By Ian Jang, Year 10
Elite Sports Meets Academic Performance
The International School of Geneva has recently announced the expansion of the Sports+ Programme to the LGB and La Chat campuses from September 2022. Pioneered by the Campus des Nations’ Sports Director Mr. Antoine Laffay, the Sports+ Programme was launched in 2017 with the aim to provide opportunities for students competing in high-level athletics to follow their passion. Sports+ allows students to balance a rigorous academic programme with the demands of elite sports. Ecolint is the only international school in Switzerland to offer this type of flexibility for students in these situations.
Nations Campus Sports+
Once admitted into the programme, which works in association with local clubs, federations, and faculty, students learn to develop both academic and athletic skills as part of the school curriculum. The timetables of students are amended and extracurricular activities outside of school are welcomed as a part of their programme; the programme aims to maximise athletes’ chances of attaining both sporting and academic success by ensuring a balanced life. Integrated within the framework of the International Baccalaureate curriculum, Sports+ enables the student to gain self-confidence as well as self-knowledge and to develop from both a physical and mental point of view. Students collaborate with the Sports Director, Academic Director, Training Coaches, and the Sports Assistant Director. More details can be obtained at Elite Student-Athlete programme website.
According to Mr. Jamie Williams, Nations Campus Principal of Secondary School:
Sport+ enables the academic director to collaborate directly with professional coaches and also students’ teachers to balance out students’ workload enabling them to excel at both at the same time.
Below is an interview with Mr. Antoine Laffey, Nations Campus Sports + Director, who has kindly shared his experience as a key leader of the programme. The interview is in both French and English.
Why and how did Sports+ start at Nations Campus? What made it possible?
Le projet a été lancé à Nations en Septembre 2017 avec seulement 8 élèves / athlètes, nous en avons plus de 20 maintenant. Le but principal était de répondre aux besoins des athlètes élites et de leur famille voulant performer en sport tout en continuant leurs études. Après une étude de la situation, 3 pôles principaux sont ressortis : le pôle académique, le pôle sportif et le pôle médical. Ces 3 pôles doivent être en lien dans l’intérêt de tous. De ce fait, en s’entourant de staffs enseignants, de préparateurs physiques et d’un pôle médical (l’Hôpital de La Tour) composé d’un Docteur référent, de deux physiothérapeutes et d’une nutritionniste, le projet a ainsi pu être lancé en test.
The project was launched at the Nations campus in September 2017 with only eight student athletes but we now have more than 20 student athletes. The principal goal was to meet the needs of elite athletes and their families who wish to perform sports in continuation of their academics. After having done research on the situation, three principal areas emerged: academics, sports, and health. These three areas of partnership should be linked for the interest of all. As a result, working with teaching staff, physical trainers, and a medical centre (the La Tour Hospital) composed of a doctor referral, two physiotherapists, and a nutritionist, the project was able to be run as a test.
Will this program be incorporated into LGB and La Chat as well?
Oui tout à fait. Après un test de 4 années à Nations, nous nous sommes aperçu que ce programme était d’un grand soutien aux élèves-athlètes. Ainsi la fondation a décidé de le mettre en place dès septembre 2022 sur les Campus de La Châtaigneraie et de LGB.
Yes, absolutely! After four years of experience at the Nations campus, we are convinced that this programme has helped student athletes a great deal. Therefore, the Ecolint foundation decided to launch at la Chat and LGB campus in September of 2022.
As a Sports Department Director, why would you recommend this programme and what would you like to emphasize to prospective students and parents?
Il faut bien comprendre que le sport de haut niveau est exigeant. En termes d’horaires, de déplacements, de fatigue… L’objectif de ce programme est de permettre aux élèves d’être dans les meilleures conditions et surtout d’avoir un soutien personnel et adapté pour réussir sur les deux aspects tant sportif qu’académique. Nous essayons donc de leur fournir un maximum de “confort” en limitant les déplacements et en veillant à leur santé. De ce fait, beaucoup de choses se passent sur le Campus. Les séances de physiothérapies, certains entraînements physiques, des cours de tutoring se font sur le Campus. Nous jouons également un grand rôle dans le soutien académique des élèves en communiquant avec les professeurs afin de planifier les absences et le travail à récupérer. Ainsi les enfants et parents ne sont plus seuls dans cette démarche comme cela pouvait être le cas auparavant.
It is important to fully understand that high-level sports are demanding. In terms of schedules, travel, fatigue…. The objective of this program is to allow students to be in the best condition and above all to have personal and adapted support to succeed in both sporting and academic aspects. We, therefore, try to provide them with maximum “comfort” by limiting travel and ensuring their health. As a result, a lot is happening on campus. Physiotherapy sessions, some physical training, and tutoring courses take place on the campus. We also play a big role in the academic support of students by communicating with teachers to plan absences and work to catch up. Thus children and parents are no longer alone in this process as was the case before.
Any other helpful information?
Oui. Il y a une réunion d’information online le Jeudi 3 Février à 18h
https://www.ecolint.ch/sports-information-evening
Nous présenterons le programme dans le détail et répondrons aux questions.
For those interested parents, remember to join the information evening on Thursday, 3rd of February at 18:00. We will be presenting the program in detail and reply to your questions. If you have any more questions, please contact Antoine Laffay, Sports Director at Nations Campus: antoine.laffay@ecolint.ch
A success story
Please find successful story videos on the website. One of them is Heloise Hughes, Y13, track and field, who has been with the programme from the beginning. She comments that this programme allowed her to change because she found “a discipline that (she) loves.” Formal Sports+ student athlete, basketball player Liam Tissot emphasized the valuable learning experience of time management that carried over to his university life.
The expansion of Sports+
Students who have been following competitive sports outside of school, as well as intensive music programmes, have already been given permission to maintain their passions while managing rigorous academic classes at Ecolint. This year, the Sports+ Programme has been extended to the Primary School level in Campus des Nations. Following the success stories and the demand, Sports+ has been approved at both La Chat and LGB to launch starting from September 2022. This will give opportunities for many students to follow their passions, receive official credits for what they do at school academically and athletically, and be able to be recognized by secondary schools and college admissions.
According to Mr. Michael Kewley, Director of Admissions and Marketing:
The Sports+ program is a great asset for Ecolint. First and foremost it enables us to meet the needs of our many high-level athletes, ensuring that there is no need to choose between academic and sporting success. The program also differentiates us from every other school in Switzerland, attracting students to join Ecolint who might otherwise have chosen other schools, where they would not have been able to reach their full potential.
Mr. Conan de Wilde, Assistant Principal Academic & IB Coordinator:
I am pleased that we will have an even better support structure for the many students at LGB who engage in competitive sport at a national and international level.
Dr. Conrad Hughes, LGB Principal of Secondary School and Campus:
(As a Principal and a Parent)
Sports+ is a wonderful reinforcement of our educational pathway: it will allow high-performing athletes to continue to follow their passions while receiving expert attention. We are excited about Sports+ lifting the experience of sports education of our students, in particular with the arrival of our spectacular new gym in 2023. I feel passionate that we should always allow students to reach their potential, and that’s exactly what the aim of Sport+ is.
Writers’ personal reflection
I was impressed to hear Mr. Laffay’s comment on working together as a team (“students are not alone in the process”). Elite student athletes often require extensive support to excel in both pursuits. There is a sense of unanimous appreciation among students and parents that Ecolint administrators and faculty care and value students. They are working hard to meet the needs of students and parents to nurture different talents by educating students in well-rounded and supportive environments. Students are looking forward to welcoming the Sports+ programme at LGB and being able to be well focused to study hard in this programme with full enthusiasm. I believe that this program will provide the means to achieve top academic qualifications in conjunction with a demanding sports life. It will help students immensely in managing their time to pursue their future goals. Furthermore, the Sports+ Programme is a great way to welcome more talent pools into the Ecolint community and students will learn to balance their lives and smoothly prepare talented athletes for our society to succeed. Special thanks to Mr. Laffay, Mr. Williams, Mr. Kewley, Mr. De Wilde, and Dr. Hughes for taking the time to answer my questions and provide their valuable comments!
