UNNIA
The coastal team has filled the city’s schools and hall with children, movement, and excitement.
The atmosphere in Ilulissat Hallen was electric as children engaged in gymnastics, kettlebell exercises, and trampoline jumps, all under the watchful eye of the coastal team from Nuuk Gymnastik.
Photo: Nuuk Gymnastics
Nina Vedel, an assistant coach with Nuuk Gymnastik, shared insights from the coastal team’s recent trip to Ilulissat in early November. The mission? To introduce gymnastics to the city’s schools and to ignite a passion for movement among the children. Since 2021, Nuuk Gymnastik has been sending assistants and trainers to coastal towns like Maniitsoq, Tasiilaq, and Sisimiut, helping to foster local gymnastics associations, with the one in Sisimiut being a notable success.
This year’s team featured ten dedicated assistant coaches, two instructors from Nuuk Gymnastik, and two seasoned trainers from Ollerup-Abroad. Eager to make an impact, they arrived in Ilulissat on Wednesday, November 5, where they began with an engaging tour of the hall before stepping into the classroom. The assistant coaches—students themselves in grades 7 to 10—took charge of the instruction, while their adult counterparts offered guidance and support.
Photo: Nuuk Gymnastics
“The warm welcome from both teachers and students in Ilulissat was incredible,” Nina reflected. “Some students even snuck in for extra gymnastics sessions whenever they could find the time!”
Once the school lessons wrapped up, the excitement continued in the Ilulissat Hall, filled with children eager to join the fun. “At one point, there was a line three times longer than usual waiting for the trampoline. The enthusiasm here is contagious,” Nina added.
The overarching goal of the trip was to spark a greater interest in gymnastics within the community, while also enriching the teaching skills of the assistant coaches. Although the coastal team has since returned to Nuuk, the Ollerup instructors, Johanne and Olav, will remain in Ilulissat until December 1, working to keep the momentum going and identifying local advocates who can help sustain these newfound gymnastics activities.