Following on from our recent Kanga Cup experience Michael Kmet, one of our existing parents sent us this blog post which we have the privilege of sharing. Thank you for the kind words Michael and we could not articulate the vision of the college in a better way than this, enjoy….
At a recent work conference I had the pleasure of listening to Todd Sampson, CEO of advertising agency Leo Burnett and star of ABC television shows Gruen Planet and Redesign My Brain, speak about creativity and innovation.
In the corporate world organisations are becoming increasingly mechanised and standardised stifling innovation and customer flexibility. Sampson stressed that those organisations who empower their employees to be creative through collaboration, leading to innovation, will be the ones in the future that will have the competitive advantage.
Sampson lamented the fact that most college stifle and sometimes punishes creativity in their children. Children are taught to think within the norm and act within a certain structure.
With these thoughts in mind my recent experience at Kanga Cup as a parent of a under nine and under ten child competing had me evaluating how IFS are progressing as a college and as football development for the children. Children who behave these qualities are rewarded.
Watching the four IFS teams in nines and tens at Kanga Cup I was extremely gratified to what I saw. I saw children play with creativity and out there I saw thinking footballers.
Many of the results did not go their way and they were beaten by highly structured and organised teams. Teams that have played together since they were five years of age. Opposition teams were almost robotic in their style and thought patterns. And while they achieved the results required in terms of winning games I wonder how good this is for their future football development? Will these children be able to think and adapt as footballers when they are older? My feelings are that they won’t.
As parents it is sometimes difficult watching your children and their team mates lose games, sometimes convincingly. There is a strong temptation to yell advice that is both contradictory to the football values of IFS and advice that promotes short term thinking/winning over the long term benefit of the child. I know I get into the excitement of a match and a bit over the top at times.
In evaluation though, I saw that the IFS boys were the real winners in these games despite what the scoreboard told us. I saw boys who were creative, innovative and above all brave. This was particularly evident in times they were really up against it. They were not afraid to try something different to influence the game and were brave enough to lead the way for their team.
They were leaders not robots and leadership was a trait that was evident through the four IFS teams I watched.
This is a philosophy that also carries on into their college life. The principles of collaboration, innovation and creativity are ingrained in the principles of project based learning. And while sometimes these philosophies in young men and women sometimes lead to mistakes and friction, leading us to at times question the college’s decisions, the overall teaching environment both academically and football wise are ones that will give our children the best chance of thriving in a future that will be full of change and increasingly interactive.
Have a child that is robotic, fits within expected norms and one that accepts his/her fate without question is one that will struggle with the complex nature of life, work and relationships.
Todd Sampson challenged us to be more brave, even if it is for just ten seconds. Our children already have this bravery and creativity in them. I saw countless examples of this at Kanga Cup that I didn’t see in many other teams. I challenge you as parents and I challenge the college not to stifle these qualities but to let them thrive.
Do we want our children to be the innovators and leaders of the future or the followers?
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