach of the Year 5 and 6 basketball team. “I hope we will resume to normal again and host tournaments with other schools.” 

After full-day school resumed on the 31st of May, students were permitted to stay on campus from 3 to 4 pm. However, there remain many procedures to return the norms of Black Kites. Like scoring a hoop, this is obviously easier said than done. However, with enough perseverance in our efforts to maintain minimal infections, this ‘three pointer’ will eventually be scored.