Is your school athlete friendly?

Sport Is your school athlete friendly?

GB Olympians know what it takes to push themselves to their limits and to be the best that they can be. They have had to make many tough decisions starting when they were at school. Olympians understand the demands and challenges of training and studying which continue to face today’s high performing student-athletes. Recently, several GB Olympians took part in the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) training course to become Athlete Friendly Education Centre (AFEC) assessors. Anne Louise Williams, Marketing and Licensing Manager at WAoS, was on hand to ask them about their own experiences in balancing sport and education needs.

These Olympians were Shirley Addison (SA), (Athletics, Athens 2004); Natalie Barton (Munt) (NB), (Badminton, Athens 2004); Francesca Clayton (FC), (Water Polo, London 2012); Alex Coomber (AC), (Skeleton Bronze Medallist, Salt Lake City, 2002); and Jamie Fearn (JF), (Short track Speed Skating, Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994).

When you were at school, how did you balance your school and training requirements?

FC: “It took a lot of planning, doing homework on the bus, and eating in the car. I trained at lunch time while at school, swimming on average 3,000m in that hour. I then trained from the end of school until about 8.30pm – 9.00pm each evening of the week.” JF: “It was very difficult. There was some understanding by subject teachers who provided extensions to work deadlines. But working into the night to get things done was common.” AC: “I was training in athletics while at school. My club was very near my school which was convenient. This did mean that I had to be organised and plan my day, as I often did not go home until after training at about 9.30pm.”

Did you have to make any difficult choices?

SA: “I turned down a place to study Mathematics at Oxford University because there was not a diving facility nearby and because I was involved with swimming and diving at that point. Instead I studied in Edinburgh where the university halls of residence were next door to the swimming and diving pools.” NB: “There were things such as Duke of Edinburgh that I would have loved to have been involved in, but realistically knew I did not have time for. I made the difficult choice of going to university to study something I had no interest in, just so I could go to Loughborough. Fortunately, after a year, I changed from

Economics to PE, as I originally went against the advice I was given by my teacher, who urged me to peruse the subject I enjoyed.”

Did your school provide any additional support?

JF: “The school granted me absences for competitions and subject teachers provided extensions to work deadlines. There was no real distance learning or catch up support. The school had a ‘send off’ assembly for me when I left for the Games and the school band played the Ski Sunday theme [from the BBC programme]. I was presented with sportswear with an embroidered school emblem and a cheque. The money was raised through a non-uniform day in my honour.” FC: “My school was fairly small, so it was fairly easy to obtain extensions, and catch up with missed work. The teachers were really understanding and supportive.”

If your school had been able to work with an organisation like the World Academy of Sport on the AFEC initiative, how would this have benefited your situation?

AC: “It would have made my teachers more aware of what I was doing and may have helped them to plan my timetable and homework so that there were never any pressure points.” NB: “I think it would have been good just to have someone to talk to that could have understood my challenges. Time was always the biggest hurdle for me, what with training, school work plus working 12 hours a week.” JF: “Hopefully it would have reduced the stress, tiredness and loneliness/isolated feelings of trying to squeeze homework, catch ups etc., into my schedule. Working late after long days and often falling asleep with my books open at my desk at my home desk was less than conducive to achieving academic success and the best production of work.”

As an Olympian, would you have any advice for your 15 year old self about being a student athlete?

SA: “Maintain a breadth of sports for as long as possible, rather than specialising early. Oh, and I’d encourage the 15 year old me to take up Rugby in order to experience a contact sport – this would have been helpful for the TV show ‘Gladiators’ which I was part of.” FC: “Do everything as you did, but thank Mum more often!” NB: “It can sometimes be tough trying to balance training/ competition and completing school work. While everyone else is relaxing, you have to maximise every minute of your time. Being able to push yourself independently and fit more into a day than most fit into a week is a great skill to have, and will stand you in good stead for the future. Things can be particularly tough when you are not achieving the results you think you deserve either academically or sporting-based. Perseverance and maintaining your own high standards is crucial at this time.” Olympians who have completed the Assessor training will be working through the assessment process with schools interested in becoming Athlete Friendly Education Centres.

Most known for its significant work across the international sporting community in developing and delivering education pathways and programmes, the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) developed the criteria for AFEC overseen by its International Advisory Board. These criteria assesses a school’s ability to understand and service the requirements of high performing student athletes. The WAoS is creating a network of like-minded schools that can share ideas and best practice when working with student athletes.

A pilot is also underway with the IB where student-athletes can opt to take the IB Diploma Programme over an extended period, usually up to three years. High performing student-athletes can then better balance their sporting and academic commitments. IB schools that are successful with AFEC accreditation may be offered access to this pilot project.

Student athletes are also being positively influenced in other schools globally, including: • UK: Ellesmere College, Plymouth College, and Anglo European School • Jordan: Amman Baccalaureate School • Thailand: Phuket International Academy and British International School • Spain: SEK Ciudalcampo and SEK El Castillo • Denmark: Ikast-Brande Gymnasium • Australia: Trinity Grammar School • Singapore: Singapore Sports School • Hong Kong: all ESF high schools including KGV School, Island School, Sha Tin College, Renaissance College,

South Island School, West Island School and Discovery College

For more information visit www.worldacademysport.com or email Anne Louise Williams, awilliams@ worldacademysport.com