The Xoolon team was at Downend School in Bristol this week, and the day went down a storm with pupils and staff. Hundreds of Year 7 students enjoyed a series of athletic events, and even a midday downpour couldn’t dampen the spirits!
The high turnout was particularly impressive, with around 95% taking part – up to 40% more than what might be expected for a regular sports day, according to teachers. And it is probably fair to say that 100% of the competitors were giving it their all, with some especially memorable ‘race faces’ being exhibited in the 100 metres!
The youngsters evidently thrived on the competition, straining every sinew to beat their mates and do their form proud. There was much excitement stirred by the inter-form competition, and the giant balloon-race graphic showing its progress received plenty of enthusiastic attention. Form 7S was eventually triumphant, and lifted their trophy to deafening cheers in the hall.
There was also the highly encouraging resurrection of house competition, providing the pupils with an extra sense of identity which was clearly so important in motivating them to do their best. On this occasion the houses were named after colours, but the possibility of naming them after famous sports people could in future provide an additional level of identification with and engagement in sport. On the day, the Purple House led the way.
The day wasn’t just about the winners though. Spot prizes of Xoolon goodies were handed out to students who produced notable efforts, or who demonstrated excellent enthusiasm or determination. All participants received a much sought after Xoolon certificate and completed their own unique Xoolometer, a measurement of their physical prowess which will provide an incentive for them to keep improving no matter what their level, as well as suggest sports well suited to their abilities.
The enthusiasm for the day was such that even an early afternoon monsoon couldn’t hinder progress. Events were simply moved indoors or modified to account for the conditions, much to the admiration of the teachers who had been contemplating calling it a day. The Xoolon team weren’t going to give up that easily!
The positive mentality displayed by all and the fantastic attitude of the students ensured that the day was a resounding success, and we hope to have many more in the future. Well-done Downend!
We’d also like to hear your thoughts. Do you think it is important that school sport has a competitive element? Do you like the idea of personalised sporting profiles? Can you suggest other ways to make PE more engaging? If you have any comments or suggestions please get in touch or leave a comment, we really appreciate your feedback.
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Of course it is important that Schools sport has a competitive element. As someone who coached a primary school cross-country running team for 6 years, I can vouch for the fact! However,this is not,as some may opine, a "negative" - as Owlzat states, the sense of identity engendered by competing as part of a school team or(in the example of the Xoolon event) the house team - can only be of benefit. In addition, personalised profiles, as formulated by Xoolon, enable pupils to compete against the clock, or the measuring tape, and so always have the incentive of the joy a new "personal record" can deliver. Best of all, the competitive element is also the "fun" element - in my experience, pupils simply have more fun being competitive, rather than the opposite being true.
ReplyDeleteYes,competition is an important factor in school sports, because is gives the children motivation and reason to become involved in sports in the first place. However, complete emphasis shoudn't be placed on "winning", as it really is the taking part that counts, and surely we want children of all abilities to be interested in participating in sport?
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