School and Youth S&C Round Table Discussion

UKSCA Coach Considerations

The UKSCA 2024 round table discussion, chaired by Andy Boyd, brought together experts from academia, sport institutes, and education to discuss youth physical activity. Kevin Till from Leeds Beckett University, Stuart Ferrier from the Scottish Institute of Sport, and Asha Riley from St Swithun's School, highlights the challenges of encouraging children to be more active. The conversation covered the World Health Organisation's physical activity guidelines, screen time issues, and how the S&C community can step up by fostering engaging environments in schools. One standout point was the idea that under-training in childhood can lead to overtraining later in life due to physical unpreparedness. Asha Riley shares her experience in creating a more inclusive approach to physical education at her school, emphasising that every child should have access to physical training, not just the top athletes. The discussion concluded with a call for collaboration between S&C coaches, PE teachers, and policymakers to address these challenges on a broader scale. This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference. Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.