Something new in Sport

FCAC has a new sports subject, Exercise and Sports Studies. The new subject is proving to be a popular choice among students. The new subject gives students the opportunity to engage in the business of sport from a variety of perspectives and provides further opportunities for students to engage with physical activity from different aspects including increasing a student’s awareness of performance and participation in sport and exercise.

Exercise and Sports Studies covers topics such as: • Human anatomy and the function of each of the body systems and how they interact to perform movements. • The Mental Game - How do our thoughts and emotions affect our performance? • The effects psychology has on performance and the strategies to aid them in improving their own psychology in sport. • Strategies and key concepts about coaching others and the challenges of officiating sports and physical activities. • How to run a sports event e.g. sports marketing, journalism, events

Exercise and Sport Studies also allows students to explore the role of technology in sport. As an elective, we have the opportunity to use technology more thoroughly to explore the different aspects of exercise and sport. The focus in Term 2 for Year 10 was how technology impacts sports participation and performance. Students explored the use of heart rate monitors to measure performance, video analysis to improve technique and the use of apps to increase participation.

Mr James Lawrence, Head of HPE said that the new subject “extends beyond the scope of the National Curriculum. We are able to study areas of exercise and sport that aren’t covered in the national curriculum but are important for other areas; such as coaching, officiating and sports administration”.