Elevating Trinity’s P.E. program for 15 years

In September 2016, the P.E. team poses with Stripes the Tiger during a fun photo shoot to promote the Fall Festival.

Elevating

Trinity’s P.E. program for 15 years

By P.E. Teachers Jedd Austin, Brian Balocki, Justin Cahill, and Laura English

We have all been on teams in our lives, some good, others great. We learn to trust and triumph, sacrifice and struggle, and work together. On playgrounds back in the 1980s, teams were chosen by the kids, and being picked last for the kickball team could potentially crush a child’s spirit or perhaps teach resilience. Today, whether on a field or in an office, productive teams are driven by cooperation, leadership, and trust. This, for the last 15 years, is precisely how Trinity’s P.E. team has functioned so effectively. Our team members are Brian Balocki (29 years at Trinity), Laura English (20 years), Jedd Austin (16 years), and Justin Cahill (15 years). The four of us arrived at Trinity from distant parts of the country with varying backgrounds, each with different life experiences. Combined, these differences have benefited not only our physical education program but also our relationships with each other. We have developed a true bond, never hesitating to share ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem. We are confident and secure enough to be brutally honest with each other. We continue to push each other to create new, dynamic lessons and programs to further enhance the Trinity Experience for our students.

Our Philosophy

We didn’t just want to be teachers. We wanted to be exceptional educators. Early on, our team agreed to reimagine the role of our physical education program and how it could positively affect every child physically and emotionally. Fifteen years later, we continue to grow as teachers in search of best practices.

Movement and Mindfulness

As a team, we promote a balanced approach to competition and teamwork with an intentional focus on leadership, sportsmanship, and integrity. Our classes are designed to offer students a variety of physical activities, such as locomotor movements, sport-related skills, and overall fitness challenges. Always balancing movement with mindfulness, our priority as a team is to provide a safe, joyful environment fostering care, empathy, and mutual respect. This, in turn, enables each student to thrive and achieve his or her own personal goals.

Connections

From the moment our students step out of their cars in the morning, they begin telling their stories. First Graders skip away; siblings wait for each other; Early Learners toddle off, insistent on carrying their own bags. As teachers, we know the value of connections and make a conscientious effort to discover and celebrate the unique qualities of our students. Asking questions about their weekend or athletic interests outside of school, noticing a new pair of shoes, complimenting freshly cut hair, or asking about siblings who once walked our hallways can go a long way with a student.

During the 2019 Pre-K Olympics, Coach Laura helps J.P. ready himself for the bobsled event.

As a team, we also enthusiastically practice what we preach. Coach Brian is a dedicated runner and mountain biker, making the mountains and trails his home away from home. Coach Laura, an avid runner, spends much of her free time working out, hiking, and playing outdoors with her family. Coach Austin, a certified yoga instructor, enjoys swimming, trail running, mountain biking, and working out at the gym. Coach Cahill, who is a gym rat, also enjoys running on the Kennesaw Mountain trails.

The common thread is that we each understand exercise and play are essential ingredients for a healthy mind, body, and spirit. It is this message we want to instill in every child.

In our classes, we balance our teaching with physical and social-emotional lessons, always reinforcing the core values of teamwork and sportsmanship. We do this by providing games and activities in which students build character as well as fitness and skill through play. Basic life skills pop up organically, such as turn-taking, problem solving, and conflict resolution. These are the moments when we take the time to have important discussions to help the students process and learn from their experiences. We appreciate the unique talents and gifts each child brings, from stellar athleticism to unrelenting effort. Our hope is that what we do every day helps each student learn with an open mind, demonstrate empathy and sportsmanship, and participate in every game with integrity and enthusiasm.

Our Team Stamina

Coach Brian says, “Being part of a positive community has kept me energized for 29 years. Trinity never stops moving forward so I continue to grow as a person and educator.”

The 2021–22 school year marks a milestone for the physical education team. As we complete our 15th year together and 80 years of combined service at Trinity School, we celebrate the longest tenure of any other teaching team at the School. Along with our friendship and passion for our craft, there are dozens of reasons for our longevity.

At the beginning of the 2016 Fun Run/Walk, Coach Austin warms everyone up before the run.

Meet the P.E. Team

Brian Balocki is the senior member of the team, joining Trinity in 1993 right out of college. Throughout his career, Coach Brian consistently diversified the physical education experience by adding activities and programs such as lacrosse, international games, and cooperative education units to the curriculum. He has been instrumental in founding the Trinity Fun Run/Walk, Trinity Track Club, Sixth Grade versus faculty basketball game, and Fifth Grade Olympics. He has shared his high energy and positivity as an Extended Programs instructor, summer camp director, outdoor education director, values class coordinator, and placement team member. Coach Brian has also been a Trinity parent; both of his sons attended and graduated from Trinity School. Laura English is celebrating her 20th year teaching at Trinity School. After graduating from The University of Georgia and following a brief career in the sports and event marketing field, Coach Laura’s interest in working with children guided her to a career change. Her new path led directly to Trinity School. She was warmly welcomed and mentored by Coach Brian and former P.E. Teacher Roie Shields, while teaching and earning her Master of Teaching and Certification in Health and Physical Education from Georgia State University. Coach Laura has enjoyed teaching every grade level, from Early Learners through Sixth Grade, but has developed a strong connection to Trinity’s youngest learners. She has enhanced the P.E. curriculum by adding cross-curricular collaborations with Early Elementary math and science classes as well as the Pre-K Olympics and Kindergarten Trip Around the World units of study. Coach Laura has also served as a committee chair and member of the Faculty Staff Leadership Team, an Extended Programs instructor, and a parent volunteer. She is a proud Trinity parent to a Third-Grade student and a Trinity graduate, both of whom began their Trinity journey as Early Learners. Now in his 16th year at Trinity, Jedd Austin joined the P.E. team in the fall of 2006. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin before moving to Georgia to join the Trinity family. Along with teaching physical education, Coach Austin is also in charge of the Trinity TV Production studio, where he works with the Sixth-Grade class to create Trinity TV. Coach Austin

also films and edits a multitude of other videos for the Trinity community. In 2013, along with Coach Cahill, he launched Fast and Fit, a running club dedicated to providing a positive, laid-back environment for First- through Sixth-Grade students to become stronger runners while hanging out with their friends.

Justin Cahill is the latest addition to the team, arriving in 2007 from Washington, DC, where he worked as a physical education teacher for 11 years. Having previously taught in the District of Columbia public school system as well as an independent international school, Coach Cahill added his wisdom and previous experiences to an already solid foundation at Trinity. He immediately fell in love with everything about the School. The facilities, the faculty and administration, and the students and families were like nothing he had ever experienced. Above all, Coach Cahill felt an immediate connection with his new team, both as colleagues and as friends.

Trinity’s Community

“Joy is abundant inside the doors of Trinity School, and it’s one of the ingredients that makes Trinity so unique and special,” says Coach Laura. “It’s visible on our students’ faces as they skip into the building in the morning, participate in learning experiences that cherish childhood, and learn and grow throughout their Trinity journey. Trinity’s amazing students, extremely kind and generous families, supportive and encouraging administration, and my incredible colleagues inspire me on a daily basis and make it a joy to teach at Trinity School!”

We all agree Trinity has incredible faculty, staff, and administrators. Our administration carefully considers each hire, searching for the perfect fit for each position. Coach Cahill recalls a conversation he had years ago with the late Alicia Andreou, a former beloved Associate Head of School at Trinity. She said that Trinity seeks good people, kind people, people who are nurturing. Yes, education and experience are a plus. However, it is Trinity’s belief that character takes center stage. This statement remains evident year after year. We’ve each developed lasting bonds with our colleagues, both present and past, crossing over the lines of collegiality into friendship.

Ever-Developing Facilities

We are so fortunate to teach on Trinity’s beautiful campus. We have two gyms, one for the Early Elementary students and one for the Upper Elementary students. Similarly, we have multiple playgrounds, each serving our students with age-appropriate spaces and play structures. Our lush field surrounded by a four-lane, 225-yard track is unique for any elementary school. And then there’s Discovery Woods. How many other physical education programs can boast about an extensive network of wooded trails with varying degrees of difficulty and terrain? Remarkably, the Trinity P.E. facilities continue to evolve. A newly completed, state-ofthe-art Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Center offers our younger learners ample opportunities to run, climb, explore, imagine, create, and wonder - all key ingredients of learning through free play. In the near future, a brand new Multi-Use Recreation Center will be constructed, housing our new Early Elementary gym and Upper Elementary recess space.

Freedom to Create

Many of our teachers seek opportunities to enhance the Trinity Experience for students beyond the walls of the classroom. Our administration allows us to conceptualize programs to promote student growth. This, without question, motivates the four of us, further igniting our love and appreciation for our students and school community. Some of our favorite programs include: Every Lap Counts – Our early morning movement program allows students and families a chance to walk, jog, or run and socialize each morning on the track from 7:30–7:50. Trinity’s Discovery Woods Trail System – With student wonder and physical fitness in mind, Coach Austin continues to build and maintain the winding trails of Discovery Woods. In 2019, he organized the first annual Trinity Trail Day for families to explore our beautiful Discovery Woods. Extended Programs - The P.E. team offers a variety of enrichment classes after school to allow students to be part of a team, enhance physical and social skills, and simply have fun.

Flourish with Fitness Monthly Challenges – Each month, students and families are offered an optional fitness challenge created by the P.E. team. These challenges are announced in Trinity This Week and can be found on the Flourish with Fitness board in MyTrinity. Team Building with Coach Brian – Coach Brian provides supplemental times with Second- and Third-Grade classes, engaging them in team-building challenges to enhance cooperation, problem solving, and communication. Over the last 15 years, the four of us have built a team fueled with positive momentum. We have meshed our skills and personalities, operated with trust and empathy, and as simple as it seems, been honest and upfront with each other. We’ve had each other’s backs and laughed at all the mistakes we’ve made along the way. Ultimately, we work well together because we are not all crazy on the same day and we truly like each other. We have all been on teams in our lives, and we all agree this team is one of the greatest.

In 2016, Coach Cahill listens intently to a student after the Fun Run/Walk. In 2016, Coach Brian shows his trademark enthusiasm during the Fun Run/Walk.

In August 2007, Trinity’s P.E. teachers pose for their first team photo.