Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
LEFT: Shin Nishida performs at the Gym Stars Invitational Meet, held at University of Technology auditorium, Old Hope Road, on Sunday, June 3.
RIGHT: Nishida Shin Nishida, gymnastics instructor of the Ishimoto School of Gymnastics in St. Andrew, experienced a proud moment in June when several of his young students from the inner city excelled at the 10th Gym Stars Invitational Meet at the University of Technology.
In the school competition, Annika Ellis of Morris Knibb scored 9.6 in the 6-8-year-old category; Romario Edwards of Seaward Primary scored 9.45 in the 9-10 age group, and Sache Allen of Maxfield Park Primary scored 9.6, winning in the 11 years group.
Andrea Morrison of the the Salvation Army School for the Blind scored 9.25 to win in 12 to teen category.
Nishida teaches young boys and girls how to fly. He is a tutor at the Ishimoto School of Gymnastics, which was formed by Yasunori Ishimoto, a Japanese volunteer who came to Jamaica 15 years ago.
The school, located at 25 Annette Crescent in St. Andrew, is a fully equipped gymnastics centre in Jamaica.
Nishida, who is also a Japanese volunteer, runs classes for pre-school students - both beginners and competitive - and adults.
Since July 2004 he has supported the recreational class and taught the boys' competitive class for advanced gymnasts as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.
In Japan, the volunteer served as a coach in the elementary competitor's training course for boys at Osaka Gymnastics Club, and gave instruction to boys aged six to 10.
The boys who received instruction participated in various competitions and achieved excellent results.
The gymnastics programme in Jamaica is short of field training coaches. However, boys under Nishida's instruction at the Ishimoto gym have participated in 2005 Gasparilla Classic Competition in Florida. They placed first in USAG (USA Gymnastics) level five against their age group.
Currently, Nishida notes, other advanced students are getting ready to compete in USAG level six.
Problem
"I plan to take my boys' team to travel to compete in the competition abroad," he states, noting, however, that there is a problem.
"Most of them are from poor communities, therefore it is difficult for their parents to finance (the programme). We are looking for a sponsor to support us."
Nishida's students, numbering six, attend New Day Primary, Holy Family Primary, Marverley Primary, Melrose Primary and Swallowfield Primary schools.
Support is also needed for the Jamaica Amateur Gymnastics Association, which is trying to expand gymnastics programme to primary/junior high/all-age schools in Kingston.
Nishida explains, "We started visiting schools in addition to training children at the Ishimoto School, as not many children can afford to learn high-cost sports like gymnastics.
"I would like to give opportunities to inner-city children through school visits."
He is also issuing an open invitation to children with a high athletic potential and strong interest in gymnastics to come for training at the Ishimoto School.
In the last three years, Nishida and his colleagues have visited more than 20 schools and held six-week workshops with physical education teachers at schools, including Seaward Primary and Junior High, Maxfield Park Primary, Hope Valley Experimental Primary and Infant, and Shortwood Primary and Junior High.
"Most students love doing gymnastics, but they have some problems continuing gymnastics classes by themselves, especially because of a shortage of equipment, facilities and conflicts with their time schedule," Nishida states.
The gymnast expresses his belief that the sport teaches students "right from wrong and helps them to have confidence and pride in themselves."
His primary goal, he says, is build up the boys' competitive team and keep in touch with people in trouble through gymnastics lessons.
