GeneralPreparing Athletic Programs for K-12 as a School Administrator

A well-rounded school addresses all the needs of its students and doesn’t confine them to the classroom. Children need more than lectures and homework to become adjusted individuals, and that’s best achieved through sports programs. According to a 2017 infographic by Athletic Business, about 20% of American children between 6 and 12 years of age have very sedentary lives.

Smart devices like tablets and cellphones have taken over children’s leisure time, limiting them to the screen and resulting in a rampant decline in their physical activity. Studies show that more than 88% of the same children who still play sports and actively participate in athletic activities show a massive improvement in their physical health, with 70% exhibiting better mental health patterns, which is why schools need to intervene as much as they can.

As a school administrator, you are essential in connecting students to relevant athletic programs. The curriculum you design must address all the fundamental aspects of engaging in sports, from children who are starting primary school to teenagers in high school. So how do you do this?

Here’s what you need to know:

Understand the Significance of Your Position

Schools need a structured environment to stand on, and this is what you, as a school and education administrator, need to provide. Your role is vital in introducing policies that will impact how students learn, grow and develop within and outside classrooms. So while ensuring classrooms have qualified teachers who maintain testing standards and teach a flexible curriculum, you must extend the same courtesy to athletic programs.

This is only possible if you obtain an advanced degree such as online masters in education administration that gives you the necessary exposure and experience and allows you to see areas of schooling that need addressing. As a result, you’ll develop a realistic sports program and allocate a fair budget to it, allowing your educational institute to purchase the necessary equipment to make these activities a success. Without your approval and proposed drafts, no school can have a holistic and beneficial athletic department for its pupils.

Vouch For Inclusive Sport Programs

According to the Government Accountability Office report in 2010, most schools ignored creating inclusive sports programs for students with disabilities to participate. You cannot allow this to happen. Sports do more than let students burn their energy and stay in shape. Activities encourage their cognitive skills, self-esteem, confidence, and ability to socialize to flourish, which helps them develop strong and independent personalities.

An inclusive program should consider all types of disabilities and look into safe and healthy activities for students to enjoy. You should also conduct workshops for coaches that train them on how to work with students with disabilities to ensure safety and enthusiastic participation. A training session will also inform coaches on recognizing signs of a student in distress, the type of equipment needed, modifying the school courts like installing wheelchair ramps, and the language to use when instructing students.

Encourage Healthy Lifestyles

The pandemic of 2019 brought with it many important lessons, including a strong emphasis on hygiene. Students should not engage in high-intensity sports unless there are facilities that allow them to wash up and properly sanitize after the activity. As a policy, you should make it mandatory to clean up sporting grounds and courts before and after use.

Students should have access to more than one sports gear and equipment that needs cleaning after every usage. For primary school kids, teachers should instruct students on washing their hands and face after playing. Sports instructors should encourage students to drink water and bring healthy lunches to give them the nutrients they need to play. At a high school level, you should work on providing proper facilities that are not communal and guarantee everyone’s privacy.

Sports coaches should know about the nutritional needs of athletes so the school cafeteria can prepare lunches according to the calorie needs of the students and the sports they play. For instance, football players need to bulk up while runners need more lean muscle.

Get Parents Involved

Students can only unlock their potential when parents and the school staff are on the same page. When it comes to sports, one size doesn’t fit all. Not every student can participate or play with the same vigor as classmates. At a primary school level, parents should have quarterly meetings with the sporting staff and help develop a program tailored to every child individually. These ensure that no pupil is at risk of developing an injury or participating in something that’s too demanding for them.

Parents can also guide coaches on how to instruct their child, ways to reward them for taking initiatives, and when to pull back when the child feels overwhelmed.

On an advanced level, most high school athletes will be looking into college applications and weighing their options to pursue sports professionally. Therefore it is your job as an administrator to make sure coaches and parents connect to discuss possible careers in sports, help the students compete on their level, and provide them with the resources they need to stand out as an athlete.

Emphasize on Safety

There is always a chance that students may get injured while they’re playing sports. These can occur due to poor handling of equipment, sudden falls, and accidental exposure to intense sunlight. Hence no sports program is complete unless you have safety regulations in place. These include instructing students on handling the equipment, such as adjusting their grip, fixing their stance, and ensuring these kits are well maintained and free from damage.

You should also motivate coaches to receive first aid training and a certificate from the National Federation of High School Association and the American Red Cross. The coursework will walk trainers on common injuries and treatment.

Consequently, coaches will be better positioned to treat fractures and pulled muscles and administer CPR if a student collapses. Similarly, according to the CDC, students should engage in mandatory sixty minutes of daily training whenever possible. So instead of arranging for one physical training session, you can keep multiple short routines that allow students to engage with any activity whenever they want.

Final Thoughts

Students need a well-balanced curriculum to prosper in their academic careers. Classrooms alone are insufficient for cognitive development, so you must establish an adequate athletic program. This school activity should address all the needs of a pupil engaging in sports, including emphasizing safety, setting hygiene standards, and ensuring parents are also involved in helping their child attain high fitness standards.

You should also ensure that these programs are inclusive and also benefit students with disabilities to grow and develop with their peers. Unless you exercise your role as a school administrator in pushing forward sport-friendly policies, it will be hard to maintain a structured curriculum.

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