It's no secret  - this year has been one of the toughest we've seen.

2020 was meant to mark the 60th year anniversary of Edith Parsons School of Physical Culture, as well as the 30th year  anniversary of Tuggerah Lakes as a club.  There were plans for dinners, celebrations and the regular cycle of competitions , ending with our Grand Finals at Sydney Town Hall.

And then.

We started the year with an amazing fundraiser initiative organised by the EP board - an EP dance day in four separate zones, raising money for the incredible RFS to support the thousands of people that lost everything in the horrific 2019/2020 bushfire season. EP raised over $12,000, with our own Central Coast zone raising $1300 to contribute.

We all excitedly began learning our new syllabus, while keeping a cautious eye on the "flu" that was coming from overseas. A few weeks in we understood more about how serious this was, but did not know how severely it would affect our daily lives, including our Physie.  By the end of term 1, NSW was in lockdown, and Physie as we know it had to change.

We started with Facebook and Instagram challenges, uploads of videos from when we still had classes, and finally joined the Zoom phenomenon. Physie had gone from a weekly  outing to an online class in our living rooms. 

Working it all in around remote learning, lockdown, masks and consistent handwashing - it would have been easy to just pack it in. Pick up and start again in 2021. Tuggerah Lakes members, however, showed true resilience and persistance - turning up week after week to complete their lessons and learn the syllabus through a screen. How proud we are of our physie girls! You have made this year so much more bearable, just to see your smiling faces each week.

After three long months we were finally able to get back to work - and honestly, it was a lot easier than we thought it would be!! Being back in  class was a joy, being able to spend time with our physie friends and family (while socially distancing of course!). We discussed whether or not champion girl competitions would be postponed, or cancelled as we learned that there would be no team competitions in 2020. 

The EP board never gave up!  They continued to call venues, sort out numbers, deal with venue cancellations and start the process again. They discussed recording competitions and spectator numbers in collaboration with other physie codes that were all going through the same struggles. What a great day it was, to have our Junior Showcase day as the first EP club, and the first physie competition ever, to be livestreamed to share the day with our family and friends. 

This swelled a chain reaction, with interclub competitions and finally our champion girl competitions being livestreamed internationally, spreading physie far and wide for all to see. We were so lucky to be the only physie to give this experience to our members.

Finally, we made it to our Grand Finals - not in our beloved Sydney Town Hall, but it what turned out to be a fantastic substitute, the Quaycentre, Sydney Olympic Park. As Tuggerah Lakes we took an incredible 20 representatives, all of which smiled, sparkled and shone in a way we have never seen before.

We are so lucky to have such a resilient and persistent board, not only within Tuggerah Lakes, but also through Edith Parsons Physi. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us this year.

Bring on 2021!!

What an incredible day!!  Sydney Town Hall hosted the National Grand Finals  for Edith Parsons Physical Culture  , and boy was it a cracker!! We had the most representatives we have ever had, an AMAZING 21 girls from the 5 years to the Advanced Ladies! 

We are so proud of everyone that competed today and so thankful to all brothers, fathers, sisters and mothers that came out to watch! 

HUGE congratulations to MELISSA BRAILEY who has taken the title of National  Grand Champion for the SEVENTH time! She is the only person in Edith Parsons history  to have won this honour this many times! 

Results from today:

other big weekend! Three down, Four to go!

This weekend was our Junior Teams competition. We had 6 fantastic teams performing, including THREE 7-8 year old teams, a brand new venture for Tuggerah Lakes! We had so much support and assistance throughout the weekend, from helping with hair, to dressing and herding the teams together, to just asking if Louise had eaten anything today, we are so thankful for our club members!!

We were exceptionally proud of our "Smile" 7 and 8 years team, and our "Sparkle" 9 and 10 years team for a few reasons. For many of the  girls in these teams it was their very first  year of physi, and almost all of them had never been in a team before this year.  This is a tremendous achievement to get out on the floor with their friends and perform as beautifully as they did!

Well done, of  course, to the "Sparkle" and "Shine 7 and 8 years teams who received 3rd and 2nd place, respectively, and  to the "Smile" 9 and 10 years teams who received 3rd place. The "Sparkle" 7 and 8 years also received the Dance Award! Our 15 and 16 years team worked beautifully, with the best timing we have seen from them this year, but unfortunately missed out on placing this year.

This weekend also hosted the Open Advanced Ladies competition. This competition is for any lady, of any age, to compete for a place in the State and eventually Grand Finals. Ladies that compete and do not progress to the next stage will compete again in the Sectional Ladies Championship day on the 16th. We had an amazing 7 ladies compete in this section, with an incredible 5 making it through to the State Finals next Saturday! This is the highest number of ladies to progress  in this section that we have ever had, and we are so proud of each of you!! A big thank you to the ladies that came down to support our competitors in this section - even ladies need their mums!!

So buckle up Tuggerah Lakes - as next weekend we have an exceptional THIRTY THREE competitors in the State Finals at Hurstville Entertainment Centre. If you want to come down and  support our amazing friends, tickets are available at the door -  Adults $20, Non Competing Children $12, Cash preferred.

Results from this weekend:

What a good weekend! Some long physi days, but such a rewarding experience for Tuggerah Lakes.

This weekend we travelled down to Sutherland Entertainment Centre for the annual Seniors Weekend. This is when all Intermediate and Open Seniors, as well as our Extended Ladies, congregate and compete together. We love to see our Coffs Harbour friends each year, and catch up on whats happening!

We had three teams compete this year, all in very competitive sections. Congratulations to our Intermediate Senior Team, who took 7th place, and our Extended Ladies who took 2nd place! Our Open Senior team, while beautiful, unfortunately did not take home a place this year. All videos of our teams were live streamed or posted to our Facebook page -   https://www.facebook.com/TuggerahLakesPhysicalCultureClub/.

Champion Girl is always an amazing experience, as competitors all strive for the coveted Golden Ticket to Town Hall! Only 12 girls in each section (24 in Open Seniors) are given the opportunity to compete at Town Hall, and this year we are starting strong with 6 Tuggerah Lakes members receiving tickets!

For those in Intermediate and Open Seniors that did not receive a ticket this year, they will have the chance to compete again in Championship day on the 10th of November.

Results from the Weekend:

This weekend marked the first of the Sydney Zone Competitions. Our Junior and Teenage groups took to the floor in spectacular style.  We say a huge thank you to all the families that brought the girls down to Blacktown and to EP Physie for running such a successful day. 

We are so proud of all of the girls that competed this weekend - you showed great improvement, passion and determination in your work.

 Saturday was an amazing start - with a clean sweep across the  board! All seven Tuggerah Lakes representatives  that competed today have now qualified as State Finalists!

 Sunday was just as impressive, with an incredible 21 girls making the State Finals in their age groups.  So many happy faces makes for two happy Tuggerah Teachers!