ABSTRACT
School sports program is a substantial component of every learning institution, coaches, and athletes’ development. It enables the school to provide opportunities for the teachers to develop their sports coaching skills, it also assures an opportunity to the learners to develop their bodily kinesthetic ability, skills, and talents on their chosen sports discipline. And allows the learning institution to provide quality school sports program, conducive sports environment, and an avenue to compete and advance to the different level of sports competition. The researcher conducted this study to seek an answer to the following research objectives; 1. To what extent did the athletes perform in the following phases as assessed by the coaches and athletes themselves:1.1 training; and 1.2 competition proper? 2. Was there any significant difference between the assessment of the two groups of respondents on the athletes’ performance on the following phases: 2.1 training; and 2.2 competition proper? 3. To what extent was the athletes’ performance affected by the: 3.1 mental factor; 3.2 physical factor; 3.3 emotional factor; 3.4 social factor; and 3.5 environmental factor? 4. Was there any significant difference between the assessment of the two groups of respondents on the factors affecting the athletes’ performance? 5. Was there any significant relationship between the factors affecting the athletes’ performance on the following phases: 5.1 training; and 5.2 competition? 6. What developmental school sports program may be proposed to address the problem found out in the study? The researcher utilizes the descriptive method of research which is used to gather quantifiable data for statistical treatment through data analysis. T-test and Correlation were used as the research tool to analyze the gathered data among 90 respondents wherein the 75 respondents were athletes, and the remaining 15 respondents were coaches. After a careful analysis of gathered data, it is concluded that both athletes and coaches have a significant contribution in terms of training and contributions, identified aspects did not significantly relate on its effect on the level of their performance in terms of training and competition. And upon scrutinizing the result this study recommended to have a comprehensive school sports program that can help the learning institution, coaches, and student-athletes to develop their potential through well-structured school sports program, effective and efficient sports coaches, quality and enough sports environment, religious participation in community leagues and sports clinic, and lastly a consideration of having a special section and program for every coaches and students-athletes in every learning institution.
Keywords: Athletes Program, Sports Development, Sports Management, School Sports Program
INTRODUCTION
The role of education is the holistic development of an individual that would eventually prepare him for the multitude of challenges life has to offer in the real world. It is the function of any educational institution to produce graduates who will be an asset to the development of a sustainable community, rather than a liability to the growing demands of the modern society. While it is true that the multifaceted educational system, with its politics, bureaucracy, and diverse culture, faces a tremendous pressure on how to provide quality education to its clientele, educational institutions the world over are exerting efforts to come up with means of improving itself.
The inclusion of sports and sporting activities in the curriculum from pre-school to universities is one concrete step in the attempt to provide means of developing the students holistically. Training in sports is believed to be crucial in developing various positive values and behavioral patterns. Numerous studies have also been conducted to prove the essential contribution of sports involvement among students.
The promotion of sport and physical education at schools plays a vital role in generating motivation for and commitment to life-long sports participation. Although it is true that a very small number of a school’s population find themselves in professional leagues, it cannot be denied that the training of athletes like Michael Jordan, Maria Sharapova, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, to name a few, started to take a formal form in school. Big names in whatever sports competition are usually tied up to a name of a school.
Facilitating sport and physical education at schools thereby encourages a culture of healthy lifestyles and social cohesion through sports participation. Evidence exists that sport and physical activity can furthermore benefit learning and development, although this has not been fully capitalized upon. The importance of facilitating and promoting sport participation and physical education at school level therefore becomes evident.
When individuals, especially children of young age participate in school sports, it provides a sense of belonging, enables them to work in a team environment. Besides, it helps the students to interact with peers in a social and friendly manner. It also helps to learn to consider the interests of teammates and to practice mutual respect and gain their cooperation. Work together, share time, emotional space and other resources help to understand each other. Furthermore, it helps to take turns to play and learn to cope with success and failure as a group and a team. These interactions can greatly facilitate bonding and lasting friendships with schoolmates, which can help make children more sociable in the future career.
Several research have indicated that children who participate in sports and physical activities are less likely to move towards crimes. Engaging themselves in sports reduces the amount of unsupervised free time on their hands and prevents boredom. This makes options such as smoking, alcohol, and drugs less attractive. It was found out that girls who play sports do better at school and learn the importance of goal setting, planning, strategizing all of which can be important sections of workplace success, which has avoided less likely to have sex or get pregnant at an early age.
On another note, some experts on health and sports claim that the clearest benefits of school-based sports programs can be seen in the overall physical health of teenagers. According to various research, over the past 20 years, many studies have looked at the correlation between the rising rates of obesity and the declining funding for physical activity, whether in a gym class or after-school sports, in high schools.
Young people generally get less physical activity the older they get, but if they stay involved in sports programs, they are more likely to reap the physical benefits they otherwise would not receive. This certainly helps alleviate one of the factors that can lead to obesity. At the same time, the physical activity helps obesity prevention, but that activity can lead to better eating habits. Young people involved in physical activity generally consume more fruits and vegetables, are less likely to be overweight and are more likely to become physically active adults. (Taliaferro, 2010) One good habit can lead to many good habits, so keeping young people physically active is imperative for their overall health.
Teen girls tend to see the greater social benefits of competing in team sports. The physical activity combined with the camaraderie and purpose lead to a winning combination for girls. Girls who compete in sports get better grades, graduate at higher rates, and have more confidence. The vast majority avoid unplanned pregnancies, drugs, obesity, depression, and suicide. (Anderson, 2012)
In addition, sports also result in improvement of confidence, self-esteem for some students who are not strong in academics. It helps to strengthen their belief system, which may result in improved academic performance. It also serves as the best icebreaker for fresh students and helps in friendship and faster assimilation. Therefore, taking into consideration all these merits, the schools should include sports environment with proper facilities, dedicated instructors, and time to help their students pursue sports.
The different sports programs are intended to promote participation in inter-school, district, and provincial school sport leagues, enhancing sporting skills at school level as well as enabling talent identification at grass roots. The school sport program can therefore be regarded as a mechanism to encourage inclusivity, promoting skills development through the involvement of able-bodied learners as well as learners with special needs in sporting activities. As such, the School Sport Program, through its multifaceted approach, enhances mass participation in sports as well as fostering a culture of healthy lifestyles and social cohesion.
School sport has furthermore been recognized as an essential component in facilitating the identification and development of talent within the province. The system provides learners with the necessary support services and facilities required to achieve podium results, ensuring the talent from schools are nurtured in a formalized, high-performance system.
The same concept of schools being a nurturing ground for future professional athletes prevails in the Philippines. There are various leagues in the country which serves as training pool of athletes for higher competition. Athletes were named here, and some became popular like Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, world champion on different divisions of boxing and Lydia De Vega, dubbed as Asia’s Sprint Queen and a two-time Olympian of Athletics. We also have basketball legends like Robert Jaworski, Benjie Paras, Alvin Patrimonio, Atoy Co, Allan Caidic, Johnny Abarientos and many more. We also have at present the best players of volleyball - to name some are Allyssa Valdez, Jia Morado and Dennise Lazaro, multi-awarded athletes on their discipline. Although we are in a tropical country, we tried to manage and surprised other countries in figure skating, the very first country in Southeast Asia to qualify in 2014 Winter Olympic in the person of Michael Christian Martinez. There is the legend in billiard Efren Bata Reyes whose name became a word of mouth by most Filipinos. Despite our country’s outlook towards sports, there are still personalities who lead and inspire us in different athletic competitions.
In the public schools, teachers are trained to become coaches and undergo coaching and officiating seminar workshop. This way, personnel will be available to fill up the needs of every athlete in terms of technical and managerial aspects. Sometimes they spend money just to cover up the needed materials or equipment. They were pressured between their classroom obligations and sports duties.
Athletes from public schools experience many things that make them determined and strong or may also lead to the other side of it. They experience academic and nonacademic imbalance because of the demands of teachers and the curriculum. Some schools do not have standard sports equipment and training facilities which are regularly needed in sports training and competition. Proper nutrition is not properly addressed. Most of them have low level of nutritional status and low physical stability. Problems that triggered their emotions like family, friends and financial problem are also a prominent factor.
In private schools they have sports program that leads some athletes into holistic development. Adaption of sports in the school curriculum which provides the athletes to choose what sports to play and compete and spend their time with. Equipped standard sports training facilities for training as well as in competition are available. They also enjoy the services of a nutritionist and availability of the right food in the school canteen and cafeteria. Counsellors and activities that will enrich their emotions and social interactions are also in evidence. Well trained coaches in different field or areas in developing the athletes and highly guaranteed incentives that motivates the athletes to perform well are all part of a well-organized and functioning school sports program.
There is also the implementation of the DECS Memorandum No. 242, series of 2000 entitled Implementing Guidelines for the Pilot Testing of the Special Sports Program at the Secondary Level and DepEd Order No. 46, series of 2012 entitled Policy and Guidelines on the Implementation of the Special Curricular Programs at the Secondary Level which are both rescinded to DepEd Order No. 25 series of 2015 entitled as Implementing Guidelines in Special Programs in Sports. (SPS) was originally conceived to address the needs of the talented students in different sports discipline and to identify and create a pool of athlete who will be trained to compete in national and international competitions. However, in the course of the program implementation, there was a paradigm shift that elevated the SPS to higher degree of relevance. The program is now envisioned to equip SPS for employment or higher learning in the field of sports and other related field or areas.
The Schools Division of Lipa City, although small compared to other divisions, is not an exception to a growing concern of uplifting the sports program. The Stallions League is the official name of Lipa City School Division Sport Competition which was recently introduced during the conduct of 2017 Division Sports Competition. Various changes occurred on the sports implementation and management of Lipa. On the later years, few number of sporting events were implemented by the School’s Division of Lipa City due to some aspects affecting the implementation and management process of it.
The developmental changes in the school curriculum, limited playing areas, purchase of low-quality sports equipment due to lack of budget and outnumbered efficient coaches and officiating officials are all contributing to a lower or poorer performance of athletes in the Division in the higher levels of competition.
Having all these observations in the Division and the unquestionable benefits that student-athletes derive from sports, the researcher conducted this study to identify the different factors that dominate the athletes’ performance during training and competitions and create strategic plan which is suited to intervene the existing sports program.
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