GFL CoP with New Inclusion of Sports Coaches
Singapore , 24 May 2018
Malik Aljunied, Deputy Director of Character & Leadership Development Team opening the CoP session at Singapore Sports Hub
On 9 May 2018, the Game For Life Community of Practice (CoP), met again for conversations around character & leadership development through sport (CLDS). Besides participants from MOE schools, PE & Sports Teacher Academy (PESTA) and Physical, Sports & Outdoor Education Branch (PSOEB), for the first time, sports coaches involved in CLDS were also invited to contribute to the conversations.
As part of the CoP efforts to become an accessible platform where practitioners can share their experiences and best practices in CLDS, 3 of the CoP members shared with the group learnings and best practices from their respective spheres of influence.
Ms Teo Siew Lan, PE teacher & Volleyball coach sharing on her best practices for character & leadership development through volleyball
Ms Teo Siew Lan, PE teacher and volleyball coach from St Hilda Secondary shared with the CoP how she uses volleyball as a platform to not only produce champions on court but champions in life. To her, shaping the hearts and minds of her young charges is paramount and supersedes winning on court. Ms Teo shared on approaches she has adopted in her coaching to encourage the character development through sport process such as reflective practices and also how she approaches the development of her student athletes from a holistic angle where she unpacked how the consideration of an athlete’s body, mind and spirt is important to the individual’s success.
Mr Mohammed Azhar Bin Yusof, Deputy Director of Coach Development, CoachSG sharing on his sporting experiences as an athlete to a teacher, coach and parent
Mr Mohammed Azhar Bin Yusof, Deputy Director of Coach Development in CoachSG shared on how his coaching beliefs and philosophies have been shaped over the years through various experiences in sport as an athlete, teacher, coach and also a parent. He emphasized on how these beliefs and philosophies undergird one’s actions as what teachers and coaches say and do has an impact on student athletes under their care. This realization was cemented through his interactions with his coaches as an athlete over the years where their leadership has left a significant impact in his life.
Mr Hanif Abdul Rahman, Principal Master Teacher, PESTA sharing on his experiences in New Zealand
Wrapping up the presentations, Mr Hanif Abdul Rahman, Principal Master Teacher for PE at MOE’s PE & Sports Teacher Academy (PESTA) shared on his experiences in New Zealand where he met Richie McCaw, ex-captain of the New Zealand All Blacks during a working opportunity. His takeaways included how building high performing teams start with self leadership where self awareness is important. In his presentation, Mr Hanif touched on how the teacher and coach can play a part in creating a team ethos in CCA teams so as to leave a lasting legacy in the team.
Shane Hong from Character & Leadership Development Team hosting the GFL CoP session
The CoP participants also self-organized themselves in an open space discussion on CLDS topics and challenges that concerned them. Participants were provided the mobility to move around to conversations that resonated with them and which they felt deserve more discussions.
Coaches or sports educators who are interested to contribute and be part of the CLDS conversations in consecutive CoP sessions can email us and share with us your experiences implementing CLDS in your sphere of influence.