The most important thing is to make an effort in trying to improve every day
Interview with Ernest Capa, PE teacher.
Ernest is our P.E teacher, a subject he teaches in English from 4º Primary to 1st of Bachillerato. He´s the kind of teacher who teaches by example spending a lot of his free time training and improving his results.
Q: If you weren’t a P.E. teacher, what job would you like to do?
A: Sports nutritionist. I am passionate about food and how it affects our body. I think it is a constantly evolving topic which affects everyone because more and more people are doing sports.
Q: Do you regret any decision you´ve made?
A: Yes, plenty of them. We constantly make mistakes and the key is not how many errors you make, but what you do to solve them and whether you make the effort to try not to repeat them.
Q: What’s your hobby?
A: I think that any sport to me is a hobby and I’m also quite lucky because my second job, competing in trail mountain races, is also my hobby.
Q: Where did you learn to speak such a good English?
A: In the U.S.A. I’m lucky to have family there, and to me English is like my mother tongue.
Q: Why do you think your subject is important?
A: Physical inactivity is a problem which is gradually growing in our society and one of the ways to prevent it is by promoting healthy habits Whenever I can, I take the opportunity to shed light on the importance of promoting physical activity in our pupils since they are youngsters until they reach university.
Q: What is your favourite year? And why?
A: I don’t have a favourite year. When I see that the students make an effort and have fun I do too. Fortunately, this happens a lot.
Q: Do you do any sports? If so which ones?
A: Yes, I train and compete regularly in trail race and occasionally I play basketball, do athletics and go rock climbing. In Summer, I go on long bike rides and play volleyball on the beach with friends.
Q: Is there something you do not like about the school? And how could we change this?
A: There are always areas that could be improved but I think that as a school in general we are respectful and empathetic (there are always exceptions).
Q: Why did you decide to change schools?
A: Because I liked the educational project here at Edelweiss and for personal reasons I needed to a change of scenery. I think it has been a wise decision.
Q: What sport would you like to add to the P.E. curricula?
A: I would add rock climbing and surfing. These two sports have only recently been added to the Olympic Games and I feel they play an important role in the developing maturity of the students.
Q: Do you agree that 2nd Bachillerato shouldn’t do P.E.?
A: No, I’d love to teach them. Given the stress from having to do Selectividad this year, I think they could benefit from at least one hour of sport in which they could distress themselves and move their joints a little.
Q: what would you say to someone who is not especially skilled at sports and has to do P.E?
A: Not being skilled is not the most important. The most important thing is to make an effort in trying to improve every day. That´s why the name of the subject is Physical Education, because it isn´t just about physical aspect, but also a topic of educating through movement and making progress as an individual as well as a team.
Q: if you had to highlight a project you in which you participate, which one would you choose?
A: This year we are working with 4th of ESO and KOYNOS school of Godella, I think it’s an incredible project. Being able to share experiences with down syndrome people is making the pupils see the world from a different point of view.
Q: To conclude: What can sport teach to people who aren’t professional sportsman?
A: Buff! I could fill 4 pages with just this question. Hard work, persistence, self-superation, dedication, perseverance, rules, team work… Sports can teach you all these things and much more, from someone who practises it as a hobby to elite sports people who make a living from it. For your information, I don’t want anybody standing still this year.
Thanks for your time Ernest.
