Move It Cayman Finale — A Day That Felt Like an Open Door

By Christopher Tobutt

You could feel it from the moment you stepped onto the John Gray High School campus — that gentle hum of people gathering for something hopeful. Not competitive, not intimidating, not the kind of fitness event that makes you shrink into yourself. This was softer. Warmer. A place where someone who hasn’t stretched properly in years could wander in and still feel like they belonged.

For many, the day began long before the speeches. At 6:30 am, the first group set off on the onemile School Zone Loop run, moving through the cool morning air with quiet determination. By 7:30, more people were arriving for the community stretch session, easing into the day together. And at 8:00, the first burst of real energy hit as a dance fitness session pulled in parents, teenagers, and anyone curious enough to step closer. Some moved confidently, others cautiously, but everyone moved.

By nine o’clock, the crowd had thickened around for the opening ceremony. The dignitaries arrived — Hon Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Hon Minister Roulstone Anglin, Gloria McField Nixon, and former Premier Wayne Panton and Hon Minister Michael Myles

Ebanks-Wilks spoke first, grounding the programme in connection rather than statistics. “Many of the diseases affecting our people are preventable,” she said. “Movement is one of the ways we can live longer, healthier lives.” When she asked who had participated in the challenge, hands rose everywhere — shy hands, proud hands, hands that had counted steps for weeks.

Anglin followed with a reminder about healthy habits for young people. All the leaders stood together, and showed by example that they, too were keen to make a change in their own lives. Their messages layered together, not aimed at athletes or fitness buffs, but at anyone who has ever felt a little shy about starting something new.

When the speeches ended, the activities resumed and the the energy continued to build. From 9:15 am to noon, the fields filled with multisport action: basketballs thumping, cricket balls arcing, netball players calling out plays. At the same time, the Active Seniors Zone ran from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, offering chair yoga, basketball and football shootouts, Box Fit, and even a giant Connect 4. Watching older adults move joyfully — slowly, steadily, proudly — made the whole event feel even more accessible.

At 12:00 pm, the sport and fitness exhibitions began, drawing people closer. Cayman’s athletes and coaches demonstrated skill and discipline, from the crisp precision of Taekwondo to the rhythmic footwork of boxing. It didn’t matter if you were participating or simply watching; the movement was contagious.

By 1:30 pm, the championship finals brought a friendly competitive spark. And then came the part the schedule only hinted at — the 2:00 pm community session. where the experts stepped back and the community stepped forward. Families, friends, newcomers. By the time the closing moments arrived around 2:50 pm, the campus glowed with that particular kind of tired happiness that comes from shared effort. You walked away not judged for what you didn’t do, but encouraged by what you might do next.

That was the quiet magic of Move It Cayman a door gently held open.