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What can you Guarantee?

Posted Thursday, 24 August 2017

It's the start of a new term. A new calendar of fixtures stretches ahead, and excitement surrounding the possibilities created by new seasons of football, hockey and netball. Various trophies await new winners, and life defining moments lie ahead for a fortunate few. For most, another programme of practices, matches,...

Parents in Sport: Do you want to Witness Joy or Victory?

Posted Wednesday, 2 August 2017

The great majority of parents like to see their offspring participate in sports or physical activity. Rarer is the carer who sees no value in this. The reasons why they approve of this type of involvement vary, though they are infrequently thought-out beyond the vague conviction that it’s somehow “good”...

Does School Sport Exist for the Benefit of Schools, Sport – or Children?

Posted Tuesday, 25 July 2017

Establishing the purpose of something has always been recognised as an important starting point for defining a strategy. Stephen Covey recommended “start(ing) withy the end in mind”: Simon Sinek made an industry out of “Start with Why”. School sport never had that luxury. It was never planned, nor its purpose...

Has School Sport Become too Extreme?

Posted Monday, 17 July 2017

The last twenty years has seen an astronomical increase in the standard of the top level of school sport in UK. The increased allocation of resources – time, facilities, specialist coaching, levels of competition – has developed out of all recognition. Top level performance, and victory in an ever increasing...

Why Cricket Needs a Balance Between Bat and Ball

Posted Wednesday, 12 July 2017

The National Curriculum mops up a range of games under the generic title "Striking and Fielding". In its search for simplification, it omits the other crucial component of these games - bowling. Once that is included within the definition, then one game separates itself from the others in the category...

Can you Coach Creativity?

Posted Wednesday, 21 June 2017

Everyone loves creative players. They are the ones who light up sport, provide the wow, the priceless, memorable moments. The flashes of genius that win the game. They are so important to sport, both the results and the beauty that underlies it. They are the household names. They are memorable...