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Software Development

August 8, 2014

In his book The Sports Gene, author David Epstein causes the reader to think about athletic performance as software more than hardware; and I believe this is even more important for us to consider in educational athletics.
In school sports, at least in most situations, we still believe that opportunity is for everybody, regardless of gene pool or body type. High school sports teams often have an eclectic mix-and-match look that defies each sport’s stereotype on other levels.
In school sports, coaches don’t select and sculpt the body type as much as welcome what comes to them and work to develop skills to overcome inherent shortcomings.
In school sports, we focus on the software more than the hardware on other levels as well.

We are concerned with character development more than physical development, on principles more than physiques. It’s the operating system we focus on, much more than the hardware.

We also judge success differently – more on intangibles than tangibles, more on heart and mind than trophies and medals.

    Participation in Perspective

    March 4, 2016

    In school sports, we promote playing more than winning. 

    • We know that kids would rather play on a losing team than only sit and watch on a winning team.

    • We know that, more than winning, kids play for fun, friendships and fitness ... for the “Fs” more than the “Ws.”

    But participation alone is not our goal in school sports. The goal is high participation with high standards.

    Our mission is to increase participation and to raise standards, including standards of eligibility, conduct and care.

    We know that as we raise such standards for participation, we tend to raise the value of participation for students, schools and society.