2-4-1 TOP Self Sports

2-4-1 TOP Self™ Sports is our comprehensive school-based physical literacy development program. Typically delivered on site before or after school, we use fields, gyms and blacktops as our classroom, and sports as our core curriculum. But, we intentionally weave in leadership development, nutrition education and the skills of social emotional learning using our TOP Self™. 

TOP stands for Thinking on Purpose and has proven to be a “sticky” way for young people to recognize that they can not only identify how they are feeling, but more importantly, take themselves from how they are feeling to how they WANT to feel. It is self regulation taught practically and authentically.

Calling on the best practices of trauma informed, solution focused and cognitive behavioral approaches, as well as research on mindset and grit, individuals are offered “micro lessons and drills” seamlessly infused into our play-based programs.  Our research and evidence based approach shows that children in particular are more likely to put these practices into play in other areas of their life because of the duration and frequency in which they’re delivered.  By introducing them in short stints on a regular basis throughout the day(s), children are more likely to incorporate them as habits when the need for the skills truly come into play. For example, by practicing TOP Self at the start and end of a sport/movement activity when the child has a positive mindset, that same child will be more likely to use their TOP Self skills when confronted with a highly emotionalized situation that same day.  In the same way we give music lessons (let’s say piano) and expect the child to practice each day that week before the next lesson, the approach to TOP Self provides regular practice opportunities between each lesson.