In our previous blog we explored the application of a flexible blueprint approach to planning the physical development of sports pupils utilising a short-, medium- and long-term approach. We proposed that the ability to be systematic, yet adaptable and flex to the nonlinear nature of youth development through sport as critical to supporting change. In short ‘a goal without a (flexible) plan is just a wish’. In relation to our approach to support the education of pupils within our nutrition provision, our goal is to have a food first approach, with a focus on informing pupils to make the best possible and most appropriate choice around fueling for the demands of their school and sport programs. In this blog we aim to provide an insight into the development of our education-based program to promote clean sport and pupil education around supplement and medication use in sport. We believe that an investment in knowledge will pay the best interest in future behaviors. What is your approach to promoting clean sport in youth athletes?
In the modern world of sport and with the ever increasing commericalisation of nutritional solutions accessible to young people, pupils’ access to alternative food options is a challenge to our food first philosophy. Within a school environment, pupils are often looking for the fastest possible route to achieve their goals, whether that be in the classroom, sports field or for health and wellbeing. In sport, this is exemplified by the marketing of the sports supplement industry; offering young people the opportunity to achieve their goals and maximise their potential in the shortest possible time. This exposes the pupil to the risk of inadvertently taking a product that may be banned or adversely affecting their health. In order to better guide and educate our pupils on in this area, we have set out to become the first school within the UK to become an accredited school with UK Anti-doping (the national anti-doping organisation).
UKAD (UK Anti-Doping) runs an education program through their national trainers and have an accredited clean sport program with selected UK universities. Often by the time an individual attends university they already have an engrained set of attitudes relating to food choices and doping in sport. Therefore, we feel it is our duty as practitioners and educators to better inform our pupils of the risks of doping and how they can make informed decisions moving forwards. It has been shown that the earlier you can instill a desired set of values to an individual the greater chance they have of making good choices based on these values later in life.
100% me is UKAD’s education initiative and has a set of values that we can instill in our pupils. The values of passion, respect, integrity, determination and enjoyment help pupils to understand that the values that they often hold in other domains of their life, also apply to making the right choices when it comes to doping. We are spreading the clean sport message across the school at all age groups, and sporting abilities. This joined up approach to sport and education encapsulates the synergy in educating pupils across broad topic areas within a school setting. Our challenge is to provide engaging workshops based on the UKAD clean sport curriculum, ensuring our pupils grasp the value of the clean sport message, empower them to make the better decision moving forwards.
As we endeavor to be pioneers in our approach to anti-doping within the education sector, we can also be a beacon to other youth development programs on to how to provide young people with an awareness of the risks of doping. Yes, we need to ensure the spirit of sport is upheld, but we also need to make more of the potential health risks associated with certain types of products. Often young people will have a less critical appraisal of health risks, adopting a “you only live once” attitude. This message is equally important to the education strategy.
Millfield has often been seen to be leaders in many avenues of sport and education. We hope to keep this tradition alive by taking on the mantle of being the first school to provide a structured anti-doping education program, supported by UKAD. As we embark upon this journey, we hope to preserve our great tradition of nurturing and inspiring potential in sport by enhancing our pupil’s awareness of their responsibility to bring to life the values of UKAD and represent the 100% me mantra. In short, we hope an investment in knowledge will pay the best interest. What is your approach to promoting clean sport in youth athletes?
Millfield Institute of Sport and Wellbeing 