IBSC Exploring Boys' Education Podcast

In this episode of the IBSC Exploring Boys' Education Podcast, Chris Ekron challenges the win-at-all-costs culture that still dominates many boys' school sports programs. The Playbook Ed cofounder and former head of sports performance at Bishops Diocesan College (South Africa) draws on his PhD research and Paul Wylleman's four-pillar model of student-athlete development to make the case for redefining high performance around the whole boy—not just the Saturday scoreboard.

Discover why the real metrics of a successful sports program are process wins during the week, character growth, and whether boys still love the game long after they leave school. Ekron shares practical strategies for relational coaching, from 30-second corridor conversations to breaking down the silos between coaches, teachers, and pastoral staff, and explains how a simple schedule-mapping exercise can reveal just how little time boys have "just to be a boy."

Tune in to learn how schools can build sports environments where well-being forms the foundation for performance, stakeholder expectations are managed with clarity, and every student—not just the A-team athlete—is developed to reach his personal best.