Interview with Isa Nikola – Series 1 of 5

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Isa Nikola is a physical education coach at an elementary school by day and an adept Crossfitter at ATMA by night. Isa is from Serbia and has a passion for coaching and being an educator; he moved to Guangzhou, China, to teach for a few years, and now, he is located in Hong Kong. He teaches at an international school located in Tai Po.

Isa recognizes that children's motor and cognitive development has been linked to improving their learning skills during school. They are much more interrelated with each other than what studies have previously discovered. The positive effects of physical fitness on health status in children help reduce stress and increase the ability to focus better. Daily physical education provides opportunities for children to identify and manage their emotions through movement. The endorphins from physical activity help their moods and prepare children to be more creative and positive for improved academic studies.

What is significant about sports is that teamwork is a vital part. Through it, kids can learn to work together, show mutual respect, and reach a common goal. These skills—along with communication, leadership, and becoming more motivated—are essential for everyone later in life.

Isa is passionate about teaching kids to be competitive while remaining balanced and fostering collaboration. Individuality is essential for self- cultivation and self-improvement, but a team teaches children to cooperate and compromise to reach a common goal. We cannot do everything alone in almost anything and must work with others to achieve success. He has the patience and leadership skills to be the perfect role model for kids. It is through these team challenges that Isa would show his compassion and leadership skills. He is also a proud owner of a Karner Oregon gym bag; he commutes between school and the gym, and he needs separate compartments to bring his laptop for scheduling and correspondence work and pack his gym gear in his backpack. 

With extra padded shoulder straps, he can comfortably carry his accessories like his training shoes, workout gear and water bottle that all fit into separate compartments. He brings his Oregon backpack to every lesson in which he plans to make exercise learning more engaging for students.

We thank his support of our Karner community.