23+ Sample Sports Action Plan

What is a Sports Action Plan?

Engaging in sports activities is beneficial for everyone. One thing, it has both physical and psychological benefits. It also increases physical coordination, fitness, and the athlete’s self-esteem. In team sports, you can learn about the dynamics of teamwork. A sports action plan serves as a simple checklist to outline all the necessary steps to be taken by the sports event planner contracts in order to make sure that the planned goals of the event are achieved in an efficient way. Depending on the event being organized, single or multiple goals can be set. For it to be successful, however, it needs to be tailored to the specific needs of the sporting event that is being organized.

Why is a Sports Action Plan Needed?

In some cases, one could think that in a small-scale sports event, an action plan is not immediately necessary. But as a matter of fact, it actually is necessary to have one no matter how simple or extravagant the sport being organized is. Here are some reasons why an action plan is totally necessary:

What is the SMART Criteria?

In setting your planned goals for the sporting event being organized, the SMART goals criteria help streamline it. Here is what the particular criteria mean:

Importance of Sports Events in a School

Sports events being held in the school are referred to as the athletic programs that are being held inside the school settings. They mostly talk about interschool competitions. It is important that sports events stay part of a school curriculum because it serves as a platform for the students to stay physically and mentally healthy, as well as to give them an increase in confidence and self-esteem.

Listed below are more reasons why sports events are important in schools:

Developing leadership skills. In some sports activities, most students not only group together to form a team, but some of them also have to play a role as the team leader or team captain in order to lead the team to success. An example of this is being a team captain in your school football team. Being a team leader will help boost a student’s decision-making skills.Discipline. Being engaged in sports activities in the school can help them improve their discipline. Sports activities teach the students physical, mental, and tactical training to students. Discipline is also improved because they need to follow a set of rules and regulations in order for the game to run smoothly.Improvement of fitness level. By engaging in sports activities, students help themselves stay in healthy shape. Frequent sports activities help students maintain an optimal fitness level for their bodies. It also helps students improve their cardiovascular fitness.Improvement of social life. By being part of a sports team, students communicate and interact with their teammates in order to achieve a common goal. Interaction with co-students and their coaches helps them face every challenge bravely and with positive intentions.Mentoring. When done in a positive way, mentoring helps students perform better and achieve their goal statements. By being on a sports team or competing individually, a student-athlete gets mentoring and encouragement from coaches, parents, and teammates. A student’s positive mindset is also developed whenever he or she receives mentoring.

What are the Common Issues of Sports Activities in the School?

Although the organizers try their best to hold a sports event inside the school without any hitches, issues can and will still arise if anything is overlooked. Here are some of them:

Injuries. Since sports activities are almost always physical, the risk of someone getting injured either mildly or severely is always present. Injuries occur whenever the athlete is improperly conditioned or warmed-up before a game, inappropriate or no equipment, and lack of awareness regarding safety precautions.Coach education. This is a prevalent issue in schools because of a lack of uniform standards. Some schools have coaches that are non-faculty, meaning they don’t teach in that school but is a coach of one of the sports teams in that institution. Some schools recommend faculty coaches, but only a few of them express genuine interest. An appropriate sports coaching plan can combat this.Violence. This issue usually happens because some student-athletes focus too much on winning or beating their respective competition. Coaches and audiences are usually getting in on the action too if they feel like winding up the opposing team to mess with their mentality. This issue happens when there is a lack of administrative supervision and respect for higher authorities, inconsistent officiating, and community overinvolvement.

Common Sports Injuries or Emergencies

Here are the typical sports injuries or emergencies one can encounter at a sports event:

Concussions. It is a type of traumatic brain injury. Concussions happen when the head receives a hit or a bump and causes the head and brain to rapidly move back and forth. This can be associated with loss of consciousness.Sprains. Occurs when there is significant stretching or tearing of the ligaments. The most common area affected is the ankle, and symptoms of a sprain are usually pain, swelling, and stiffness on the area.Dehydration. This occurs when the athlete loses too many bodily fluids and may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Without enough bodily fluids, the body can’t perform as well as expected.Joint injuries. These types of injuries happen when the ligaments surrounding the joint are stretched or torn. Symptoms of joint injuries include pain, swelling, redness, and stiffness of the affected area. Common areas affected are the knees, elbows, ankles, and wrists.

How to Prepare a Sports Action Plan

A well-prepared sports action plan streamlines the goals stated in the plan and ensures that it is realistic and is achievable. It should also be concisely written and prepared by the sport’s event organizers. Here are the steps on how to make a sports action plan:

1. Define the type of sports event and its end goal.

As you begin to organize the sports event, start to explore many possible options on what the sports event would be like. You can determine in this step if the event you would like is a simple sports tournament within the school or if it would involve other schools. For example, you can choose to hold a basketball and football tournament within the school or just mental sports, such as spelling bees, chess, quiz bees, etc. Also, determine the number of personnel required for the event to be successful. The end goal varies on the type of sports event being organized. A typical end goal for a physical sports event is for it to finish without injuries and outside interference, and for medical emergencies to be treated appropriately should they ever occur.

2. List down the tasks to do.

When the organizers have already chosen the event and its end goal, it is now time to list down the steps that they should take in order to achieve it. Make sure it is clear and concise, and that the task listed in the action plan is attainable. You can also have a meeting with the athletes, coaches, and essential staff in this step, to determine if they are capable of achieving the tasks listed by the organizers. If you come across a difficult task, break it down into smaller, simpler steps. If they are not confident enough to achieve it, you can work together with them to come up with the necessary revisions.

3. Add the deadlines.

To make sure that everyone involved in the event is on track and delivers on the task listed, add deadlines to the action plan. But before you do so, you must also consult with the personnel involved and identify possible barriers or problems that may hinder them from completing certain tasks on time.

4. Setting milestones.

By adding milestones to the sports action plan, it enables all parties involved in the event to have something to look forward to something and helps them maintain their motivation as they slowly but surely work their way up each task, even if the final one is a long way away. It’s also recommended to not bunch up milestone dates in the plan, and space them weeks, not days apart.

5. Perform a follow-up.

Throughout the course of the sports event, it is also essential for the organizers to ask for a follow-up and evaluate the progress. You can mark the tasks that are completed, and tick them off the appropriate checklist. You can also point out and discuss with the staff if there are any unfinished tasks, so you can find possible solutions. Should there be any unforeseen difficulties in completing the task, modifications to that certain task can also be performed to ensure that it is completed and the goal gets closer to being achieved.

FAQs

How do I help someone pick the right sport?

You can discuss with them their preferences or encourage them to try different varieties to see what sport would they prefer. In choosing the right sport, make sure that a single sport is not overprioritized to give the other types a fair chance, and to prevent boredom and eventual loss of interest.

How do I prevent myself from getting injured while playing sports?

There are many ways to avoid injuries while playing sports. They are:

  • Thoroughly warming up before the start of the game
  • Making use of proper technique
  • Proper intake of fluids throughout the game
  • Wearing appropriate safety gear, such as mouth guards and shin pads
  • Do not exert too much effort for your level of fitness
  • Maintaining optimal levels of overall fitness, sometimes with the help of a fitness plan

Is safety gear necessary while playing?

It depends on the type of sport. If the sport requires it, also make sure that it is appropriate. No one in their right mind would wear a helmet and a mouthpiece while playing chess or participating in a quiz bee. No one would also wear high-heeled shoes and a tuxedo while playing football, either. By wearing the appropriate safety gear, possible injuries are prevented and peace of mind could be attained. It is also important that the safety gear should fit properly to ensure it functions correctly. It is necessary also for damaged gear to be fixed or replaced, as it can do more harm than good.

Having a sports action plan makes sure that the goals stated for that event are easily reached, and any possible problems can be dealt with. It also helps the event to be organized and not fall into disorder. This article listed has sample action plans listed above for reference should you ever need one.