Cranford coach makes the court his classroom

John McGuire talks over instructions with two youngsters in his Cranford GymAdemics class, one of his two sports-focused programs. (Photo by Jennifer Smolanoff/BitsofBlissPhotos.com)On most mornings, the gym at Trinity Episcopal Day School in Cranford is a noisy room full of action verbs.

Listening, stretching, running, dribbling, kicking, sliding, tumbling, laughing, dancing. Sometimes there’s even a little resting.

The 2- to 5-year-old subjects of these actions are pre-schoolers in GymAdemics, one of two sports-focused educational programs run by Cranford resident John McGuire.

McGuire has a master’s in educational leadership and 15 years as a teacher and coach, but that doesn’t mean much to this group. With energetic music in the background, they’re having fun, getting some exercise and learning to follow directions with activity that reinforces reading, math and social skills.

To a squirrely youngster eager to interrupt, McGuire offers an option: “How about you listen to me first, and then I will listen to you.” The boy agrees it’s a good idea, and the “locker room” chat continues. When that’s finished, they move away from the row of chairs near a sunny window to stretch before running — first outside and then inside a border of large, colorful dots. Next, they dribble a basketball with one hand or a soccer ball with both feet. Points are given for proper technique or even a courteous gesture. The points are displayed for all to see on a projector McGuire controls with his phone.

Here, distraction is a tool. Kids hold an instruction card in one hand and dribble with the other. This way they can’t put so much pressure on themselves to perform, McGuire says. They learn new words when cards instruct them to put the ball on, under or behind a chair.

McGuire hopes to expand the program to other schools. His goal for GymAdemics and his Hoops There It Is programs for older players is to develop kids both mentally and physically. We talked with him about the value of sports for kids.

What is the benefit of starting kids in a program like GymAdemics? There are natural athletes out there, and I can hone those skills and develop them even at a very young age. But my goal is to teach children that sports can be fun even if it is not your thing. We can train them to become good teammates, friends and citizens. I want kids to learn that we can enjoy winning and learn from losing. There is also a very important academic concept here that children can be mentally challenged while completing physical tasks.

Why is it a problem when kids focus only on winning? Because they will learn a lot more about themselves from their losses. Losing allows you to feel something unpleasant but also requires you to seek improvement, to practice, and to grow as a person and a player. You win when you realize that there is more to learn and do.

(Photo by Jennifer Smolanoff/BitsorBlissPhotos.com)

What is it about you that makes you want to do this work? I have always loved sports and I enjoy being a teacher. I created this GymAdemics concept because it allows me to blend the two. Sports teaches you about life: never quit in the face of adversity, adjustments always need to be made, dedicate yourself to your team — family, friends, work. I am a much better man thanks to what I have learned from coaches and sports.

Why do you work primarily through basketball? Weather! Although I love baseball and basketball, baseball camps get rained out. I used to be basketball director for College for Kids at Union County College. Eight years ago, I decided to make my own camp in Hoops There It Is, and it simply grew to where I am today.

The kids are obviously having a great time. How can parents encourage this running-and-jumping sort of play at home? Make free play a part of daily life. It does not need to be on an organized team. Encourage your children to be active and away from video games. These games give them a false sense of success. Hitting or catching a ball on a video game is a far cry from getting out there and actually doing it. They will also learn and reap the benefits of a healthier life through actual physical fitness.

With concerns about childhood obesity, how do you work in nutrition and fitness? I work with many different children in my various programs, and what I have learned, especially with the older players, is that they will strive to improve. Endurance and physical fitness become important to them if they want to compete and win. With younger children, we talk a lot about stretching and running to stay in shape. Diet is discussed in terms of what makes us stronger to play these sports.

To learn more, visit HoopsThereItIs.net or sportsthereitis.wix.com/gymademics.