Fun At Lunch With Fisher Noon Sports
Noon Sports In Action
For many Fisher students, lunch time is sports time. Some grab a ball or play on the field, but many head for the competition of Noon Sports, a program organized by PE Teachers Dean Riggins and Mark Mercer. Launched a few years ago with support from Fisher Home & School Club, today Noon Sports is funded by LGEF.
There is a sport for every interest: Badminton, Basketball, Soccer, Flag Football, Team Handball, Dodgeball, and Volleyball. Sports rotate during the year. Some students join for just their favorite event while others compete all year long. The overall program has experienced tremendous success, with over 400 students participating.
“We don’t need to motivate the kids”, says Coach Mercer. “They sign up for it”.
There is a sport for every interest: Badminton, Basketball, Soccer, Flag Football, Team Handball, Dodgeball, and Volleyball. Sports rotate during the year. Some students join for just their favorite event while others compete all year long. The overall program has experienced tremendous success, with over 400 students participating.
“We don’t need to motivate the kids”, says Coach Mercer. “They sign up for it”.
Coach Mark Mercer
Noon Sports gives children a chance to compete and learn sportsmanship.
Coach Riggins comments, “I believe there is a healthy competition. We realize out in the real world kids will be competing for jobs. Competition is good, as long as it is not at all costs. But it needs to be in a respectful form.”
Adds Coach Mercer, “From the get go we explain to them about expectations. We are PE teachers and we are united in our philosophy. Sportsmanship is #1”.
The coaches are amazingly efficient and somehow manage to organize both 6th grade and 7th-8th grade sessions during each lunch. Games are “quick and sweet”, taking about 10 minutes to complete a session. What a great break for students in the middle of a hard-studying day!
Many students play with their friends but Noon Sports also engages children that might otherwise be isolated at lunch. “It gives certain kids something to do at lunchtime instead of sitting alone or being by themselves”, says Coach Riggins. “With the different sports we reach quite a few kids. And it helps with supervision at lunch time”.
The coaches believe lessons learned in competition tie to success in life. Explains Coach Riggins, “For some kids it is a challenge being part of team. You need to learn how to manage behaviors in a group and how to respect others with different personalities. How to work together. And, hey, you are not going to win all the time, so how do you handle that.”
Coach Riggins comments, “I believe there is a healthy competition. We realize out in the real world kids will be competing for jobs. Competition is good, as long as it is not at all costs. But it needs to be in a respectful form.”
Adds Coach Mercer, “From the get go we explain to them about expectations. We are PE teachers and we are united in our philosophy. Sportsmanship is #1”.
The coaches are amazingly efficient and somehow manage to organize both 6th grade and 7th-8th grade sessions during each lunch. Games are “quick and sweet”, taking about 10 minutes to complete a session. What a great break for students in the middle of a hard-studying day!
Many students play with their friends but Noon Sports also engages children that might otherwise be isolated at lunch. “It gives certain kids something to do at lunchtime instead of sitting alone or being by themselves”, says Coach Riggins. “With the different sports we reach quite a few kids. And it helps with supervision at lunch time”.
The coaches believe lessons learned in competition tie to success in life. Explains Coach Riggins, “For some kids it is a challenge being part of team. You need to learn how to manage behaviors in a group and how to respect others with different personalities. How to work together. And, hey, you are not going to win all the time, so how do you handle that.”
Coach Dean Riggins
Which sport is hardest for kids to learn? Surprisingly it turns out to be that old backyard favorite, badminton. Per Coach Riggins, “A lot of kids play back yard badminton but don’t know the rules. The sport has a lot of rules such as the serve and switching service boxes. We do a little thing before we start and bring the kids into the gym to explain, plus we post rules on each side of the gym.”
“The easiest Noon Sport is basketball”, chimes in Coach Mercer. “It is easiest because most kids can be successful. The skills are straightforward. If you just put in the effort you can be good at defense and shooting the basketball is a little easier”.
Basketball also ties our coaches together. Coach Riggins was a high school and college level (Humbolt State) basketball player who later became a coach at Stanislaus State and then at San Lorenzo high. One of his his favorite players on the San Lorenzo basketball team was a young man by the name of Mark Mercer - Fisher’s own Coach Mercer.
“Mr. Riggins was my high school coach”, reveals Mark, “and he was the best coach I ever had. He is passionate about the game and has high expectations for his players, not just in the game but at practice. Off the court he let you know he cared about you”.
How does this high level coaching experience translate to middle school?
Per Coach Mercer, “In PE we try to put in the effort but also to keep it light. It is middle school. And we all try to keep up with Mr. Riggins' jokes."
Adds Coach Riggins, “There is something about the middle school kids. They are still inquisitive, they are still respectful. You can have a lot of fun with them”.
“I like that the kids are engaged and excited about PE”, concludes Coach Mercer. I have taught 5 years at the high school level and there are some positives to that, but I like the enthusiasm of the middle school students. And a great example of that enthusiasm is Noon Sports!”
“The easiest Noon Sport is basketball”, chimes in Coach Mercer. “It is easiest because most kids can be successful. The skills are straightforward. If you just put in the effort you can be good at defense and shooting the basketball is a little easier”.
Basketball also ties our coaches together. Coach Riggins was a high school and college level (Humbolt State) basketball player who later became a coach at Stanislaus State and then at San Lorenzo high. One of his his favorite players on the San Lorenzo basketball team was a young man by the name of Mark Mercer - Fisher’s own Coach Mercer.
“Mr. Riggins was my high school coach”, reveals Mark, “and he was the best coach I ever had. He is passionate about the game and has high expectations for his players, not just in the game but at practice. Off the court he let you know he cared about you”.
How does this high level coaching experience translate to middle school?
Per Coach Mercer, “In PE we try to put in the effort but also to keep it light. It is middle school. And we all try to keep up with Mr. Riggins' jokes."
Adds Coach Riggins, “There is something about the middle school kids. They are still inquisitive, they are still respectful. You can have a lot of fun with them”.
“I like that the kids are engaged and excited about PE”, concludes Coach Mercer. I have taught 5 years at the high school level and there are some positives to that, but I like the enthusiasm of the middle school students. And a great example of that enthusiasm is Noon Sports!”