Jump Jam: Greenmeadows Groovers bring home trophy

Pupils from Greenmeadows School compete in the Jump Jam Championships in Auckland.

For the third year in a row, Greenmeadows School have seen their Jump Jam team not only qualify for the New Zealand Jump Jam Championships in Auckland but excel.

The Greenmeadows Groovers performed the routine Freaks at the competition last month - all while wearing creative costumes and makeup.

The team of 11 came third nationally in the advanced open section of the challenge category and won distinction for creativity, technical execution, and costume, as well as excellence in presentation, and sportsmanship.

Aged between 9 and 11, the Napier team had been hard at work training, choreographing changes and fundraising since term one.

Year 4 classroom teacher and Jump Jam head coach Toni Miles said the school had been doing Jump Jam as a school for years, however only started taking the kids to competitions in 2015.

"I have been a coach at other schools, but brought my love of Jump Jam to Greenmeadows in 2015 and the kids are all very keen to trial for the team each year."

She was helped by assistant coach Sarah Groenveld, who came on board this year.

"Both Sarah and I are extremely proud of the team, they worked so hard for seven months, often coming into school on Sundays and in their holidays for practice. It's a huge commitment and they all did a wonderful job.

"Jump Jam is important because it provides wonderful fitness and encourages all children to have fun and take part. The competitions are a wonderful opportunity for children to excel at something they love, while being part of a team, striving towards a common goal and working together to create a routine they are proud of."

Greenmeadows School principal Mark Johnson said the team was a "very dedicated and very capable group".

"This is the third year in a row that they have gone to the national champs and they just get better and better each year.

"We are very lucky to have the teacher who co-ordinates it all and brings out the best in those kids; boys and girls who are involved and they have excellent parental support."

Mr Johnson said the team was like "the First XV of dance", with children trialling for the group.

"We are all very proud of them, and what they have achieved in that level of competition is amazing."

The kids aerobics was created by Brett Fairweather in 2001 and has been adopted by more than 2000 New Zealand schools from Year 1 to 8 and is also being used in Singapore schools.