Coaching Today's Youth and Tomorrow's Physical Activity Leaders

By: Anna Lee Boschetto in collaboration with Ophea and Kathy Brook

Lacrosse team captains, first line soccer forwards and all-star hockey players all seem to possess an innate ability to lead their team mates to realize their OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) dreams. But for most students, taking on a sports leadership role, can be about as comfortable as ill-fitting gym shorts. Exactly the reason that Kathy Brook, a Health and Physical Education teacher from the Waterloo Region District School Board, unofficially dubbed her grade 12 Fitness and Recreation Leadership (PLF4CI) course "Coaching".

Curriculum Fulfillment

The coaching concept can help teachers incorporate practical application of leadership, fundamental skills development and mentorship. All of which are key elements of the PLFCI course and one of the key considerations listed in the OPHEA and OASPHE (Ontario Association for the Supervision of Physical and Health Education) paper regarding the further development of the renewed Grade 11 and 12 Physical Education Courses. According to Brook, students found the concept of learning to coach less onerous than becoming a leader. After reading Long Term Athlete Development: A Canadian Sport Model, Brook began blending together elements of coaching and key elements of the PLF4CI course to help her meet the main teaching outcomes of the course and the renewed Physical Education curriculum. She utilized the course as an opportunity to partner within local elementary schools, empowering her students to take on a leadership and mentoring role among younger students.

Leadership

For teachers it's natural to allow the student athletes to take lead roles simply because they frequently play this position. At the same time, surprising leadership skills may be found among the less than star athletes. "It's amazing to see these students excel with the children," shares Brook. Rather than focusing on athletic skill, students who possess a combination of solid communication abilities along with a strong work ethic, determination and dedication often possess the patience and understanding required to teach the fundamental movement skills - throwing, hopping, skipping, jumping, kicking, striking, balancing, catching, and agility - to the younger students. In addition, developing the fundamental movement skills before sport specific techniques of young children increases the chance that they will enjoy learning how to play sports, which can lead higher adherence rates during adolescent years, and increase the likelihood that these children will continue to participate in physical activity throughout their adult lives as well.

Fundamental Skills Development

Research has consistently indicated a key factor to leading a healthy active lifestyle as an adult is greatly influenced during childhood. According to Canadian Sport for Life, students aged six to nine should actively participate in a variety of fun, well-structured activities in order to develop the fundamental movement skills. Using workshop elements from the National Coaching Certification Program Brook took her students through twelve units that exposed students to the process of teaching and improving athletic skills. With each unit students gained an understanding of the how and why behind such basic skills as hoping, skipping and throwing. In addition, by focusing on elements including fair play, responsibility and safety, Brook was able to find a balance that compliments the Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum.

Mentorship

Active healthy leaders play a critical role in building active lifestyles among youth. As secondary students taking a mentorship role in the physical activity development of other students means students also need to set a positive example. Overall, studies found that incorporating a mentoring component into fitness programs may help to lead children and youth to develop a life long commitment to fitness. In Brook's experience once students are trained they had the ability to not only develop fundamental skills required for successful athletic participation but also build a sense of confidence and encourage others to participate.

Community Participation

Building active communities takes our youth beyond the sports fields, instilling healthy habits that will last a lifetime. In fact, equipping students with the fundamental movement skills at an early age may be the key to winning the battle against Canada's rapidly growing rate of childhood obesity. Brook believes the course also gives students the ability to take their learning into a variety of community settings from children to seniors. By incorporating the partnership building component, Brook feels her students will likely be inspired to build active healthy lifestyles for generations to come. "Even if they never coach," she explains, "perhaps one day as parents they will have the skills to teach their children."