This can't be amplified enough as far as I'm concerned. In my professional role (and now as the parent of a rising 8th grader who needs to figure out where to go to high school) I've been able to visit middle and high school campuses across the Philadelphia region and speak to parents and leadership in a range of educational settings - public, private, parochial, and charter. You probably won't be surprised to hear that in my experience there is a significant divide in how some institutions think about sports and the role sports can play in developing the whole child. I'd say this gap is most pronounced when you look at the way sports are structured in the Philadelphia public school system vs. many private peers, but it also exists between many of the private schools themselves. The reflexive response is to attribute that gap to the very real and very inequitable lack of funding that too many public school districts have to grapple with (Philadelphia being a leader of the pack in that regard) And there's no doubt that lack of funding contributes to some of the tangible disparities we see in young people's scholastic sports experiences. AND: As the author says: "This conversation isn’t about funding. It’s about mindset." It's 2025 and some of the people running youth-serving institutions - whether they be individual schools or entire school systems - still view sports as a nice little after-school activity that kids might opt into rather than a core component of their curriculum. The result is too often a lack of care and intentionality when thinking about sports in schools - everything from how coaches are selected, trained and evaluated; to how tryouts, games and practices are scheduled and structured; to how physical spaces are laid out; to how sports programs interact at the varsity, JV and even middle school levels. All of this matters when it comes to maximizing the impact of youth sports. With care and intention a school's sports program can be a place that not only reinforces positive culture, but one in which young people get more resilient, more confident, better equipped to manage stress and better prepared to use their "thinking brain." A poorly designed sports program, on the other hand, is almost guaranteed to drive youth away from physical activity - an outcome that will have a negative impact on almost all physical and mental health measurables, not to mention academic performance. Long story short, there's an overwhelming amount of research and evidence to support the idea that a well thought-out athletics program can benefit a school in ways that far surpass any increased investment or reallocation of resources. If we can shift our mindset about what sports are and what they can be, we could see some very pronounced changes in our schools.

Most youth sports scholarships miss the mark. But they don’t have to. The intention is good.  The execution?  Not so much. Here’s what many families face: ❌ Applications that are confusing and time-consuming ❌ A handful of spots buried in fine print ❌ “Hidden costs” still left uncovered...gear, travel, team dues... The result? Even with a scholarship, many kids still get left out. The bigger picture: Nearly half of parents say they struggle to afford youth sports. For families earning under $40K, that jumps to 57%. Meanwhile, wealthier families are spending 4–5x more per child on coaching, gear, and exposure. No wonder the kids with the least are often the first pushed out. But here’s the opportunity: We can redesign scholarships to actually work. Here’s what effective programs are doing: ✅ Partnering with coaches to quietly identify kids in need (no public applications). ✅ Covering the entire experience (registration, travel, uniforms, gear) ✅ Making support discreet and universal, so kids aren’t spotlighted in front of teammates. ✅ Tracking what matters: Did they play? Stay? Grow? Scholarships shouldn’t be a marketing badge. They should be a bridge. ⚡ At Signature Foundation, we’ve got something exciting in the works to make this a reality— and we can’t wait to share more soon!!! 👉 Follow me for weekly tips, tricks and tools on how to make sports affordable, accessible, and transformational for kids everywhere. Maddie Lewis Soviero

Planting Where It Matters: Schools, Communities, and the Future of Grassroots Sports in Africa Should Africa remain exporters of talent or build systems that create prosperity for her own continent? Africa is celebrated for producing world-class athletes, yet for every star, thousands remain unseen. The continent exports raw talent without structures to translate passion into industry. This gap comes from weak governance, inconsistent policy, and a lack of systems linking sports to daily life. To change this, Africa must plant development in the right soil which are schools and communities. Schools are central to Africa’s educational tradition, while communities remain social and cultural anchors. Families value education as the surest path to mobility, which is why sports academics often face resistance. When sports is rooted in schools and communities, it complements education rather than competing with it. Thus, schools and communities should drive grassroots sports, while sports academies and clubs serve as secondary stages. The first step is training personnel. Most schools have PHE teachers, but few are equipped as sports developers. With investment, they can be retrained as coaches, referees, and scouts. Community leaders and volunteers can join this pool, ensuring those already embedded in schools and communities become the first custodians of talent. Structure must go further. Schools should run internal leagues that feed into district and regional tournaments. These competitions become scouting grounds for academies and clubs. By then, athletes are already shaped by structured play and education, reducing wasted talent and ensuring a foundation for life beyond sports. To succeed, policy and governance must be bold. Ministries of Education and Sports must integrate sports into curricula as a true pathway. Budgets should fund retraining, facilities, and competitions. Private partners should be incentivized to sponsor leagues. Federations must ensure credibility and protect athletes, guaranteeing their education remains secure. This model is practical. Kenya’s school athletics have produced Olympians, Ghana’s community leagues supply football clubs, and South Africa’s school rugby and cricket sustain national teams. What’s missing is a continent-wide embrace of schools and communities as the foundation of sports development. In conclusion, Africa must see grassroots sports as necessity, not luxury. With its youthful population and natural advantage, sports can drive growth if rooted in schools and communities. With trained personnel, structure, and branding, Africa can turn raw passion into a billion-dollar industry that empowers and educates. The choice is clear: remain exporters of talent or build systems that create prosperity in your own continent.

Having returned to boys-only high schools after some time teaching and coaching in co-educational schools, I have noticed a shift in boys’ sport — particularly in the interaction between coaches and players. More and more, schools are relying on external coaches who are not educators to fill the gap left by fewer teachers being directly involved in coaching. While many of these coaches bring valuable expertise, the culture of accountability and interaction seems to have changed. I will be the first to admit that, in high-pressure situations, frustrations can sometimes spill over. I too have, on occasion, directed frustration towards an opposition coach or referee. However, when a line was crossed, it was expected that coaches would take responsibility and apologise to match officials. As a society rugby referee, I have observed a worrying increase in the level of verbal abuse directed at referees by both coaches and parents. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. Most referees you see officiating on a Saturday do so out of love for the game. Anyone who has played or supported rugby knows how difficult refereeing can be — even the best in the world make mistakes. Respect for referees is essential if we want to maintain a positive environment for players, coaches, and supporters. The boys in our care notice how adults behave, and they tend to imitate what they see and hear. When coaches resort to swearing at opposition schoolboys, we have truly lost sight of the purpose and spirit of school sport in South Africa: healthy competition, participation, and character development. It is worth remembering that fewer than 2% of schoolboy rugby players will ever turn professional. For the vast majority, sport should be about enjoyment, growth, and learning lessons that extend far beyond the field. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this topic.

On National Sports Day, we often celebrate physical fitness and sporting achievements. But sports are not just about the field—they are about well-being, brain development, life skills, and quality education.   For parents homeschooling children aged 7–16, sports can be effectively woven into the home education curriculum as more than physical activity. From exploring physics and math through sports mechanics, enhancing language development through journaling and storytelling, fostering creativity through art & design, or applying critical thinking in strategy games, sports provide fun and accessible learning beyond standard school curricula.   Yet, many parents undervalue sports as a career path, often prioritising academics alone. The truth is, sports not only enrich academics but also offer diverse career opportunities while shaping future leaders with resilience, discipline, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.   By integrating sports into daily lessons through interactive activities, DIYs, infographics, and children’s magazineslike our STEM magazine, we make education engaging, bite-sized, and aligned with child development. This ensures children grow with balanced health, creativity, awareness, and general knowledge—equipping them with tools for lifelong success.   As we reflect today, let’s champion a broader vision of education where sports and academics walk hand in hand. 🔗 Swipe through our carousel to see practical ways parents can adopt this approach.   #NationalSportsDay #HomeEducation #ChildDevelopment #SkillBuilding

I’ve been reflecting lately on one of the biggest challenges (and joys) of being a PE teacher in IB schools in Brazil, creating units of inquiry that are not only engaging, but also relevant and significant for students’ lives. It sounds straightforward on paper, connect PE content to global contexts, weave in big questions, and design learning experiences that matter. But in practice, it can feel like walking a tightrope. Every class is filled with diverse students, each with different motivations, backgrounds, and preferences. Some light up when they’re playing team sports, others thrive in individual activities. And then there are students who would rather not move at all—until they discover a form of expression or reflection that speaks to them. The diversity is both a blessing and a challenge. Time is another factor. We don’t get endless hours with our students; PE is often just a couple of periods a week. That doesn’t leave much room for deep conversations, individualized guidance, or exploration of every type of movement. And yet, the IB framework (both PYP and MYP) and the BNCC (Brazil’s national curriculum) give us an opening. It encourage us to go beyond drills and games, and instead use PE as a space for inquiry, cultural connection, and reflection. Of course, there are days when students complain: “Why can’t we just go outside and play?” Honestly, I agree with them. Play is powerful, joyful, and absolutely part of PE. But then something remarkable happens, when those same students write thoughtful reflections after participating in our school sports festival for example. Suddenly, I see them making connections between their experience on the court and their growth as learners, teammates, and individuals. That’s when I’m reminded why the effort is worth it. Because at its core, this is what physical literacy is about, helping students build a lifelong, personal relationship with movement. It’s not only about who scores the most goals or runs the fastest. It’s about confidence, creativity, self-awareness, and learning to navigate the social and emotional dynamics that come with physical activity. Designing units that bring all this together is exhausting work. Balancing the frameworks, meeting diverse needs, integrating inquiry, and still keeping the joy of movement alive. It takes energy, creativity, and resilience. But it’s also deeply rewarding. When I see students reflecting on their experiences, discovering new aspects of themselves, and realizing that PE is more than just “playtime,” I know we’re building something meaningful. The truth is, PE today is about much more than physical skills. It’s about nurturing thinkers, collaborators, and reflective humans who understand their own relationship with movement. Despite the challenges, and maybe because of them, I remain grateful and inspired to keep creating spaces where students can explore what movement means in their lives. The journey continues.

When three Nigerian girls stood on the world stage and beat more than 20,000 contestants from 69 countries in English, it should have been a turning point. They returned home as champions of intellect, and the official reward was ₦200,000. What message does that send to our youth? That brains matter less than entertainment. That a musician can earn millions for one show, while a student who conquers the world academically is given the price of a low-range smartphone. That we celebrate sports and entertainment with vigour, but education only with ceremony. Let me be clear: I am a lover of sports. I am a youth coach. I am a teen coach. I live and breathe football, and I rejoice whenever our teams such as the D’Tigress, the Falcons, or any of our national teams raise our flag. I cheer when the government rewards them with cash, houses, or honours, because I know the cost of that victory. But why should education not carry the same weight? As a people, we pour more collective energy into Big Brother 9ja than into national spelling bees or science competitions. We lavish recognition on music, fashion, and drama—but when our youth break world records in debate or English, we reduce their effort to a token. Look abroad. In Singapore, Finland, or South Korea, the brightest students are given lifelong scholarships and groomed for leadership. In China, global champions in mathematics or robotics are celebrated on national TV the way we celebrate football. They understand that the future belongs to those who train the mind as well as the body. For Gen Z in Nigeria, who already live in a world where visibility often outweighs substance, the government’s response risks confirming their suspicion: “Nigeria doesn’t really reward excellence unless it entertains.” If we are serious about the future, we must change this. 1. Education is national power. Every prize for brilliance should equal or exceed prizes for sports or entertainment. 2. Recognition must be structural, not symbolic. Scholarships, mentorships, and ambassadorial roles should be the baseline. 3. Young people must see that their sweat in the classroom is as celebrated as their sweat on the pitch or in the studio. Imagine a Nigeria where the next Nobel Prize winner, the next world-class scientist, or the next global champion in English or mathematics is honoured just as much as a World Cup team. Imagine young people competing to build, invent, and create—because they know their nation will stand behind them. Education, entertainment and sport must walk hand in hand, with education at the forefront—because that is where the future is written.

🏅 More Than Sport: Using Role Models to Build Resilience, Confidence and Determination In primary schools, developing a child’s character and emotional readiness is just as important as supporting their academic progress. That’s why in Kanga Sports Mentoring, we use positive sporting role models to help children understand, explore and build vital psychosocial skills, including: ✅ Confidence – believing in their ability to try, learn and grow ✅ Resilience – bouncing back from setbacks and managing emotions ✅ Determination – setting goals and staying focused through challenge By linking these traits to relatable figures from sport — and reinforcing them through physical activity and discussion — we help children see how these qualities apply in both sport and life. Mentoring sessions are designed to: 🎯 Create safe spaces for reflection and guided practice 🏃 Encourage movement with meaning 💬 Make key learning points stick through stories, role modelling and real-life examples When children see that confidence, resilience and determination are skills they can develop — not just traits others have — it transforms how they see themselves. 💡 The result? Happier, more self-aware, and more motivated learners, both in and out of the classroom. #KangaMentoring #CharacterEducation #Confidence #Resilience #PrimaryEducation #PositiveRoleModels #WholeChildDevelopment #SportsMentoring #Inclusion #BehaviourSupport #Wellbeing #NorthYorkshireSchools #WestYorkshireSchools

Parents: Is the Rising Cost of Youth Sports Still Worth It? As someone who helps athletes with their recruitment, I talk to families every day who are navigating the financial balancing act of club fees, travel tournaments, private lessons, and camps—all with the hope that it might lead to a college athletic scholarship. But here’s the truth that isn’t said enough: There are no guarantees. Most athletic scholarships are partial. And yes—the cost of youth sports often rivals, or even exceeds, the cost of college tuition. So… is it worth it? It can be. Because youth sports aren’t just about scholarships. They’re about: ✔️ Building confidence and resilience ✔️ Learning time management and teamwork ✔️ Creating lifelong memories and friendships ✔️ Keeping kids engaged, healthy, and accountable But if the only goal is a scholarship, it can lead to unnecessary pressure, burnout, and unmet expectations—for both the athlete and the family. My advice to parents? 🔹 View youth sports as a vehicle for growth, not a business transaction. 🔹 Focus on the right academic fit first, not just the athletic opportunity. Lastly, ask the right questions and seek reliable resources. #CollegeRecruiting #NCAA #StudentAthlete #AthleticRecruiting #CollegeSports #DIRecruiting #HighSchoolAthletes #RecruitingTips

The Solution is in the System: An Overview of GamePlan Pro™ (GPP™) For decades, we’ve witnessed a persistent and troubling cycle: despite billions of dollars and countless well-intentioned programs, the academic and opportunity gaps for our youth continue to widen. The reason is simple—we've been looking for a quick fix in a broken system. The solution isn't a single program; it’s an entirely new ecosystem. GamePlan Pro™ (GPP™) is that new system. Developed from a deep foundation in brain science and sports science, GPP™ is a revolutionary proprietary framework that leverages the power of sports to create a sustainable blueprint for community transformation. This isn't about athletic performance; it's about leveraging a child’s natural passion and sports interest to unlock their full potential in the classroom and in life. At its core, GPP™ operates on two integrated, powerful methodologies: * The Sports Interest Learning Framework (SILF): This is the engine of engagement. The SILF uses a youth's passion for sports—whether as a participant or a fan—as the on-ramp to learning. It teaches principles of strategy, teamwork, discipline, and perseverance that are fundamental to both sports and academic success. * The Athlete-Centered Learning Framework (ACLF): This is the core of our educational approach. The ACLF focuses on the holistic development of the individual. It uses principles from both brain and sports science to teach critical thinking, problem-solving, and professional skills. It's designed to build a new generation of leaders who are as prepared for a career as they are for the field. These two frameworks work in tandem, but their true power is in how they are implemented through our unified ecosystem, built on four critical lynchpins: * Schools: Integrating GPP™ directly into the academic structure to ensure our methodology is aligned with educational goals. * Churches and Community organizations: Using these trusted community pillars to provide mentorship, guidance, and a moral foundation for our youth. * Higher Education: Partnering with colleges and universities to provide clear pathways for scholarships, fellowships, and academic advancement. * Municipal Leaders: Securing the support and partnership of city officials to ensure GPP™ has the resources and public endorsement to create lasting change. By bringing these four forces together, GPP™ creates a self-sustaining system for development that is designed to permanently close the academic and opportunity gaps. It is the answer to the systemic failures that have held back our youth for too long. Please like and share! We can all be a part of this new ecosystem and transform the lives of young people everywhere!!