Coach Rich was invited by Eden High School to give one of his S.A.F.E. Bully Proofing System presentations for the "Eden Talks" Safe Schools Day.
Having taught the S.A.F.E. System in elementary and secondary schools for the last 26 years now, Coach Rich has the experience to tailor the presentation to various crowds, and today's presentation had students that were brand new to any form of bully proofing/self defense, to those who had experience, or maybe thought they did.
The day actually started off with 6 of the young men in attendance being told they may be leaving the presentation before it starts. It was a great way to teach the students how body language is a very big part of communication between people. It also was a very teachable moment for some that helped get the point across that it really doesn't pay to act tough and be disruptive, especially in a Bully Proofing Workshop!
Next up was working on mobility on the ground when someone has grounded you, where they are standing and you are on your back. Students learned defensive postures, moving to keep their feet in front of the opponent, then progressed to tripping the opponent and then getting themselves up off the ground properly. Students were then able to "test" what they learned in a fun and safe manner through various drills and games.
The Workshop was very well received by both students and teachers, and one of the best things about the day was having some of the young men from the start of the workshop come over and apologize for their behaviour, and being sincere about it. That takes courage and self- respect, and that is really what it's all about!