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September 25, 2013

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Home » Supplement » Education

Program readies kids for sports success

By Dale Mills and Josh Pike | September 25, 2013, Wednesday | Print Edition

Parents often ask us about ways to involve their child in team sports, and how to help increase their child’s athletic ability in preparation for the athletic programs available to secondary school students. This holds particular significance in a city like Shanghai, where primary school students at all international schools must wait until Year 6 (Grade 5) to participate in China International Schools Sports Association sports activities.

Since there are benefits for all children to participate in sports, our PE program has pioneered the approach by providing multiple opportunities for students to prepare for joining competitive school teams in the future.

It begins with the regular PE lessons that take place every week. Our PE program consists of various sporting units (such as basketball, football and volleyball) that typically last five to six weeks. After helping students build skills, develop techniques and understand game strategies, we divide the classes into teams, which then compete against each other to consolidate and demonstrate their learning.

At the conclusion of the unit, the top team from each class participates in playoff matches against other teams from their year level, with the winning team earning a trophy for their class. The trophy is a nice reward for competitiveness, but the real gains are seen in the development of teamwork and the capacity for students to display sportsmanship while they are keeping fit and having fun.

We also see special athletic events as a boost to children’s interest in sports. When there is an exciting activity with a goal, students are keen to show their best effort. This year we are holding a Founders Day Run at YCIS as an exciting way to promote physical activity. This new, distance run will feature students and teachers participating alongside each other, celebrating our school’s more-than-80-year history. Identifying an interesting and important activity, such as a run or sports event, and then participating with family or friends can increase a child’s interest and participation in sports, as well.

Athletic attitude

Our teaching staff is actively engaged in promoting an “athletic attitude” in our students. Teachers frequently involve themselves in our interclass challenges, and play a crucial role during Sports Day by participating in activities such as tug-of-war, and even teacher-versus-students relay races. The impact when adults (teachers, parents, other family members) take time to model the importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle can never be underestimated.

A new initiative we have developed this year aims to encourage our students’ friendly competition with students from other international schools in Shanghai, as a way to create more sporting pathways and opportunities for our younger student athletes. At YCIS’s Regency Park campus, we are currently focused on football, where our boys and girls teams will train with our specialist coaches before participating in friendly, interschool matches. The interest in these teams has been simply amazing, with over 130 students who tried out to represent YCIS.

Similarly, Year 5 students will be given the opportunity to form representative teams that will train for matches against other international schools in the city. 

In order to help prepare our teams for these matches, PE coaches at YCIS’s Century Park campus are introducing a weekly intramural program, providing friendly competition and gamesmanship between the Year 5 classes, with each class vying for the chance to win the “Classroom Cup.” To ensure that students get the most out of this program, emphasis will be put on fair play, teamwork and sportsmanship.

Year 6 brings about an entirely different opportunity for our student athletes. Once students move into Year 6, all international school students are allowed to participate in CISSA sports. Involvement in each sport includes a weekly practice, game and an end-of-season tournament. Students who play can expect to learn sport-specific skills from experienced coaches, develop an aptitude for fitness, and learn skills needed to be a successful part of a team.

Students who are able to get involved in sports at a young age are not just developing their athleticism, they are building important social skills that will benefit them in all areas of life. The sports program at YCIS Shanghai is just one part of the overall aim of the school to provide holistic learning and to develop students into global citizens. Whether the students go on to become athletes, doctors, engineers or teachers, our programs help ensure that every student will value exercise and healthy living, and will know how to function and cooperate effectively with other team members as part of society.

 

The authors are YCIS Shanghai Primary Physical Education teachers.

 

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