Doing More to Recognize Students with Special Needs

We have made great progress as a society in helping students with special needs feel included. But we can do more. We must constantly assess our culture (i.e. attitude and beliefs about students with special needs), existing policies, and procedures to make sure we are doing our very best for our students.

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We must challenge ourselves to do all we can to make our students with special needs feel valuable, included and equal. We must advocate for our students with disabilities to ensure that they have the very best school experience we can provide academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Lately, I have been reflecting on the way I give praise and to whom I praise. The other day I called a parent of a typical student. The purpose of the phone call was to let the parents know how proud I was of their child for the gentle way they guided a student with special needs into the partner yoga poses. The typical child deserved every bit of praise because of her nurturing and patient ways. However, it got me thinking. How many times do I praise the typical child for all the love, support, and help they give to my students with special needs as opposed to the number of times I praise my students with special needs for their patience, help, and encouragement of my typical students?

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Climb On – Live Webinar

Climb On – Live Webinar
Date: April 28, 2020
Time: 2:30-3:45 PM Central
EVERLAST CLIMBING

Learn how to bring rock climbing to your program! This live webinar will explore the rationale for adding climbing, including the many benefits it offers. Receive an overview of the different types of climbing walls available and guidance on how to choose the one that best meets specific needs. Attendees will also learn about safety and risk management protocols and some of the exciting activities that can be hosted on a rock wall. Leave inspired and equipped to start planning for a new climbing wall!

Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3958502850317869581

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Wisconsin Health and Physical Education Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Advocacy in Action

(3 Minute Read)

Wisconsin Health & Physical Education (WHPE) recently completed ten years of involvement showcasing quality physical education and connecting with state school board policymakers by updating them on ‘best practices’ and ‘hot topics’ in Health and Physical Education (HPE) during their annual Wisconsin State School Board Convention (WASB).

Back in 2009, I read an article by Steve Jefferies (2009), publisher of Pelinks4u, in Strategies titled: Advocacy in Action: TIPS & TECHNIQUES, one day prior to my involvement in our WHPE first-year delegation.  At that time, members of the WHPE leadership and Teachers of the Year (TOYs) staffed a booth in the WASB’s Exhibit’s Hall for two days.  They spoke to attendees about Standards & Assessments and distributed printed info pieces on what constitutes quality physical education.  The conversations centered around Steve Jefferies’ 10 Steps for Effectively Advocating with School Boards, which includes his vision, structure, accountability, and advocacy.  During the conversations, attendees were shown how HPE connects to academics using a clear concise message and the delegation was able to build relationships during conversations with school representatives from Wisconsin’s major geographical regions.  Following these give and take booth conversations, the TOY’s conducted a breakout session illustrating four grade level (Pre K – 12) mini-lessons.  Opportunity for audience Q & A was afforded followed by a short summary with handouts.

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The FACE Plan: A Simple Mental Preparation Model

(2 Minute Read)

In my experience as a Mental Performance Coach most of the questions I get regarding performance can be answered by creating a mental plan.  Mental plans can be as simple or complex as needed. They can be made to address everything from general day-to-day life to sport performance, including, but not limited to pre-competition, competition, post-competition and recovery plans.

The FACE plan provides a simple, easy to use structure to build a mental plan. FACE is an acronym that stands for Focus, Attitude, Confidence, and Energy. Loosely borrowed from the military’s contingency PACE planning strategy, the FACE plan provides a complete mental plan while quickly prioritizing mental tools and skills.

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How to Implement Disc Golf Curriculum in Schools

I grew up a three-sport athlete, but I always had a love of outdoor recreation – especially rafting, mountain biking, and snowboarding.  Unfortunately, with a limited income and the time constraints associated with being a college student, it was hard to get away for extended periods of time to do these activities.

Photo Credit: Santeri Viinamäki
Photo Credit: Santeri Viinamäki

When I first played disc golf, I was surprised to find out how inexpensive the game was. Then I was amazed at how much it was like one of my favorite games – golf.  All of my favorite aspects of golf were present in disc golf, such as frustration tolerance, scoring, physical exertion, social engagement, appreciation for nature, and etiquette.  As time passed, I became fully entranced by the game and decided to pursue a doctorate studying the elusive counter-culture of disc golf.

Photo Credit: Crosslap (pixabay.com)
Photo Credit: Crosslap (pixabay.com)

While disc golf may be a relatively unfamiliar sport to the general public, the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) estimates 500,000 people play annually, and as many as eight to twelve million people have played disc golf at some point in their lives (PDGA, 2018). Although research on disc golf is limited, public disc golf courses are perpetually full of recreation enthusiasts, leading me to wonder, “Why didn’t I hear about this game sooner?” and “Why wasn’t this taught in physical education classes?”

Photo credit: Kevin Morrow
Photo credit: Kevin Morrow

There are few sports where people can remain competitive well into old age, but disc golf is a sport where players, such as the 2016 Master’s World Champion, John E. McCray (48 years old), can compete and win against younger athletes (Latitude 64, 2020). Like golf, disc golf is a sport for people of nearly all physical and cognitive abilities and is considered a low-impact lifetime leisure activity (Tuten & Conkell, 1999) that is typically free to play, since over 90% of courses exist in public parks (Oldakowski & McEwen, 2013). Disc golf can be played by a single person for independent mastery or played as a competitive multiple participant sport where players attempt to score lower (fewer strokes) than their fellow competitors.

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Ten Traits of Successful Athletic Programs

(2 Minute Read)

We have been consulting with coaches, athletes, and teams for over three decades.  The following ten traits are some of the commonalities of those with great athletic programs. It is not by coincidence.  Excellence is never an accident.  Be intentional when it comes to your team culture.

  1. Consistent and Clear Standards and Values: Preset team values are the foundation or cornerstones for every successful team. What is your team’s identity? Great teams establish their own culture.
  2. The Team Members Feel a Collective Responsibility to Learn and Follow the Team Values: People commit to the team values and live it in their actions. “This is the way we do things around here” is something the team members are proud to express. The feeling is that “we don’t want to do anything that would let down the coaches, the team and each other”. Everyone is accountable.
  3. Master Teachers – Master Motivators: The first-way coach’s gain credibility, respect, and trust is how much they know and how well they can teach it. Successful coaches understand the game and their players and how to teach both.
  4. Positive Role Models: Coaches must consistently live the team values in their actions. The seniors are the best examples of team values. In these programs freshmen or sophomores can be told, “if you are not sure how hard to work or how to act in any situation, just watch our seniors and follow their lead.”  Your older players and most talented players must be your best workers.
  5. All Roles are Valued: When there is relationship-based leadership everyone who contributes to the team is shown value.  Credit is shared.  When all roles are valued, players are more willing to accept roles and teams are more successful.
  6. Positive Rites of Passage: Intentionally created positive traditions provide a path for athletes to be welcomed and to grow into leadership. Nothing that could be considered hazing is ever-present.
  7. Consistent Performance Feedback: Coaches know how to balance praise and correction. Athletes take correction as a compliment – they are coachable.
  8. Trust – Players trust each other and their coaches.  They trust their training.  Mutual trust allows direct, open, honest communication and fearless play.
  9. Sense of Urgency: There is a high energy level.  Individual and team discipline is visible in the focused attention and focused effort of everyone. Details are important. Only disciplined teams have a chance to win championships.
  10. Impact the Player’s Lives: Players in these programs treasure the experience so much that they carry the lessons and values over beyond the season and into their lives. They build successful teams of their own.

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Role of the Coach in Recognizing & Responding to Trauma

Trauma is a negative external event that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope.  Traumatic events have been found to affect a majority of youth (2 – 17 years of age; see Gerrity & Forcarelli, 2008).  Additionally, trauma has been found to have a negative impact on physical and mental health as well as an individual’s ability to thrive in a variety of contexts (e.g., school and sport).

Here are two examples of where a coach may have to deal with a traumatic event.

A coach notices an athlete is having a hard time focusing during practices and games.  Additionally, the player seems unmotivated and tends not to interact well with teammates.  The coach learns that the athlete’s family recently lost their home and have been living in a homeless shelter.

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