Originally published May 20, 2018 in the Killeen Daily Herald.
Special to the Herald
Five stations, five skills to master, and the teachers are Copperas Cove Dawg football players.
Students at House Creek Elementary School improved not only their physical stamina but also worked on their math, science and problem-solving skills with some of the varsity football players who put the youngsters through some football drills.
Courtesy of Copperas Cove ISD
The players set up five different stations and showed the students how to perform the drill and then helped the students accurately master the drills. They showed the students how working together with the different drills can make it that much easier to succeed at their given tasks.
Students learned about distance and velocity as they threw and caught the football. Speed and distance and how the two work together were important lessons for students including Delilah Cazarez.
“I learned how to catch and run in different ways, but jumping the hurdles was my favorite.”
The players were patient and enthusiastic about teaching their love of football to the young children. The football players explained to the students how important it is to lead an active lifestyle.
But students who are active in sports are not only building their bodies, they are also building their minds. According to the League Network.com, physical activity increases the brain’s function leading to greater energy levels and the ability to focus and concentrate at a higher level, improving academic performance.
The ability to not lose focus also translates into positive behavior choices. Chemicals in a child’s brain including dopamine increase throughout the body as the participation in sports increases. These chemicals improve focus and reduce impulsive behavior. This improved concentration translates well in the classroom where kids are known to lose focus and get bored easily.
House Creek Elementary Coach Michael Bryan said he wants to get more of the Copperas Cove High School teams to come out and showcase their abilities to his young, eager students.
“(Physical education) is an important part of all of our students’ school day. It helps them develop many social skills like teamwork, which the football players were able to also showcase while they were here,” Bryan said. “Our students look up to the older kids and did a fantastic job following their lead on the drills. The visit from the team brought excitement and the kids had a lot of fun.”
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