Play Their Way

"It's better when everyone can play together" ♿🏀 Yesterday, we spoke to wheelchair basketball players from The Warwickshire Cubs and Bears and Children's Coaching Collaborative member Activity Alliance CEO Adam Blaze about how a child-first approach helps us be more inclusive in our coaching. Adam added: “In many cases those with experience of coaching disabled children naturally deliver a child-first experience. It is so important that accessibility and inclusion are built in to what we’re doing, and how we facilitate amazing positive experiences for children and young people is a great place to start." #EqualPlay #ParalympicsGB

Wonderful to be featured on LBC News this morning with GB Paralympian Siobhán Fitzpatrick at her former club, the Warwickshire Bears and Warwickshire Cubs Wheelchair Basketball Club, discussing how a child-first approach to coaching could help transform disabled children and young people's journeys in sport and physical activity 💙 #ParalympicsGB #EqualPlay

In recent research conducted by UK Coaching, more than 80% of young people with a disability said that being coached increases their fun and enjoyment, with almost two-thirds saying it made them less likely to drop out of sport. These FUNdamental elements of child-first coaching were clearly evident at today’s coaching session we attended with Warwickshire Bears Wheelchair Basketball Club 🌟 Those currently coaching disabled children are often already embedding child-first principles, such as making efforts to understand a child’s individual needs and adapting to their feedback – providing a blueprint for other coaches to learn and develop from. A child first approach, which focuses on the individual needs of children and young people is regarded as even more critical to giving disabled children positive experiences of sport and physical activity. UK Coaching spearheads the delivery of the Play Their Way campaign, which is so important in giving coaches the support they need to understand and practice child-first coaching. It is essential to give children with disabilities positive experiences of sport and physical activity, and being a child-first coach means being fully inclusive and accessible for every child.

We're delighted to be featured on Good Morning Britain today with GB Paralympian Siobhán Fitzpatrick and Children's Coaching Collaborative member Activity Alliance shining a spotlight on the importance of child-first coaching in disability sports 🙌 Siobhán joined us for a special wheelchair basketball session with young players from her former club, The Warwickshire Cubs, saying: "It was brilliant to be back at my old club this morning and see how much the club has embraced a child-first approach to coaching young players. Coaches are key to disabled children enjoying sport and to both understanding and reducing the barriers to them taking part in it. I love how the young players are also encouraged and empowered to get involved with the coaching here and help shape the sessions – it’s brilliant for their self-confidence.” #ParalympicsGB #EqualPlay

A quarter of British 15-year-olds report 'low life satisfaction', according to recent findings from the 2024 #GoodChildhoodReport, with girls reporting feeling particularly unhappy with their lives 😓 There are nuanced causes for what's been called a 'happiness recession', but it's clear that young people need the release and joy of sport more than ever. What do you think needs to change most for teenagers in sport and physical activity? 🤔 #PlayTheirWay 📸 The Children's Society

Last but certainly not least! Active Sussex is the final of 9 organisations taking part in our local coach engagement pilot 🎉 Andy Wright, Strategic Relationship Manager for Children and Young People at Active Sussex, reflected on the award, saying: “We are big believers of the Play Their Way campaign and it is a key strand in our strategy action plan this year, so to be awarded one of the grants to grow our network is both a privilege and brilliant timing. “We have been promoting the campaign to our partner organisations for a year now, but this funding allows us to take the next step in our engagement by building a network of coaches who are ready to deliver with a child-first approach to their coaching and open to learn and develop their practices whilst acting as ambassadors to the wider network. “We really can’t wait to get started.” 🙏 Thank you to all the amazing clubs, coaching organisations and Active Partnerships who are part of this pilot - together, we can grow our child-first coaching community.

⏰ Last chance to nominate a child-first coach for the #UKCoachingAwards! We're proud to sponsor the Community Coach of the Year for Children and Young People Award (won last year by Valleys Gymnastics Academy's Luke Carpenter)! Nominate UK Coaching 👉 https://bit.ly/3leRFGw

🙈 To the untrained eye, child-first coaching can sometimes look chaotic... but as coaches, we aim to have clarity amidst the 'chaos' of what children have chosen, what skills they're developing and why. This came up in Wednesday's coach catch-up about the struggle of how coaching in a child-first way can be perceived by others, hosted by UK Coaching's Tom Hartley and Martin Dighton. 🤔 Is this something you've struggled with too as a coach? How have you addressed it? Register for future coach catch-ups here: bit.ly/3VXrzMr

With the #Paralympics underway, we're sharing this brilliant tip from head coach and founder of inclusive swimming club Tadcaster Stingrays, Jemima Browning, about one way she communicates with non-verbal children and young people 👏 Read more from Jemima: http://bit.ly/3SEbPxn

How can coaches respect children and young people's Voice, Choice and Journey in performance coaching? Join hosts Tom Hartley and Martin Dighton of UK Coaching from 4-5pm today for an open discussion: https://bit.ly/4c8fsCa #Olympics #ParalympicsGB #Paris2024