Article about Educational Athletics

Education-based Athletics - Only in the United States

By Dr. David Hoch, CMAA

Most would agree that sports play a huge part in the lives of many individuals - and not just in the United States. When one considers the Olympics, the World Cup, international marathon races and competitions in countless sports, the influence and impact is immense.

Sports also have a long-standing history of playing an important part in our societies. In the United States, for example, Native Americans in the Great Lakes area and Eastern seaboard played lacrosse. Their form of the sport served not only as a game, but also as preparation for war and part of celebrations.

In October 2007, Cal Ripken Jr. served as an American public diplomacy envoy for the United States Department of State as he taught baseball to youngsters and coaches in China. He then went to South Africa in the spring of 2008 to improve international relations.

What may not be as obvious is that the United States is the only country in which athletic programs are part of the schools. Throughout the rest of the world, young people attend school for the academics and participate in sports through clubs, travel teams, camps and clinics, and with private coaches.

Athletics are integral to the American education system because they have educational value. By participating in athletics, young people have the opportunity to learn, grow and develop just as they do in the classroom - and this principle is essential to our approach.

It is important to note that athletes generally have better attendance, cause fewer behavioral problems and have higher gradepoint averages during the season. Many corporate and government leaders credit their athletic participation for helping to develop their leadership skills.

This is not to say, however, that recreational programs, travel teams and Amateur Athletic Union competition don't have value, because some may. But the difference between these options for young people and high school sports is that interscholastic athletics should be education-based.

While coaches still prepare their teams to excel and strive to win, there has to be more involved. Beyond learning sport-specific skills and strategies, young people should be learning positive qualities, philosophies and principles that will help and carry them through life.

Everything that we do in athletics has or should have an educational component; it isn't just about winning games. Common outcomes for athletes are that they should:

• Learn sportsmanship to win humbly and graciously and to lose with dignity.
• Model integrity through playing by the rules.
• Use teamwork in order to contribute to a greater goal in which the athlete places the team's success or recognition before that of an individual. 
• Reach out to assist teammates, which translates into helping others around them in life and contributing to the community.
• Develop perseverance and the ability to bounce back from defeats.
• Incorporate goal-setting learned through athletics into their approach to life.
• Develop a solid work ethic that emphasizes preparation and effort.

In addition, something may occur during a practice session, game or in the community that can be used by a skilled coach as a "Teachable Moment." These spontaneous, unplanned situations can be excellent learning opportunities that can't be replicated in other segments of our educational system.

Coaches play a major role in the concept of education-based athletics and not only through "Teachable Moments." Why? In the analogous sense, they are the teachers and are responsible for the instruction and curriculum in athletics. Our young people do look up to their coaches. In education-based athletics, therefore, it is vital that high school coaches serve as solid role models. There can be no exception to this expectation.

Coaches should also encourage academic achievement by their athletes and help with their social development. When student-athletes need tutoring or extra help in an academic area, they should be excused from part of practice to get assistance. Making this allowance shows athletes that coaches are indeed concerned about their success.

Of course, administrators - superintendents, principals and athletic directors - affect the effort of education-based athletics as well. They are the individuals who hire, guide and mentor their coaches. Just like the professional development of teachers, administrators should encourage the same type of efforts and certification of their coaching staffs.

Administrators also need to control the expectations for their athletic programs. They should educate and inform parents, fans and the community that winning isn't the end-all or ultimate outcome (see High School Today, November 2007). Learning, having an enjoyable experience and representing the school in the best possible manner are so much more important than winning. If a team wins a championship after accomplishing these three goals, it represents the icing on the cake.

Due to the enormous educational benefits of athletic participation, a major goal of all high schools should always be to increase the opportunities for young people whenever possible. If schools have the financial wherewithal and facilities to add new sports, more teams or increase the size of current squads, they absolutely must.

Once we lose sight of the educational value of high school athletics, our programs lose their credibility and the reason to exist. Our athletic programs may offer the key to a student's future success and must be education-based.

Dr. David Hoch is the athletic director at Loch Raven High School in Towson, Maryland (Baltimore County). He assumed this position in 2003 after nine years as director of athletics at Eastern Technological High School in Baltimore County. He has 24 years experience coaching basketball, including 14 years on the collegiate level. Hoch, who has a doctorate in sports management from Temple University, is past president of the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association, and he formerly was president of the Maryland State Coaches Association. He has had more than 275 articles published in professional magazines and journals, as well as two textbook chapters. Hoch is a member of the NFHS High School Today Publications Committee.