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德雅中學本學年慶祝創校60周年， 以「愛德」作為學年主題，並引用慈幼家庭主保聖方濟沙雷氏（St. Francis de Sales）的思想「一切發自愛，非出於勉強」作學習方向，鼓勵眾人在生活中愛主愛人，承行天主的旨意去生活。該校中五學生陳寶兒表示，此話對她別具意義，「我小學時是跳繩運動員，升中後沒有再繼續，直到中三時得到教練的邀請，讓我有機會重拾花式跳繩，這才發現對這項運動的熱愛，即使鍛鍊過程不容易，但既然是我的選擇，便不會放棄。」   陳寶兒早在小學一年級學習花式跳繩，並加入校隊，小四時跟隨教練參與香港專業花式跳繩學校訓練，直到升中後，她認為要走出跳繩的世界，尋找其他更有趣的事物，她加入了排球學會及參與其他活動，希望可以擴闊眼界， 「可是每當我在體育新聞中，見到有花式跳繩運動員在國際賽上取得佳績時， 我會更渴望返回花式跳繩運動。」   兩年前寶兒的教練黃冠傑正招募運動員，邀請她參與，她沒多加考慮便立即答允。   寶兒於2021年參與全港分齡跳繩比賽，獲得團體賽的總亞軍，當中更在二人花式跳繩比賽上奪冠。   學校支持全人發展   寶兒表示，由於花式跳繩不設政府資助，平日訓練、個人裝備及比賽的報名費用也需自費，然而學校為學生設有精英獎助學金，幫助她繼續在跳繩運動上的發展。   該校體育科主任兼寶兒的班主任陳寶芝看到寶兒在重拾跳繩運動後，整個人也有明顯進步，「看到她在運動及學業訂定目標，現在她就讀精英班別， 跳繩運動需要付出許多時間練習，但她願意放下娛樂，平衡學習與運動。」   她現在平均每週兩晚到運動場練習，每次三小時，也要經常鍛煉體能。寶兒表示，重拾花式跳繩練習，讓她再次經歷數之不盡的「在失敗中學習」。   堅持下去便有希望   跳繩分為速度和花式兩個項目，速度是單車步跳繩，以快捷取勝，而花式跳繩是在跳躍與繩子之間做出不同的跳繩動作。花式跳繩正是寶兒最喜愛的項目，然而，每次學習一套花式套路，需要反覆練習才能使肌肉及身體產生記憶，更時常會被繩絆住，這正是她所說的「在失敗中學習」， 是一項講求專注與身體協調的運動。   她很享受花式跳繩的樂趣，她表示， 與隊員一起練習、一起成長，過程充滿歡樂，「我視花式跳繩如打機過關，我仍未『爆機』，仍然有許多關口未闖。」   疫情下，好些賽事轉為網上舉行， 寶兒在本年參與的亞洲跳繩錦標賽，以及香港代表隊選拔賽均在網上參賽，她事前與隊友一起錄製跳繩片段代替現場比賽， 「要每個動作也以零失誤完成，真的很難，稍一不專注便會出錯。」   陳寶兒剛在本年9月底成為花式跳繩香港代表隊成員，屬於19歲以上女子組的團體組別，她希望明年也能取得港隊代表的資格，期望可於2023年出戰在美國舉行的世界賽。（高）  

Personal Details  • Feast Day : 9 March Non-martyr saint  • Born : A.D.1842  • Died : A.D.1857  • Canonized : A.D.1954 Patron saint of juvenile  Saint Dominic Savio was born in a village in Italy in 1842. He came from a typical peasant family. He had great love for God since boyhood and was determined to become a priest.  When Saint Dominic Savio was at the age of twelve, Saint John Bosco was recruiting youngsters at Turin. Dominic Savio enrolled and became the beloved student of Saint John Bosco. On that day, after Father Bosco had talked face-to-face with him, he knew that Savio was the chosen one by God and he would lead a holy life. Savio joined the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales founded by Father Bosco and assisted in the founding of the Sodality of Mary Immaculate.  Savio was a person with earnestness. He diligently performed every job in his daily life. He would not be negligent of his trivial duties. He always said, “I must try my best to do my job, no matter they are big or small. When praying, pray piously, when playing, play wholeheartedly and joyfully.” When Father Bosco set up the Salesian Order, he did not have a chance to join because he passed away two years earlier.  The health of Dominic Savio was steadily deteriorating at the beginning of 1857. He was sent home from the Oratory to recover from his ill health in Febraury 1857. His illness was diagnosed as inflammation. It was not cured after continued treatment. Dominic was sure that his death was approaching. He asked his parents to send for the parish priest and asked to be given the Anointing of the Sick (last sacraments) in preparation for death and died peacefully.  Dominic Savio was beatified in 1950 in the Catholic Church and was canonized four years later in 1954. At the age of fifteen, he is the youngest non-martyr to be canonized in the Catholic Church. He is the patron saint of juveniles. Little Quiz  • Which great saint did Saint Dominic Savio meet during his boyhood? What happened to him afterwards?  • Which good virtue of Saint Dominic Savio do you want to model after? Why?