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Implementing neuroscience in development and training is something you might find at your favourite professional sports team, but the Sports Department at The Scots College are investigating how this precise science can be utilised in schools to improve the mental state of students, as part of their revolutionary Mind Body Heart Pathway.
Led by the Head of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education, Daniel Markham, the Mind Body Heart Pathway involves a series of programs grounded in science, each focused on unique areas of development, to identify key strengths and weaknesses of students, and provide a framework for how to improve on them.
The latest addition to the Pathway is a Mindset Program, a 10-week, 20-hour brain-training program that utilises a brain-scanning headset. These headsets are designed the measure the neuro-performance and neuroplasticity of the brain in order to provide a detailed brain map of the child’s ‘mind frame’.
“The Mindset Program is designed to equip boys with tools that can improve their performance in a number of areas. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that this type of mental training can increase focus, focal endurance, manage their anxiety and improve their sleep cycles, by using leading brain mapping technology to diagram how boys’ use their minds during performance intensive scenarios,” Mr Markham said.
“This program integrates the latest cutting edge technology that is used to measure extreme athletes during high intensity performance – the same technology being used by the Redbull High Performance Centre, the US Military, top basketball teams in America, and professional golfers. The philosophy of our program is to use actionable data to produce mental toughness, composure and a level head,” he added.
“At Scots, we want to take a pioneering approach to preparation and training. Top coaches around the world have identified the need to improve the mental aspects of training, rather than the physical ones. This presents us with a fantastic opportunity to help athletes and students gain a competitive edge.”
The Mind Body Heart Pathway team will take this data and develop custom and specialised training programs that are specific to each boy. The training will effectively strengthen the boys’ weak areas and compliment their strengths in order to produce a well-optimised and confident athlete. A significant part of the training is how to ‘rest well’, with athletes praising the way that their sleep has been more rejuvenating for their mental and physical well-being.
“This is a unique and exciting experience for the boys at Scots. The training will encompass faculties such as Sport, Accelerated Learning and Music,” said Mr Markham.