A Scholar-Athlete centered sports program for schools

Sri Lanka’s first ever Asian Games Gold medalist Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam, who is a professor in education reiterates the need to have an athlete centered sports program for schools. The Olympian wrote to ‘the Island’ newspaper on June 10th in reply to their  article ‘Sportsmen leaving schools could be at disadvantage this year’ which appeared on Monday(June 08).

by Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam for the Island 

Our Scholar Athletes are short-changed by the national and provincial school sports associations and school administrators, especially in cricket and soccer. The cricket matches for under 19 of Division I, II and III are scheduled by the National School Sports Association. The tournament matches are scheduled nationally. That is a school from one province travel to another province to play a two innings match. For example, Division III Jaffna Central College travel to a school in the Western Province or another province to play their match trying to earn enough points to be promoted to Division II at the end of the season. The matches are scheduled during weekdays when school is in session and weekends. For a two-day match there is another two days spent on travelling to and from by bus or train. The day after the match and travel weariness the cricketer or soccer player is too tired to focus on classroom learning. Such practice, deprive school learning of the scholar athlete. It is a prescription for academic failure. The primary objective of a student and scholar athlete is learning.

Track and field Schedule

In contrast the track and field school schedule, for all age groups, consists of 1. School meet. 2. Zonal inter-school meet and 3. (For those who qualify.) the Provincial and 4. National School meets. The best of them compete in the National Sports Festival and National Athletic meet. Those who qualify participate in Junior and Youth International competitions including the periodic SAF Games, Asian Games, Asian Athletic meet and the Olympic Games.

I recommend to the National School Cricket and Soccer Associations to adopt a schedule similar to that of Track and Field competitions. Schedules should use Term Break and weekends with one or two days, when necessary, during school. The purpose is to minimize the absence from classroom learning.

An attempt

Since 1961 I have tried to introduce what is practiced in the United States of America (USA) in Schools and Universities. Requirement to participate in school, inter school or university sports competitions. That is, to represent the school or university in any sports competitions, the student – Scholar Athlete – need to maintain a ‘C’ average in the subjects at the end of the previous semester.

The result of this requirement is that all who represent USA are Scholar-Athletes (Boxing is not part of schools’ or Universities’ sports program in USA). At the end of the university study some enter the professional sports competitions and others are gainfully employed in their chosen field or related field of study.

From 1961 through 1963 my efforts with schools throughout the country where I was invited to give exhibition jumping and to address the students and teachers, I have proposed the idea mentioned above but most of the school administrators were of the view that such an academic requirement to represent their school will result in the school not having any sports teams. I was horrified that school administrators have such a low opinion of the potential of scholar-athletes. Research (I think by Rosenthal) in teaching and learning show that student performance mirrors teacher expectation.

Recommendations of Northern Education System Review (NESR)

In 2014 the Northern Province Ministry of Education reviewed its education system and published its report, available in the website, in www.edudept.np.gov.lk in Reports, Education Review. The same recommendation was made (After 53 years), in that report – Chapter 4, pp 70 – 71. At the request of the Provincial Minister I facilitated this study of a Standing Committee of 60 educators.

The recommendation in school sports, among many others, is still not implemented in the North or in the country. However the recommendation in Ch 15 p 154, to make education compulsory for all students up to age 18, was accepted by the National Education Commission and the President, It is implemented since January 2017 in all schools with Grades 13.

Those students who fail GCE O/L will be required to enroll in the Vocational Technical program in year 12 and 13. Scholar-Athlete or others who fail GCE O/L can now continue to attend school, learn skills for gainful employment and continue playing their sport for the school under 19 teams. It is important that the ‘C’ average requirement to represent the school in sports be implemented to ensure that the Scholar-Athlete succeeds in sports and studies.

One of the main reasons that scholar-athlete fail to earn passing grade is that, the scholar-athlete is always, including in class and during homework situation, think of the practice sessions, technique of the sport, competition strategies, daydreaming while the teacher is talking or when the textbook is open is common to all those who seriously compete in sports. If the recommended ‘C’ average is mandatory, the scholar-athlete will consider that as part of the game and earn that score. Parents, I am sure will welcome such a requirement. If and when a scholar-athlete has difficulty in one or more subjects, as determined in the Mid-Term examination, it is the responsibility of the school and the coach to ensure that Scholar-Athlete receives extra tuition to earn the required Grade.

It is a crime when a one-month coaching camp is conducted for those selected cricketers for the National under 19 cricket team without providing time and arranging classes in subjects that the Scholar-Athlete is missing. I am surprised that the schools concerned and the Ministry of Education are tolerating such abuse of the students.

Multiple Intelligences

Many successful sportspersons know that to prepare, practice and perform the sportspersons have to be intelligent to manage all the variables that goes into being a successful scholar-athlete. That intelligence is categorized into nine Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardener, Harvard University in 1983.

The nine intelligences are: 1. Verbal, 2. Logical-Mathematical, 3. Naturalist, 4. Visual/Spatial, 5. Existential, 6 Interpersonal, 7. Intrapersonal, 8. Bodily/Kinesthetic, 9. Musical/Rhythmic. To this nine based on my experience and other sportspersons, i would add a 10th intelligence that i term it as perseverance.

All of the intelligences are present in all individuals at birth at various levels. But all of them can be enhanced to a higher level. Parents’, Teachers’, school and sports administrators and Society’s responsibility is to give all children equal opportunities to maximize the potential they possessed at birth.