World Cup pitches in for student health
CHILDREN in every Australian school will be offered free lessons about emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing in a national program developed by T20 World Cup organisers.
Teachers will also be able to access free curriculum designed to enhance student social and cognitive wellbeing and celebrate inspirational women and girls.
The program, designed for primary and secondary students aged 5-16, will be introduced as a legacy of the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup in Australia next year.
Rather than giving schools bats and balls, the program will teach children in more than 9000 schools life skills.
Free classroom-based activities will align with the Australian curriculum, including recorded videos from Australian and international players to inspire students.
Students will also learn about the cultures of teams competing in next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
ICC T20 World Cup local organising committee chief executive Nick Hockley said the program was 18 months in the making.
“We’ve worked with education experts, teachers and Australian cricket to design a world-class schools program, freely accessible to every school,’’ Mr Hockley said.
Cricketers Meg Lanning, Will Pukovski and Elyse Villani took students from South Melbourne Park Primary School through the program in a once in a lifetime class at the MCG yesterday.
Aussie cricket captain Lanning said it would help teach kids there was more to life than school and sport.
“It’s important to look after yourself on and off the field in terms of your emotional wellbeing and cognitive wellbeing so I think it’s a really good education program to get kids thinking about that,’’ she said.
Villani, a teacher before becoming a professional cricketer, said bringing health and wellbeing into schools was “vitally important’’.
“I wish it was around when I was at school,’’ she said.
“Teachers are already so time-poor and to know that this program is already amazing means it is so easy to implement straight away.’’
Rising star Pukovski said teaching wellbeing skills to children was “awesome’’.
“But obviously life is a bit more important than that.’’
The Women’s and Men’s T20 World Cups will be staged in eight Aussie cities next year, with both finals at the MCG.
Teachers can register for the program today at www. schools. t20worldcup. com with learning materials available from term four this year.