Champions in Schools
What is Champions In Schools?
Champions in Schools is a life-skills programme delivered by the charity Winning Scotland Foundation. It places Scotland’s high performing athletes in the classroom to deliver a series of three inspirational workshops during the school year. Through the medium of sport, our champions encourage and educate pupils on how to:
• set and achieve goals
• pursue a healthy and active lifestyle
• appreciate the value of hard work
• adopt a positive, winning attitude
Our champions illustrate and explain that these skills and attitudes are transferable and that they are fundamental for success in all areas of life, not just on the field of play. Winning Scotland Foundation’s definition of ‘winning’ is: ‘achieving success through sustained effort’ i.e. making progress, getting better at something and connecting that effort with forward progress. By bringing some of Scotland’s sporting greats face-to-face with the nation’s school pupils, 'Champions in Schools' aims to guide and motivate Scotland’s young people to become a generation who fulfil their potential and who believe that what is important is not how good they are now, but how good they want to become.
National and international research indicates that role models can have a significant impact on the values and behaviours of young people. High performing athletes are often regarded as excellent role models. ‘Champions in Schools’ provides an opportunity for young people to build a rapport with, and emulate the successful characteristics of, some of Scotland’s top athletes. Through personal example our Champions demonstrate to pupils that striving to reach their ambitions and making positive lifestyle choices can produce spectacular rewards. They will instruct and support the pupils on how they can reap these benefits in their own lives.
'Champions in Schools' is aimed at pupils of late primary and early secondary school age. Our Champions deliver three workshops to a selected group of 20-30 young people over the course of an academic year. Each visit is approximately 6-8 weeks apart and pupils are set 'Champions Challenges' to work towards between each visit.
• Workshop 1: Inspiration and Goal Setting
• Workshop 2: True Fitness
• Workshop 3: Winning Attitudes
The objectives of Champions in Schools are:
• Pupils will have increased enjoyment of sport and physical activity
• Pupils will learn to set and achieve goals
• Pupils will appreciate the value of effort and hard work
• Pupils will understand the benefits of and keep a healthy diet and lifestyle
• Pupils will develop a positive, winning attitude
