More than the sum of his parts At 34 years old, I have found many passions in life to dedicate myself towards. With this enthusiasm, I bring a unique perspective to coaching athletes and teaching young adults and children while remaining a positive role model for all.
I completed my Bachelor of Physical Education & Coaching degree program at Douglas College, with the intent of continuing on to the University of Alberta for a Masters of Arts degree in Sport Psychology. I remain an active athlete in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; training and competing in Gi and in No-Gi, both locally and internationally, securing several titles since my training began in 2011. I always strive to remain active in the community through volunteering, including coaching, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, race events, and more I grew up in Ardrossan, Alberta, and moved to British Columbia in 2009. In 2013 I enrolled at Douglas College, and after my first semester I started to realize my own potential and see the path ahead of me. |
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Goals and Philosophies
My goal is to continue learning. The world is continually evolving, new methods are being developed, and it is important to keep up. A person who has become stagnant with their learning is not the kind of person I choose to be. My immediate goal of graduating from the Douglas College BPEC program has been accomplished, now I look to continue with a Clinical Exercise Physiology (CEP) certification from the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (CSEP).
My long-term plans for education will not cease. While working on my goals, I will continue volunteering in sports I have a passion for, such as amateur wrestling. This will allow me to apply what I have learned in an relevant environment and assist the next generation of athletes and students. |
A philosophy of physical education and coachingReferences |
As a future physical educator and coach, I seek to engage my students and athletes in a manner that encourages life-long learning and physical activity. In doing so, I can make learning meaningful with an approach that is different from the typical classroom learning style. One such approach is relating concepts to real-life examples of physical activity. In teaching physical education, I look to teach multiple aspects of fundamental movements. This encourages competency while opening doors to a specific specialization if desired. Teaching the importance of fundamentals at an impressionable age will allow for the students to transfer those essential understandings to other aspects of their lives, particularly as they reach adulthood.
Although it is widely known that a mere 30 minutes of moderate physical activity several days per week (Powers, Dodd, Thompson, & Condon, 2006, pp. 6) can improve an individual's health, not all students choose to engage in voluntary activities. Thus, their participation in a physical education class provides those students with the only physical activity of the day. By teaching students the fundamental movements, they build confidence to move in a variety of settings and ways. The students then have a greater chance of finding a lifelong passion for sport. While teaching these skills to students, I too will learn. The continuation of my own learning as well as seeking mastery is important to me. As a peer with a level of expertise – be it in the area of teaching, coaching, or other area – I have the ability to influence the students by showing them a positive role model and creating a positive learning environment. Having these aspects can play a large role in helping a student with their self-esteem; which is the way a person sees himself and can be affected by comments, both positive and negative, from others (Coaching Association of Canada, 2007, "Teaching and Learning" pp. 12). I acknowledge that as a teacher and a coach, I will have students and athletes who learn through different means – mainly auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. Some of these styles may present challenges, but it is through challenges like those that I can grow both as a teacher and a student. If the students aren't sure, there are surveys they can do that will get them started in the correct direction. By guiding them to their own paths, the students can take more of their learning into their own hands, fostering independence while still overseeing their development. I seek to create an environment where students feel safe and free to express their ideas and opinions, and be supportive of each other. By fostering an environment such as that, it is my hope to reduce and eliminate bullying and harassment of any sort. A safe environment will also allow students to take controlled and calculated risks to push themselves beyond their limits. Coaching Association of Canada. (2007). Teaching and Learning. In Competition Introduction: Teaching and Learning, Design a Basic Sport Program, Basic Mental Skills (pp. 1-61). CA.
Condon, C.C., Dodd, S.L., Powers, S.K., & Thompson, A.M. (2006). Understanding Fitness and Wellness. In Condon et al. Total Fitness & Wellness (pp. 1-29). Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada. |