Getting Started

In The Game was established at the beginning of 2003 by Chad Brown, a TCA Qualified, Advanced Tennis Coach.  Through six years of coaching experience - including numerous school-based programs - as well as discussion with school teachers and other coaching professionals, it became evident that there were several issues regarding school-age children and physical activity that needed to be addressed.  Of the two most predominant issues, one was physical and health related, while the other was an emotional challenge that was faced by many students. 

The foremost issue was that there was an abundance of primary school children who found physical activity and co-ordination extremely difficult.  The number of primary school, secondary school and even adult participants, who lacked the basic components of fitness to take part in sport, indicated that the solution was to get children involved and enjoying being active from a young age.  The increasing epidemic of childhood obesity and physical inactivity supported the need to get children participating in a program that promotes a healthy, dynamic lifestyle.  By creating a fun environment to be active, students can now take part and improve their skills and fitness without realising that they are also improving their general health and well being.

The second issue was that too few students had the emotional skills to participate successfully and enjoyably in a game-based environment. There are so many skills required to achieve success in any area of life that are accentuated through physical activity and games, however many students struggled with these concepts.  Life skills such as co-operation, working as a team, showing good sportsmanship in success and defeat and learning a lesson from these results are emphasised and developed through participation in an In The Game program. 

These two major issues were the driving forces behind In The Game spending 18 months researching and developing an exciting program that would help to teach and develop some of the most important skills that children require. In The Game then began implementing programs into Victorian Primary Schools throughout 2005.  The program is based on improving the physical capabilities of students while also developing social and emotional skills that can be applied to all other areas of life.