Grammar Gazette-Issue 1, 2021

Sport

Foundations for Fulfilment The BGGS approach to holistic development

Ms Jo Duffy Director of Sport

There are many reasons to participate in sport—from the obvious physical developments that it encourages, to its ability to improve academic performance and to support mental health and overall wellbeing. But perhaps the most valuable and lasting impact that playing sport has is found in the less tangible lessons that it teaches us about ourselves, our values, and what it means to be human.

A quote that has resonated strongly with me throughout my sporting and professional career is attributed to Silken Lauman, a Canadian Single Scull Champion in the 1980s and 1990s The technology and the materials have changed, however, the life lessons are exactly the same

In organised sport, our School remains one of the largest competitors in QGSSSA and club competitions; 300 girls playWater Polo in the BWPI competition, 141 girls signed on for Rowing, Netball remains popular with more than 20 teams, and Cross Country training boasts 80 to 100 girls at most sessions These numbers are encouraging to us, as educators dedicated to providing girls with a foundation for a fulfilling life—rather than encouraging girls to collect trophies Social research gives us evidence of the lasting transdisciplinary skills that sport teaches: a 2018 study commissioned by the Australian Football League Women’s found that 95 per cent of respondents who played team sports said those pursuits helped them develop key leadership and career skills for the future Eighty per cent believed it developed their strong work ethic, 78 per cent indicated it developed their competitive edge, and 89 per cent said it enhanced their sense of collaboration and teamwork So-called ‘softer’ skills of persistence, decision- making, communication or harnessing competitive nature can be gained in any learning activity, but they are taught frequently and consistently through sport

Sport and physical activity are not mere asides to the broad, liberal education for which Brisbane Girls Grammar School is renowned—since its very beginnings, sport has underpinned the School’s commitment to deep, varied and lifelong learning Miss Milisent Wilkinson, Lady Principal (1900–1912), reflected that ‘girls should be given, equally to boys … the education of the playground’ (in Harvey-Short, 2011) Time has proven Miss Wilkinson’s instincts correct, and we know now how essential physical activity is to supporting optimal brain function: children who engage in sports have improved cognitive and emotional functions (Bidzan-Bluma I, Lipowska M., 2018); sport teaches children to balance individual demands with the needs of a group (Spence, 2006) and it reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents (Bell, 2019) What’s more, it improves focus and makes students better learners—Australian research indicates that schools that introduced dedicated physical education interventions have improved their NAPLAN scores by 10 points (Telford, 2014) Globally, the teenage years are the period in which we become more sedentary: 81 per cent of adolescents aged 11–17 years were insufficiently physically active in 2016, not meeting the World Health Organization's recommendations of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per day BGGS actively counters this trend, with exceptional participation rates across sporting teams and more general physical activities In recent years the School has developed and extended opportunities for girls to improve their overall fitness, with dedicated, non- competitive activities such as Run Fit, Fun Fit, skill acquisition, and a speed development programbeing attended enthusiastically Swimming is now a year-long activity where regular swimmers can further refine their swimming technique, or simply improve their fitness. ▶

‘Rowing is a great teacher. When the medals are old and dusty, my real memories will be of how I found pureness in a river on a wooden boat, the pureness of a pursuit whose greatest reward is the knowledge that you have tried with all your might The strokes down the river teach me They show me how hard life can be, how long it can take to get what you want, and ironically, how getting what you want is often the least important part of the experience ’

Pursuing a broad education is not simply about gaining distinct skills from a range of areas; it is about gaining the aptitude to learn, to take from every situation the knowledge and powerful lessons that will improve and enrich all aspects of our lives ■

— References Bell, S et al (2019) The relationship between physical activity, mental wellbeing and symptoms of mental health disorder in adolescents: a cohort study Available from: https://ijbnpa biomedcentral com/articles/10 1186/s12966-019-0901-7 Bidzan-Bluma I, Lipowska M (2018) Physical Activity and Cognitive Functioning of Children: A Systematic Review Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2018;15(4):800. Published 2018 Apr 19. doi:10.3390/ijerph15040800 Blanche, A (2018) The Imagination Gap: Teams, Dreams, and the Future of Women in Leadership Melbourne: Atlassian & Australian Football League Women’s Spence D A sporting chance BMJ . 2006;332:675. doi: 10.1136/bmj.332.7542.675-a. Telford, D (2014) The Physical Education Deprivation Syndrom e Available from: https://bggs qld schooltvme/newsletter-article/1907/1832 World Health Organisation: https://wwwwho int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity

above left The Year 9 First Quad competing in 2020 above right Siddhi Bhandarker (10W)

above Grace Yang (12M) finishes a race at Interhouse Swimming Carnival

Gazette

Gazette

Brisbane Girls Grammar School

Brisbane Girls Grammar School

14

Issue 1, 2021

15

Issue 1, 2021