Students to go the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile in six cantons
Most will go the proverbial extra mile in the world of sports. Regardless of whether they are active at a grassroots level or whether they are professional athletes, making an extra effort is inevitable and a basic prerequisite for making progress. To convey this core skill to children and young adults in a playful way, Weltklasse Zürich launched the Extra Mile initiative, a successful project that promotes physical activity.
The multidisciplinary school project instantly attracted great interest at schools both in the city and canton of Zurich, and it will now become available in five additional cantons in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, including Argovia, Basel-Country, Basel-City, Bern, and Zug. In Bern, Weltklasse Zürich will present the Extra Mile in cooperation with BSC Young Boys – two strong brands pulling together in Switzerland’s capital.
“We are delighted that the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile will be happening in six cantons this year, and that we are able to count on the support of all of their offices of sport. With our project, school kids explore long-distance running and learn about how to reflect and assess their abilities in a playful way. Kids are always particularly excited about final events. Last year, a total of 5 500 students concluded their Extra Mile projects at Letzigrund Stadium. This year, there will be two new venues, Basel and Bern, and therefore two new special locations for final events,” Andreas Hediger, Co-Meeting Director of Weltklasse Zürich explained.
Weltklasse Zürich and BSC Youngs – two strong brands joining forces
The cooperation of two leading players in two different sports is a new endeavour in the landscape of projects that promote sports. Weltklasse Zürich and BSC Young Boys are both committed to encourage physical activity and spark enthusiasm for sport among children.
“We are excited about welcoming hundreds of young athletes at Wankdorf Stadium. And we are very happy to partner with Weltklasse Zürich and support the Extra Mile project. We both champion the joy of being active and healthy, and we both strive to promote children’s individual development,” said BSC Young Boys CEO Wanja Greuel, pointing to the common objectives of the two brands.
Thus, numerous students will follow the “On your marks, get set, go!” command at the Wankdorf football arena in June. And many will do the same at Basel’s Park im Grünen, the second new venue for final events. With the support of the Migros Genossenschaftsbund Basel, the park will host a Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile final event as well this year.
Participating school classes can choose which final event they would like to be part of. They are even free to cross canton borders, a possibility the promoters actually welcome. As an exception in this extraordinary project about physical activity, speed is of the essence when it comes to signing up: Teachers may want to hurry if they would like their class to participate in the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile. Spots are available on a first come, first served basis. Last year, the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile final events were quickly fully booked.
About the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile
Classes all start by running a mile (1 609 metres), playfully, on a playful and interesting course on their school grounds. They then train aspects of long-distance running (which is an integral part of gym classes according to Lehrplan 21), again in a playful way, in pre-designed lessons.
The process does not focus on times or competition, but rather conveys self-assessment, self-reflection, and individual progress. The Extra Mile booklet, an activity journal of sorts, will guide students during the project. In the final events (staged at three venues in 2024), they will run another mile. This time around, the exercise will be all about achieving the goals they set for themselves.
The Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile is supported by the offices of sports of all participating cities and cantons, by the Freude herrscht foundation, and by Dar Vida.
