CRAIG BELL​​​​

Working from Behind: The pursuit of knowledge through experiences

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

     

     As an educator, I am continually challenged by the differences each student and school year can bring.  Mindful of my continual development as a learner and facilitator, there is a need in athletic leadership opportunities, technological integration into coaching, and nutritional awareness to increase for my success and the success of my students.  I have not determined these paths independent of my existing school population and have evaluated the primary areas of technological integration and nutritional awareness to be a major concern.  There will be more opportunities in the near future for myself if I choose to pursue leadership in my field of athletics.  My school district is in need of some overhaul to new leadership and this becomes motivation to discover the potential within myself for such roles.  Throughout all of these key areas, the overall theme to improve the experience and environment for my students and athletes will stay constant.  As we strive to not lose sight of our intentions, my future goals will look to strengthen the support of our children.

​

     Athletic leadership has always been an eventual pursuit in my field.  I have established some early experiences in athletics to better reinforce my desire to obtain leadership roles of significance in the future.  The doors that potentially open with coaching certifications, post-graduate degrees focused around athletic leadership, and experiences coordinating athletic programs are seemingly endless.  I was fortunate to be informed of some great professional learning through the International Association of Athletic Administrators and Coaches conference.  This conference is focused on providing coaches and educators with avenues to pursue development in their teaching or their coaching and establishes a networking foundation for potential opportunities that exist within the community.  I would look to this conference and the workshops provided for support of my leadership goals in athletics. The workshops range from improving as an Athletic Director, to implementing more technology into daily coaching. The latter is a future pursuit for my goals.

​

     Too often as a coach I am left with data and analysis form training and competitions that appear to be unusable.  The simple truth remains that my lack of proficiency for technological integration in my coaching has impacted my athletes.  An interesting resource to support improved integration is Krossover, a video analysis company which breaks down game film for usable data.  The website takes a coach through the various possibilities available from analysis of simple training or competition film.  I would look to use this resource as it would force me to gain an improved working knowledge of technological integration in my coaching.  The video can be available to athletes as well and could be used to build a team philosophy behind technology as a constant in future teams.  Technology can help to improve athlete performance, but also acts as an essential tool to determine baselines in athletic ability and health.  The focus on nutrition as it pertains to health is an equally essential goal for future learning.

​

     Nutritional awareness has become a growing need in my current school and surrounding district.  The lack of an aligned program, along with minimal parental denial in health levels of students, has created the essential goal for health improvement at school.  The previous two goals are a moot point if the nutritional recognition of our school community is acting blind.  Coordinated Approach to Child Health, or CATCH, is a great resource for any school in need of alignment through health, nutrition, and physical education.  I believe the comprehensive tools available in this resource will assist my school to develop improved awareness with respect to our nutrition.  The goals for my future learning center around student support and none can be greater than health and nutrition if seen to be lacking so severely.

​

     The essential ingredients placed in the basic formula for what will improve the experience and environment for our students and athletes results in the three parts of athletic leadership, technology, and nutrition.  These three future goals will look to align with current populations in the classroom and playing field, as well as define success for future schools and the children that fill them.  I have looked to the goals to maintain a connection as I see them only as strong as one pursuit.  Without the potential support in separate avenues, leadership will not be achieved without improved tools in technological integration.  Nutrition will fail to flourish if leadership is absent.  Success will best happen with support; a foundation I look to maintain.