A breakthrough for school sports.

Inviting professional athletes to directly teach classes to students contributes to the development of school sports. — Inviting professional athletes to directly teach classes to students contributes to the development of school sports .

That statement marked a significant shift in educational management thinking: Instead of relying solely on the public system, education needs to be supported by the community, where artists, experts, and scientists become part of the curriculum. From the perspective of school sports in particular, the General Secretary's directive opens up an incredibly vast path.

In countries with world- leading sports, school sports are a professional arena for semi-professional athletes and a dedicated environment for athletes and coaches who are no longer at the peak of their careers. Schools are also the most effective solution to the problem of infrastructure, with sports fields and multi-functional gymnasiums invested with non-budgetary funds, directly serving the physical activities of students while simultaneously creating a potential audience for high-performance sports.

Although there is a dedicated sports festival (Phu Dong Sports Festival), school sports remain primarily a focus of the education sector, mainly dedicated to physical activities, and completely lacking the "career guidance" element found in many other countries. In reality, many schools in Vietnam have sports fields, gymnasiums, established specialized clubs, and signed contracts with high-level athletes and coaches to improve student training. However, due to this educational approach, the path for a student to become a professional athlete while still in school remains unclear.

Meanwhile, talented athletes and coaches supplement their income by "teaching" at sports centers. There, they are also called "teachers," and their students are mostly schoolchildren who use their time after school to pursue their passion for sports. Although not numerous, these courses have been the starting point and have introduced many talented individuals to Vietnamese sports. If the education sector implements the teaching of sports skills in schools as directed by the General Secretary, these "sports teachers" will gain more experience and income.

In the context of the sports sector implementing a strategic investment plan, reforming the athlete training system, and promoting socialization, while the education sector aims for the development of well-rounded individuals within the school environment, perhaps it is time for a strong collaboration between these two fields that are crucial to the physical well-being of Vietnamese people in the new era. This is a great opportunity to make school sports more meaningful, where each school becomes a multi-sport club, each student a potential athlete, and school sports are not just physical activities but also elective subjects with career-oriented benefits.

To achieve this, it is necessary to address the long-standing "bottleneck" in school sports, which is the deeper involvement of the sports sector through a competition system for students, as well as the contribution of top athletes, especially inspiring stars. Igniting passion, creating mechanisms for students to participate in sports as a future career opportunity, and providing regular, competitive arenas throughout their studies will help school sports in Vietnam gain a foothold in the national sports development process.

YEN PHUONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/buoc-dot-pha-cho-the-thao-hoc-duong-post794585.html