What is sport_education

1. What is Sport Education?
Sport Education is a curriculum and instruction model designed for delivery in
physical education programs at the upper elementary, middle school, and
high school levels. It is intended to provide children and youth with
more authentic and enjoyable sport experiences than what we typically
see in typical physical education classes. This model was developed and
introduced by Daryl Siedentop in 1984 and has since be adapted and
successfully implemented across 4-12 programs nationally and
internationally. Students participate as members of teams in seasons
that are longer than the usual physical education unit. They take an
active role in their own sport experience by serving in varied and
realistic roles that we see in authentic sport settings such as captains,
coaches, trainers, statisticians, officials, publicists, and members of a
sports council. Teams develop camaraderie through team uniforms,
names, and cheers as they work together to learn and develop skill and
tactical play.
Goals
The three major goals that guide program development in Sport Education are
for students to become competent, literate, and enthusiastic players
(Siedentop, 1994). This means that teachers must design learning experiences
that facilitate students learning what this means and what it would look like in
realistic settings. According to Siedentop (1994);
• A competent player has sufficient skills to participate satisfactorily, can
execute strategies that are appropriate for the complexity of the game
being played, and is a knowledgeable player.
• A literate player understands and values the rules, rituals, and traditions
of sport, and is able to distinguish between good and bad sport practices
in a variety of sport settings.
• An enthusiastic player is one who preserves, protects, and enhances the
sport culture through participation, involvement, and appropriate
behavior
Objectives
In order to achieve these goals, students need to develop a set of objectives
which Siedentop (1994) has identified.
1. Develop skills and fitness specific to particular sports.
2. Appreciate and be able to execute strategic play in sports.

2. 3. Participate at a level appropriate to their stage of development.
4. Share in the planning and administration of sport experiences.
5. Provide responsible leadership.
6. Work effectively within a group toward common goals.
7. Appreciate the rituals and conventions that give particular sports their
unique meanings.
8. Develop the capacity to make reasoned decisions about sport issues.
9. Develop and apply knowledge about umpiring, refereeing, and training.
10.Decide voluntarily to become involved in after-school sport.
Features
What makes sport unique and different from other types of physical activity?
Siedentop (1994) developed six features that make sport special.
• Seasons
o Sport is played in seasons
• Affiliation
o Students participate as members of a team
• Formal Competition
o A schedule of competition is built into a season amidst practice
sessions
• Culminating Event
o Sport recognizes individual and team performance through a
concluding event
• Keeping Records
o Records of individual and team performance provide feedback to
students and encourage goal setting for improvement
• Festivity
o Sport is exciting and meaningful to participants and should be
reflected in a sport season
Seasons & Formal Competitions
<!--[if !vml]--> In the sport education model sports are played in “seasons” rather than units. Using the term
season makes the physical education experience more true to being part of an authentic sport season. Just
as in authentic sport games are played throughout the season with a concluding culminating event.
Most kids get involved in sports because they want to play! Usually the first question students have when

3. coming to physical education is, “Do we get to play today?” The idea of games throughout a season is
appealing to students because it offers frequent opportunities to play. In a sport education season students
participate as a team in skill practice and games; all building team unity. Using instructional models such as
the tactical approach to teaching games can also be incorporated into a sport education season to allow a
game form to be played every day. This game form allows teams to practice specific skills while being
involved in team play at the same time.
The following sample block plan for a high school soccer season shows how skill practice, games, and features
of authentic sport can be incorporated within the sport education model to teach fundamentals of the game
of soccer while allowing ample “play” time and festivity.
Soccer Season:
Day 1:
- Drills to determine
students present
skill level
- Dribbling &
passing drills
- Keep away
possession game
Day 2:
- Intro to sport
education
- Teams announced
- Roles &
Responsibilities
sheet
- Fair play
agreement
- Team posters
Day 3:
- Passing & trapping
skill practice in
teams
- 6 v 6 game
focusing on passing
and trapping
Day 4:
- Shooting drills in
teams
- 6 v 6 game: shoot
as often as possible
Day 5:
- 3 v 3 intro game
- Review questions of
passing and shooting
- 3 v 3: concentrate
on passing and
shooting
Day 6:
- 3 v 3 intro game
- Supporting the
ball carrier
- 3 v 3 concentrate
on supporting the
ball carrier
Day 7:
- Positioning
explanation
- 6 v 6 game
practicing playing
correct positions
Day 8:
- 6 v 6 intro game
- Coaches organize
individual practice
sessions for their
teams
Day 9:
- 6 v 6 games: time
to practice skills and
prepare for
tournament
Day 10:
- 6 v 6 intro game
- Restarting play
explanation (throw-
ins, corner kicks, goal
kicks)
- Skill stations:
practice for
tournament
Day 11:
- Jeopardy
assessment to
review soccer
rules/positions
- Explain
tournament grading
rubric
- 6 v 6 play: think
about grading rubric
criteria
Day 12:
- Soccer
tournament
* Not an elimination
tournament … points
awarded for wins,
goals
scored, and the
ability to prevent
Day 13:
- Soccer
tournament
Day 14:
- Awards ceremony
- Self assessment
- Team assessment
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4. opponents from
scoring
Seasons with the sport education model are usually longer than the typical physical education unit. Longer
seasons allow students to feel more affiliated with their teams, better experts in the sport, and more
skilled players. For most sports the ending culminating event is a tournament. Non-elimination tournaments
are encouraged to provide maximum participation to all students. A variety of ways of developing
tournaments or scoring points can be used to allow this to happen. The sport education model also
encourages an awards ceremony or banquet to recognize the individuals and teams for skill, teamwork, and
role performance that have taken place during the season, and again show the festivity that sport holds.
Affiliation
A major part of the sport education model is the idea of students becoming members of a team. At the
beginning of a sport season students are put in to teams with which they both practice and compete for the
duration of the season. This close time spent together creates team pride and spirit. Team aspects of sport
that are part of the sport education model add to this feeling of pride and the festivity that sport holds.
There are many different ways in which team affiliation can be built during a season. The following are a few
ideas of things that can be incorporated to give students a sense of belonging while building team spirit and
affiliation:
· team names - countries, animals, food, etc.
· team posters, crests, banners, and flags
· team chants or cheers
· team uniforms
· team mascots
· team pictures

5. · individual team warm-ups; team practice courts
· team awards
Culminating Event
In most organized sports the season is ended by a culminating competition.
Using culminating events in physical education helps build team affiliation. This
aspect of festivity is sometimes lacking in the traditional physical education
class. However, in sport education each season ends with a culminating event.
This might be a three vs. three volleyball tournament, a pickleball round-robin,
or a dance recital. Festivity is the emphasis in the culminating event. The
culminating event is the climax of the season and should draw in all students to
participate.
The festivity coordinator could be a role that you would place in charge of
making the culminating event festive. Some of his/her responsibilities might
include:
· Creating awards for the end of the event (most improved, MVP, best
sportsperson)
· Running and planning the awards banquet
· Creating a bracket poster
· Creating team posters
· Using old trophies to recreate awards with team pictures on them
· Display records or statistics on a display board
· Write and publish a season newsletter
Keeping Records
In all sports numerous records are kept throughout the season. Records of both individual and team
performance are kept in order to provide feedback to players and add to the tradition of sport. This same
aspect of sport is transferred in to the physical education setting through the sport education model.
Records provide feedback for students and teams and encourage goal setting for improvement. The roles
and responsibilities that are set up through the model allow for easy opportunities to incorporate the
keeping of records during practice and games if individual and team performance. For instance, statistics
can be taken by a teams statistician and can even be taught by the statistician to the rest of his or her
teammates. Records, such as the statistician’s statistics, could also be used by a coach to design a practice
specifically addressing a team’s needs. Publicists may also use stats and other team information to create
articles, newsletters, or awards.

6. · individual team warm-ups; team practice courts
· team awards
Culminating Event
In most organized sports the season is ended by a culminating competition.
Using culminating events in physical education helps build team affiliation. This
aspect of festivity is sometimes lacking in the traditional physical education
class. However, in sport education each season ends with a culminating event.
This might be a three vs. three volleyball tournament, a pickleball round-robin,
or a dance recital. Festivity is the emphasis in the culminating event. The
culminating event is the climax of the season and should draw in all students to
participate.
The festivity coordinator could be a role that you would place in charge of
making the culminating event festive. Some of his/her responsibilities might
include:
· Creating awards for the end of the event (most improved, MVP, best
sportsperson)
· Running and planning the awards banquet
· Creating a bracket poster
· Creating team posters
· Using old trophies to recreate awards with team pictures on them
· Display records or statistics on a display board
· Write and publish a season newsletter
Keeping Records
In all sports numerous records are kept throughout the season. Records of both individual and team
performance are kept in order to provide feedback to players and add to the tradition of sport. This same
aspect of sport is transferred in to the physical education setting through the sport education model.
Records provide feedback for students and teams and encourage goal setting for improvement. The roles
and responsibilities that are set up through the model allow for easy opportunities to incorporate the
keeping of records during practice and games if individual and team performance. For instance, statistics
can be taken by a teams statistician and can even be taught by the statistician to the rest of his or her
teammates. Records, such as the statistician’s statistics, could also be used by a coach to design a practice
specifically addressing a team’s needs. Publicists may also use stats and other team information to create
articles, newsletters, or awards.