{"id":49326,"date":"2023-07-04T06:01:43","date_gmt":"2023-07-04T04:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/giving-back-to-the-community-retreat-womans-passion-for-gymnastics-still-burns-brightly-20230704\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T21:06:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T19:06:45","slug":"giving-back-to-the-community-retreat-womans-passion-for-gymnastics-still-burns-brightly-20230704","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/giving-back-to-the-community-retreat-womans-passion-for-gymnastics-still-burns-brightly-20230704\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving back to the community: Retreat woman’s passion for gymnastics still burns brightly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gymnastics for Marilyn Julies, founder and executive director of MJ Gymnastics Club in Retreat, is a passion for more than 30 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While opportunities were scarce for young girls of colour growing up in the 60s, Julies says it led her to plough back into the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a child of the 60s, I had nowhere to go to train or play. There was never a place for us to train in the apartheid era. So, as an adult, I have been trying to plough back into the community and gymnastics was always close to my heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany ask why gymnastics because I am also good with netball, but it is just something I have always loved and I want to show children in the area that there are better things to do than just hanging out with friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club, which runs from St Mary\u2019s Primary School in Retreat, is aimed at the communities of Retreat, Cafda, Steenberg, Lavender Hill, Capricorn and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julies, a former school teacher, says coaches volunteer their time and get nothing for their efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome coaches are unemployed and we find it rather difficult to keep up financially as most children come from homes with unemployed parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are based at St Mary\u2019s Primary School where we make use of the church hall and where I coach children from the surrounding areas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club is made up of around 40 gymnasts, mostly girls aged between six and 15 years old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I started teaching in 1989, I was at Steenberg High School, where I started the gym club. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe became part of the Western Province schools and we did not have a facility. At the time, we had quite a lot of Western Province athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"

<\/p>\n

The MJ Gymnastics Club consists of 40 gymnasts between the ages of six and 15.<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 2004, Julies says she received a teacher\u2019s post at St Mary\u2019s in Retreat Road and that is where she runs the gymnastics club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can use the hall when it is available to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGymnastics helps learners in a positive way, especially with their self-esteem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust a month ago, an ex-gymnast called me from Singapore and thanked me for teaching her how to stand on her own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe told me that she was taught to have no fear because gymnastics taught her to face her fears.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NPO is in need of equipment and tracksuits to keep the club running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the moment, we desperately need leotards and tracksuits. We are plus minus 40 children in different disciplines. We would like children to explore whichever discipline they are interested in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been doing this for 34 years and I don\u2019t know when we will have our own gym in our community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnfortunately, gymnastics is never seen as important as rugby or cricket. Lack of funds and venue is the main concern for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • For more information on how to assist contact Marilyn Julies at marjulies@gmail.com<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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