Peter Tupper manages the multi-activity company Imagine. From the UK, he has been living in Beijing for the past 4 years, and during this time has launched an array of after school activities, adventure camps, a choir, and the infamous bubble football matches.
What do you coach?
Skiing, snowboarding, rollerblading, sailing, and kayaking. I also coach the kids at our Survival Camps, Knight School, Pirate Parties, and Trash Bash.
How long have you been coaching? 8 years
What made you become interested in coaching?
The chance to turn passions into a lifestyle!
What coaching qualifications do you have?
Three levels of ski and snowboard instructing qualifications from Austria.
What was your favorite sport to play when you were a student?
My life at university revolved around running the snowboard club, coaching the team, and arranging for us to attend championship events in France and Scotland. I loved it so much I wanted to bring similar experiences to people in China!
How would you describe your coaching style?
Imaginative! I think like a kid when I’m with kids, so games and funny activities seem to spring to mind in the middle of lessons. Having said that, lessons are always based around the framework of the handbooks we’ve designed for the various Imagine. activities.
What do you find most rewarding about coaching?
I like to think about the effect that everything we do will have on kids as they grow up. Will there be one sentence or skill or thought that sticks with them and influences their future in a big way? That gives a reason to think about how we organize, act, and speak in everything we do.
And most challenging…?
I manage the Imagine. company when I’m not coaching, so increasingly it becomes a challenge to focus on each session, when there are many other aspects to think about. Luckily, our team of coaches is rapidly growing. I enjoy putting systems in place to ensure the activities meet certain standards for safety, fun, and education. This way, we can be sure to bring joy to more kids, no matter which coach goes on the day!
To contact Peter Tupper, e-mail peter@imagine-china.com, call 5739 4933, or visit the website www.imagine-china.com
beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.
Photos: courtesy of Imagine.
