Health and Wellness

Inspiring Excellence has been very busy of late developing a Health and Wellness program through sport that helps develop coping strategies and skills in children from the ages of 5 to 18 which will enhance their health and wellness.

As children are developing, they often have a greater degree of neuroplasticity in comparison to adults. The brains neuroplasticity ensures it remains flexible enough throughout childhood to unlearn patterns of response and create new conditioning. Conditioning refers to our habitual response to events.

The program ensures that children learn, through practical skills and strategies, to be aware of and label their emotions. Consequently they will acquire a set of coping skills to enhance their health and wellbeing in times of challenge and which will allow them to perform to their full potential.

Three values are at the core of how adults affect children's resilience. The goal of the Health and Wellness program is that we develop a culture of these values amongst coaches and parents working with children.

It has been proven that a child only requires one adult to believe in them for them to develop the key coping strategies that lay the foundation for a life of health and wellbeing. A key aspect of the program is that children respond to the expectations adults set for them. Furthermore, children develop resilience and coping skills from positive role models.

The key coping skills that are being developed involve the 7 C’s of resilience. Resilience refers to the capacity to recover from challenges. It is formed by developing key coping skills. The latest scientific research outlines these seven key areas in developing resilience in children. These areas form the foundation of the Health and Wellness program designed by Inspiring Excellence.

Competence: When you notice that you are developing important skills that can be repeated, you feel competent. We undermine competence when we don't recover properly after a setback.

Confidence: Children need confidence to be able to navigate the world, think outside the box, and recover from challenges.

Connection: Connections with other people, schools, and communities offer children the security that allows them to stand on their own and develop creative solutions.

Character: Children need to be able to differentiate between right and wrong and have a commitment to integrity.

Contribution: Children who contribute to the well-being of others will receive gratitude rather than condemnation. They will learn that contributing feels good and may therefore more easily turn to others, and do so without shame.

Coping: Children who possess a variety of healthy coping strategies will be less likely to turn to dangerous quick fixes when stressed.

Control: Children who understand privileges and respect are earned through demonstrated responsibility will learn to make wise choices and feel a sense of control.

We have educated coaches and parents in a number of sports clubs on the program and the first phase of implementation has received extremely positive feedback. Remember, children will often forget what you say but they will never forget how you made them feel! Sport is a powerful mediator to teach the skills of Health and Wellness in a fun and engaging manner. Keep Inspiring!