Parenting advice blog

This is a guest blog from Del at Pro Direct Soccer Academy who offer multi sports classes in schools and venues across Sussex. Like many sports activity providers, Pro Direct Soccer find it difficult promoting their services in school and here Del talks about his concerns that children are missing out on opportunities to try new things and lead healthy lifestyles. 

'I really do worry about the level of sports taught in schools and the importance that is placed on such a key part of a healthy lifestyle for our future generation.

Primary school teachers are only given 6 weeks of sports teaching during their three or four year university courses when they train.

If you child isn't lucky enough to have a sporty teacher then they could be losing the ability to develop their fundamental core skills during this important time.

Outside sports coaching is an excellent way for Primary schools to ensure the kids get a good level of professional sports education for our future generation.

Why use Pro Direct Soccer & Multi Sports?

We use senior coaches that have worked with children over a number of years and follow the programme written by our directors. Each programme varies for each school term and can focus on blocks of different sports or focus on games that include the A,B,C's.
Pro Direct ensure all of our senior coaches are assisted by competent assistant coaches and deliver a coach/child ratio of 1/16.  Our younger coaches develop through experience of work with children and alongside our senior coaches. This results in some of our coaches working 15/20hrs a week with Primary school children which develops them quicker than many of the alternative training courses they could attend.

Did you know your school has thousands of pounds to spend of sports education?

Why is it that so many schools still have not used their £9000 given to them by the government to improve the contact time children have with organised sports coaching? Why is it that some schools see better to use this money elsewhere instead of what it was pledged for by the government? As a legacy from the Olympics the 'Primary PE and Sports Premium' provides every Primary school with £8,000 (plus £5 per pupil) every year to promote good health. According to Mr Cameron, school sport has an important role in building 'confidence and a sense of achievement', but do you know what your school is spending their money on 

That money could be used to provide sports lessons from a professional coach for a whole academic year if used correctly.

We were shocked by our studies in Primary schools to find that the majority of parents believe their children gets enough physical education. Wrong!

In a weekly one hr PE session children's heart rates reach the recommended rate for a healthy heart for about 2 mins.

Large classes, long lines and not enough teacher / child interaction leave the children frustrated, bored and often disruptive. Some of our sessions focus on splitting classes in half and taking 15 children for 30 mins of hard physical work but concentrating on the fundamental core skills, smaller lines and participation from every child. By doing this we managed to get heart rates up to recommended rate for 22 mins in a 30 min session!
Do this 3 to 4 times a week and you create a more rounded PE curriculum. With the option of additional after school clubs we provide for schools we could really help these children reach the healthy lifestyle and love of sport they need.

Why is it so difficult to get into schools?

We advertise our services to schools and we provide free trial sessions but unfortunately many schools don't want outside sports providers on the premises.

Something has to change or our children will become overweight, lethargic in class rooms and not have an understanding of a balanced healthy lifestyle.'

Del - Pro Direct Soccer and Multi Sports offer sports coaching  in area including Worthing, Brighton & Hove, Burgess Hill, Southwater, Horsham, Hailsham, Shoreham, Portslade and Crawley. If you would like to talk to them about their classes, sport in your school or anything else visit their profile.