Getting your head into the game and keeping your feet on the ground.

Despite starting with the obit below (and the realization that I’m starting to sound like my own grandfather); I am happy to report that the Waverley Park school year has started smoothly for kids and staff alike. Many thanks to those of you able to get along to the information night on Wednesday. For those who were unable to get there but heard about and wanted to see the Sir Ken Robinson clip I used in my introduction to the night, here is a link to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&feature=related

Last week, I read an interesting article about the extraordinarily successful NZ Sevens coach Gordon  Tietjens. Tietjens is a quiet and long-time achiever in the often volatile world of sports coaching. With the exception of 2006 and 2009, Tietjens has won every IRB Sevens World Series title from the series’ 1999 beginning; and all three Commonwealth Games Sevens gold medals since 1998.

His coaching philosophy centers on the four qualities that make up the team culture that he he says is core to success: the quality of the team; team unity; passion; and discipline. “Play what’s in front of you; read what’s in front of you,” he says. “You can go into with a game plan but you have to be prepared for this strategy to change dramatically…”

In addition to getting their “heads into the game”, Tietjens’ charges are also required to keep their feet firmly planted on the ground: “Humility, that is ‘the’ top quality for us all….humility and being level-headed are real qualities; as is integrity….it’s about remembering who we are.”

Sounds like a pretty sound approach to bringing the best out in kids too: quality effort,co-operation, commitment and self-control. Waverley Park parents and teachers are the coaches; the kids our players. Let the 2011 games begin…….Kia kaha. Kia maia. Kia manawanui.