A major challenge in education in Ireland is getting physical education right in terms of sport, participation and fitness.
As debate rages over the introduction of the replacement for the Junior Cert, one element it will bring in for the first time is sport as an examination subject.
This is an important first step in linking together the strands in government that look after education, health and sport. The presence of the last named can be a major boon the the long term benefit of the first two.
In the United States, High School sport has a revered place in the national psyche. School sport was introduced formally at the turn of the last century, mainly as a way to gain control of the largely boys who would play unorganised games of football and risk injury or fights breaking out.
It quickly caught hold and in 1961 US Sociologist James Coleman wrote that ‘Visitors to a US School would likely be confronted, first of all, with a trophy case. The gold and silver cups, with rare exception, symbolize victory in athletic contests, not scholastic ones … Altogether, the trophy case would suggest to the innocent visitor that he was entering an athletic club, not an educational institution.’
In America now though the attention paid to competitive sport is being questioned as concern grows over the regular low scores achieved in comparative test of academic attainment.
In certain US school districts the amount of money spent on football or basketball programmes would far outstrip the budget of Maths and Science programmes and queries over what a school is for are starting to gain traction.
A recent book by author and journalist Amanda Ripley has fired the debate by comparison to other countries where the line between academic and sporting priority in school is much more weighted towards the learning of maths and language rather than play books and tactics.
And yet, we should recognise that there is room for both. The most important element of sport in school is that children generally enjoy it more, so long as the right balance is struck between playing for fun and competing to win at all costs at the highest level.
In the US sports like football, soccer and basketball define the reputation of a local school and often the town where it is based. The popular Friday Night Lights TV show reveals the importance that sporting success is given within communities and for the most part this is to be applauded.
The US is different to us though in that organised sport takes place mainly through the schools. There is less of a tradition in the main sports of clubs and children being involved in sporting activity outside of school.
Sport is important here within the education environment and needs to become more so at certain points so that we reverse the trend of children dropping out of sport with all the negatives that brings in terms of physical and often mental health.
We need to do it right though and focus on matching sports to those who will play them. Greater choice and, at most levels, a lesser focus on the need to beat other schools will be important and the lessons that can be learned from America’s current debate on the nature of sport in school might be well heeded.
Next week: Did London 2012 Leave an Olympic Legacy in British School Sport?
Lesson for Sport: The balance between participation and competition begins early.
Lesson for Business: Investing in Grassroots Sport outside of schools will help Ireland get the balance right and maintain a strong level of educational attainment
Event: The Business of Youth Sport on June 12th 2014 – Get involved with us today.
