Stanmore A positive pathway to sporting success “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” – Nelson Mandela Newington boys embodying the spirit of “positive sport” during the basketball season. Photo: Jared Leibowitz Sport is an integral part of Newington science of positive psychology, a branch students’ lives. It’s a wonderful vehicle for of psychology that looks at the ways that belonging, opportunity, resilience building, individuals and organisations can thrive by passion, purpose, meaning, health and building on their strengths and virtues1. wellbeing. The Newington Sports The model is strengths focused, identifying Department is embarking on an initiative and focusing on each player’s and team’s to develop an environment and culture strengths. We praise the process or effort of positivity through a framework called , “Positive Sport.” not the outcome. “Well done today” is nice, but it’s not action, effort or goal This framework was created to help specific. “You’ve been training really hard sporting communities, such as Newington, and today you put it alltogether in that to explore and create their own pathway race, you could not have done that last to a culture of sustainable positivity that year” encourages boys for their effort, impacts all aspects of the way we operate. perseverance and progress. A culture of positivity shapes the way we look at things, the way we process Positive Sport aims to have a positive information, the way we make decisions, effect on the wellbeing of all involved with our attitudes, mindsets and behaviours, sport in our community – players, coaches, and most of all the language we use. umpires/referees, administrators, Positive Sport is an innovative evidence- spectators and volunteers. based way of coaching and managing Mr Mark Dickens teams and individuals built around the Acting Head of Sport 1 Park, N. & Peterson, C. 2008, "Positive Psychology and Character Strengths: Application to Strengths-Based School Counseling", Professional School Counseling, December 2008, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 85-92. Mr Mark Dickens. Photo: Daryl Charles OPPORTUNITY| NEWS AUTUMN 2018| 27