The following article was written by Nuzhat Hassan, a Grade 12 student and edited by Zoya Siddique, a Grade 11 student from St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School:
St. Francis Xavier CSS has introduced a new program this school year, one that has been getting much attention. The High Performance Program, 鈥淗PP鈥� is an initiative that began this year. It has many goals and objectives in order to meet the ever-increasing need for a structured environment for student athletes, giving them an opportunity to succeed, both academically and athletically. The unique mix of physical training, leadership development, and personal growth, opens up a new playing-field for these students, and an important link that many students have longed for.
The main objective of this program is to develop the student-athletes in all aspects. The program conducts daily training sessions consisting of strength training and conditioning, in addition to the usual physical education classes for regular students. It involves honing their leadership and character, not just their athletic abilities.
The regular Phys-Ed course at St.FX offers only a semester full of training, however, the HPP is ongoing year-round. This extended training and exposure for a goal-oriented mindset allows continuity in development for certain skills that could be transferable to the students鈥� respective sports in the long-run.
This program came into play when the lack of specialized programs was felt at the school, especially compared to the other schools in the region. 鈥淎 good fit and a good time to start something.鈥� Coach Cond said, introducing an opportunity for student-athletes to shine.
Though the program is still in its infancy, the 鈥淗PP鈥� was instituted to not just nurture competencies among athletes but also to place them on a more level playing-field with regards to their academic and athletic activities by enhancing their learning skills. The program provides training for a number of students, with no set entry criteria, and is looking for those who are able to perform at a high level, physically in sports and are willing to undertake the work in order to achieve something great. The emphasis however, is placed on not allowing the students to fall behind academically and those in the program need to be able to balance both aspects of their education.
The program itself revolves around the student athletes evolving through many strong pillars of life, such as; physical training, consistently attending practice and training sessions to better their performance, and character development aiming to mold students as human beings, not just as athletes. The program paves the way for students to become high performers in the future, shaping future generations of athletes.
It is actually more than just an athletic program. It鈥檚 an investment in the students, towards the students’ futures to help them become their best selves in and outside of sports.
