In sports it’s easy for people to look for medals or championship titles to measure successes, however sports can do so much more than give you bling!
At The John Leader Project we measure success in many ways, achieve an award – of course we are proud and will celebrate, but we celebrate many things here:
Wave 1 of the Northamptonshire schools’ delivery an 11-year-old boy who was considered disruptive and every day, at some point, would be excluded from class. He had a natural ability on the range and found a peace on the shooting line, we all know that to have your arrow go near your aim, you must clear your mind and focus! A skill he took back into the classroom and after 6 weeks of shooting he managed to achieve 3 days a week in class – it’s going to be rewarding to find out what the results are at his 1st year of shooting come the summer of 2022.
Watching several children who have lost self-confidence for various reasons, feeling rejected by peers or school, impact of the pandemic. A number of parents who have openly spoken to us about the changes they have seen in their child, brought about by their new sport, but to hear a child who came to their first session reluctant to leave the side of their parents, at week 8 advise mum that she could nip along the road to the coffee shop and have a drink because they were fine here with Dave and Helen – “I don’t need you to stay mum”.
Children with various and in some cases multiple disabilities smile with the bow in their hand week after week and have mum thank you because their child has previously been rejected by 8 other sports due to the complexities around their needs – I have no shame in saying I have suggested that I am sponsored by a tissue manufacturer due to emotional tears and I have seen Dave take a moment to clear the lump in his throat when a child who we were warned doesn’t bond – tell him “I like you Dave, you are a good guy”
These moments measure success of taking on life’s challenges and winning those moments.