Student Oriented Approach to Recreation, PE and Sport (SOAR): Reimagining Recess Through Mentorship, Leadership, and Purpose
Founded and created by Dr. William S. Hesse, Mathew Gilbert and OUAZ Sport Leadership Student Athletes.
Every school leader understands the challenge of balancing safety, learning, and student well-being, especially during unstructured times like lunch and recess. These moments, while often overlooked, can significantly impact school climate, student behavior, and instructional time. That challenge led to the creation of SOAR.
Why SOAR Matters
SOAR was developed to intentionally structure unstructured time, supporting the whole child through mentorship, leadership, and positive play. Unlike traditional programs, SOAR is embedded into the school day and designed to flex to each campus’s unique culture while maintaining consistent goals: safety, connection, and student growth. At Kingswood Elementary, student surveys showed 88% of students reported feeling safe at recess, highlighting the program’s early impact.
How It Began
On a rainy October afternoon, administrators noticed a sharp increase in lunch and recess referrals, particularly for roughhousing, horseplay, and physical aggression. Despite increased supervision and schedule adjustments, referrals continued to rise.
At the same time, student-athletes from Ottawa University’s Sport Leadership Program approached school leadership with a desire to give back to the community while developing sport leadership skills. Together, they launched a mentorship-based approach to recess (recreation), PE and sport. These college athlete mentors worked directly with K–8 students, modeling positive play, teaching game structure, and fostering sportsmanship. What started as a pilot quickly became a movement. This movement led to the hiring the former mentors as classroom teachers.
What the Data Shows
The results were clear and compelling. Within four months:
- Recess-related referrals decreased by 20%
- Lost instructional time dropped significantly and attendance increased
- Teachers reported improved collaboration and sportsmanship
- Parents shared positive feedback about school climate
Previously, an average of 13 instructional days per year were lost due to recess-related discipline alone, time spent in offices, nurses’ stations, and follow-up meetings. SOAR helped reclaim that time by addressing behavior before it escalated.
Beyond Recess
SOAR’s impact extends well beyond the playground. The program:
- Develops leadership and coaching skills in college mentors
- Creates a pipeline for future teachers and school leaders
- Trains recess staff and new educators in positive behavior support
- Provides exploratory learning for college students in the Sport Leadership Major
- Strengthens trust between students, staff, and families
Most importantly, SOAR demonstrates that unstructured time is where social learning, conflict resolution, and belonging can truly thrive, when supported intentionally.
Looking Ahead
SOAR is built on a simple but powerful belief: connection over content. By prioritizing relationships, mentorship, and collaboration, schools can transform culture, reduce discipline, and create environments where students feel safe, supported, engaged and ready to learn.
As schools across Arizona continue to explore innovative ways to support students, SOAR offers a proven, scalable model, one that turns recess into an opportunity for growth, leadership, and community.
Check out our new IG page with upcoming success stories.
https://www.instagram.com/soar_pe?igsh=aWV3d2hmOXE4ZHAw&utm_source=qr
Check out our webpage to view our extensive work in this field of expertise.
https://healthylearningcultures.org/
Author: Dr. William S. Hesse presently holds the position of Assistant Professor / Faculty Chair of Sport Leadership and Physical Education expert at Ottawa University Arizona. In this role, alongside OUAZ student-athletes in the Sport Leadership Program, high school and elementary administrators such as SOAR co-founder Mathew Gilbert, and our extensive list of OUAZ community partners, he is dedicated to bridging the university and K-12 divide in all facets of recreation, physical education and sport. It is the combined effort of expertise from University to K-12 institutions that develop and lead the Student Oriented Approach to Recreation, PE and Sport (SOAR) program, fostering healthy learning cultures, professional development and leadership across all educational levels.
Co-Author: Matthew Gilbert is an assistant principal at Verrado High School and adjunct professor at Ottawa University. Mr. Gilbert has over 15 years of experience in education, where he taught, coached, mentored, and led across 3 different districts. His work is rooted in creating engaging, inclusive learning environments that help students think critically and grow into leaders in the areas of school behavior and sports.