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Book Review: 'Sevens Heaven' by Ben Ryan

Posted Friday, 8 June 2018

This is a book about Ben Ryan’s career as Head Coach of Fiji sevens, leading to the Gold Medal in the first ever Olympic Sevens in Rio in 2016. But it is about much more than that. It is the story of an impetuous decision to take on a job...

What's the best thing a school can have in Sport?

Posted Thursday, 31 May 2018

Anyone seeking the answer to this question by scouring school websites would be forgiven for coming up with the wrong answer to this question. The things that schools seem to be most proud of - to judge by the messages which they promote to the wider world - are the...

Is Youth Cricket really dying?

Posted Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Earlier this week, Colin Graves, Head of the England and Wales Cricket Board, made the depressing observation that, “the younger generation, whether you like it or not, are just not attracted to Cricket”. This is especially unfortunate from a man who is the custodian of the future of the game...

Why Sport is the Opposite of Facebook

Posted Wednesday, 9 May 2018

Few people look at children playing with phones and screens and watch the scene with unalloyed pleasure. Parents regulate and restrict screen time in a way that they never do with outdoor play. There is a tacit acceptance that, however successful screens are as opiates of childhood, they are unwholesome...

The Simple Mathematics of Sports Coaching

Posted Thursday, 19 April 2018

Sports coaching has always had a dilemma. Is its aim to achieve Stakhanovite efficiency and maximise chance of victory through the elimination of error? Winning ugly. Or is it about creativity and enterprise? The latter brings with it risk, and inevitable error, and sometimes these lead to defeat. Winning beautifully?...

Helping pupils deal with significant personal disappointments in their sport

Posted Friday, 16 March 2018

Article written by: Mark Burley, Director of Sport, Canford School, Feb 2018 Within the sporting experience of adolescents there are certain events that occur which might well lead to additional stress and emotional upheaval. Teachers and coaches should be aware of occurrences such as significant injuries, de-selection and exits from...