Missing out...?

So what do you do when you have 39 boys who turn up to trial for a tag football team, and you can only pick 12?  Or about 25 girls who will trial for netball and you can only take 9, 30 boys for league and you can only choose 14?  Next week I'll begin trials for a Year 5 & 6 rippa rugby team - I'm predicting that we'd get around 40 boys and girls who will turn up, but I can only select 12 to take to a tournament next month.

So what I'm faced with, as in the case of the tag football trials - there are potentially 3 good teams we could take to a tournament, but I'm the only coach, which means that there'll be only 1 team going.  Who misses out here?

I really wish I could take them all, because I know that they'd really enjoy the experience of participating in a sports competition - I see smiles, I see tears, I see strength, I see friendship, I see confidence, I see pride, I see parents, I see grandparents, I see hugs, I see nice lunches, I hear cheers, I hear happiness.  This is what I feel that the kids are missing out on...

So what does this have to do with raising academic achievement?  I believe that some of the most powerful learning for children takes place in a sporting environment where the key competencies are fostered, especially in managing self, in thinking, in participating and contributing and in relating to others.

What do you think?

Year 3 & 4 and 5 & 6 Girls Cricket Teams
Eastern Zone Quikhit Tournament 2014

Strive to Succeed

Our school motto is 'Strive to Succeed' which encompasses a favourite quote I like, by one of the most revered coaches in American basketball:

"SUCCESS
IS PEACE OF
MIND WHICH IS A
DIRECT RESULT OF
SELF-SATISFACTION IN
KNOWING YOU MADE THE
EFFORT TO BECOME THE BEST YOU
ARE CAPABLE OF BECOMING."

- John Wooden

My inquiry journey begins with thoughts on, how can sport improve a student's academic results.  I think that if someone experiences the peace, happiness and self satisfaction that comes with great effort in achieving success in sport, then they can apply that same determination towards studying to produce the desired results in reading, writing and maths at school.  I believe this is possible and I'm sure that there are many worldwide stories of athletes who have accomplished this.  So I'm glad to take some time to investigate this further and find out, how this can be done in our school.

The first step in my journey, is to update the areas of online communication that I'm responsible for, so that everyone gets the big picture of what sport looks like at our school.  The two online areas are the Pt England School Sports Blog and the Pt England School Sport Site.  I have numerous google documents that records the athletes in various events, organisational plans, reports and other administrative files.  This will take some time to sort, edit and publish - but will help me identify an area to focus specifically on, who, what and how does sport raise the academic achievement of our athletic students.