Behind the Scenes of High-Performance PE: Why Structure Beats Chance

In high-performance sport, nothing is random. Every training block, recovery day, and skill session fits into a bigger plan.

Athletes know exactly where they are on their journey and what comes next. That clarity fuels their confidence, motivation, and results.

PE has the unique opportunity to bring that same sense of purpose into the classroom. When students understand the journey they’re on—and can see their progress—engagement soars. Instead of just taking part in a single lesson, they become part of a longer story of improvement.

From my time as an athlete, I learned that the most powerful part of training wasn’t a single session— 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. The same principle works in schools. 𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿.

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗘 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻:

𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁.

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀.

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

If we want to inspire the next generation to aim higher, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁:

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 – Map out the long-term progression for each sport you teach.

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 – Show students the steps they’ve already mastered.

𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Help them understand where the pathway leads.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗘 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁—𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱—𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁.