I have facilitated a sports program at Camp Med, a licensed day care program sponsored by the City of South Pasadena, for five years now – that’s about 500 sports hours. Generally about thirty children from the ages of 5-11 participate, although this number can go as low as ten and as high as sixty. The children are very engaged with their sports hour, the competitive spirit of the games is high and through the years, their teamwork and sportsmanship have increased. There are three basic strategies/dynamics at work that help make their sports hour a happy hour.
Praise the Children
Positive feedback gives the child a lifeline to expand into the sport and participate in a greater way. Positive feedback gives the child a vision of themselves that they can now easily step into.
During sports hour, I participate in the game and one other counselor observes the game. We praise the kids for good effort, good plays and good sportsmanship. The most anticipated praise, however, is given during our post game show. After the game, the observing counselor becomes the storyteller providing post game analysis on how every single player did something well. The praise is not generic, but specific to the child. After the sports recap, verbal awards are given out for best sportsmanship, play of the game, most improved player, courageous player, team leader, MVP, best young player, whatever seems appropriate for the game. We have even given out an award for most fun player, someone who noticeably brought a lot of joy and creativity onto the field.
The post game awards teach the kids what the adults like. When kids recognize that we are giving out a sportsmanship award, their behaviors subtly become more attuned to becoming a better sportsman. These awards are not focused on winning, they are focused on core values and on playing the game in a focused, constructive manner.
Since we have started the post game ceremony, the kids don’t get caught up so much on who won and who lost, but now anticipate the awards show. For most of the kids, receiving praise is more important than winning, the praise is like a food for them, it nurtures their spirit.
Sports can be a window to feeling good about oneself. Praise allows all the kids to experience the positive self-esteem that comes with sports.
Make it Fun
Kids give their full effort when something is fun. The most fun events are games that have a flow to them, where there is not a lot of sitting or standing around. The main games we play are soccer, street hockey (with plastic sticks and a wiffle ball) and capture the ball (see box). Sports that keep the kids moving are the best.
I participate with the kids. Some of you who are Seinfeld fans may remember the episode when Kramer joins a children’s karate class and dominates them gleefully, but there is an upside with this. Gym class was just about my favorite activity growing up so I am highly enthusiastic. I model good behavior, like passing and cooperating with teammates. I kick and throw the ball high which the younger kids love. The kids enjoy competing against me. If one of them outplays me, their delight, the grin on their face is pretty funny to see.
The kids experience that, “Sports is fun.” In this sedentary age, this association will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Empower the Children
One of the ways that we know an event is fun is that the kids tell us. They are given a lot of say in what we do. When they determine the event for the day, there is an amazing amount of cooperation that occurs. What struck me over the years is that intuitively, the kids mostly know, on any given day, what is the best sport to play.
Listening is a major element of empowerment. Often, they see things very clearly. Often, they have great pointers. Listening can be healing as well. As children develop their voice as human beings, it is affirming to have an adult just be there and listen.
The kids do particularly well if they are given jobs to do. The kids set up the field. The kids say, “Ready, set, go.” The kids determine whose turn it is to kick the ball. The kids manage their teams.
They are given an opportunity to think on their own. If they don’t do things perfectly, that is fine – this is for their learning and their experience.
Sometimes a child may be given a specific job in the context of the sport and they thrive on it. One child who had consistently resisted sports hour was given the job (in soccer and hockey) of playing in the left corner by the other team’s goal. Although she was not particularly fast afoot, she was strong. She quickly became comfortable playing the position and would win possession of many of the loose balls in the corner. Before long she began scoring goals, often from remarkable angles. And then a pattern emerged that no one anticipated. In close games, she started scoring an unprecedented number (30-40%) of game winning goals.
In the corner of the field, her determination, craftiness and self-confidence blossomed.
Conclusion
These strategies/models evolved over time with the input of many. Sometimes the kids aren’t angels, but often they are. In my heart, I hold that out as a vision for them.
One marvelous thing with children is that they give such pure and clear feedback as to what is working and not working. When the kids run onto the grassy field with delight and zany abandon, we know that we have prepared a good place for them.
Favorite Camp Game: Capture the Ball
This is like Capture the Flag. Instead of taking a flag, you take the ball over the line and score a point. There is a jail as well.
The difference is that there is a safety zone around the ball. Once you land in the safety zone, you are safe. We were finding in capture the flag, that only the very top athletes were able to both capture the flag and then bring it back over the line. With the safety zone, more children are able to participate.
The other difference is that you can throw the ball and if one of your teammates catches or brings the ball over the line, your team scores. So many kids in the safety zone decide to throw the ball. This changes the game to one of greater teamwork as opposed to one where the fastest athletes dominate the game.
Capture the ball is particularly successful because the younger kids participate as much as the older kids.
Tip:
Use soft balls that don’t hurt kids
Soccer balls were hitting kids in the face and making them cry during the game. We switched to a larger, more rubbery ball (a Tachikara ball) that was a lot softer. This has dramatically cut down on kids getting hurt. An additional upside is that since the ball is bigger, the smaller kids are now able to kick it better and participate more in the game.
lruhmann@socal.rr.com
http://www.joyfulcareer.com
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